The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $500 million policy-based loan to support Indonesia’s efforts to modernize its tax system. This initiative aims to improve tax collection efficiency, enhance equity, and strengthen fiscal resilience to better fund public services and long-term development goals. It is the first of three subprograms under ADB’s Domestic Resource… [Read More]
Business
Apply Now: Funding Opportunities for Digital Technologies and Deep-Tech Innovations
The Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP) and the National Centre for Research and Development have launched new funding opportunities for investment and R&D projects in digital technologies and deep-tech innovations under the STEP initiative. The program is structured into two tracks: “Innovativeness” and “Strategic Independence,” supporting projects that introduce breakthrough or state-of-the-art technologies with… [Read More]
Southern Albania Sees Job Growth Through Heritage Tourism Initiatives
Communities across Southern Albania, including Berat, Gjirokastra, Përmet, and Saranda, are experiencing significant economic growth thanks to investments supported by the World Bank. Publicly funded initiatives to preserve heritage sites and improve nearby infrastructure have attracted private sector investment, particularly from entrepreneurs in tourism and hospitality. These efforts have created thousands of new jobs, many… [Read More]
African Development Bank Launches First-Ever Mapping of Women Entrepreneurs’ Associations Across Africa
The African Development Bank has released the results of a pioneering study mapping women entrepreneurs’ associations in sixteen African countries, uncovering significant capacity gaps that limit their economic influence. The study, launched on 6 August in Nouakchott, found that although nearly one in four African women is an entrepreneur, 87 percent of associations lack financial… [Read More]
Jobs for the Future Secures $19.5 Million Grant to Expand National Fair Chance to Advance Initiative
Jobs for the Future (JFF), a national nonprofit dedicated to transforming education and workforce systems in the U.S., has been awarded a $19.5 million grant from Ascendium Education Group to advance its Fair Chance to Advance initiative. This program, launched in 2024 and led by JFF’s Center for Justice & Economic Advancement, aims to break… [Read More]
Nigerian Food Delivery Startup Chowdeck Raises $9M from Novastar and Y Combinator
Chowdeck, a Lagos-based food delivery startup known for its profitability in a challenging, low-margin market, recently secured $9 million in Series A funding. This round, led by Novastar Ventures and supported by Y Combinator and other investors, aims to fuel Chowdeck’s quick commerce strategy and geographic expansion into more Nigerian and Ghanaian cities. The investment… [Read More]
Kenya’s Clean Energy Startups Capture 83% of Africa’s $550M July 2025 Funding
Kenya’s clean energy startups led Africa’s July 2025 funding surge by securing 83% of the continent’s $550 million investment, marking a significant shift in the region’s startup ecosystem. This surge was primarily driven by two major Kenyan companies and highlighted a growing investor preference for sustainable solutions and debt financing. Meanwhile, Nigeria, historically Africa’s venture… [Read More]
New $3 Million Initiative Strengthens Partnerships to Boost Youth Outcomes
The New Zealand government has introduced a $3 million Youth Development Partnership and Innovation Fund aimed at improving outcomes for at-risk young people aged 12 to 24. Announced by Minister for Youth James Meager on International Youth Day, this fund offers matched funding to businesses, iwi, charities, NGOs, and philanthropic organizations to deliver early intervention… [Read More]
SBA Disburses Over $1.5 Million in Disaster Relief to Texas Flood Victims
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has disbursed more than $1.5 million in disaster relief to residents of Texas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, and flooding that began on July 2, 2025. Within the first month after the disaster, the SBA approved over $8 million in federal disaster loans to support homeowners, renters, private… [Read More]
Ontario Investing $135 Million to Strengthen Water Systems and Irrigation in Niagara and Leamington
The Ontario government is committing $135 million to upgrade water systems and irrigation infrastructure in Niagara Region and the Municipality of Leamington. This investment aims to support housing development, protect farmland, and strengthen the agricultural sector while keeping local workers employed. Minister of Infrastructure Kinga Surma emphasized that these projects are part of the province’s… [Read More]
Viet Nam’s Mekong Delta City Gains New Infrastructure to Combat Chronic Flooding
Can Tho City, a key hub in Viet Nam’s Mekong Delta, once faced chronic flooding that cost its economy an estimated US$200 million annually. Floodwaters regularly disrupted daily life, contaminating streets and homes with debris and waste. In 2023, however, the city withstood its first major tidal surge without inundation, thanks to the Can Tho… [Read More]
The Power of Youth: Driving Change for a Sustainable and Inclusive Future
Across East Asia and the Pacific (EAP), young people are transforming their lives and communities through greater access to skills, jobs, and new opportunities. From East Java in Indonesia to Lae in Papua New Guinea, the World Bank is working with governments and partners to create inclusive pathways for youth, focusing on job creation as… [Read More]
AfDB and Invest in Africa Partner on $850,000 Grant to Create Green Jobs in Ghana and Senegal
The African Development Bank has signed an $850,000 grant agreement with Invest in Africa (IIA), a non-profit organization, to implement the MicroGREEN project in Ghana and Senegal. This initiative, officially titled Strengthening Women, Youth, and People with Disabilities’ Micro-Entrepreneurship for Green Jobs in Natural Resources, aims to create up to 500 green jobs in the… [Read More]
Rethinking Global Health Funding: Empowering Local Leaders, Governments, and Private Sector for Sustainable Impact
The global health landscape is experiencing significant upheaval due to shifts in donor funding, causing disruptions to vital health projects and essential services. Many local organizations that provide direct care have been forced to pause operations and reconsider their sustainability. This moment presents an opportunity to rethink global development funding by adopting more resilient, diverse,… [Read More]
EIB Faces Complaint Over €1 Billion Funding to UN-Blacklisted Israeli Companies Amid Gaza Conflict
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has stated it has no plans to stop existing funding to Israel despite a formal complaint regarding its financing of €1 billion worth of projects involving two Israeli companies blacklisted by the United Nations. The complaint, filed by the Brussels-based Hind Rajab Foundation, highlights the involvement of Bank Leumi and… [Read More]
ITC’s Innovative Training Empowers 2,500 Cross-Border Traders in Eastern and Southern Africa
An innovative training programme by the International Trade Centre (ITC) has transformed the way small-scale cross-border traders operate in Eastern and Southern Africa, benefiting 2,500 traders. Using a creative blend of storytelling, soap-opera-style drama, and culturally tailored content, the programme made complex border procedures easy to understand and apply in daily trade activities. To overcome… [Read More]
Zambian Farmers Double Cotton Yields with Climate-Smart Farming Techniques
Zambian smallholder cotton farmers in Magoye and Ngwezi have doubled their yields and incomes through climate-smart techniques introduced by a partnership between the European Union, African, Caribbean and Pacific states (ACP), and the International Trade Centre (ITC). Before 2021, these farmers struggled with declining yields, degraded soils, and limited access to sustainable practices. Now, they… [Read More]
World Bank OKs $150M to Boost Paraguay’s Private Investment
The World Bank Group has approved US$150 million in financing for Paraguay to enhance the business environment, boost private investment, and promote job creation. The Development Policy Loan will focus on implementing reforms to reduce barriers for business entry and growth while promoting public-private partnerships to support long-term development. The initiative aims to help micro,… [Read More]
AfDB Grants $5.3M to Boost PPPs in Four African Nations
The African Development Bank Group’s Board of Directors has approved a $5.3 million grant to support the Project to Strengthen the Public-Private Partnership Environment for the Promotion of Private Investment in The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, and Togo. Approved in Abidjan on 27 June 2025, the project will be financed through the Bank’s Transition Support Facility,… [Read More]
Small News Companies Hope New Google Fund Will Boost Their Survival Amid Controversy
Small and independent news publishers and broadcasters across South Africa are struggling to survive amid changing media landscapes. To support these vital local voices, Google has provided R114 million over three years to establish the Digital News Transformation Fund, aimed at helping small, local, and independent publishers strengthen their digital operations and sustainability. This fund,… [Read More]
ADB Approves $126 Million Loan to Boost Rural Tourism Development in India
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $126.42 million loan along with $1 million in technical assistance to promote rural development through sustainable and climate-resilient tourism in the Tehri Lake area of Uttarakhand, India. This initiative is aimed at enhancing the livelihoods of people in the Tehri Garhwal District—one of the most economically challenged… [Read More]
Kentucky Awarded $10.1M in SBA Relief for Storm, Wind, and Tornado Recovery Efforts
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved over $10.1 million in federal disaster loans to assist residents, businesses, and nonprofits in Kentucky impacted by the severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes that struck the state between May 16 and 17, 2025. As of August 6, 2025, the SBA has distributed more than $9.8 million… [Read More]
Global South Joins Forces to Boost Agricultural Resilience and Tackle Global Challenges
In a significant display of solidarity, over 56 countries from the Global South came together virtually for the ISSCA-RIS high-level conference focused on strengthening agricultural resilience. The event aimed to promote the exchange of climate-resilient, homegrown agricultural solutions among nations facing common challenges such as climate change, soil degradation, and food insecurity. This collective effort… [Read More]
