Call for Applications: The CDI's SCALE Programme - The Craft and Design Institute

Please note that applications will close on 24 November 2023.

SCALE

The CDI [Support Creatives + Accelerating Local Enterprises] Programme

Are you a craft + design entrepreneur ready to scale up?

Can you benefit from bespoke training and mentorship specifically for creatives + a boost of up to R23 000 in grant funding?

Yes? Then this new CDI programme is for you.

The CDI has opened a new call for applications for its SCALE [Supporting Creatives + Accelerating Local Enterprises] project, supported by the National Treasury’s Jobs Fund. The initiative is recruiting a further 100 South African craft and design entrepreneurs, who will benefit from bespoke training and mentorship specifically designed for creatives and a boost of R23 000 in grant funding each.

Who can apply

The project is seeking a higher number of applicants who are women and youth but it is not at all exclusive - so anyone should feel free to apply - if you are a craft and design entrepreneur interested, please do send us your info below.

The project aims to provide growth-oriented informal enterprises looking to grow their revenue, increase their personal income or employ new staff, with grant support, access to markets, training, and mentorship.

Support that meets you where you are

The CDI has for a decade had projects supported by the Jobs Fund, and in previous programmes funding has been specifically for larger, more formal businesses.

The SCALE programme is different – it is designed for those who may be operating more informally and have an annual turnover of under R1m.

It has been designed to reduce barriers – you don’t need to have a registered business and it enables you to grow personally as an entrepreneur no matter where you are in your business development. The SCALE project is a first for the craft and design sector – and we are casting the net wide to support 200 entrepreneurs across South Africa.

The culmination of over 20 years of CDI expertise in training and grant funding

The SCALE programme brings together a suite of tried and tested services from CDI to support the growth of self-employed business owners in the informal segment of the craft and design sector.

In designing the project intervention, the CDI has drawn on its 20 years of experience in the sector in successfully delivering market access, capacity development, and in more recent years financial support, to creative enterprises nationally.

The project is also supported by contributions from existing funding partners of the CDI such as the City of Cape Town; and will add value to the agglomeration of services supported by other funders of the CDI such as the national departments of Small Business Development and Sports, Arts and Culture, the V&A Waterfront and others.

What you’ll gain

Support offered through this project covers the most cited main areas of need identified by individual business owners in this segment: access to markets, finance, and capacity development.

This third cohort of selected entrepreneurs will start on the programme in early 2024.
A Business Assessment may be done with each successful applicant, which will assist in creating a roadmap.
There will be 3 months of specially designed training (via online learning), the facilitation of participation in the CDI’s market platform PEEK, and the development of an intervention/action plan development for the up to R23 000 grant disbursements.
Successful applicants will also get administrative support to the value of R5 000 and a total allocation of airtime/data to the value of R3 000.
The final 6 months of the programme consists of mentoring, the grant disbursements and financial reporting with an additional 6 months of tracking to determine impact.
The grant will be unlocked as the business owners achieves specific milestones and can be used for the purchase of equipment and/or other professional services.
Successful participants will be required to report to the CDI team on a monthly basis and be willing to participate in monitoring and evaluation processes.

The programme has been designed with an understanding that as a small owner-driven operation, you need to be hands-on in your business constantly and time is valuable. SCALE works with you, and for you to give you the best possible chance of growth.

How to apply

First read the full eligibility details and terms in the PDF – click here to download.
Kindly complete the attached Income and Expenditure template for your business and provide us any supporting documents like bank accounts statements, financial reports and cash registers. Click here to download the template
If you are eligible, please register as a CDI member if you have not as yet (here), and complete the form below.

Should you have any questions on this project please contact:

Nicole Martin

Nicole.Martin@thecdi.org.za

*Recommended browsers to use: Chrome or Firefox

*You can use the "Save and continue" function between sections, but do not delete your browser cache between sessions. Any files uploaded will need to be re-uploaded when revisiting the application.

*Look at each section and be prepared with all information and document uploads to complete and submit the Application.

PERSONAL DETAILS
First Name: *
Surname: *
ID Number: *
Your age at time of application: *
Gender: *	Male Female Other
Do you have any disabilities? *	Yes No
What is your highest level of education? *
Are you a black South African? *	Yes No
Race: *
Contact mobile number: *
WhatsApp number if different from primary contact number:
Email Address: *
Preferred way of communicating: *	WhatsApp Phone call Email All of the above

BUSINESS DETAILS
Name of your business: *
Trading name, if different:
Is your business formally registered with the CIPC? *	Yes No
If you have a formally registered business, what is the legal structure of your business? *	Private Company Close Corporation Not-for-Profit N/A
Setting of Business: *	Rural Urban Township
Are you or your business in the visual arts, craft, design sector or light manufacturing sector? *	Yes No
What products do you sell? Provide a brief description: *	500 of 500 characters remaining
Please upload a picture of your products. *
Upload a second picture of your products. *
Upload a 3rd picture of your products. (A close-up photo of the details to show quality) *
Do you design the products you sell? *	Yes No
Do you manufacture your products? *	Yes No
How long have you been trading and/or running this business (in years)? *
Where do you sell your products? *	100 of 100 characters remaining

BUSINESS LOCATION
What is the province your business is operating in? *
Under which district and local municipality? *	200 of 200 characters remaining
What is the physical address your business is operating in (Include ward number)? *	1000 of 1000 characters remaining
If your business is operating in another province , insert address:	1000 of 1000 characters remaining

INCOME AND RESOURCES
What is your annual turnover from sales? *
Please upload a copy of your Income Statement (A template is available in 'How to Apply' above) *
What are your current available resources? *	Equipment Rented Space Work from Home Website
Do you have additional income sources? *	Yes No
If yes, please list below:	1000 of 1000 characters remaining
Do you earn an income from your business? *	Yes No
If yes, how much do you earn per month? (If No, input 0) *
Number of permanent workers (excluding yourself)? *
How much do you pay your permanent staff per month? *
Number of part time workers? *
How much do you pay your part time workers per hour? *
Would you like to grow your business by employing more staff? *	Yes No
If yes, how many?
Are you or your business registered with any of the below? *	SARS UIF PAYE Department of Labour None of the Above
If you have a registered business, is it South African owned?	Yes No
Do you have a bank account? *	Yes No
If yes, please attached a proof of bank account.
If not, are you willing to open one?	Yes No
What is your personal monthly income from the business? *
What challenges are you facing in your business now which makes it difficult for you to employ more? *	1000 of 1000 characters remaining
Which one best describes your situation? *	I do not have a vision for my business I thought about my vision, but not in terms of configuring my resources I have written down a vision statement and I am trying to configure my resources but struggling We have a clear vision and resources are set to ensure market and stakeholder's needs & expectations
Which one best describes your situation currently? *	I do not have a mission statement for by business I thought about my business mission, but it’s not written down and shared with my staff I have written down a mission statement. Not sure how to effectively integrate into business vision We have a clear mission for our business which guides us in achieving our vision
What skills gaps do you currently have as a business owner? *	1000 of 1000 characters remaining
What skills gaps do your current employees have? *	1000 of 1000 characters remaining
Would you like to have an online sales platform to increase your sales? *	Yes No
What distribution channels do you have? *	1000 of 1000 characters remaining
How and where do you market your products? Or how do you generate sales? *	1000 of 1000 characters remaining

ACCESS
Does your business have social media pages? *	Yes No
If yes, insert the links to your social media pages:	3000 of 3000 characters remaining
Where do you access information for your business? *	Laptop TV Newsletter Google Family/Friends Networks
Would you say that having the above-mentioned assists you in your business? *	Yes No
If yes, how does it assist your business?	1000 of 1000 characters remaining
Do you have access to any of the following? *	Smartphone Laptop Wi-Fi
Do you have financial records for the past 1 - 3 years? *	Yes No
If so, please can you confirm that you’re willing to share these with us should you be successful?	500 of 500 characters remaining

BUSINESS DETAILS CONTINUED
What have been some of the challenges that you have faced in your business journey? *	1000 of 1000 characters remaining
Are you willing to have a mentor to support you and your business growth? *	Yes No
What are your biggest accomplishments and successes in your business journey so far? *	1000 of 1000 characters remaining
What do you think makes your business and products stand out? *	500 of 500 characters remaining
Please provide a short motivation to be considered for this programme. *	2000 of 2000 characters remaining
Please tell us what you will use the R23 000 in grant funding for if you fulfil the requirements? *	2000 of 2000 characters remaining
What resources do you need to create more revenue in your business? *	1000 of 1000 characters remaining
Are you willing to create and implement a development plan to help you reach your revenue targets? *	Yes No
Do you have a smartphone and are you comfortable working online? *	Yes No
If not, are you willing to purchase one for approximately R1 500 from the R23 000 grant?	Yes No
Do you have a speed point or similar card machine for cashless transactions? *	Yes No
If not, are you willing to use one?	Yes No

DECLARATION
Yes, I have understood and accept the T&Cs *	Yes, I agree

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