By Frank Kamuntu
The Government of Uganda has unveiled a new grant opportunity offering women entrepreneurs between Shs3.5 million and Shs107 million to expand their businesses, targeting viable enterprises that failed to secure financing under the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Loan programme.
The GROW Business Plan Competition Grants are designed to widen access to business financing by providing non-repayable capital to eligible women-owned micro and small enterprises, particularly those whose growth ambitions were frustrated by banking requirements, credit limitations and other financial barriers.
The initiative is being implemented by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development with support from the World Bank, as part of the government’s broader strategy to strengthen women’s economic empowerment, promote enterprise development and create sustainable employment.
During regional orientation meetings held in Soroti, Gulu, Mbale and Rukungiri on October 7 and 8, 2026, Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs Mercy Faith Lakisa, Minister of State for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations Simon Mulongo, and Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde called on local government leaders to mobilise eligible women and ensure the grants reach their intended beneficiaries.
The meetings brought together Resident District Commissioners, Resident City Commissioners, district chairpersons, mayors, Chief Administrative Officers, commercial officers, GROW focal point officers and women entrepreneurs’ representatives to prepare them for the programme’s implementation.
The government intends to support at least 2,626 women-owned enterprises nationwide through the competition, including a dedicated allocation of at least 767 enterprises in refugee-hosting districts.
The grants will be distributed across two categories according to the size and characteristics of eligible businesses.
Micro enterprises employing up to four people, with sales or assets of up to Shs10 million, can qualify for grants ranging from Shs3.5 million to Shs35.69 million. The funding will support business expansion, formalisation, production equipment and working capital.
Small enterprises employing between five and 49 people, with assets valued between Shs10 million and Shs100 million, will qualify for grants ranging from Shs39.259 million to Shs107.07 million.
The highest funding levels will prioritise high-impact businesses operating in male-dominated and non-traditional sectors, in line with the programme’s ambition to help women enter more competitive and commercially rewarding industries.
Priority areas include science, technology, engineering and mathematics-driven innovation, construction, metal fabrication, robotics, renewable energy, irrigation, waste management, commercial agricultural processing, health technology and childcare facilities serving children aged between zero and three years.
The programme also recognises the different economic circumstances facing women in refugee-hosting districts, persons with disabilities and vulnerable groups. Under special eligibility provisions, qualifying businesses in these categories may include poultry and goat rearing, food processing, tailoring, childcare, mobile money kiosks and catering.
However, outside these designated provisions, general market vending, basic hair salons, event planning and subsistence farming are listed among the activities that will not qualify under the standard eligibility criteria.
A key requirement is that the new grants are intended for women entrepreneurs who did not receive financing through the GROW Loan programme. Previous GROW Loan beneficiaries are not eligible to apply, a measure intended to prevent duplication and broaden access to women who missed out on the earlier financing opportunity.
Addressing local leaders, the ministers emphasised the importance of ensuring that information about the grants reaches women at the grassroots, with district and city authorities expected to explain the eligibility requirements and help suitable applicants prepare their documentation.
Local leaders have been urged to use community meetings, local radio programmes, sub-county council meetings and women’s networks to raise awareness, dispel misinformation and identify eligible entrepreneurs who could benefit from the competition.
The government has also stressed that the application process is entirely free, warning women against individuals who may attempt to exploit the programme by demanding money in exchange for application forms, assistance or promises of winning a grant.
Applications are to be submitted digitally through the official GROW Project website or its mobile application available on the Google Play Store. The Request for Applications will remain open for 30 calendar days from the official launch date.
Sub-regional business clinics will also be organised to help applicants prepare business proposals, develop realistic budgets and complete the required documentation.
To safeguard the process, applicants will undergo Credit Reference Bureau checks, financial sanctions reviews and labour and human rights compliance assessments.
District commercial officers and GROW focal point officers are expected to assist eligible women with local registration and documentation without unnecessary administrative delays. Local government leaders have also been directed to report suspected extortion and corruption to the responsible ministry and security authorities.
All funded projects will be required to run for between nine and 12 months and must be completed by June 2027.
The GROW Project, which became effective on January 20, 2023, has a total budget of US$217 million, including US$40 million dedicated to refugees and host communities, with financing from the World Bank under the IDA-19 framework. The project is scheduled to close on December 31, 2027.
Its broader objective is to expand access to entrepreneurial services that enable women to grow their businesses, including affordable financing, business skills development, technical training, networking, work placements, apprenticeships and shared infrastructure.
The project targets 60,000 female-owned enterprises, including 3,000 refugee-owned businesses, alongside 280,000 women entrepreneurs and employees. Its indirect beneficiaries are projected to reach 1.6 million people, including household members, partners and communities.
The Business Plan Competition Grants therefore represent an additional financing pathway for women whose businesses have the potential to grow but who could not access the earlier loan facility.
By combining direct business financing with technical guidance and local government mobilisation, the initiative seeks to help women-owned enterprises move beyond survival-level operations, increase productivity, create employment and contribute more substantially to Uganda’s economic transformation.
The government has called on local leaders and implementing partners to uphold transparency, protect applicants from fraud and ensure that the opportunity reaches women with viable business plans and a genuine need for expansion capital.