Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility for Water Project Funding

The African Water Facility is flexible to receive new project funding applications to develop its pipeline.

African Water Facility (AWF) grants are awarded to recipients and projects that fit the criteria below. Please check that your project fits these criteria before you apply for funding.

Recipient Eligibility

To be eligible to receive AWF grants or technical assistance, recipients must be regional member countries of the African Development Bank (ADB), political subdivisions or agencies working within these countries, or regional agencies or institutions concerned with water resource development in Africa.

Government and Regional Institutions

Typically, governments and regional organisations applying for grants will include: 

  • Central or local African governments and municipalities
  • Regional, sub-regional and sectoral organisations such as Regional Economic Organisations (REOs), River Basin Organisations (RBOs), etc.

NGO and Civil Societies

For NGOs and civil society organisations to meet eligibility criteria, they need to be able to demonstrate credibility and a track record in the water sector and meet the following criteria:

  • Be a non-governmental organisation committed to the continent’s or national development priorities, with proposed activities that will be implemented in Africa
  • Be Africa-based or provide evidence of partnership with African institutions
  • Provide evidence of currently valid legal registration under the laws of the RMC in which it is operating; as well as evidence of a certificate to carry out business in the RMC in which it intends to carry out the relevant activity, if different from the place of legal registration
  • Have appropriate organisational and management capacity, including a governing board
  • Show the existence of sound financial systems including clear accounting and budgeting standards, financial statements, a transparent budgeting process, audited accounts and other indicators that confirm their capacity to assume fiduciary responsibility for African Water Facility resources
  • Provide evidence of competence, based on past performance, to carry out proposed activities
  • Demonstrate credibility, knowledge of local values, networks and structures required to carry out the indicated activities
  • Have their proposals supported by the national government as evidenced by a letter signed by the appropriate official of the government, at the Ministerial level, indicating that the country supports the request as being consistent with national priorities. This letter must be sent together with the application for support

Project Eligibility

To be eligible for financing under the AWF, proposed activities and projects must typically meet one of our strategic pillars: Project Preparation, Catalytic InvestmentsInvestment Promotion and Water Governance.

Outcomes consistent with priority issues such as Climate Change, Social and Gender Equity and Environmental Protection may also be given priority.

Project Criteria

All the projects financed by the AWF should have clear performance indicators with good expected outcomes and clear targets. In considering a request for financing, due consideration is given to the following criteria:

  • Political commitment of the country as demonstrated by a clear indication of the importance accorded to the water sector
  • Consistency with national priorities and regional consensus
  • Credibility, ownership, and commitment of the beneficiary
  • Effectiveness and sustainability of the institutions and investments
  • Opportunity for effective implementation
  • Good expected outputs with clear indicators and well defined targets