New funding round from National Treasury's Jobs Fund to boost green and informal economies
Eligible applicants from the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors can apply for grants starting from R5 million
South Africa’s informal economy including street vending, small retail/manufacturing, care and repair work, is one of the target sectors for the Jobs Fund's new grant funding. Picture: Tumi Pakkies Independent Newspapers
Image: Tumi Pakkies Independent Newspapers
In a bid to combat South Africa’s persistent unemployment crisis, particularly among the youth and women, the National Treasury’s Jobs Fund has announced the opening of a new funding round focused on job creation in the green and informal economies.
The Treasury said this latest initiative is aimed at supporting scalable and innovative projects that address barriers to employment and drive inclusive economic growth.
“The Jobs Fund is pleased to announce the launch of a new funding round aimed at supporting innovative solutions that address critical employment barriers in South Africa’s green and informal economies,” Treasury stated.
The Treasury said the Fund has already disbursed R7.4 billion since its inception and has played a significant role in stimulating employment and entrepreneurship across the country. Previous funding rounds have resulted in the creation of:
- 210,719 permanent jobs
- 114,534 short-term jobs or internships
- Support for over 63,000 SMMEs
- 16,000 emerging farmers
The current funding round targets sectors with high labour absorption potential, including renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, waste and water management, as well as informal sector activities such as street vending and small-scale manufacturing.
Eligible applicants from the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors can apply for grants starting from R5 million. All proposals must demonstrate long-term financial and operational sustainability. The Fund is offering matched funding at a 1:1 ratio for private and public partners, and 1:0.5 for non-profit organisations.
“Proposals must provide scalable, implementable solutions with measurable impact on job creation,” Treasury said, adding that applicants must also address key labour market challenges such as lack of technology, infrastructure, access to markets and funding, and poor working conditions.
The deadline for applications is June 5, 2025 at 3 PM, and all submissions must be made via the Jobs Fund’s online portal.
For more information, including the term sheet, FAQs, and links to briefing and training sessions, interested applicants are urged to visit www.jobsfund.org.za or contact jobsfund@treasury.gov.za.