Closed: Call for Solutions – Jordan

CFYE strives to disrupt the employment status quo for Jordanian youth. We are calling for innovative private-sector-led solutions that create, improve, or match decent work for youth in Jordan, with a focus on women. Projects should result in decent employment for a minimum of 250 young people (aged 15 to 35), especially young women.  Any Jordan-specific questions can be directed to jordan@cfye.nl.

Deadline – 7 November (EOD, local time) 2022

The Challenge

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a relatively small country of 11.2 million (Department of Statistics, 2022). It is a country with a long history of nomadic culture which permeates societal norms till today. Jordan lends considerable support as host to the second largest population of refugees worldwide. It is an open economy with strong trade ties with the Gulf states, the European Union, and the US and significant foreign direct investments (FDIs), therefore making it vulnerable to external shocks.  

CFYE Youth Action Research has identified multiple challenges within Jordan towards employment creation or improvement that require countermeasures, including low labour demand, limited job-related skills & employability, limited business support and access to finance, traditional cultural and social norms, limited matching to job opportunities and volatile macro-economy. 

Based on the scoping study conducted in 2021, lessons from the first call for solutions, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy and employment; CFYE will now work through private sector firms in high potential sectors, implementing sustainable solutions for the creation of jobs for women and youth, and embedding decency of work, aspirations of the youth, empowerment of women, sensitivity to gender and other inclusion requirements, and compliance to the labor laws of Jordan. 

Call for Solutions

Companies should be interested in developing scalable, private sector-driven solutions for impacting employment opportunities for youth, young women & refugees through either creating new jobs, matching job opportunities to youth with the appropriate skillsets, or improving existing jobs held by youth. Women-led/owned enterprises are highly encouraged to apply. 

Applicants from all sectors will be considered. However, we specifically invite applicants covering the following sub-sectors based on their perceived high opportunities for the youth: ICT, Constructions and Infrastructure, Business support and Outsourcing, Health Products Trading and Manufacturing, Education and Training, Renewable Energies, Craftsmanship, Social Work, Agriculture, Logistics & Storage, Mining & Minerals, Manufacturing, and scale-up of successfully-incubated projects are areas we consider to hold moderate opportunities for job creation as well. 

Key Dates: 

  1. Opening: The Jordan Call for Solutions was launched on 30 September 2022. 
  2. Webinar: A peer-recorded webinar will be posted on this page on 30 September. The webinar will share CFYE selection priorities in Jordan, key evaluation criteria, and more details on the submission process.
  3. Deadline:We expect all Concept Notes to be submitted by 7 November 2022.

Eligibility Criteria

The following general criteria for eligible proposals apply: 

  • Principles: Should be able to adhere to CFYE’s guiding principles & priorities. 
  • Local Presence: You (the lead organization), or at least one of your consortium partners, has a local operating presence in Jordan.
  • Legality: The Applicant has to be a legally registered entity in Jordan. 
  • Total Targets: The proposed project will create, match, improve or sustain at least 250 jobs for young men and women over a maximum period of two years. 
  • Women Targets: Of the total youth employment created, matched, or improved, at least 50% are for women, however that the higher this percentage is, the more competitive your Concept Note will be. 
  • Women Focus: Women-led/owned enterprises are highly encouraged to apply.
  • Decency of Jobs: For any job created, matched, or improved, the average monthly income should be representative of the local cost of living, depending on location, has no more than 48 hours/week of work, and jobs are maintained for at least six months.  
  • Private Sector: We are seeking applications from private sector employers. NGOs and business associations are welcome to apply, but they must partner with at least one private-sector employer in the consortium.
  • Leverage & CFYE Contribution: 

The applicant’s co-investment must be at least equal to the contribution requested by CFYE. The minimum CFYE co-investment is € 100.000. Sources of co-funding have to be approved based on the guidance provided.

– In-kind contributions should not exceed 30% of the leveraged resources.

  • Youth: The jobs created, matched or improved would be for youth aged 18-35 years. Unless the minimum working age is otherwise stipulated by Jordan labour laws. 
  • Employment type: Initiatives in both the informal and formal sectors are eligible. However, they should focus on wage employment or semi-employment (working with agents or other semi- self-employed positions as part of a company’s business model). 

Want to apply?

Download the application brochure below.

Relevant Documentation

Want to know what to expect in our application process? Please have a look at the below documents.

Competitive Process

The Challenge Fund for Youth Employment will apply a competitive process to select the projects that will receive a grant. That means that only those projects that present a clear and convincing pathway to employment, lead to significant and sustainable results in terms of decent employment for youth, with a focus on young women, and can demonstrate high leverage will be selected. 

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