New programme business models – and private funding possibilities? Team meeting 2010

Changing context GeSCI funding for country programmes all from donor “headquarters ” as part of core funding GeSCI selected countries based on need, interest and commitment Partnership was mainly with MoEs Needs based model Old Context New Context GeSCI funding increasingly programme based and most likely will be from local donor offices and Governments All new country programmes will require specific programme-based funding in addition to other criteria. New country programmes will involve MoE, GeSCI and donor(s). Service model

Some tensions... Partnership or Service Provision? If partnership, what exactly does this mean? If service provider, who is customer? Who pays? Can private sector be customer? Project management vs. Policy advisor How to raise new money? How to deal with private sector money How to keep (or rebuild?) our identity?

Business models Full cost recovery (full service model) – Every programme must cover all its costs including staff, management, admin costs – More service provision orientation Cost sharing (partnership model) – GeSCI and partner/customer each contribute to funding programme – Only feasible if GeSCI has untied core funds Subsidy model – GeSCI generates funds (from other programmes or core funds) used to subsidize some programmes – Only “strategic” programmes can be subsidized In theory, different models will apply to different contexts situations In practice, cost sharing model most likely with rare exceptions of subsidy models?

Programme development cycle Private business- business development Market assessment (customers, needs, competitors) Marketing/ advertising Generating leads Relationship building Proposals, Pitches and presentations Sales/ service provision Customer service After sales service GeSCI- programme development Situational Analysis (pre- engagement?) Publicity, communication, branding (on-going) ??? Country workshops, personal contacts? Relationship building/ Partnerships (MSPs) Proposals, Country workshops, ??? Engagement ? Post engagement support

Some new realities: challenges Identity – Brand – Differentiation from private consultants – Clearly and simply define our “products” and “value add” or “value proposition Procurement huddles – Service provider vs. development organization Marketing and advertising – Take the “gloves” off? Communicating – External and internal communication Appropriate skills – Marketing, Sales, proposal development, costing Costing: GeSCI is seen as “too expensive” – Recruit more local staff for new programmes

Private sector funding Can we take private sector funding and remain neutral? – Why not? – Does the “type” of private sector partner matter? E.g. Microsoft vs. Procter and Gamble? Are there particular products and services that can be “safely” provided to private sector? – Research – M&E – Definitely NO policy work What about “laundering” the funding? – Through 3 rd party – Through government partner

Some strategies Communicate our new strategy – ICT4E is too “narrow” and need to widen to cover Skills Development, STI Generating leads: – Ride on AKE to generate leads: country workshops can be used to market GeSCI and attract local donors – Look at how to generate new leads for other countries from emerging partnerships in Ghana and Tanzania – Look at generating new programmes in existing and old partner countries e.g. Rwanda, Namibia (repeat business) Can have more than one programme in a country – Use new programmes to generate additional programmes (repeat business) Target countries where current donors are active – Priority targets in Africa are Zambia, Mozambique, Lesotho Building relationships is key – Governments, private sector and donors India is a strategic country ??? Develop marketing strategy ASAP – Internal research and publication is a good publicity tool Define and “package” products and services – Targeted at different customers and partners