The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s 47 least developed countries. The Inclusive and Equitable Local Development (IELD) pilot programme in Bangladesh is a joint global initiative of UNCDF, UNDP and UN Women that addresses structural impediments through public and private investments, with particular emphasis on unlocking domestic capital for women’s economic empowerment and entrepreneurship. The IELD pilot seeks to explore options to deepen this initiative by inviting private SMEs, local government institutions, NGOs and other organizations engaged in women’s economic empowerment in Bangladesh to submit gender responsive investment proposals to the IELD project. The proposals are to enable the SMEs to receive technical assistance and financial support to pilot investments for women’s economic empowerment.