The African Water Facility is a unique project preparation facility, a continental accelerator mobilising financial resources to achieve water security and sanitation for all towards the attainment of the African Water Vision 2025 as well as water-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is the only continent’s dedicated project preparation facility for climate-resilient water and sanitation projects, which get results by preparing bankable projects, making innovative investments that leverage capital, and improving governance across the water sector.

Regional member countries of the Bank, sub-national entities or agencies thereof as well as regional governmental agencies including river/lake basin organizations, regional economic communities., non-sovereign entities, non-governmental organizations whose activities are aligned with national development or institutions concerned with water resource development or development in general in Africa or a region thereof shall be eligible to receive either grants, non-grant financing or other assistance from the resources of the Water Fund.

Eligible applicants are first required to submit a written application for funding accompanied by the project concept note and other supporting documents. These are screened for eligibility and alignment with the Facility’s strategic priorities and only projects that quality for inclusion into the AWF projects pipeline are asked to submit a full grant funding application. The grant funding application is then evaluated in line with set evaluation criteria to enable a ranking of projects the pipeline. Highest ranked projects are then considered for inclusion in the AWF annual work program approved by the Facility’s Governing Council for funding.