About Impact Investing Ghana
Impact Investing Ghana (IIGh) is the Ghana National Advisory Board for Impact
Investing. We are an independent, private-sector-led initiative promoting
sustainable development and advancing the development of the impact investment
ecosystem in Ghana. Established as a nonprofit, IIGh is Ghana’s representative to the
Global Steering Group (GSG) for Impact Investing, the successor to the Social Impact
Investment Taskforce established by the G8. The GSG’s National Advisory Boards
(NABs) currently cover 33 countries and provide a global platform to drive
investment and increase visibility for its members globally. IIGh aims at tackling
Ghana’s pressing social and environmental challenges by driving more capital to
deliver real impact.
We are a local platform representing all the stakeholder groups needed to redirect
significant capital flows toward social and environmental impact. Private-sector-led,
yet in close partnership with the national government, we raise awareness, create
market intelligence, change policies, and mobilize additional financial resources for
the public good. IIGh brings together leaders from the worlds of finance, business,
government, social organizations, and philanthropy. IIGh has an ambitious plan to
support the growth of impact ventures and to catalyze $1 billion in impact funds for
investment in impact ventures in Ghana and the West African sub-region.
Background
SCALE Quality Improvement Programme for ESOs in Ghana
The need for this project arises from the challenges faced by SMEs in Ghana, as
outlined in the Catalytic Capital Investment report. SMEs play a crucial role in Ghana’s
economy, contributing significantly to employment and GDP. However, they face
numerous challenges, including limited access to finance, lack of business
development services, and inadequate capacity to scale their operations. In response
to these challenges, ESOs in Ghana have been working to provide support to SMEs.
However, the effectiveness of these ESOs has been limited due to a lack of quality
improvement tools that can enhance their service delivery.
In 2022, ESOs in Ghana participated in the Ghana ESO forum 2022 where they assessed
several tools and agreed on the SCALE Quality Improvement tool as the most effective
for the Ghanaian ecosystem. This tool, developed by Argidius Foundation to identify
what works best in ESOs and Business Development Services (BDS) to enable Small
and Growing Businesses (SGBs) to grow and create employment, focuses on five key
considerations (SCALE): Select the right enterprise, Charging for services, Addressing
problems through problem-solving, Learning by evaluating enterprise
performance, and Leading by example. SCALE has been designed as a package that
helps any ESO to redesign their programming. Read more here.
The SCALE Quality Improvement Programme is a strategic initiative aimed at building
the operational, programmatic, visibility and impact-delivery capacity of Enterprise
Support Organizations (ESOs) across Ghana. SCALE Quality Improvement Programme
seeks to enhance the quality and effectiveness of ESO services to ensure that
Ghana’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is resilient, inclusive, and well-positioned for
growth. The first cohort of ESOs would transition into the new program-SCALEx.
In previous phases, the programme has delivered structured capacity assessments,
improvement plans, peer-learning sessions, and technical assistance. The next
phase seeks to build on these foundations by scaling support mechanisms,
deepening collaborative efforts, and aligning with ecosystem-wide frameworks such
as the ESO Tier system, Shared Common Language and the ESO Pooled Fund
structuring.
Terms of reference (Annex 1)
Objective of the Assignment
We are seeking an experienced consultant or consultancy firm with expertise in
Argidius SCALE Framework, ecosystem development, organizational capacity
building, and facilitation to lead the facilitation of the next phase of the SCALE Quality
Improvement program. This project is to;
1. Strengthen the organizational, programmatic, and strategic capacity of
selected ESOs through the SCALE framework.
2. Transition the first cohort of SCALE participants into the advanced SCALEx
programme.
3. Enhance collaboration among ESOs and foster alignment with emerging
ecosystem frameworks (ESO Tier System, Shared Language, and Pooled Fund
structuring).
4. Promote the sustainability of ESO support mechanisms through shared
learning, visibility, and impact-focused planning.
Scope of Work.
The selected consultant will be responsible for:
1. Alignment of the SCALE Framework
○ Facilitate and work with the ESOs to conduct an updated diagnostic
assessment of the participating ESOs based on the SCALE considerations.
○ Co-create updated, tailored recommendations for each ESO based on the
diagnostic assessment.
○ Support the ESOs in updating their action plan for implementing the
recommendations.
2. Developing and Delivering Programme Modules
○ Co-design targeted capacity building and mentorship tracks for
selected ESOs
○ Facilitate peer learning and knowledge exchange sessions.
3. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL)
○ Monitor ESO improvements, implementation progress and outcomes
and report to IIGh.
○ Lead reflective sessions with ESOs to iterate programme components.
○ Contribute to the documentation of case studies and success stories
for dissemination.
4. Ecosystem Collaboration & Communication
○ Contribute to thought leadership articles that capture the learning from
facilitating SCALE.
○ Share insights during the 2025 Ghana ESO Forum.
5. Budget
○ The budget for this consultancy service is US$3,000.
Deliverables
● Inception Report: a detailed work plan, approach, and stakeholder
engagement strategy
● Baseline assessments: Completed diagnostic assessments for the cohort.
● Improvement Plans: Individual ESO improvement plans co-developed and
validated
Workplan and facilitation calendar for the period of engagement.
● Organize 3 virtual Capacity building and 2 peer-learning session
● Monthly progress reports
● Final report with summary of outcomes, lessons learned, and strategic
recommendation.
Required Qualifications
● Minimum 7 years of experience in ecosystem development, organizational
learning, or related fields especially in working with ESOs.
● Familiarity with the Argidius SCALE tool or similar quality improvement
frameworks is an advantage.
● Demonstrated experience designing and facilitating multi-stakeholder
capacity programmes including conducting organisational assessments.
● Strong understanding of the entrepreneurship and impact investing
landscape in Ghana or Sub-Saharan Africa.
● Experience with MEL frameworks and impact assessment..
● Excellent communication and facilitation skills, both online and in-person
Proposal Requirements
Interested consultants should submit:
● A technical proposal detailing approach, methodology, and timeline.
● A financial proposal with detailed cost breakdown.
● Company/individual profile with CVs of key personnel.
● At least two examples of similar previous work.
Duration and Timeline
The assignment is expected to commence in July, 2025 and be completed within 16 weeks of contract signing.
Submission Instructions
All responses to this Request for Proposal are due by 18th July 2025 at 3PM
GMT. Please email your response to info@impactinvestinggh.org and copy
doris.mensah@impactinvestinggh.org , daniel.owusu@impactinvestinggh.org
and label the email – RFP Consultant- SCALE Quality Improvement
programme.
Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview and presentation.
Confidentiality
All information provided in response to this RFP will be treated as confidential
and used solely for the purposes of proposal evaluation and contract award.