The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) has clarified that only part of the £800 000 (about N$16.8 million) ProSME fund will be distributed as grants to small businesses. “The remaining £370 000 (about N$8.2 million) supports programme management, governance, monitoring and evaluation, regional outreach and operational delivery of the broader ProSME project,” she says. According to Shipushu, the initiative combines grant funding with business development support to improve the competitiveness and investment readiness of small businesses. Shipushu says the initiative contributes to enterprise growth, employment creation and economic diversification in line with the sixth National Development Plan. Applications for the first SME funding call opened on 10 June and closed on 24 July.