Through the Manufacturing Window, MICF aims to enable manufacturers in the agriculture and non-agriculture sectors in Malawi to backward integrate processes to incorporate locally produced products and services that would enable them to compete in international markets or allow for import substitution in the domestic market, while at the same time delivering large social and environmental impact.
The Concept Note is the first part of the application process to the Malawi Innovation Challenge Fund (MICF). Applicants wanting to participate in the MICF must initially complete a concept note. The Concept Note allows applicants to briefly present how ideas respond to one of the challenges set by the MICF. The MICF fund managers will review the concept notes to ensure they are completed correctly and fulfil the eligibility criteria before submitting them to an independent evaluation panel for their review. Those applicants that are successful at the concept note stage will pass to the second stage of the competition where the Fund will ask applicants to submit a full proposal according to a format provided by the MICF Fund Managers.
The Malawi Innovation Challenge Fund adopts a three-stage application approach for both Agriculture and Manufacturing challenge windows. The following provides a brief overview of the application and contracting process.