Cross-Regional Connectivity Grants Program

With pandemic-related travel restrictions easing after two years, Commonwealth member states can again benefit from in-person engagement to explore and exchange learnings and best practices in various areas of development.

The Connectivity Grants Program supports member states to deliver such activities, while enabling interventions and engagements that work toward achieving Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda (CCA) objectives of greater cross-Commonwealth connectivity, trade, and investment.

Vision

• Leaders committed themselves to the vision of increasing intra-Commonwealth trade to US$2 Trillion by 2030, and expanding intra-Commonwealth investment. This is to be achieved through the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda for Trade and Investment.
• The Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda is a platform for countries to exchange best practices and experiences to trade and investment and undertake domestic reform. This cross-fertilization will contribute to further reducing trade frictions among members.

Funding Information

• Commonwealth support to regional initiatives will be delivered through grant agreements. Individual grants are limited to £25,000 with funds primarily intended to cover transportation, accommodation, in-country logistics and event hosting. Inkind financial or other resource contributions of at least 25% of the requested amount are required to ensure effective program delivery, given Commonwealth grant limitations. This first call will support up to 4 cross-regional engagements.
• All (100%) grant funding will be dedicated toward proposed project activities.

Potential Program Activities

• Project proposals must align with the objectives and initiatives of the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda Action Plan, focusing on one of the following Connectivity Clusters/work programs:
  • Business to Business Connectivity
  • Digital Connectivity
  • Physical Connectivity
  • Regulatory Connectivity
  • Supply-Side Connectivity
• Proposed projects should be designed around peer-to-peer learning exchanges between groups of public and/or private sector representatives from at least two regions of the Commonwealth. The regions of the Commonwealth are Asia; Africa; Caribbean and Americas; Europe and the Pacific.

Eligibility Criteria

• The program is open to bids from groups of public and private sector entities representing at least two regions of the Commonwealth. The regions of the Commonwealth are Africa; Asia; Caribbean and Americas; Europe; and the Pacific.
• Grant recipients will ideally be regional secretariats/organisations with broad Commonwealth membership representation, and which are already institutionally aligned to receive grant funding.
• Each bidding group must be led by a single public or private sector entity who will be responsible for delivery of the project. Grant funding will be provided solely to lead entity.

For more information, visit The Commonwealth.