Concept Statement

Global Grant #2572901

A partnership between the Rotary Clubs of Cambria (California) and the Rotary Club of Prishtina (Kosovo)

Summary:

This Global Grant initiative aligns with the Area of Focus: Community and Economic Development.

This grant is a pilot project that will assist underrepresented and vulnerable groups, such as rural women, ethnic minorities, and young urban women with basic business planning, financial literacy, and mentoring opportunities. It is designed to target 40 women (30 rural and 10 urban)

Brief Description:

Kosovo is a young country with a vast diaspora and a very young population. However, women face the same challenges as in many developing countries. They have fewer opportunities for advanced education and, even when they do, they rarely receive basic financial education. In most instances, they have limited ability to acquire bank loans for a business.

The project will address key elements that will assist these women in developing the skills needed to become entrepreneurs.

Key Project Elements for Phase I:

• Business model/planning workshops
• Financial literacy workshops
• One-on-one mentoring sessions
• Each participant will receive one piece of equipment that will assist them in expanding their start-up business
• A network event that will bring together all the participants, mentors, and potential investors to celebrate the completion
  of the workshops and to begin the process for each participant to build their business

Key Project Elements for Phase II:

• All 40 participants will collaborate with their assigned mentors to develop formal business plans, applying the skills and insights gained during Phase I.
• Up to 20 women who submit a completed business plan will be awarded up to €5,000 each in start-up funding to launch their entrepreneurial ventures.

Instruction & Mentorship Commitment:

Over the course of the two-year project, participants will benefit from:

• 26 days of direct workshop and training delivery (13 days in each phase)
• 6 days of preparation and reporting to ensure training quality and relevance
• 400 total hours of one-on-one mentorship, distributed among all participants to provide individualized business guidance

Timeline:
The project envisions a two-year cycle.

Budget:
$250,131.

Long-term Goal:

This project will be designed with a set of metrics that will illustrate the significance that financial education, sound business planning, and a support network of mentors can have in advancing the economic potential of rural and urban women.

The successful execution of this pilot project will be the basis for a Program of Scale. The project’s monitoring and evaluation framework will integrate the Theory of Change and Impact measurement model, ensuring that activities, outputs, and outcomes are systematically tracked, assessed, and refined to maximize effectiveness and long-term sustainability.

For More Information or Club Engagement:
If your club is interested in a follow-up presentation or Zoom discussion about this initiative, please contact George Poulakos at gjp@tribecacom.com or (954) 494-4387.

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