Impact and Learning through a challenging 2020

2.1.55 Impact Results 2020

Impact results 2020

<p>Two principle observations emerge, firstly, enterprises supported by our partners performed better than firms interviewed in the World Bank’s COVID-19 Business Pulse Surveys, and secondly, though revenue decreased, 98% of employment was retained.</p>
<h3><strong>Resilience in crisis</strong></h3>
<p>These figures suggest that enterprises that receive Business Development Services (BDS) are more resilient. The employment figures in particular are encouraging. The high retention - 98% of over 29,000 full time jobs - suggests entrepreneurs are assuming their business will grow again. Moreover, employment is a key indicator in such times of peoples’ ability to resist falling back into poverty. We know some enterprises achieved this by reducing working hours during lockdowns or temporarily moving staff to part-time, often implemented with advice amplified by partners. Employment lost by other enterprises was counteracted by employment generation by a subset of growing enterprises, predominantly in sectors including energy, utilities and healthcare.</p>
<p>Women-led businesses, however, faired relatively less well than their male counterparts. Women entrepreneurs are more prevalent in sectors hardest hit such as hospitality and education, and had to manage the bulk of increased domestic and care responsibilities such as homeschooling. </p>

Text 1

2.1.55 Resilience In Crisis 2020

Resilience in crisis 2020

<h3><strong>Digitalization enabled continued support and advice</strong></h3>
<p>A growing trend to use digital technology in the delivery of services hit the fast forward button in 2020. A number of partners had to work out how to deliver their work at a distance, but for those already with significant digital infrastructure, services were extended substantially. For example, one of our strategic partners, <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.africanmanagers.org/" target="_blank">the African Management Institute</a>, achieved the following.</p>

Text 2

Impact numbers

<p>Together with <a rel="noopener" href="https://dalberg.com/" target="_blank">Dalberg Advisors</a> and <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.aspeninstitute.org/ande" target="_blank">ANDE</a>, Argidius developed a <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.argidius.com/en/learning/learning-placeholder-i5454-digital-delivery-a-digitalization-guidebook-for-enterprise-support-organizations-esos/" target="_blank">guidebook</a> to help organizations think through what level of digitalization makes sense, and what the potential pathways are for adopting digital tools, as we tentatively emerge from the pandemic. The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth have since launched a digitalization project with ANDE which amongst other activities, is disseminating the guidebook through chapter events across Latin America, Africa and Asia, and is now being developed into an online tool with Accenture Development Partners.</p>
<h3><strong>Effective BDS is fundamentally about addressing problems</strong></h3>
<p>As enterprises’ circumstances changed rapidly, partners moved quickly to assess clients’ needs and adapted support accordingly. Potentially faced with ruin, one of the most pressing needs during lockdowns was to address entrepreneurs’ emotional needs to enable clear headed decisions subsequently. Another of our strategic partners, <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.technoserve.org/our-work/entrepreneurship/" target="_blank">Technoserve’s Entrepreneurship Practice</a>, had, within a matter of weeks, developed a survival toolkit for programs to address such needs. Able to draw on lessons working through other shutdowns such as the Nicaraguan crisis in 2018, the toolkit was rolled out to entrepreneurship programs supporting 3,000 enterprises throughout <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.technoserve.org/" target="_blank">Technoserve’s</a> 29 countries of operation, and published to support the whole sector to adapt.</p>
<p>Successfully supporting enterprises through the crisis placed even more emphasis on characteristics we have found to make for a quality BDS intervention, which we have acronymized as SCALE. Even quite simple changes of approach can yield significant benefits to entrepreneurial growth. We have packaged up the knowledge learned through our work and the work of others into <a data-udi="umb://document/66ba89decf8b47d29171b05744ea3976" title="How to Fulfill the Potential of Business Development Services using SCALE"><strong>a major report and set of tools</strong></a> to help BDS organizations, and their funders, to implement dimensions of SCALE,  proven to increase effectiveness, and as a result, boost SGBs revenues and job creation. Supported with a dissemination campaign, this is our most recent effort, as we seek to influence the sector globally to be more effective. </p>

Text 3

2.1.53 SCALE Report Cover

SCALE Report

<h3><strong>Core support helps organizations, and their impact, go to the next level</strong></h3>
<p>2020 was an immensely demanding year too for partners. Paradoxically it was for a number of partners the most successful year yet for fundraising. This in part reflects the focus over the years on supporting partners such that they are able to develop better organizations’ that can meet the requirements of larger development funders. A third strategic partner, <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.alterna-la.org/" target="_blank">Alterna</a>, for example, was a small but promising organization working in Guatemala’s second city Quetzaltenango, when we first entered into partnership. Fast forward to today, and Alterna are running programmes for small businesses and entrepreneurs across Central America and Mexico, and leading on major programs for the Inter-American Development Bank, the EU, and others. Helping effective organizations to attract significant funding from multiple avenues to support entrepreneurs is a key way in which the resources of funders such as ourselves can sustainably scale impact. You can read more about <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.argidius.com/en/learning/learning-placeholder-i5842-alterna-guatemala/" target="_blank">Alterna’s story</a>, and find all the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.argidius.com/en/learning/" target="_blank">Foundation's learning</a> on our renewed website.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="/en/annual-report-2020/" title="Annual Report 2020" data-start-item-path="argidius" data-start-item-id="73749b43-1b4f-4d5d-bfb1-e07baf71814d"><span style="color: #43695f;"><strong><span style="color: #eeb907;">&lt;</span> RETURN TO THE ANNUAL REPORT 2020</strong></span></a></p>

Text 4

2.1.55 Children Drinking Water Agora Courtesy EOS

Digitalisation hit the fast forward button in this turbulent year as our partners dug deep to help businesses faced with ruin, developing survival toolkits and supporting entrepreneurs’ emotional needs. Paradoxically, whilst being the most demanding year yet for partners for a number of them it has been the most successful year yet for fundraising.

Impact and Learning through a challenging 2020 | Argidius

PNG Avatar

Argidius Logo Color White Label PNG

Argidius

<p>This website uses cookies. We use cookies to distribute website traffic and to analyse website usage. We also share information about your use of our site with our analytics partners. Please click <a data-udi="umb://document/a4a7c268ff414c25b33146e2f85ff327" title="Cookie Statement">here</a> for more details.</p>

Cookie statement

00 Logo Argidius

Terms of Use

Privacy statement

Cookie Statement

Photo Credits

Argidius Logo Website SVG

Home

Grantseekers

Grantees

Co-funding and Collaboration

Learning

About Us

Español

Partner Login

Introduction Form

Business Support Organisations

Mission and Strategy

Catholic Social Teaching

Meet the Team

Our Governance

Our History

Recruitment and Consultancy

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact Form

1.1 Man Working With Machine Equipment TBN Bawa Hope Copyright Stuart Freedman Thumbnail

Considering a partnership with us?

1.3 Men With Flour Bags Growth Africa Classic Foods Copyright Stuart Freedman Thumbnail

Delivering on our shared mission.

Co-funding and collaborations

1.2 Woman Making An Egg Display Pomona Mercadito De Lola Copyright Stuart Freedman Thumbnail

Grantseekers

Grantees

Co-funding and collaboration

Impact and Learning through a challenging 2020

COMMENTS AND INSIGHTS

Share this