For organizations especially non-profits, charities or causes to succeed, fundraising plays a vital role to ensure that enough resources are available for every project or program outlined by the organization. Whether grants or equity, our experts are always ready to guide and support organizations, especially startups to achieve their goals. The fundraising ecosystem is a very robust one and it needs a very strategic approach as a solid ground to attract donors and financiers for long-term success and impact.
Our strength lies in identifying and engaging the right potential donors and building a cordial relationship that enables us to tell the appealing stories of our clients. We understand the nonprofit sector, donor requirements and behavior, and the current trends and strategies in fundraising so we are able to develop a compelling case for support. Donors are recognized and become part of the projects and acknowledge that there is value for every money provided.
Our clients can access any or all of our services which are Facility Based Services and Direct Business Development Assistance
FACILITY BASED SERVICES
- 24-Hour Operating Co-working space. Our startups need not to worry about where to house their enterprises since we offer them space.
- Meeting/Conference room access
- Access to Equipment (laptops, color printing/scanning, etc.)
- High Speed Internet Connectivity
- Administrative Secretary
DIRECT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE
Our team will provide business support to the startups that are being incubated directly through the provision of business idea evaluations, coaching, and advisory sessions.
- Business Idea Assessment
During the evaluation stage, the employees at Prep and Pave consult with and discuss prospective concepts with entrepreneurs. This consultation centers around appraising the potential of each idea and the entrepreneurial teams in order to enhance the likelihood of achieving success during and after the incubation period. If the idea passes this evaluation, admission to the Incubation Program is granted. This proves especially valuable for entrepreneurs who have business ideas but have not previously had the opportunity or means to conduct market research or develop prototypes. Entrepreneurs present their proposed ventures and Prep and Pave staff guide them on focusing and cultivating the overarching vision for their business concept.
- Coaching, Mentoring and Administrative Support
When required, Prep and Pave staff will convene with startup entrepreneurs to mentor them on specific responsibilities that present challenges. This may encompass hands-on tutelage for certain tasks, adhering to agree upon schedules, and guidance on proactive steps to cultivate ideas. Team members are available as needed to coach startup founders through areas of difficulty on an individual basis. The goal is to support entrepreneurs throughout the incubation period as they work to effectively organize, strategize, and achieve planned milestones. Mentorship from Prep and Pave aims to help maximize each venture’s trajectory of success. Please let me know if any part of this revised text would benefit from additional clarification or refinement.
- Startup Advice Sessions:
Our Entrepreneurial Guidance Consultations offer free counsel to founders who are exploring or have recently embarked on their entrepreneurial path. Through these sessions, individuals with nascent business ventures are able to access advisory support at no cost. The goal is to aid aspiring entrepreneurs in the initial stages of their journey as they work to establish and develop innovative concepts. Entrepreneurs are encouraged to make use of this resource to help inform next steps and strategize how to successfully initiate their startup efforts. - Financial Access
To persuade prospective investors, entrepreneurs necessitate proficiency in delivery of presentations. Therefore, Prep and Pave schedules diverse mock presentations for startups to rehearse and refine their pitch materials. Participation in these practice opportunities enables founders to receive feedback on how to optimally convey their venture’s value proposition, goals, and competitive edge. With guidance from Prep and Pave staff and peers, entrepreneurs can strengthen their elevator pitch and presentation skills in a low-stakes environment. This helps ensure ventures approaching investors are well-prepared to clearly and confidently articulate their business strategy and vision.
Furthermore, on an annual basis Prep and Pave organizes and oversees pitch tournaments in which startups compete for financial awards to fund crucial aspects of business development as articulated. During these events, emerging entrepreneurs present before a panel of investors and specialists. A committee is then formed to appraise the ideas and presentations.
Prep and Pave will constitute a judging board comprising five experts representing diverse domains of evaluation. Potential specialists may have experience or expertise in: a) finance, b) product creation, c) marketing and sales, d) legality, and e) technology or other applicable focus areas. The varied backgrounds of committee members allow for well-rounded vetting of startup proposals from different perspectives. Participation in these competitions offers founders constructive feedback to strengthen their businesses while also providing potential funding resources.
- Capital and Financing Networking Events
As the startups develop their concepts, their requirements for funding tend to escalate sharply. Prep and Pave recognizes that in such circumstances, it can be difficult indeed for novice entrepreneurs to connect with and approach potential investors due lack of access to pertinent information and resources to interact directly.
Therefore, on an annual basis Prep and Pave arranges networking occasions bringing together Investors and Donors to showcase startup products and advancement during the development phase. These events take place at suitable venues across Ghana, such as hotels and restaurants. The startups are provided booths to demonstrate their offerings or business models. Prep and Pave covers the requisite promotional materials, presentation stations, and other supplies needed for the startups to effectively engage attendees. The goal is to bridge this gap and foster productive relationships that could lead to securing valuable financial support for the startups.
Our selection processes consider financial and business factors that communicate a realistic view of what it takes to succeed in a competitive market. It also enables the Incubation Manager to comprehensively assess a company’s strengths and weaknesses to prescribe action plans and remedies throughout.
All startups will be selected based on compatibility with Prep and Pave’s Incubation Program objectives of promoting sustainable enterprise growth and development. To ensure alignment with program goals, management shall adhere to the following protocols:
1. Initial Contact with Prospective Clients
The majority of initial interactions with potential clients will likely emerge due to Prep and Pave’s promotion of their Incubation Program during launch activities, as well as through continued outreach and marketing efforts over time. Additional referrals from supporters and other stakeholders may also facilitate the first connections. The goal at this stage is to introduce promising startups to the opportunity and conduct a preliminary screening to determine potential fit before undertaking a more rigorous evaluation process.
The activities that follow the primary announcement, for up to six weeks include Informative Sessions at various events; Campus and Community engagements; At People´s Place; Promotion through social media and other digital platforms; and Media presence.
When making initial contact through launch events or if approached directly, Prep and Pave’s designated staff will provide inquiring startups with the relevant documents. Specifically, the Program Overview which details available resources, eligibility, selection process, and criteria, will be distributed. For transparency, this overview forms an integral component of Prep and Pave’s selection policy.
In addition, a digital or print reference (if preferred) to the Application Form is to be furnished. The goal is to fully inform prospects of next steps for consideration, the expectations and timeline of the evaluation process, and how to initiate formal participation. Equal accessibility to comprehensive information sets appropriate expectations and encourages qualified startups with strong alignment to the Program’s objectives to officially apply.
2.Formal Application
Prospective clients are prompted to fill out the electronic Application Form, which is made publicly available through Prep and Pave’s online channels such as the website and social media profiles. The form remains accessible for a defined window of time as indicated in the official call for submissions.
Once startups have formally submitted their completed applications by the stated deadline, and the submission period closes, the subsequent phase of the process begins. This structured approach allows interested ventures sufficient opportunity to apply while maintaining a clearly delineated timeline for evaluation.
3.Pre-Selection & Tier Grouping
As outlined in the Program Overview guidelines, the Incubation Program Manager from Prep and Pave will conduct a preliminary evaluation of all submitted applications to confirm compliance with baseline eligibility standards. The Manager may, if needed, invite additional leadership members to assist with the screening procedure or serve as advisors during this phase.
The aim of this eligibility check by the Manager (and any consultative staff) is to objectively determine which startups should advance to the next level based on alignment with publicly disclosed admission criteria. This allows qualified ventures the opportunity to undergo comprehensive review while efficiently filtering out non-compliant submissions. All eligibility assessments will adhere strictly to the criteria and timelines put forth previously to applicants.
After confirming eligibility, the Incubation Manager will undertake a more thorough evaluation of each startup’s business concept, offerings, leadership team, target industry, current competition and projections for growth. The purpose is to conduct a pre-screening of the complete pool of qualified applications to select the highest quality proposals deserving of in-depth consideration by the formal Admissions Committee.
Once this pre-selection process concludes, the Manager will categorize all compliant submissions into three tiers based on proposal strength. The most compelling ventures in the top tier will be prioritized for committee review, while remaining eligible submissions in the lower tiers will also be made available if the group wishes to further assess them.
Upon finalizing this triage procedure, the next logical step for the Manager will be to kick off formation of the official Admissions Committee. This group of experts can then utilize the Manager’s preparations to rigorously evaluate the submissions through informed discussions aimed at selecting the startup finalists most strategically aligned with furthering the Program’s objectives.
4.Formation of Admissions Committee
To thoroughly gauge each applicant’s commercial viability, the Incubation Manager will aggregate internal and external experts to constitute an Admissions Committee. This panel, comprising a minimum of three individuals with no more than one from Prep and Pave’s staff, will comprehensively assess the pre-screened applications.
The committee members will include accomplished entrepreneurs, business leaders with relevant industry experience, financial specialists, and marketing professionals. Their combined expertise allows for rigorous evaluation from strategic and operational perspectives. When possible, technical experts in fields aligning with the focus areas of pre-selected ventures will also be engaged.
This diverse and achievement-oriented group will work collaboratively to thoroughly examine submission details and ultimately shortlist the startups demonstrating the strongest potential for growth, scalability and overall alignment with the objectives of the incubation program. Their insights will guide the selection of final candidates best poised to realize success with the support services on offer.
5.Admissions Committee´s Evaluation Meeting
The Admissions Committee is given advance notice of the specific date allocated for thorough deliberation of applications, with an allotted time frame of up to three hours.
The Incubation Manager will electronically disseminate the pre-screened, eligible submissions to committee members and the scoring rubrics in advance.
A secondary tier of applications is made available and members may request any others from the complete pool. The Incubation Manager oversees the proceedings, available to assist the committee with logistics or inquiries as needed during deliberations.
This organized process equips the dedicated specialists with sufficient time and materials to rigorously discuss submissions across tiers. The Manager’s preparatory screening and on-hand guidance facilitate well-informed discussion toward ultimately selecting the final candidates demonstrating exemplary strength of vision and viability for growth through incubation support services.
The Admissions Committee will evaluate each Applicant based on the standardized Assessment Form and associated scoring rubrics Their ratings will be directly informed by the publicly disclosed criteria in the Program Overview.
Committee members may discuss their individual appraisals upon completion to share perspectives, gain additional insights, and allow for clarification as a group. Once finished, the Incubation Manager will tabulate scores from the evaluators.
A summary of results will be presented, including a list of up to ten startups selected for admission based on achievement of the highest cumulative scores. The Manager is then tasked with scheduling a follow-up meeting with these selected ventures to formally offer incubation services.
At this meeting, the Manager will also present and have representatives legally sign the Client Services Agreement to officially mark the beginning of each client’s participation and outline the terms and expectations of support through the program.
When startups are approved, they meet with the Incubation Manager to delineate aligned short-term targets and craft a written Action Plan based on goals and benchmarks submitted in their application. This collaborative process establishes agreed-upon, quantified objectives for incubation support.
The resulting Action Plan serves as the roadmap for volunteer mentors to guide clients and the standard by which the Manager tracks venture progress. It forms an integral component of each client’s Service Agreement which outlines the mutual understanding between Prep and Pave and the startup.
Entrepreneurs must consent to this living document and its periodic updating in coordination with the Manager. The process ensures incubation services from Prep and Pave are deployed strategically each step of the way to propel each client toward a trajectory of success over the course of the program.
Agreement will be shared with clients after formal application and they must submit within seven days after they have been officially approved.