FINAL OPPORTUNITY FOR BLUE ECONOMY MSMEs: UBEC TO LAUNCH THIRD AND FINAL WINDOW 1 CALL FOR MATCHING GRANTS

Blue Economy Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in Grenada, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the Fisheries, Marine Tourism, and Waste Management sectors will soon have one final opportunity to access grant financing through Window 1 of the Regional MSME Matching Grants Programme.

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), through the Unleashing the Blue Economy of the Caribbean (UBEC) Project, will officially launch the Third and Final Call for Proposals for Window 1 of the Regional MSME Matching Grants Programme during a virtual webinar on Friday, October 30, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

Blue Economy MSMEs from Grenada, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are invited to attend the launch and are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this final Window 1 funding opportunity under the UBEC Project.

Register for the virtual launch: https://bit.ly/4y7ceKf

Learn more about Window 1: https://bit.ly/4ASO09f

One Final Opportunity to Invest in Your Business

The Regional MSME Matching Grants Programme was established under UBEC to provide financial and technical support to eligible MSMEs operating within targeted Blue Economy sectors. Through Window 1, individual eligible businesses can access grant financing to make investments that can improve their productivity, resilience, sustainability and competitiveness. The Programme targets MSMEs operating in Fisheries, Marine and Coastal Tourism, and Waste Management, recognising the critical role these businesses play in supporting livelihoods, creating employment and strengthening the Blue Economy across participating OECS Member States.

This third call represents the final opportunity for individual MSMEs to apply for Window 1 support under the UBEC Project. Entrepreneurs who have considered applying in the past but have not yet done so are therefore encouraged to prepare their businesses and applications and take advantage of this opportunity.

Women entrepreneurs are especially encouraged to apply. Women own and operate innovative businesses throughout the Blue Economy, and the Programme encourages more women-led enterprises across Grenada, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to pursue opportunities to invest in their growth, strengthen their operations and expand their contribution to their national and regional economies.

Matching Grants Already Making a Difference

Previous Window 1 recipients have used grant financing to purchase equipment, improve safety, strengthen operational efficiency and expand their capacity.

In Grenada, fisherman Renrich Bethel, owner of the fishing vessel Rachee Bee, used his grant to invest in equipment that has strengthened both the safety and efficiency of his fishing operations. His investments included life rafts for his crew, marine tracking equipment to track his longline gear, an ice machine, and a water maker that provides water for washing fish as well as drinking water while at sea.

Reflecting on the support he received, Bethel said,

“Thanks to the OECS Commission, thanks to UBEC and thanks to everyone who put the trust to me and my wife.”

In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Cathy Howard-Sachs, owner of Dive Bequia, identified the need for larger scuba compressors that would allow the dive centre to fill tanks faster while improving energy efficiency.

“Receiving the grant was really important to me. Without it, I would have ended up having to buy a much smaller, slower compressor, which would have impacted the business on how many divers I could take out each day,”

Howard-Sachs explained. The Programme is also supporting businesses that are finding innovative ways to turn waste into economic opportunities.

Eugene Gabriel, owner of E&E Agrochemical in Saint Lucia , operates a business that transforms fish waste into agricultural fertiliser. Grant support enabled the business to acquire machinery needed to strengthen its production process.

“Under the grant, it helped me buy a few pieces of machinery that could actually make it happen. I needed an industrial immersion blender. That immersion blender is what we use to break down the bones to blend all the fish waste,”

Gabriel said. These investments demonstrate how targeted support to MSMEs can translate into safer operations, increased productive capacity, greater efficiency and new opportunities within the Blue Economy.

Who Can Apply?

To be eligible under Window 1, applicants must meet the Programme's eligibility requirements, including:

Prospective applicants are encouraged to attend the virtual launch on Friday, October 30, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., where they will learn more about the third call, eligibility requirements, the application process and the support available to applicants.

For further information, contact the Regional MSME Matching Grants Programme team at mgp.unit@oecs.int.

About UBEC

The Unleashing the Blue Economy of the Caribbean (UBEC) Project is a World Bank-funded regional initiative implemented in participating Caribbean countries, including Grenada, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, with regional coordination by the OECS Commission.

UBEC seeks to strengthen the enabling environment for the Blue Economy and support sustainable economic activity connected to the region's marine and coastal resources. Its areas of intervention include Fisheries, Marine and Coastal Tourism, and Waste Management.

The Regional MSME Matching Grants Programme forms part of UBEC's support to Blue Economy enterprises, providing eligible MSMEs with access to grant financing and complementary business development support to strengthen their operations, competitiveness and sustainability.

For Blue Economy MSMEs that have been waiting for the right opportunity to invest in their businesses, this is the final Window 1 call under UBEC.

Don't miss the opportunity. Join the launch. Learn how to apply. Invest in the future of your Blue Economy business.