CIPE

Center for International Private Enterprise

CIPE’s partnership with Asala has focused on organizational capacity building, including governance and strategic planning, and developing valuable membership services. To better understand members’ needs, Asala engaged female entrepreneurs and MSE owners from all 16 governorates of Palestine in dialogue focused on identifying obstacles to women’s empowerment in the business community, solutions, and opportunities for growth. The process yielded a gap analysis of the business-enabling environment, which captures the top priorities of this constituency for reform and lays the groundwork for the association’s issue advocacy.

To advance women’s leadership in the market economy and civic life through issue advocacy and associational excellence. The Center will support the partner’s thought leadership and advocacy around reform priorities to improve the business enabling environment for women entrepreneurs across Palestine, while fostering cooperation within civil society to enhance the association’s representational role. The Center will build capacity within Asala Association to seize strategic opportunities and strengthen a sustainable membership model to achieve financial and organizational independence.

Project Objectives:

• To elevate the voices and enhance the democratic participation of Palestinian women by engaging female entrepreneurs and micro and small enterprise (MSE) owners in reform-oriented dialogue.
• To build Asala’s capacity as a mission –driven, member-focused organization which advocates effectively for women-led micro- enterprises.
•  To improve Asala’s inclusive, grassroots advocacy services on behalf of women-led micro-enterprises. 

This project was the third phase of CIPE’s ongoing partnership program with Asala from and focused on four areas:

Organizational sustainability, activating member services, advocacy and communication

 Organizational sustainability:

•      Development of a sponsorship package

•      A holistic annual sponsorship package

•      Tiered options

•      Fully developed member categories, with benefits and svcs.

•      Distribution channels defined. (Asala Business Clubs and field reps)

•      Member discounts

•      Membership management system

•      Already beginning to be developed

•      Technical assistance provided by CIPE for further development

•      Staff professional development

•      Trainings facilitated or supported by CIPE to further staff development

Activating member services

•      Activating access to market line of service. (Should have a roll-out plan in place for this.)

ü  Understanding market and productive capacities of associate members – market analysis

•      Exploring additional market platforms

ü  Exploring additional platforms for members to sell their products (i.e. e-commerce site, physical shelf space in supermarkets (Bravo), New Farm, Bas Baladi)

•      Increased public visibility

ü  Launching new exhibition platforms (e.g., mobile booths focused on universities, trade fair in Jordan, weekly market)

•      Technical training workshops for members

ü  Asala-led training workshops for members by sector (handicrafts, packaged food products, and soaps) focused on product development and business skills. 2 per sector per year.

Advocacy:

•      Advocacy profile à Advocacy agenda and campaign

 •Policy briefs

ü  One per issue

ü  Include stakeholders/experts in development

ü  Messaging and digital media around each issue

 • In-person briefings with stakeholders

ü  “Members Summit” to present

ü  Dialogue sessions with key decision-makers / influencers about each advocacy issue hosted by Asala

ü  Media outreach to promote the issues

Communication:

•      Implementation of the communications plan

•      Generate promotional and informational materials

ü  Focus on members and their products

ü  Raise awareness about the membership structure and related services, potential sponsorship opportunities, and events

ü  Develop communications products for social media

•      Updates to website as needed

ü  Focus on facilitating market access, members, and products