Treasury Opens New Jobs Fund Round Focused on Green and Informal Economy

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National Treasury issued Media Statement regarding the opening of the 13th funding round of its Jobs Fund, calling for innovative projects that can create sustainable jobs in South Africa’s green and informal economy. The funding round officially opened on 18 May 2026 and applications will close on 30 June 2026 at 15h00. Six weeks. That is the entire window.

The Jobs Fund says it is looking for experienced organisations and intermediaries from the private, public and non-profit sectors that can deliver scalable employment solutions and measurable results. The focus is on projects that can unlock growth, attract investment, and create jobs in sectors with high labour absorption potential.

The numbers behind the round

Since its inception in 2011, the Jobs Fund has committed R7.7 billion in public funding and leveraged a further R15.7 billion in matched contributions from partners. Twelve funding rounds, more than 180 projects backed, over 343,000 jobs and internships created, and more than 418,000 work-seekers and entrepreneurs trained. Round 13 sits on top of all of that.

The eligible sectors this round are deliberately broad and unusually client-friendly for the average BAP(SA) practice:

1. Renewable energy

2. Sustainable agriculture

3. Green mobility

4. Waste and water management

5. The informal economy (street vending, small retail, care and repair work)

Read that list again. That last category is most of small-town South Africa. It is the spaza owner, the seamstress, the panel beater, the home-based crèche, the herbal store, the salon, the local mechanic. Those are the clients sitting in most CIBA member practices, and most of them have never been told their business model is eligible for public co-funding.

Why this round is your opening

The Jobs Fund operates as a challenge fund. Applicants compete on the strength of their proposal. The published criteria require:

1. A scalable, sustainable business model. Not a wish list. A model that holds up under scrutiny.

2. Credible financial projections. Three years out, with assumptions a reviewer can stress-test.

3. Measurable employment outcomes. How many jobs, by when, in what category, for which demographic.

4. Matched funding commitments. The fund wants to see private skin in the game.

5. Governance and reporting capacity. Once you receive the money, you report on it. Quarterly.

None of that is a self-service form. This is exactly where you earn your fee.

The average informal trader cannot produce a stress-tested three-year financial model. They cannot draft an employment outcome matrix. They do not have a governance framework on file. They will either go without applying, or they will apply badly and lose. Both are losses, for them and for you.

The accountant who steps in changes the trajectory. As CIBA flagged at the launch of the 12th round, "applicants must show strong financial plans and operational sustainability, and that's where accountants play a key role in helping clients structure compelling, fund-ready proposals" (New Jobs Fund Support for Green & Informal Economy Employment).

The Opportunity This Presents

For accountants advising SMEs, NGOs, social enterprises, cooperatives, or larger businesses operating in these sectors, this funding round could create opportunities for:

• Business expansion,

• Project financing,

• Job creation initiatives,

• Green economy investments,

• Skills development programmes, and

• Public-private partnerships.

Bussines accountants can play a critical role in helping clients:

• Structure funding applications,

• Prepare financial projections,

• Demonstrate sustainability,

• Meet governance requirements, and

• Track measurable employment outcomes.

What to do this week

1. Pull your client list. Mark every client operating in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, green mobility, waste, water, or the informal economy. That is your shortlist.

2. Pre-qualify them. Two filters. Is the business operating and generating income, and can they articulate an employment outcome (existing or planned jobs)?

3. Quote a fixed advisory fee. Do not do this for free. Application support is high-value work and should be priced as a project, not absorbed into your monthly retainer.

4. Build the package. Three-year financial projection, employment outcome matrix, governance summary, and a one-page impact narrative.

5. Submit by 15h00 on 30 June 2026. Do not leave it for the final week. The portal will be overwhelmed.

To apply, or get more information visit the Jobsfund website.