Sample proposal on women's microenterprise

development

Fida Karim 🇵🇰
| Specialist-Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning-MEAL | Open for
learning & job opportunities abroad |
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Sample proposal on women's microenterprise development

1. 1. "We are grateful to Near East for sharing their proposals with us." PALESTINIAN WOMEN’S
MICROENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT Proposal OVERVIEW Across the West Bank, recent
<Organization Name> (ORG) projects have resulted directly in the creation of hundred of jobs and
significant increases in income for women. These successes have given many women their first job and the
unprecedented ability to add to and often be the only source of family income. Despite this progress, there is
tremendous unrealized opportunity to create additional opportunities for sustainable economic and
entrepreneurship for women in the West Bank. ORG’s experience has underscored significant capacity and
motivation among Palestinian to break the cycle of poverty and build a better life through microenterprise
development. Our goal is to help Palestinian women in the northern West Bank achieve financial
independence and security by helping them build skills and resources to start microenterprises. ORG
respectfully seeks funding from the <Foundation Name>to provide training for over 200 women
entrepreneurs, help establish 100 new businesses, and create 300 new jobs for women. THE CHALLENGES
Palestinians in the West Bank face significant economic challenges—mobility, access to capital, and access
to markets and technical information. Israeli security measures, particularly the separation barrier, have put
unprecedented burdens on Palestinians, 46 percent of whom are unemployed. For Palestinian women, the
challenges are even greater. Historically excluded from economic opportunity, they struggle to maintain a
household and have few opportunities to develop job skills. Less than 10 percent of women work outside of
the home, and even when drawn into the labor market to support families and fill labor gaps, they are often
the first to lose their jobs in times of economic difficulty. More and more Palestinian women are working
without pay. One-third of Palestinian women work as unpaid laborers. THE OPPORTUNITY Since 2005,
ORG has helped Palestinian women increase their income through training in job skills, business
management, and income diversification. During this time, ORG has developed a proven model for creating
permanent jobs and income—based on business management training, small grants, and microfinance.
Through its West Bank School Feeding Program (2006-2010), ORG worked with 24 women’s associations
across the West Bank to provide daily nutritionally fortified snacks for more than 50,000 schoolchildren in
nearly 200 schools. ORG trained and mentored members of these associations to become both
businesswomen and effective partners for children’s nutrition, creating jobs for 2,000 women in the process.
2. 2. During this process, ORG established very close relationships with women and women’s associations
across the northern West Bank. When major funding ended, we used modest resources to continue training
women in organizational management, business management, and income diversification. The women were
able to put their new knowledge and skills to work immediately to create dozens of jobs through independent
small business – bakeries, school canteens, greenhouses, fitness centers, and soap manufacturing (See Annex
5). WHY NOW? Timely action is important for two reasons. First, with the peace talks at an impasse, it is a
critical time to help Palestinians find ways to survive. Our local partners want to move beyond the political
impasse. ORG is ready to work with them at this juncture to build lasting solutions to poverty and hunger by
 securing financial freedom for Palestinians. Second, the women ORG has trained have reached a point where
independence is within reach; yet they need additional coaching to become self-sustaining. Their success can
serve as an example to other women. Soon they will be able to mentor others through business associations
and independent businesses. ORG has been able to provide follow-up support to 10 of its 24 partner women’s
associations. Our current objective is to consolidate the gains achieved with the initial 10 associations, to
expand business development activities to the remaining 14 associations, and to recruit additional association
partners. We will begin in activities in four clusters of communities in the northern West Bank –
<community>, <community>, <community>, and <community>– where ORG has established relationships
and gradually expand to neighboring areas. Key to the success of this program is developing ongoing peer
mentorship to launch a new generation of women entrepreneurs. PROJECT GOAL: ORG aims to provide
microenterprise development training and support systems to help members of women’s associations in the
northern West Bank create micro Through enterprise development and micro financing that will create jobs
and generate incomes, ORG aims to reach out to new and existing women’s associations.ORG will build
upon the successes of the pilot group of 10 associations and reach out to the 14 remaining women
associations, and reach out to other associations in the region. Balata Women’s Association The women’s
association of <community> started working with ORG in 2004, one of 24 women’s associations in the West
Bank that ORG supported to prepare and distribute nutritionally fortified snacks through the World Food
Programme’s school feeding program. When funding ended in 2010, Balata women used their experience to
establish concessions in primary schools, providing nutritious snacks to children as a private business. With
training from ORG, they have created jobs for 26 women and a revenue stream to invest in social
development activities that benefit all of
3. 3. PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES Our proven strategy has four objectives: conducting a
regional economic assessment to identify opportunities for microenterprises, building skills in business
development, increasing access to micro-credit for microenterprise start-up, and introducing micro
franchises. OBJECTIVE 1. CONDUCT REGIONAL ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT To initiate the project,
the ORG team will lead members of each target community – particularly members of community women’s
associations – in an assessment to identify high-potential economic opportunities that harness a community’s
competitive advantage, catalyze broad-based economic growth and create jobs. The process will
beorganizedas a self- assessment to guide aspiring entrepreneurs in identifying areas of opportunity and
constraint. The assessment will help community members evaluate strategic business niches, with a specific
focus on opportunities for women. Activity 1.1. Cluster workshops.ORG will organize 4 1-day workshops (1
per cluster) to assess economic constraints opportunities in target clusters. Activity 1.2. Microenterprise
identification. On the basis of the assessment, community members will identify promising areas for
microenterprise development by women – either businesses that fill gaps in communities (e.g., internet
centers) or activities that leverage competitive advantages of the communities (e.g., agricultural specialties).
OBJECTIVE 2: BUILD WOMEN’S SKILLS IN MICRO ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT Based on the
economic assessment outcomes, ORG will invite applications individuals and small groups from women’s
associations (not limited to current partners) to participate in trainings in microenterprise development and
business management. The aim of this training is to build skills among rural Palestinian women to start and
management microenterprises in their communities. We will work with community and association leaders to
select at least 200 participants, based on the feasibility of their business ideas and their capacity to implement
them. In addition, participants from the initial pilot project will be trained as mentors, so that they can
provide support to newly trained entrepreneurs. Activity 2.1.Training workshops in microenterprise
development. We will work with and through ORG’s partner women’s associations to organize quarterly
training workshops for aspiring women entrepreneurs in each of the four clusters of villages (<community>,
<community>, <community>, <community>).During five days of training, participants learn about
entrepreneurship, business finance, management skills, and microfinance. Activity 2.2.Develop business
plans. Microenterprise development training is structured around the development of a business plan. In each
module, participants develop sections of their business plan. The business plan follows a simplified,
standardized template including: (1) description of the business; (2) description of the product or service; (3)
a market study and feasibility analysis; (4) an implementation strategy (e.g., marketing strategy, budget
figures, and dates); and (5) a financial plan, including profit and loss, balance sheet, analysis
4. 4. of business ratios, and cash flow forecasts. Based on prior experience, we anticipate that 75 percent of
trainees (150 individuals) will produce a sound, “bankable” business plan. Activity 2.3. Support
microenterprise start-up. The primary vehicle for promoting new business start-up will be through existing
microcredit facilities, which are numerous in the West Bank though largely unknown to rural women (see
Objective 3). Following the initial training, ORG staff will provide individualized continued business
coaching to help put business plans into action. ORG’s experienced business development specialists will
monitor, coach and advise the women entrepreneurs in the management of their business by providing
technical and business management support. Activity 2.4. Establish women’s business support network.
While we help trainees grow their businesses by introducing sound business practices, we will also seek
additional participants, engaging current partners and participants to guide new ones through peer training.
OBJECTIVE 3. INCREASE ACCESS TO MICROCREDIT FOR MICROENTERPRISE START-UP ORG
will facilitate relationships between women entrepreneurs and existing micro-credit lenders and will help
aspiring women entrepreneurs develop “bankable” business plans to help them secure funding. There are
many micro-loan programs in the West Bank – several of them supported by ORG in the past – but most
women are unaware or lack the business knowledge to obtain loans. Our aim is to facilitate relationships
between aspiring women entrepreneurs with existing sources of loan capital. Activity 3.1. Mobilize review
committee of civic and business leaders. We will mobilize a committee of local banking, business, and civic
leaders to review business plans and recommend them for funding, in coordination with microcredit
institutions. Activity 3.2. Facilitate microenterprise start-up financing. Based on reviews from the committee,
ORG will work with women entrepreneurs to complete loan applications. Where necessary, we will provide
small loan guarantees to microfinance institutions to enable them to invest specifically in women’s
entrepreneurship. OBJECTIVE 4. INTRODUCE MICRO FRANCHISES FOR WOMEN’S BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT Based on opportunities identified through the regional economic assessment, ORG will
also develop a pilot micro franchise – or network of small businesses (see box). Micro franchises offer
aspiring entrepreneurs—people who have limited or no business experience—a way to start a new business
with relatively low risk. They increase the likelihood of success by creating support structure – ranging from
formal helpdesks to support networks – for business coaching, facilitating economies of scale (procurement,
training), and building linkages among entrepreneurs and communities. The Micro franchise Model The
micro franchise model involves developing a network of small businesses and linking them together through
a shared business plan that includes comprehensive guidelines for:  Technology selection  Business
management  Staffing and customer service  Quality control  Branding and marketing  Reporting and
accounting systems
5. 5. ORG’s has successfully used this micro franchise model in Armenia for rural computer centers and for
dried fruit. The initial assessment of our target area in the West Bank identified rural Internet centers and
dried herbs as high potential activities. We aim to identify and introduce at least one pilot micro franchise
under the women’s microenterprise development project, combining microcredit with small grants to further
reduce risk to potential women entrepreneurs. Activity 4.1. Develop at least micro franchise model. Based on
the regional economic assessment and preferences identified during initial outreach to women’s associations,
ORG will identify a pilot micro franchise. Activity 4.2. Recruit and train micro franchise owners and
employees. In targeted communities, ORG will recruit aspiring entrepreneurs who have an interest in
opening and managing a business and can finance a minimum of 50 percent of the start-up costs (including
land, building space, or equipment, as well as cash). The selected entrepreneurs will complete business
trainings, with specific focus on the operation of the micro franchise. Activity 4.3. Provide micro franchises
with financing and launch support. Using the same approach as individual microenterprise development,
ORG will facilitate relationships with existing microcredit institutions. We will also provide modest start-up
grants to complement microcredit and further reduce risk. Businesses will complete a one-month
probationary period or “soft launch,” during which they are provided with extra support in resolving issues.
After successfully completing this phase, businesses will be integrated into the brand network, allowing
collaboration between franchise owners. Activity 4.4.Provide monitoring and ongoing support. Project
beneficiaries, business mentors, and project staff will meet regularly on an ongoing basis and conduct
periodic training for franchisees and their administrators and other employees. EXPECTED OUTCOMES
ORG will build on its work with women’s associations in the West Bank to expand and support
entrepreneurship and enterprise development for support for 200 women. We will incorporate additional
 communities, provide business coaching, and support new businesses through community-based credit. We
will help women prepare business plans, get access to credit (micro-loans), and mentor them in establishing
their businesses. Both cooperative and individual businesses will be helped through this project. We will
continue to work with the 10 current women’s associations and expand to over 14 new associations. By
expanding our training in business management, marketing, and product diversification, we hope to establish
at least 150 new, sustainable businesses and 300 new jobs for women. SUSTAINABILITY (WHAT
HAPPENS AFTER 4 YEARS?) It is envisioned that, after 4 years, the activities launched through the project
will continue to operate and expand independent of any ORG involvement. There are 3 aspects to the
projects sustainability:
6. 6. (1) Robust businesses are inherently sustain-able. The individual microenterprises established through the
project will continue to function, to generate income, and to create jobs after the end of the project. (2) By
working with and through community-based women’s associations that are accustomed to operating
businesses, ORG will strengthen their capacity to provide ongoing support to their members who have started
their own businesses. (3) The women’s business council is intended to provide a forum for women
entrepreneurs to continue to share their experience and to provide peer-to-peer business mentoring without
the involvement of an outside organization. The council will be made up of both experienced and new
entrepreneurs. New entrepreneurs will be able to seek guidance from more experienced entrepreneurs. The
activities of the council – workshops, peer training, and exchanges – will encourage the expansion of
business opportunities for women after the end of the project. (4) The micro-franchise concept is designed to
establish a network of businesses, with the aim of (a) simplifying the launch and operation of a business for
individuals who have limited business management experience and (b) facilitate peer-to-peer support in
technical and managerial aspects of microenterprises. The project is planned for 4 years in order to provide
adequate time to mentor new business owners and to establish support structures (council, council chapters,
and micro-franchises) so that they are able function independently. The project itself will not establish new
businesses in the fourth year, but it is anticipated that the number will increase independently, even in the
fourth year, due to support from the women’s business council, facilitated access to micro-credit for new
business start-up, and the micro franchise business model.
7. 7. ATTACHMENT 1: ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND For over 95 years, the <Organization Name>
has helped build more sustainable, prosperous, and inclusive communities in the Middle East and Africa
through education, governance, and economic development initiatives. ORG is an operational NGO with
projects in seven countries – Armenia, Egypt, Jordan, Mali, Morocco, Palestine, and Sudan. Working with
local partners, our programs directly improve the lives of tens of thousands of vulnerable people across the
region in the face of chronic poverty, conflict, and climate change. ORG programs focus on four areas –
Peace building, Civic Engagement and Education, Sustainable Agriculture, and Microenterprise
Development. In 2010, ORG entered into a strategic affiliation with < Name> in order to bring the talent and
creative energy of the to bear on the problems of the Middle East and Africa. ORG’s headquarters is located
on the campus of < Name>, where students and faculty participate actively in project management,
communications, and assessment. ORG Experience in Palestine For more than 80 years, the <Organization
Name> (ORG) has worked to improve the lives of individuals and families in the Palestinian Territories
through initiatives that increase agricultural productivity, improve early childhood education and nutrition,
establish environmental management systems, support the disabled, and help the disadvantaged – including
women – create businesses. Over time, ORG has gained an unparalleled depth of knowledge about local
communities and institutions and the unique development challenges facing the conflict-affected Palestinian
Territories. Based in Nablus, ORG-Palestine’s program staff—all of whom are from the West Bank— have
cultivated strong relationships with community organizations and government officials in villages across the
West Bank. These enduring partnerships provide ORG with a foundation of trust for mobilizing community
action.ORG has cultivated long-term relationships with community organizations and government officials in
dozens of villages across the northern West Bank. These enduring partnerships provide ORG with intimate
knowledge of vulnerable Palestinian communities and a foundation of trust for mobilizing community action.
ORG maintained programs in vocational training and enterprise development across the West Bank from the
early 1930s until 1967.In 1948, the International Red Cross recognized ORG for its humanitarian service to
Palestinian refugees. When ORG establish edits current office in the Palestinian Territories in 1994, it
launched innovative programs utilizing its development staff from neighboring countries. One example was
 the successful introduction of fish farming, based on ORG experience in Jordan. In 1996, ORG began
working with commercial banks to support the creation of small and medium scale businesses in industries
ranging from housing and agriculture to exports through micro credit and small grants. From 2004-2010,
ORG implemented an Early Childhood Education and School Nutrition program. With support from the
World Food Program, ORG worked through community-based women’s associations to provide
supplemental nutrition to approximately54,000 Palestinian children.
8. 8. Working with <Local University>, ORG provided training in early childhood education and teaching
methods for over 100teachers and 40 school principals as part of a comprehensive effort to improve the
quality of education in kindergartens. Local Partners Collaboration is a fundamental principle that guides
ORG’s work. Our primary partners in this project are women’s business associations, which are common
throughout urban and rural West Bank. The associations are essential resources for women: they play a dual
role of creating jobs and income for their members (many pay yearly dividends) while providing social
services such as revolving savings and credit.