Catalyzing Investment for Small Businesses (CISB)

The purpose of the Catalyzing Investment for Small Businesses (CISB) activity is to provide affordable access to finance and business advisory services to qualified small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and to attract impact investors to Sierra Leone. Once impact investors enter the Sierra Leone market the network will continue to grow.

At the same time, as SMEs receive access to finance, they will learn through the business advisory services and due diligence process how to be an investable business.

In effect, CISB will not only mobilize investment in SMEs, but in addition, provide proof of concept (i.e. pilot) that Sierra Leone SMEs are profitable investments for impact investors.

The long-term development goal post activity is to have this initial cycle of investment demonstrate to local banks that SMEs are investable at affordable rates thereby reducing the need for future impact investing and donor support.

SME access to finance is a key development challenge that is highlighted in the U.S. embassys integrated country strategy (ICS), the Government of Sierra Leone medium term national development plan (MTNDP), the Ministry of Agriculture National Agricultural Transformation Programme (NATP) and the bank of Sierra Leones national strategy for financial inclusion (NSFI).