Funding Innovative Capacity Building Initiatives (FICAD)
Over time, ACBF interventions have been evolving in order to better respond to emerging challenges and development priorities on the continent. To be nimble enough to respond effectively in an ever changing context, the Foundation has had to improve internal business processes to bring about better efficiency and achieve faster turn-around time. To this end, in 2010 the ACBF Executive Board delegated to the Executive Secretary, authority to approve funding to innovative and catalytic projects. The delegated authority has prescribed limit of US$500 000. The Funding Innovative Capacity Development (FICAD) Initiatives, allows the ACBF to support innovative ideas within a quick turn-around period. The facility is intended to provide short term financing Interventions to be supported through FICAD facility should also be piloting, or idea-sourcing to be scaled-up. This is to enable the Foundation try out new areas of intervention through a different approach of capacity development support and which could be further considered in the framework of full-fledged interventions. Collaborative interventions are equally encouraged.
The beneficiaries of the FICAD facility could be the potential ones that would ordinarily qualify for the full-fledged grants of ACBF, including institutional or legal entities, or other organizations and established networks seeking to advance innovative approaches to capacity development in a country or regional setting.
In general, the maximum funds that can be granted for a project, has a ceiling of One Hundred Thousand US Dollars ($100,000). In administering the facility, consideration is given to geographical balance to ensure equitable allocation within the programming zones of the Foundation. In addition, each applicant is entitled to only one grant and hence not more than one grant will be approved in a given country per year.
This FICAD cannot be used to fund endowment, recurring costs such as rent, utilities, salaries, vehicles and other capital equipment, nor will it be used to fill gaps in any existing project.
In March 2016, ACBF launched the first FICAD Call for Proposals. The process of selection is underway and a public announcement of the winners will be made by the Executive Secretary during the 3rd Capacity Development Forum (CDF) scheduled for 3-5 May 2016.
