Gov’t set to roll out Shs70 Billion GROW infrastructure and innovation grants

WEST NILE – The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development is set to roll out the second phase of the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) project, with Shs70 billion earmarked to support women-led businesses.

The funding, equivalent to about US$20 million, will target women in micro and small-scale businesses, including host and refugee women.

The second phase will provide infrastructure and innovation grants to help women-owned businesses expand production, improve workplaces and acquire specialized equipment.

The grants will include Common User Production Facilities, with funding ranging from US$50,000 to US$500,000 for shared manufacturing facilities, specialized equipment workshops and processing centres.

Individual women-owned businesses may also access grants ranging from US$1,000 to US$50,000 to acquire specialized infrastructure and equipment.

Speaking during a regional dissemination meeting with West Nile stakeholders in Arua today (Wednesday, October 7, 2026), Emmanuel Oceng, a grant specialist at the ministry, said the new funding targets host and refugee women with established businesses.

“The business plan competition grant component has a budget of about US$20 million. This money is supposed to go to women entrepreneurs across the country. It specifically targets women who own micro and small businesses. We have one and a half years left; we are closing in December 2027,” Oceng explained.

He said applicants must have been running their businesses for at least one year.

“For you to access this money as a woman entrepreneur, you need to be a woman who is running an existing business.”

Fridah Mboni, a GROW project specialist at the ministry, assured women in West Nile that the program will be implemented within the remaining project period.

“I want to assure you that as we implement GROW with all the different packages and products that we have, we are steadily moving. We are not scared that we will fail to meet the deadline or finish by that time,” she said.

Florence Badaru, the GROW focal point person for Arua City, said the minimum requirements had been reduced to Shs2 million for host women and Shs1 million for refugee women seeking the funds.

“Previously, the amount required to access the fund ranged from Shs4 million to Shs12 million, yet many of our women entrepreneurs have less capital. At least this time the amount has been reduced to Shs2 million for host women and Shs1 million for refugee women,” Badaru said.

However, some districts in West Nile are yet to benefit from the program.

Bruno Manano, the Assistant Resident District Commissioner for Zombo, said no woman in the district had benefited from GROW so far.

“For Zombo, we haven’t gotten any beneficiary yet because there was an information gap,” Manano said.

He added that the district is intensifying mobilization to ensure the second phase reaches women entrepreneurs.

“It was difficult before, and it is from now that we need to go out and mobilize people who can access this money.”

The GROW project was launched by President Yoweri Museveni in March 2023 and has been running for about three and a half years.