Hustler Fund: How to Apply Now—Full Guide 2024

The Hustler Fund, or The Financial Inclusion Fund, is a breath of fresh air for small business owners and entrepreneurs. It’s a funding program to help upcoming business owners in the economic game.

The Hustler Fund usually gives loans to individuals and small businesses that find it hard to get regular bank loans. It is all about empowering people who don’t have the easiest time making it in the economic world.

This article contains knowledge that can help you prepare your application process for the year 2024. This isn’t a report; however, it’s a guide that will assist you in applying.

Going deeper into the year 2024, the fund not only offers grants to the persons who dream to start their own business but also offers them a good amount of money required to make their dreams come true.

This piece can be regarded as your all-compassing guide to the Hustler Fund application, giving you enough ammunition to register for the application process.

Understanding the Hustler Fund

The Hustler Fund is a financial policy formulated to provide helpful funds, capital increments, and funding to small and developing businesses and companies.

The Kenyan government started the hustler fund, a loan program that offers immediate loans to residents after the application process is complete.

It lays a great foundation for businesses and is a perfect chance for many individuals who would love to work hard to penetrate the market but lack the funds to do so.

Its true purpose is to erase the physical space between dream and reality as a bridge to bring dreams to reality. It encompasses a fixed interest rate of 8% per year, lower than many options in Kenya. 

Also read: How to Apply for Youth Fund Mobile Loan in Kenya

Applying For the Hustler Fund 

In applying for the Hustler Fund, there are a few things to take into consideration. You would need to follow a set guideline during your entire application process, Here are some steps you can take as you would in any other application process:

  1. Check Eligibility: Ensure you meet the necessary criteria for the Hustler Fund.
  2. Gather Documentation: put together all required documents such as business and personal identification.
  3. Registering on the Platform: You will want have to register for the loan first before you can apply.
  4. Submit your application: Once you’ve registered an account, you can submit your application for consideration by the funding body.
  5. Wait for approval:  After your submission has been made, there will be a review process. If approved, you’ll be informed via SMS about the status of your application.

Also read: Bolt launches a €20,000 Accelerator Program to Empower Drivers and their Families in Kenya

Eligibility Criteria for the Hustler Fund

Anyone who wants to apply for the hustler fund must ensure he or she is aware of the requirements for which he or she wants to apply. The fund typically selects based on the following criteria:

Residential Eligibility: The hustler fund’s availability is a target group that includes the country’s residents.

Age Eligibility: This program’s intended benefactors shall comprise youths 18 years and above who either possess a viable business plan or are already in business but with a small business.

Business Eligibility: Interested candidates must have a business number for a business that is registered with the Business Registration Service.

Vision Eligibility: Applicants are separated based on another principle, someone that has a better vision of how the fund would be used in a detailed and comprehensive manner for income generation is selected over those who do not have details for income generation.

All of the criteria above help in making sure that the fund reaches the right people who are in a position to create value in the economy when engaged in business.

Gathering Documentation to Apply for the Hustler Fund

Documentation is an essential element that must be done properly in order to be granted an application for the hustler fund. Here’s what you will need:

  • A national ID, or any government issued identity and identification card, legal age minimum.
  • The business registration papers or business plan of a start-up business in case of founding a new business.
  • Bank statements or other financial reports that would give proof of your financial credibility in your business.

To ensure you have a better chance of getting the grants you need, you should review and organize the documents you will need when filling out the grant’s application forms.

Also read: The Increasing Need for Laundry Equipment in Kenya Leads to a Boom in Compact Appliances

Registering an account for the Hustler Form

  • Sign up for the Hustler Fund through USSD code or your mobile service provider’s app
  • Accept the Terms and Conditions to join the Hustler Fund application process
  • Enter your mobile money pin
  • You will receive an SMS confirmation confirming the successful registration and assigned borrowing limit (based on your credit history)
  • You will also receive  a failed registration notification via SMS as well

How to apply for the Hustler Fund

After registration, you can follow the procedures below to apply for the hustler fund. Ensure that all details entered are correct:

  • Dial *254# on your mobile phone
  • Choose your business category (it could be Agriculture, Trade, Manufacturing or service provider)
  • Enter your business registration number and the KRA pin linked to your business
  • Type in the Loan Amount and press “OK.”
  • Confirm the loan details. This is very important to avoid any mistakes
  • Enter your Mobile Money pin
  • You will get an SMS confirming your loan allocation with all the necessary details.

Also read: Latest on how to Apply for a Passport Online in Kenya

Alternatively, you can also apply for the hustler fund through the mobile platforms of all mobile network operators in Kenya, which include Safaricom, Airtel Kenya, and Telkom Kenya.

Wait for Approval

If your application is accepted, you are one of the few lucky ones as this only happens a few times a year. You should expect to be guided on the next course of action and contacted via SMS.

Rejection: if you are rejected as well, you can apply again the following year. Failure is not that you were turned down; therefore, one should not consider giving up whenever the application is not successful.

In fact, most of the people who borrowed money from the Hustler Fund will try again later, when the need arises. And so you can try applying again as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Are Those Who Are Eligible to Apply for the Hustler Fund in 2024? 

The criteria include, but are not limited to the information below:
The applicant has to be a citizen of Kenya (the country that is offering the fund), have a business idea and satisfy the below financial requirement, which may be from time to time changed annually. More details are in the article above.

Which Documentation Is Required for an Individual to Apply for the Hustler Fund? 

Some of the documents likely to be needed are Identification papers, business registration papers, income tax returns, financial statements, business plans, and proposals.

Is there Any Other Fee, Such as an Application Fee, Required when Applying for the Hustler Fund? 

As of the time this article is written, the funds are designed to be easily accessible; hence, there are no application fees involved. Stay up-to-date with the latest guidelines to be abreast of any changes regarding the fees and charges.

What amount can I get from the Hustler Fund? 

Credit limits can be determined based on the application and loan purposes and the applicant’s credit history. Regarding lending, the range of funds will describe the minimum and maximum amounts of loans for the year.

What are the prevailing interest rates on the Hustler Fund loans?

Interest rates are likely to vary across time and hence might be changed from time to time, at least once a year. Applicants should check the current year’s rates from the government’s directives. Currently, the interest rate is 8%.

How Would I Know that I Have Been Selected by Hustler Fund Once I Apply? 

Most candidates get a response through SMS or the channel used to submit an application, which could be the mobile application. So, please ensure you update all your contact information and check your notifications frequently.

Conclusion

Hustler Fund is among the most popular funding sources in Kenya; therefore, there are several key actions you have to pass through when applying for this funding and waiting to get a response to the documents submitted.

With the proper procedural direction and a well-presented application for surety, you have the right procedure for the support that your business needs to grow.

You must follow the right procedures and get all necessary documentation before applying for the Hustler Fund.

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Reference

  • Henittoz.com/blog: Hustler Fund Launch – Requirement, Registration and Application
Oluwajuwon Oladiti
Oluwajuwon Oladiti

Oladiti Oluwajuwon is an ardent reader and a voracious writer who is passionate about informing the public with first-hand, authentic information. His writing expertise has spanned over 5+ years, an odyssey that began in 2018. Over the years, he has crafted pieces across multiple domains, including religion, education, politics, and tech. There are two principles at the core of his writing: information must be genuine and accurate, and there is nothing erudite about speaking in terms people don't understand. While maintaining technicality, messages must be passed in a way that resonates with the readers.

Oluwajuwon is also a software engineer who specializes in backend development with Python, and he has an unwavering passion for music, pop genre especially.

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