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About the SME High Growth Programme

The Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) – an agency under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, is one of the key Technical Implementing Agencies (TIAs) through which the World Bank Funded Ghana Economic Transformation Project (GETP) is deploying programmes as part of government’s initiatives to promote private investments and firm growth in non-resource-based sectors.
The World Bank is providing funding support to the Government of Ghana for the implementation of the Ghana Economic Transformation Project (GETP). The objective of GETP is to promote private investment and the growth of enterprises in the non-resource-based sectors of the economy. The Government of Ghana, through the GETP is providing technical assistance and financial support to selected SMEs under the High Growth SME Programme for qualifying SMEs. The overall aim of the grant scheme is to support SMEs with a high potential of implementing productivity and competitiveness enhancing initiatives to accelerate their growth. The Programme will provide general training, targeted capacity upgrade, consulting and financing to qualifying SMEs. The Ghana Enterprises Agency as the implementing agency of the grant scheme is inviting eligible High Growth Enterprises to apply.

Programme Fund Size

A sum of about US$20 million (cedis equivalent) has been earmarked for the flagship grant programme targeting SMEs nationwide, for generic training, capacity upgrades, and grants.

Expected Results and Impact of the SME Growth Grant Programme

The Grant Programme’s support from the GEA is expected to culminate into job creation and job sustainability. Further, SMEs will transition into the next stage of growth, thereby improving their ability to increase sales and exports. The SME Growth Grant Programme will entail technical assistance for up to 2,000 SMEs on business management capabilities, productivity-enhancing improvements, and a replication of the soft skills acquired leading to a generally improved business operating culture among Ghanaian SMEs thereby enhancing competition and growth.

Expected Results and Impact of the SME Growth Grant Programme

The underlisted are the key distinguishing features of the flagship programme:
  • Training
  • Provision of training in Business and Financial Management.
  • Provide training in Taxation and Regulatory Compliance: The goal of this knowledge area is to equip SMEs with practical knowledge of the legal environment in which they operate. It will also equip the SMEs with working knowledge of the Ghanaian system of taxation and the basic principles of taxation for individuals and SMEs.
  • Provide training on Information Technology in Business: It is imperative that SMEs get a working knowledge of how technology and digital marketing contribute to business performance. This will include modules that will equip the SMEs with the basic knowledge of how to utilize technology to augment their operational capacity.
  • Business Plan Development training: This area of knowledge will equip the SMEs with the necessary skills to enable them to understand key business functions and the basic approaches to analysing business activities; and designing a practical business plan.
  • Training in marketing: The goal of this knowledge area is to ensure the SMEs understand and apply practical knowledge of the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of their goods, or services that satisfy individual and organizational needs. This will also include practical guidance in accessing new markets and the barriers to market entry with a special focus on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
  • Capacity Upgrade
  • Group Consulting Sessions wherein selected small-sized firms will be grouped with 4-5 other similar firms and will receive managerial consulting services together. The enterprises will participate in a combination of tailored individual and group-based consulting sessions, with most of the consulting being delivered in group sessions.
  • Administer the capacity upgrade programme through peer learning sessions whereby the selected small-sized firms will meet regularly to discuss their challenges and experiences in a networking environment. The peer learning meetings will be structured similarly to those being held in the group-based consulting treatment approach but will not include any expert intervention.
  • Administer the capacity upgrade programme through Individual consulting: Selected medium-sized firms will receive individual consulting. They will be relatively larger in size and fewer in number compared to small firms. Based on their assessed needs, management consulting services will be designed and deployed to meet those needs.
  • All training will be delivered using an experiential participatory approach conducive for adult learning and where applicable, adapt local dialects of the majority in any group for both the generic training and the capacity upgrades.
  • Funding Support
  • Provide funding (grants) to the most eligible participants of the training and capacity upgrade activities.
Learn about Eligibility Requirements for the COVID-19 Response Grant programme
Transforming MSMEs, Empowering People
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