This document proposes a project to provide training and support to help Palestinian women start microenterprises and build financial independence. The project would provide business skills training to over 200 women, help establish 100 new businesses, and create 300 new jobs. It would expand an existing program that has helped Palestinian women increase their income through skills training, business management education, and support for starting small businesses like bakeries and greenhouses. The proposal outlines the challenges Palestinian women face in accessing economic opportunities and the need for this project.

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. (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. 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. 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.

9. ATTACHMENT 2: FOUR-YEAR WORK PLAN
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4
Activity Outputs Outcomes 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Objective 1. Conduct Regional Economic Assessment
Cluster workshops 4 1-day workshops [1 per cluster]  Community members, particularly women,
have improved understanding of economic
opportunities and constraintsMicroenterprise identification List and analysis of high-potential micro-enterprises
Objective 2: Build women’s skills in microenterprise development
Training workshops in microenterprise
development
24 5-day workshops
 2 workshops / cluster / year during first 3 years (8
workshops / year)
 40 training days per year
 8 women / workshop [64 / year]
 Women develop business planning and
management skills
 New women-owned businesses are
created
 Support network provides women
entrepreneurs access to peer mentorship
Develop business plans 200 business plans
Support microenterprise start-up
At least 150 new businesses [50 per year over 3 years]
are launched, creating at least 300 jobs
Establish women’s business support network
Creation of 1 women’s business support network with 4
chapters
Objective 3. Increase access to microcredit for microenterprise start-up
Mobilize review committee of civic and
business leaders
Community leaders participate in review of business
plans  Women are able to access existing
micro-credit resources to start up and
operate microenterprisesFacilitate microenterprise start-up financing
Micro-credit loans secured for 150 women-led
businesses
Objective 4. Introduce microfranchises for women’s business development
Develop at least one micro franchise model Micro-franchise business plan
 Easily replicable business model is
established to accelerate the creation of
women-led microenterprises
Recruit and train micro franchise owners and
employees
20 micro franchise owners trained [10 / year in Years 2
and 3]
Provide micro franchises with financing and
launch support
20 start-up grants awarded
Provide monitoring and ongoing support Regular follow-up visits with micro franchise owners

10. ATTACHMENT 3: BUDGET SUMMARY
Amount (US Dollars)
Budget Line Item Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Total
Personnel/Trainers 25,100 25,100 25,100 17,900 93,200
Transportation 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 12,000
Operating Costs 3,600 3,600 3,600 - 10,800
Program Activities 4,000 17,400 17,400 2,400 41,200
Total 35,700 49,100 49,100 23,300 157,200

11. ATTACHMENT 4: DETAILED BUDGET
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 TOTAL
Unit
Cost Unit Units
Unit
Cost Total Units
Unit
Cost Total Units
Unit
Cost Total Units
Unit
Cost Total Units
Unit
Cost Total
PERSONNEL
Project Director/Business Trainer 4,500 /month 2 4,500 9,000 2 4,500 9,000 2 4,500 9,000 2 4,500 9,000 8 4,500 36,000
Field Coordinator/Trainer 1,200 /month 12 1,200 14,400 12 1,200 14,400 12 1,200 14,400 6 1,200 7,200 42 1,200 50,400
Finance & Admin 850 /month 2 850 1,700 2 850 1,700 2 850 1,700 2 850 1,700 8 850 6,800
Subtotal Personnel 25,100 25,100 25,100 17,900 93,200
TRAVEL & TRANSPORTATION
Ground Transportation 250 /month 12 250 3,000 12 250 3,000 12 250 3,000 12 250 3,000 48 250 12,000
Subtotal Travel 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 12,000
OPERATING COSTS
Communications 150 /month 12 150 1,800 12 150 1,800 12 150 1,800 0 150 - 36 150 5,400
Office rent 100 /month 12 100 1,200 12 100 1,200 12 100 1,200 0 100 - 36 100 3,600
Supplies 50 /month 12 50 600 12 50 600 12 50 600 0 50 - 36 50 1,800
Subtotal Operating Costs 3,600 3,600 3,600 - 10,800
PROGRAM ACTIVITIES
Training and Capacity Building
Regional Economic Assessment 1,200 study 1 1,200 1,200 1,200
Cluster workshops 100 /workshop 4 100 400 400
Training Supplies 200 /session 12 200 2,400 12 200 2,400 12 200 2,400 12 200 2,400 9,600
Micro franchise Start-up Grants 1,500 /grant 10 1,500 15,000 10 1,500 15,000 0 - - 30,000
Subtotal Program Activity
4,000 17,400 17,400 2,400 41,200
Total Project Cost 35,700 - - 49,100 - - 49,100 - - 23,300 - - 157,200

12. ANNEX 5: RAPID ASSESSMENT OF ORG-SUPPORTED WOMEN’S ASSOCIATIONS SINCE 2009
The following are the business records for 11 women associations ORG worked with since
2009. The total number of members in the 11 societies is 1100 women. The number of
businesses (group microenterprises) and income generating activities (individual activities) is
reflected in the table below. They include both business supported by ORG and those created
independently by the associations based on ORG training. The figures are based on
interviews with leaders of each association, conducted in July 2012.
#
Women
Association
Location
Businesses and
income generating
activities created
Type of Businesses
Jobs Created Estimated
Annual Profit
(US$)
1 <CBO> <community
>
18 embroidery and
sewing, food
production
18 Seasonal 9,000
2 <CBO> <community
>
38 school canteens, home
gardens, food
production
28 Seasonal
10 Permanent
19,000
3 <CBO> <community
>
22 food production,
livestock breeding
20 Seasonal
2 Permanent
12,000
4 <CBO> <community
>
45 school canteen,
livestock , food
production
37 Seasonal
8 Permanent
24,000
5 <CBO> <community
>
5 beekeeping and
livestock breeding
5 Seasonal 6,000
6 <CBO> <community
>
9 food production,
schools canteen and
home gardens
9 Seasonal 13,000
7 <CBO> <community
>
33 school canteens, food
production
33 Seasonal 21,000
8 <CBO> <community
>
24 embroidery and sewing 21 Seasonal
3 Permanent
18,000
9 <CBO> <community
>
16 herbs and food
production
16 Seasonal 4,800
10 <CBO> <community
>
11 livestock, home
gardens,
6 Seasonal
5 Permanent
7,200
11 <CBO> <community
>
30 livestock breeding,
home gardens, schools
canteens
19 Seasonal
11 Permanent
22,000
TOTAL 251 212 Seasonal
39 Permanent
156,000