Final performance evaluation of the USAID/Jamaica social enterprise boost initiative

SEBI’s activities are implemented under four specific, yet inter-related technical objectives. SEBI achieves those objectives through four main initiatives focusing on strengthening the capacity of a select number of social enterprises/entrepreneurs to help them become viable businesses, creating an enabling environment for the SE sector by improving institutional capacity through information sharing, raising public awareness of the sector, and reviewing options for a permanent version of the program potentially through Social Enterprise Jamaica (SEJA2). This final performance evaluation was commissioned to determine whether the SEBI activity achieved its objectives. The evaluation team was tasked with answering three questions regarding whether program objectives were achieved, adopting a mixed-methods approach based on interviews with direct beneficiaries and key stakeholders and focus group discussions with indirect beneficiaries, both in Kingston and St. Andrew, as well as the rural parishes. Two surveys were also conducted—one with SEBI incubator and accelerator clients and a nationwide public awareness survey on SEs. The evaluation found that SEBI was instrumental in increasing public awareness of SEs although this varied according to geographic location. SEBI’s clients also benefited from capacity building measures and creation of a SE network.