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YouStart Programmes

YouStart Programmes

YouStart has three main sub-programmes targeting different categories of businesses and entrepreneurs. They include:

The Commercial Programme is designed to support Small and Medium-sized Enterprises to scale up. This sub-programme primarily targets brownfield businesses and it’s implemented in partnership with the commercial banks.

To register for this sub-programme, click on the APPLY NOW button at the top right corner of the page to begin the registration and onboarding process. You may also contact your bank for assistance.

YouStart Commercial Programme Training Modules
  • Introduction to the YouStart Programme *
  • Entrepreneurship *
  • Financial Management *
  • Good Corporate Citizenship, Governance and Compliance *
  • Risk and Credit Management *
  • Digital Literacy
  • Human Resource Management
  • Marketing & Customer Service
  • Kaizen
  • Training modules marked with * are all mandatory courses
  • Other technical and vocational training will be rolled out based on the needs of the eligible applicants.
  • In-person training will be conducted under the supervision of the Ghana Association of Bankers, the mother organisation that coordinates the anchor commercial banks under the YouStart Programme.
  • Beneficiaries under the Commercial Programme will have access to YouStart virtual learning portal.

Additional Support Services for YouStart Commercial Programme Beneficiaries

In addition to the training and capacity building, Commercial Programme beneficiaries can take advantage of any of the following support services:

  • Business Advisory Support Services – to help businesses grow faster, reduce costs, manage risks, and leverage talent.
  • Compliance and Quality Assurance Services – for entrepreneurs to obtain certification and quality assurance for their products.
  • Access to Market, Technology and Procurement Opportunities – helping entrepreneurs to gain access to markets through networking programmes, an online directory for connecting buyers and suppliers, and exploring how to take advantage of government’s buying power.
  • Access to Funds – financial support in the form of loans to trained and qualified YouStart beneficiaries.

Commercial Programme Funding Options
  • Type of Product: Loan
  • Name of Product: SME Growth Loan
  • Amount: GH¢100,000 – GH¢500,000
  • Target Beneficiaries: SMEs with founders under the age of 40 or SMEs with founders above the age of 40 but have 50% of their staff between 18-40 years.
  • Use of Facility:
    • Working capital
    • Purchase of machinery, equipment, and technology
  • Features of the Product:
    • Interest rate: 10%
    • Moratorium:
      • Working Capital–up to 6 months moratorium
      • CAPEX – up to 12 months moratorium
    • Collateral: None
    • Tenor: Up to 3 years
    • Insurance: 0.5% (Life protection)
    • Repayment: Monthly/ Quarterly repayment (to be determined on a case-by-case basis)
  • Benefits of the Product:
    • Capacity Building, Access to market & Business Advisory support services
    • Delivery of equipment to beneficiaries
  • Eligibility Criteria:
    • The founder(s) should have a Ghana card
    • Business should have a business TIN
    • Business with a minimum of 6 employees.
    • Founders over the age of 40 years will need to show:
      • Evidence of 50% of the workforce aged from 18 to 40years.
    • The business must have a verifiable place of business
    • Potential to create jobs (3-year projection of number of employees)
    • Tax Clearance Certificate (last tax clearance)
    • Operate for Profit
    • Be a Ghanaian-owned business
    • Cashflow projection (3 years)
    • Business Plan
    • 5 days of training to qualify for funding
    • A verifiable referee (Ghana cardholder) - The referee must be any of the following: Clergy Man, Medical Practitioner, Senior Civil or Public Servant, a Solicitor or Barrister.
      • Sole Proprietors will require a 3rd party guarantee
      • Companies will require director’s joint guarante
  • Distribution Channels:
    • PFIs determined credit metrics,
    • PFIs to make arrangements with suppliers for equipment

The District Entrepreneurship Programme is designed to support start-up entrepreneurs, rural enterprises, individuals with workable business ideas, and group businesses. This sub-programme will be based on the geographical spread of the MMDAs across the country and will be spearheaded by the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), and NABCO with support from the National Youth Authority (NYA) and the Ghana Technical and Vocational Education and Training Service (TVET).

To register for this sub-programme, click on the APPLY NOW button at the top right corner of the page to begin the registration and onboarding process. You may also contact the offices of the GEA and the NEIP (i.e the Business Resource and Advisory Centres) in your districts for assistance.

YouStart District Entrepreneurship Programme Training Modules
  • Introduction to the YouStart Programme *
  • Entrepreneurship *
  • Financial Management *
  • Good Corporate Citizenship, Governance and Compliance *
  • Risk and Credit Management *
  • Kaizen *
  • Digital Literacy
  • Human Resource Management
  • Marketing & Customer Service
  • Training modules marked with * are all mandatory courses
  • Other technical and vocational training will be rolled out based on the needs of the eligible applicants.
  • Beneficiaries under the District Entrepreneurship Programme can access the YouStart Learning Management System.
Additional Support for District Entrepreneurship Programme Beneficiaries

In addition to the training and capacity building, District Entrepreneurship Programme beneficiaries can take advantage of any of the following support services:

  • Business Advisory Support Services – to help businesses grow faster, reduce costs, manage risks, and leverage talent.
  • Compliance and Quality Assurance Services – for entrepreneurs to obtain certification and quality assurance for their products.
  • Access to Market, Technology and Procurement Opportunities – helping entrepreneurs to gain access to markets through networking programmes, an online directory for connecting buyers and suppliers, and exploring how to take advantage of government’s buying power.
  • Access to Funds – financial support in the form of loans to trained and qualified YouStart beneficiaries.

District Entrepreneurship Programme Funding Options

There are two loan products under the District Entrepreneurship Programme:

  • Starter Pack - Designed for individuals with Ideas, Individual businesses, Micro and Existing businesses
  • Accelerate - Designed for groups

Starter Pack

  • Product Type: Loan
  • Amount: Up to GH¢50,000
  • Use of Facility:
    • Working capital
    • Equipment, Machinery & Technology purchase (Implementing Agencies will seize equipment when the beneficiary defaults on the loan)
    • Registration and Compliance Certification
    • Rental of Factory or Office Space
    • Renovation or Factory Upgrade
    • Shipping of Goods
    • Skills Upgrade and Training
  • Target Beneficiaries:
    • Start-ups with founders under the age of40
    • University Graduates
    • Senior High School Leavers
    • TVET (Vocational and Diploma certificate holders)
    • Other youth groups
  • Types of Businesses to be supported:
    • Individuals with Ideas
    • Existing Micro-businesses and small-scale ventures
    • Individual businesses
  • Features of the Starter Pack Loan:
    • Interest rate: 4%
    • Tenor: up to 3 years
    • Moratorium–:
      • Working Capital – 6 months moratorium
      • CAPEX – 12 months moratorium
    • Collateral: None
    • Insurance - 0.5% (Life protection)
    • Monthly repayment
  • Benefits of the Product:
    • Capacity Building, Access to market & Business Advisory support services
    • Delivery of equipment to beneficiaries *
  • Eligibility Criteria:
    • Applicant/Business must have a verifiable digital address
    • Applicant must have a Ghana card
    • A verifiable referee (Ghana card holder) - The referee must be any of the following: Clergy Man, Medical Practitioner, Senior Civil or Public Servant, a Solicitor or Barrister.
      • For Sole Proprietors, we will require a 3rd party guarantee
      • For companies, we will require director’s joint guarantee
    • 2 weeks training to qualify for funding
    • Potential to create jobs (3-year projection of number of employees)
    • Businesses with employees between 1 – 5
    • The prospective business must be a profit-making organisation
    • The entity must be a Ghanaian-owned business and should be engaged in business in Ghana
  • Distribution Channel & Technical Support:
    • Implementing Agencies will arrange with technical service providers and suppliers of equipment
    • Participating Financial Institutions

Accelerate

  • Product Type: Loan
  • Amount: Up to GH¢100,000
  • Use of Facility:
    • Working capital
    • Equipment, Machinery & Technology purchase (Implementing Agencies will seize equipment when the beneficiary defaults on the loan)
    • Registration and Compliance Certification
    • Rental of Factory or Office Space
    • Renovation or Factory Upgrade
    • Shipping of Goods
    • Skills Upgrade and Training
  • Target Beneficiaries:
    • Start-ups with founders under the age of40
    • University Graduates
    • Senior High School Leavers
    • TVET (Vocational and Diploma certificate holders)
    • Other youth groups
  • Types of Businesses to be supported:
    • Group Businesses
    • At least one of the executives should be between 18 – 40 years
  • Features of the Starter Pack Loan:
    • Interest rate: 4%
    • Tenor: up to 3 years
    • Moratorium–:
      • Working Capital – 6 months moratorium
      • CAPEX – 12 months moratorium
    • Collateral: None
    • Insurance - 0.5% (Life protection)
    • Monthly repayment
  • Benefits of the Product:
    • Capacity Building, Access to market & Business Advisory support services
    • Delivery of equipment to beneficiaries *
  • Eligibility Criteria:
    • Key Executives should have a Ghana Card
    • At least 3 executives or members to attend the training
    • Minimum of 10 group members
    • Cashflow projection
    • 2 weeks training to qualify for funding
    • Potential to create jobs (3-year projection of number of employees)
    • The businesses within the group must operate for profit
    • The entity must be Ghanaian owned
    • Provide a letter of guarantee
    • A verifiable referee (Ghana card holder) - The referee must be any of the following: Clergy Man, Medical Practitioner, Senior Civil or Public Servant, a Solicitor or Barrister.
      • For companies, we will require director’s joint guarantee
  • Distribution Channel & Technical Support:
    • Implementing Agencies will arrange with technical service providers and suppliers of equipment
    • Participating Financial Institutions
    • *Importation of output products for the purposes of trade will not be considered

The YouStart Grace Programme is spearheaded by Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) across the country. The programme focuses on providing technical skills training and business development support to individuals and businesses to enable them to become employable and to scale-up their businesses.

The programme targets unemployed youth especially graduates (i.e., SHS and University graduates), vulnerable and needy persons, rural settlers and micro businesses, especially women owned businesses. It is expected that, at least 40% and 30% of YouStart Grace beneficiaries should be females and rural settlers respectively.

The main aim of the YouStart Grace Programme is to create about 100,000 to 200,000 jobs within the economy over the next three years.