SCBF Technical Assistance Grant
By Swiss Capacity Building Facility
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Quick Answer
Up to CHF 150,000 (about ₹1.7 crore) from a Swiss facility to build and scale financial products for low-income customers, women and smallholder farmers. Rolling.
- Funding amount
- Varies
- Funding type
- Grant
- Provider
- Swiss Capacity Building Facility
- Application deadline
- Rolling
- Location
- International
About this grant
The SCBF Technical Assistance Grant comes from the Swiss Capacity Building Facility (SCBF), a public-private platform that co-funds technical assistance for financial products aimed at people who are poorly served by banks. A project can receive up to CHF 150,000 (about ₹1.7 crore) over a maximum of two years. Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis with no fixed deadline, although the source says SCBF is currently reviewing its strategy and instruments.
This is not a general startup grant. The money goes to a project run with a financial service provider (a bank, microfinance institution, insurer, fintech or insurtech) and pays for expert technical assistance, not for equipment or infrastructure. SCBF's overview page says organisations endorsed by an SCBF member are invited to submit proposals, so an Indian team normally needs that backing before it applies.
What the program offers
SCBF pays for technical assistance that helps design, develop and scale client-centric financial products, channels and services for low-income households, smallholder farmers, youth and micro, small and medium enterprises, with a particular concern for women. The ceiling is CHF 150,000 (about ₹1.7 crore) per project and the maximum project length is two years. The source does not give a rupee or euro average beyond that ceiling.
The financial service provider has to put in at least 20% of the cost itself, and staff time does not count towards that share. Other contributions from third parties are welcome but not required. For projects where SCBF contributes CHF 100,000 or more, an independent external audit is mandatory, and SCBF pays for it. Mid-project and end-of-project financial reports are also required.
Who can apply
The project has to take place in one of the countries on SCBF's list. India is on that list, under Asia. Projects for smallholder farmers can be in any country that receives development aid. The provider you work with must be financially and institutionally self-sufficient or clearly on the way to it, must have a proven record of serving low-income clients (especially women, preferably in rural areas), must follow responsible finance and data-privacy practices, and must have its senior management involved. The project must reach at least 4,000 new clients.
For an Indian founder, this suits a fintech or insurtech that already works with, or is about to partner with, a lender or insurer serving low-income customers. It does not suit a startup looking for general working capital, a consumer-loan product, or hardware spending. The Feasibility Study and Financial Education windows are open to SCBF members only.
How to apply
- Read the technical assistance page and the country list on the SCBF website.
- Confirm your project fits the Innovation / Product Upscaling window, the main window for non-members.
- Line up an SCBF member to endorse the proposal, unless you are a member.
- Prepare the proposal and budget with your financial service provider partner.
- Submit at least six weeks before the planned start date.
A practical tip: because the six-week lead time is the only timing rule, plan your project start date around it rather than the other way round.
How applications are judged and what happens next
An SCBF member with relevant expertise reviews the quality of the proposal, and the secretariat checks it is complete. A three-person committee, made up of two private-sector SCBF members and one SDC representative, then assesses it. Members send in confidential assessments, the finance officer reviews the numbers, and the committee meets in closed session. The secretariat tells you the outcome. If approved, a three-way contract is signed by SCBF, the grantee and the financial service provider. The source gives no decision timeline beyond the six-week lead time.
About the Swiss Capacity Building Facility
SCBF was founded in 2011 as a public-private platform that brings Swiss financial-sector expertise and public development money together to support inclusive finance. Its members include large companies and foundations from the insurance, pharmaceutical and financial sectors, and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation is a core donor. SCBF reports reaching millions of low-income clients across dozens of countries through its financial institution and technical assistance partners.
Things to check before you apply
- The source says SCBF is updating its strategy and financial instruments, so confirm the window is still taking proposals before you invest time.
- You need a financial service provider partner that can contribute at least 20% of the cost, not counting staff time.
- Infrastructure is not funded.
- Large projects trigger a mandatory audit and regular financial reporting, so budget your team's time for it.
- The source does not state a decision date, so do not plan a launch around an assumed approval.
Eligibility
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Grant providers
Benefits & Funding
- Fund type
- Grant
- Equity
- Equity-free
- Repayment
- Non-repayable
What You Get
Up to CHF 150,000 (about ₹1.7 crore) per project, with about CHF 100,000 as the usual average, for up to two years. The grant reimburses technical assistance for new or scaled financial products, channels and services. Payments are performance based: the first payment is at most 20% of the total, and the rest follows agreed milestones. SCBF pays for an external audit when its contribution is CHF 100,000 or more.
- Disbursement
- Milestone Based
Timelines & Process
Applications
Rolling basis
Selection Process
An SCBF member with the right expertise reviews quality and the secretariat checks completeness. A committee of two private-sector members and one SDC representative reviews confidential assessments and the finance officer's check, meets in closed session and decides. The secretariat informs the applicant, and a three-way contract follows for approved projects.
Application Process
- 1
Find an endorser
Get an SCBF member or SDC to endorse the proposal.
You - 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
How to apply
Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.
- 1
Draft your application
Answer the form inside the grant tracker — AI drafts each response using your past answers, so you're not starting from a blank page.
- 2
Submit on the official portal
Use the official application link and verify all details before final submission.
- 3
Follow up
Reach out 5–7 days after submitting to confirm receipt and ask about the review timeline.
Program templates & documents
Files the program publishes for applicants — download these and apply in the prescribed format.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply for the SCBF Technical Assistance Grant?
The Innovation / Product Upscaling window is aimed at projects with a financial service provider that serves low-income clients. SCBF's overview page says organisations endorsed by an SCBF member are invited to submit proposals. The Feasibility Study and Financial Education windows are for SCBF members only.
Can Indian startups apply for the SCBF Technical Assistance Grant?
India is on SCBF's list of eligible countries in Asia, so a project in India can qualify. A startup cannot simply apply on its own, though. It needs a financial service provider partner that meets SCBF's conditions and, according to SCBF's overview page, endorsement by an SCBF member.
How much funding does SCBF give?
A single project can receive up to CHF 150,000 (about ₹1.7 crore) over a maximum of two years. The source gives no minimum. The grant pays for technical assistance, not infrastructure.
How is the SCBF grant paid?
The source says the contract is signed by the applicant and the financial sector partner or partners after approval. It does not describe the payment schedule on the page, so check the contract terms or ask SCBF.
Is there a deadline for the SCBF Technical Assistance Grant?
No fixed deadline is published. Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis, and SCBF asks for them at least six weeks before the planned start of the project. The source also says SCBF is updating its strategy and instruments, so confirm it is still accepting proposals.
Is the SCBF grant a grant or equity?
It is a grant that co-funds technical assistance, and the source does not mention SCBF taking equity. The financial service provider has to contribute at least 20% of the cost, so it is a co-funding arrangement rather than full funding.
Does the partner have to put in its own money?
Yes. The financial service provider must contribute at least 20%, and staff time does not count towards it. Contributions from other parties are welcome but not required.
What kind of project does SCBF fund?
It funds technical assistance to design, develop and scale financial products, channels and services for low-income clients, especially women and smallholder farmers. The project must reach at least 4,000 new clients. Infrastructure is not funded.
What documents do I need to apply?
The source mentions a proposal and a budget, and the listing text names an application form and a budget template. It does not list other attachments, so read the proposal guide on the SCBF website before you start.
What happens after I submit a proposal?
A member with relevant expertise reviews quality, the secretariat checks completeness, and a three-person committee assesses and decides. You are then told the result, and approved projects sign a three-way contract. The source does not give a decision date.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
