Call for Consultant(s): Business Development Service (BDS) Provider for the DREEM Innovation Fund: Focusing on Supporting Women-Led Enterprises
Position Title: Business Development Service (BDS) Provider for the DREEM Innovation Fund
Location(s): Nairobi
Reports to: DREEM Project Manager, Economic Inclusion
Contract term: 8 Months
WUSC – World University Service of Canada – is a leading Canadian non-profit organization in international development, committed to providing education, economic opportunities and empowerment opportunities that improve the lives of millions of disadvantaged youth around the world. WUSC is currently seeking a business development services provider to support MSE applicants and eventual recipients of the DREEM Innovation Fund.
DREEM project
Through the DREEM project (2020-2025), we engage national and local government representatives, academic institutions, private sector actors, refugee-led organizations, local and international NGOs, and refugee youth to share knowledge and identify opportunities to advance the inclusion of refugee youth in national, local, and institutional priorities. Our three pillars drive us to build change and advance the inclusion of refugees and displaced youth, especially young women, in education, employment and entrepreneurship. We believe that through this work and engaging diverse stakeholders from varied sectors and geographies,we will form new strategic partnerships, build momentum and mobilize to advance refugee and displaced youth inclusion.
One of the three pillars of the DREEM project is Strengthening Economic Opportunities for Refugees (SEOR), provides refugee entrepreneurs with a grant that combines financing and BDS access to micro and small enterprises selected through a business innovation competition. Business development support will entail tailored mentorship and coaching, capacity building and market linkages to ensure that businesses have the right expertise and support to generate revenue and jobs.
Objectives of the Innovation Fund
- To stimulate innovation, growth of micro and small enterprises in refugee communities
- To enhance the capacity of businesses to serve as job creators and create employment opportunities for those in their communities, especially young women
- To extend business grants to marginalized refugees (especially women) for improved household livelihoods and economic growth
DREEM is looking for a BDS provider which can work alongside WUSC to support the success of the businesses funded through the innovation grant as well as build the capacity of urban actors to provide these services in Nairobi, Kenya
1. Consultancy specific objectives and scope
The specific objectives for the business development support provider are to:
- Conduct a mapping of urban businesses owned and operated by refugees and asylum seekers, with a focus on identifying those led by women and other gender minorities.
- Perform due diligence and needs assessments to identify specific business development needs, opportunities for revenue growth, and potential to create jobs with a gender inclusivity lens.
- Provide direct support to enterprises throughout their engagement with DREEM’s Innovation Fund, from application through to grant closure.
- In collaboration with the WUSC MERL team collect data for project monitoring and results measurement.
2. Summary of the DREEM Innovation Fund BDS delivery approach:
These activities will be implemented according to the overarching project goals and deliverables agreed with the Mastercard Foundation. The timeline is expected to be as follows:
Stage 1: October/November 2024
Partnership agreement finalized and signed. Needs assessment completed, and business development support (BDS) determined.
Stage 2: December 2024 – March 2025
BDS training has been co-developed and delivered, and funding will be provided to up to 40 grantees. The cohort will consist of investment-ready entrepreneurs with businesses operating for at least 2 years. Upon successful verification and due diligence, they will receive financial support and BDS services. After achieving mutually agreed-upon milestones, the cohort will be eligible for a grant.. Grant amounts will range between KSH 500,000 – 750,000. Grant disbursement will depend on milestone achievement and selection criteria.
Following due diligence, the group will proceed to the pitch deck stage, after which grants will be awarded to the winners.
Ongoing coaching and mentorship will be provided to the selected enterprises. Monitoring and data collection will take place on a monthly and quarterly basis.
Activity: Launch of innovation application
Responsibility: WUSC
Timeline: October 2024
Activity: Pre select qualified applicants
Responsibility: WUSC
Timeline: November 2024
Activity: Verification and due diligence of qualified applicants
Responsibility: BDS provider
Timeline: December 2024
Activity: BDS needs assessment
Responsibility: BDS provider
Timeline:
Activity: Assignment of qualified applicants into urban cohort
Responsibility: BDS provider
Timeline: December 2024
Activity: Delivery of tailored BDS as needed to grantees (three months pre/post grant)
Responsibility: BDS provider
Timeline: January 2025
Activity: Monitoring of grant use by grantees (12 months)
Responsibility: WUSC/BDS provider
Timeline: 12 months post grant
Upon receiving grant applications, the BDS provider will commence a verification and due diligence process, (including UNHCR status confirmation, and presence of actual businesses) to determine the needs and status of individual MSEs.
A comprehensive BDS need assessment will be conducted and based on the findings, BDS modules and delivery plans will be developed jointly by BDS providers and the MSEs, facilitated by DREEM (including determination of cohort support in the preparation of BDS training).
Both short-term and long-term BDS support needs should be included in the BDS delivery plan, ensuring that the development of BDS modules considers diverse needs, including those of women and gender minorities. The plan should also provide for additional categories when the scale-up phase begins and adapt based on project monitoring and evaluation findings
BDS delivery should be contextually appropriate and tailored to the needs of the businesses at various stages. The BDS provider should demonstrate experience and an understanding of the following:
- A recognition that entrepreneurs are busy individuals whose primary economic focus is the operation of their businesses. To accommodate the significant demand on entrepreneurs’ time, BDS providers have to be outcome focused and be creative in the delivery of material, for example using mixes of one-on-one sessions, technology enabled learning, peer-learning approaches, mentorship and more.
- An understanding of the particular challenges that refugees, especially young women face as entrepreneurs and how this may impact the content and delivery of BDS services.
- An understanding of the urban community economic landscape, how to integrate urban business communities, the challenges faced by other urban community entrepreneurs and how this may impact the content and delivery of BDS services.
The BDS provider should be focused on the following outcomes for participating businesses:
- Businesses have practical business plans with clear and achievable goals;
- Businesses have increased revenue;
- Businesses have employed a significant number of youth, with 70% of them being women.
- Businesses reach new markets or adopt new business practices.
- Improved quality; improved productivity; increased sales; reduced costs; diversified or started a business.
- Increased efficiency; fewer cash flow crisis; improved sales; better product quality
- Increased sales of new products; tapped or entered a new market segment; produced new or improved products; increased efficiency.
3. Main Tasks and Responsibilities of BDS Providers
- Conduct verification and due-diligence on all MSEs selected by WUSC to participate in the innovation fund
- Identify BDS priority needs of assigned project MSEs across target locations including support for pitch-deck preparation
- Develop an agreed upon detailed business delivery plan for each MSE with short and medium- term goals
- Design and implement tailor made BDS delivery modules as per the MSEs needs
- Facilitate identification and training of a local refugee led BDS provider. The technical BDS provider will collaborate with WUSC in the identification of a promising local BDS provider, mentor and build their capacity within the grant period.
- Advise WUSC on how to Conduct BDS promotional activities and the best channels to use in order to generate awareness among potential MSEs. Lead all necessary logistics arrangements regarding service delivery with MSEs.
- Complying with all financial reporting obligations. Reporting and submitting monthly financial reports to WUSC as well as monthly advances requested. Advance request templates will be provided by WUSC
- Monthly reporting: collect and report BDS evaluation data provided by MSEs
- Participate in learning forums where best practices will be discussed and shared
- Submit quarterly, half-yearly and annual progress reports to DREEM and engage in regular check in and planning meetings with the project team
Roles and responsibilities
DREEM
– Develop clear selection criteria, terms and conditions of the grant and conduct selection of applicants
– Through the selection committee, determine grant participants and eligibility amounts
– Develop SMART indicators and targets for the grant and entrepreneurs
BDS provider
– Conduct verification and due diligence for all businesses that apply for the grant and advice on the cohorts
– Assist in preparation of pitch decks with entrepreneurs before meeting selection committee
– Conduct assessment of all cohorts and develop BDS modules
– With support from the MERL team conduct follow up and monitoring of entrepreneurs based on agreed deliverables and timeframes
4. Minimum Qualifications and Experience
- At least 5 years of experience as a business service development provider, experience providing BDS to refugee entrepreneurs preferred
- Ability/experience developing successful BDS programming for young women (18-35 years old) entrepreneurs
- Track record of BDS service provision to MSEs (demonstrated capacity in Nairobi and socio-economic context is preferred)
- Demonstrated understanding of current global best practices in BDS provision for MSEs
- Demonstrated experience of staff in business, business mentorship or other BDS field
- Having trainers and/or mentors with lived experience as successful entrepreneurs is an asset
- Successful partnership experience on grant funding mechanism in other international funded programmes/ projects
Interested organizations should apply to WUSC by 9th October 2024 . Applications should consist of a detailed proposal detailing how they would approach the assignment, sample of previous work report, CVs of key staff members, and proposed budget outlining their rate and expected expenses.
How to apply
If you are interested, please apply here through our portal
