The investment plan is the overview of all planned expenses of each company participating in WIDU. At the beginning of their participation, entrepreneurs use the investment plan to portray for what they plan to use their own contribution, as well as all the financial support they will receive through their participation. Consequently, the plan is an important tool in planning purchases and how much money is required for them: What do I need? And how much will it cost? 
A detailed explanatory video shows how to fill out such an investment plan for a project funded by WIDU.africa. This can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxUa-qCar7U. However, there are a few minor but important additions to note here.

Original WIDU Grant:  
Salaries
It is still possible to pay salaries with the support of the WIDU grant. However, please note that the amount of salaries has now been increased to a maximum of 50% of the private investment and a maximum of 50% of the WIDU grant. It should additionally be noted here that only salaries for newly created jobs are recognized. Salaries for existing jobs are not eligible for WIDU funding.

Operating Cost
Running business costs can continued to be paid with the help of the WIDU grant. However, for ongoing costs - such as electricity bills or rental costs - a maximum of three months' expenses can now be entered into the investment plan for the private investment and the WIDU grant each. Taking an electricity bill as an example, this means that entrepreneurs* can settle a maximum of six-monthly payments in total: three with the private investment, three with the grant.

Partial payments
Partial payments are generally not possible: the WIDU project application can only be approved if all purchases (even expensive ones, for instance the purchase of a van) are paid in full either as part of the private investment or with the help of the WIDU grant.  Splitting an expensive purchase between both grants is not allowed.

  • What is a partial payment? - Practical example: A WIDU participant needs a new machine for his/her workshop. However, the machine costs more than he/she has available through the private investment. Therefore, the mechanic has the idea to also use part of the WIDU grant to purchase the machine and enters this in the participants investment plan. Therefore, the entrepreneur wants to split the purchase of an expensive item between the private investment and the grant. Note: this is a partial payment. Unfortunately, because of this, WIDU had to initially deny the participants request until he/she adjusted it to comply with WIDU guidelines.

Cash reserves and change
Both the private investment and WIDU grant cannot be paid in cash reserves. Consequently, under WIDU participation, cash change for example, is not approved as a cost of the investment plan. 

  • What are cash reserves? - Practical example: An entrepreneur plans to open a small supermarket. In his WIDU investment plan, he entered the item that he needed in his cash register, which he would like to get paid directly. Note: this is a cash reserve. Unfortunately, WIDU initially had to deny this request as well, since cash disbursement is not available.

WIDU Corona Business Grant:
Up to 50% of the WIDU grant can be budgeted for salaries.
For current expenses, such as rent, a maximum of three months' expenses can be entered in the WIDU grant. These may also not exceed 25% of the total grant amount.
Like the original WIDU project, the same applies to the Corona Business Grant: no partial payments are possible, nor can cash reserves be applied for. 

You can read about additional criteria for applying to the Corona Business Grant in the news article from February 19, 2021: "WIDU.africa promotes the best ideas against Corona" - please scroll down!