Technical Assistance
Since 2008, GBF has delivered 800 technical assistance assignments to 600+ companies. The results: 80% improved operations, 90% strengthened compliance, and exit valuations averaging 3x our invested capital.
Many SMEs operate with irregular cash flows, limited governance structures, and constrained management capacity, particularly in underserved markets. In these environments, the gap between potential and performance is rarely just about access to finance; it is operational.
Grassroots Business Fund was built to close that gap. We embed with portfolio companies before, during, and after investment, strengthening financial systems, governance, and operational capabilities that enable businesses to grow sustainably.
PRE-INVESTMENT TA
Laying the Foundation
Before capital goes in, we strengthen investment readiness. This means diagnostic-based assessment of financial discipline, governance, and operational resilience. We identify risks, refine business models, and align the company with best practices in corporate governance, ESG, and market positioning.
The goal: ensure that when capital enters, the business has the infrastructure to deploy it effectively.
How It Works: The Mechanism
Two Phases of Engagement
POST-INVESTMENT TA
Driving Sustainable Growth
After investment, we provide continuous, tailored support through advisory sessions, workshops, and mentorship. We monitor financial performance, operational efficiency, and impact metrics, adjusting strategies in real time based on data and direct feedback from business leadership.
The goal: embed best practices into operations so that growth continues well beyond our investment period.
Six Focus Areas
Our technical assistance targets the specific capabilities that determine whether a high-impact SME can scale sustainably.”
Financial Management
Human Resources + Talent
Governance + Leadership
ESG Compliance
Operations + Supply Chain
Gender Equity + Climate
We don’t measure TA by how many workshops we run. We measure it by how the business changes.
GBF tracks impact through a proprietary Ability Score framework, evaluating 13 core business capabilities at entry and annually. By tracking these capabilities over time, we identify progress, surface areas that need deeper support, and ensure our engagement is producing structural, not cosmetic, improvement.
Measuring What Matters: The Ability Score
81%
have a strong advisor network participating
in governance
86%
have skilled managers monitoring
operating indicators
76%
have a senior manager actively running
financial planning
Our Metrics
3x
Capital mobilization rate at exit
85%
became more E&S compliant
through TA
80%
of portfolio companies
improved operations
12%
compounded annual revenue
growth across the portfolio
90%
strengthened legal and
statutory compliance
$396M
in the economic value generated
across beneficiaries