GrowthAfrica Entrepreneur Support Organisations (ESO) Uplift Programme 2025

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Applications are open for GrowthAfrica Entrepreneur Support Organisations (ESO) Uplift Programme 2025. ESO Uplift Programme is a component of the Social and Impact Entrepreneurship (SIE) Project co-funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), implemented by GrowthAfrica in collaboration with the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation(DRK) and the Amahoro Coalition.

This transformative initiative aims to strengthen Entrepreneur Support Organisations (ESOs) across Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Ghana, and Egypt, driving sustainable development in Africa. This programme is designed to equip 45 Entrepreneur Support Organisations by providing them with the necessary tools to develop effective and impactful programmes to support impact enterprises over the next four years.

ESO Uplift Programme Benefits

By joining this programme, you will benefit from GrowthAfrica’s vast experience across three decades supporting over 5,000 entrepreneurs and running close to 100 projects and programmes for startups and early-stage businesses and access valuable resources, tools and systems that will empower your entrepreneurship support efforts to achieve greater effectiveness, build stronger capabilities, and amplify your impact on the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
The programme is designed to review your current set-up, take stock of your reality, internal and external, and then assess and redesign your offering to entrepreneurs. The programme will then support you in your efforts to mobilise your ecosystem, access resources, reach the right entrepreneurs and businesses, as well as ultimately stand by you as you deliver your revised programme and entrepreneur support activities.

Programme Details

The programme is structured as follows:
Initial analysis of reality and programme redesign:

6 virtual workshops from late July to late September
1-on-1 follow-up sessions after each workshop from early August to mid-October
Curated pre-readings and preparation resources

Programme redesign support

1-on-1 programme design advisory sessions
Resource & ecosystem mobilisation support
Access to online resources for content, tools, systems and template development
Networking and experience sharing sessions with peers (across cohorts & geographies)

Programme execution support

Add-hoc content delivery troubleshooting
Monthly progress check-ins
Quarterly peer learning sessions

Eligibility Criteria for ESO Uplift Programme

Organisations interested in applying must meet the following criteria:

The organisation must be legally registered and operating in one of the target countries:
Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Ghana, or Egypt.
Support social impact enterprises: Actively works with social impact ventures or entrepreneurs tackling pressing social, environmental, or economic challenges, and can demonstrate previous or current impact (e.g., number of ventures supported, jobs created, lives impacted).
Minimum of 2 years of operation supporting entrepreneurs or small businesses: Proven experience in providing incubation, acceleration, mentorship, training, or venture support services.
Capacity and commitment: Has a dedicated team and capacity to participate fully in the programme over its duration.
Language and communication: Ability to communicate effectively in English (programme language).