Social Franchise Consultant At Alfanar

1. Introduction

Established in 2004, Alfanar is the first venture philanthropy organisation in the Arab World aiming to support social enterprises by providing tailored finance, management support, impact measurement and networking. As part of a its long term strategy for scaling social impact in the Arab world, Alfanar aims to develop a scalable and financially sustainable social franchising methodology that can benefit the social enterprises in its portfolio. As such, we are inviting qualified and experienced consultants to submit proposals for the development of a social franchising model, which we would pilot with our micro-finance Amal Programme. The goal is to assess the viability of the Amal Business Model for franchising, with a focus on Iraq, Morocco, Lebanon, or Occupied Palestinian Territories’. The selected consultant will be engaged in a 4-month project from 10th May to 13th September, 2024.

2. Social Franchising Goal

Alfanar is looking to create a methodology for replicating social enterprises’ social impact across multiple geographies and contexts, utilising best procticies from commercial franchising in order to achieve socially beneficial ends, in a financially sustainable manner. Alfanar would pilot this initiative with AMAL, its successful widow’s microfinance programme that has been operating in Egypt.

3. Amal Programme Pilot

Since 2012, Alfanar has partnered with the Future Eve Foundation (FEF) on the Amal Project, enhancing the lives of widows and female heads of households (FHHs) in Upper Egypt. Amal focuses on capacity building, microfinance, WISALAs (Widows Savings and Loans Associations), and fostering social contracts among participants for mutual support. Starting with 224 women in three villages, the initiative has expanded to benefit 22,505 women across 104 villages in six governorates. Through vocational training, microloans, and savings groups, Amal empowers women to start microenterprises, achieving a 36% increase in family income and a 99% microloan repayment rate.

Between 2013-2015, Alfanar and the Future Eve Foundation initiated social fund groups to improve financial practices among widows and female heads of households (FHHs), fostering microenterprise. In 2020, they relaunched Amal, introducing WISALAs for savings and loans, expanding from 9 to 29 groups, with a goal of 50 by 2024, enhancing financial access and empowerment.

4. Scope of Work

The selected consultant will undertake the following tasks:

Step 1: Develop a working definition of social franchising for social impact

• Conduct literature review and benchmarking study of existing social franchising models within and outside the target geographies.
• Collaborate with Alfanar staff to align on a definition.

Step 2: Evaluate Amal Business Model Viability

• Conduct a thorough assessment of the current Amal Business Model focusing on scalability and replication potential.
• Research in proposed expansion areas to understand local market dynamics
• Provide recommendations for adjustments or enhancements for franchising.

Step 3: Develop a clear Replication Model

• Create a comprehensive social business plan and guide tailored for social franchising and/or replicating the Amal model in new locations, including criteria for selecting franchisees and key performance indicators (KPIs) for assessing impact.
• Design marketing and outreach strategies and financial projections tailored to each target market

Step 4: Legal Compliance

Partner with legal experts in target countries to ensure the franchise model complies with local regulations.

• Develop a standardized franchise agreement template adaptable to local laws

Step 5: Identify Franchise Fee Approaches

• Analyse different financial models for social franchising to identify the most sustainable approach for Alfanar.
• Propose a fee structure that supports the programme’s sustainability while being fair to franchisees.

Step 6: Operations Manual

• Develop a comprehensive operations manual with clear Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), including, day to day operations, impact measurement and reporting.
• Identify and codify the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) of the social franchise model
• Ensure the manual is user-friendly and adaptable to different contexts for seamless replication.

5. Deliverables

1. A comprehensive assessment of the Amal Business Model and its potential for franchising, including the methodology used for the assessment, including data sources and analysis techniques.
2. A business model for selected target countries, including market analysis, marketing strategies, operational plans, and financial projections. The financial model should detail start-up costs, operating expenses, etc.
3. Customized templates for each target country, compliant with local laws and regulations, including a franchise agreement, operations manual, and disclosure document. A brief guide on how to adapt these templates to specific franchisee circumstances should also be included.
4. Support systems of franchisees – A toolkit for franchisee support, including training materials, operational guidelines, and a directory of resources for additional assistance.

• A user-friendly comprehensive operations manual detailing the SOPs for all components of the Amal Programme.

  6. Timeline & Milestones

• Start Date: 10 May 2024
• Project End Date: 13 September 2024

Deliverable Due : Assessment of the Amal Business Model and Its Potential for Franchising –10 June 2024

Social Franchising Business Plan and Financial Model for Iraq, Morocco, and Lebanon Draft -2 July 2024

Social Franchising Business Plan and Financial Model for Iraq, Morocco, and Lebanon Final -25 July 2024

Franchise Agreement Templates, Operation Manuals, and Disclosure Documents Drafts –11 July 2024

Franchise Agreement Templates, Operation Manuals, and Disclosure Documents Final -1 August 2024

Support Systems for Franchisees -4 August 2024

Standard Operating Procedures for the Amal Programme Components – 4 August 2024

Final Review and Project Closure: – 9 September 2024

7. Required Qualifications:

The ideal candidate for this consultancy will possess the following qualifications and expertise to ensure the successful development and implementation of a social franchising model:

Business Development Expertise with Social Enterprises:

• Strong background in business development, specifically within social enterprises, with a track record of achieving sustainable growth and impact.
• Knowledge of financial models that support non-profit sustainability and expansion, including experience with fee and royalty structures for franchising models.
• Candidates with proven experience in developing, implementing, and advising on social franchising models will be prioritised.

Analytical and Strategic Planning Skills:

• Demonstrated ability to conduct thorough market analyses, evaluate business models for viability and scalability, and develop comprehensive strategies for social franchising.
• Proficiency in creating detailed business plans, operational manuals, and training materials tailored to the needs of social franchisees.

Educational Background:

• A master’s degree or higher in Business Administration, Social Sciences, International Development, or a related field, providing a strong foundation for understanding the complexities of social franchising and business development within social enterprises.

Cultural and Linguistic Competence:

• Strong proficiency, both written and spoken, in English is essential.
• Proficiency in Arabic is preferred – a good working knowledge of Arabic is a must.
• Sensitivity to the social, cultural, and economic contexts of the target regions, ensuring that the franchising model aligns with local values and needs.