Grants and Contributions:
Title:
SME Growth, Employment Creation and Market Linkages Through Trade Finance
Agreement Number:
5007063303 P001019001
Agreement Value:
$17,144,442.00
Agreement Date:
Mar 27, 2017 - Feb 6, 2026
Description:
The project aims to help stimulate sustainable economic growth and reduce poverty by providing trade finance and technical assistance to micro - small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in developing countries. Trade finance is short-term financing with the purpose of enabling MSMEs to trade, both domestically and across borders.
This project supports the launch of a trade finance investment fund that aims to leverage at least $45 million in private sector investment, which is designed to be lent to MSMEs, enabling them to overcome financial barriers to growth.
Project activities include: (1) providing technical assistance to select trade finance funds and firms, as well as to recipient MSMEs in order to improve supply chain development, trade finance products, and environmental, social and governance standards, benefitting both women and men; (2) developing a system to measure the impact, by gender, on SMEs, small-scale suppliers and households to ensure that positive impacts, as a result of investments in the SME sector, are being felt at the individual level.
This project is implemented in collaboration between the Mennonite Economic Development Associates, Sarona Asset Management and the University of Waterloo's School for Environment, Enterprise and Development.
Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Expected Results:
The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) better financed SMEs provide jobs to women and men and offer market linkages to smallholder farmers (women and men); (2) SME trade finance firms support SMEs in environmental, social (especially gender) and governance areas; (3) and increased use of an enhanced impact measurement system specific to trade finance.
Location:
WATERLOO, Ontario, CA
Reference Number:
064-2016-2017-Q4-0117
Agreement Type:
Contribution
Report Type:
Grants and Contributions
Recipient Type:
Not-for-profit organization or charity
Amendment Date
Mar 3, 2026
Recipient's Legal Name:
Mennonite Economic Development Associates of Canada (MEDA)
Program:
International Development Assistance program
Program Purpose:
The main purpose on the International Development Assistance Program is to reduce poverty for those living in countries where Global Affairs Canada engages in international development.
Amendments: