OPG : Jamaica National Development Foundation

The NDF will be established by a group of 15 local businessmen and community leaders under the aegis of the Jamaican Small Business Association (SBA). To help the NDF define its clientele and develop a plan to serve them, PADF credit staff will survey local microbusinesses, beginning with the SBA"s 850 members, to determine their potential for income and job generation and their need for technical assistance and credit. PADF institutional development staff will draw on a dozen NDF models worldwide to make recommendations on the Jamaican NDF"s structure and support base, assure installation of appropriate accounting systems, provide guidelines for small loan management, help the NDF define its training needs and service priorities, and develop the NDF"s capacity to mobilize and request funding. Training will include exchange trips between Jamaican NDF leaders and existing NDF"s and Solidarios and two 3-month training programs for six to eight loan extension agents in accounting, business administration, group dynamics, data collection, feasibility analysis, case study analysis, proposal writing, and project design, analysis, and evaluation. Manuals for use in surveying potential clients will be prepared, and at least one NDF staff member will be prepared to assume responsibility - with the help of local consultants - for training to be provided by NDF loan agents to small businessmen. OPG funds will help establish a revolving loan fund of $200,000 which, with the help of Solidarios and the International Development Bank, is eventually expected to reach $1.5 million. By the project"s end, NDF will be providing technical assistance to some 300 microbusinesses and short- and medium-term loans averaging less than $1,000 to up to 200 of them. Eligible clients will be small firms or family businesses having no more than 10 and averaging 1-3 employees and under $15,000 in assets and lacking access to commercial credit. NDF loans are expected to generate 1-3 jobs on the average and increase client income by 35%.