What makes an investment plan stand out — and how can it secure funding through WIDU.africa?



We hosted the WIDU.africa team in a highly informative session focused on how entrepreneurs and diaspora donors can create a high-quality investment plan — a key requirement for receiving support from the WIDU.africa program. Eric from the WIDU team broke down the fundamental elements of a strong application, offering practical examples of what works — and what doesn’t — when it comes to business grant proposals.

Here are a few key highlights from the session:

What Makes a Strong Investment Plan?

  • Private Investment First: Both the diaspora donor and the entrepreneur are expected to invest upfront. The WIDU grant is released after verification of this investment.
  • Chronological Order Matters: Your plan should follow logical business steps. For example, building a chicken coop should come before purchasing chicks — not after.
  • No Partial Payments: Equipment or assets must be fully paid for using the private investment before they can be verified and qualify for grant disbursement.
  • Avoid Over- or Under-Quoting: Quoting real market prices builds trust and helps ensure successful verification.

Common Mistakes in Weak Investment Plans

  • High focus on consumables like stock, lotions, food items, or shampoos without investing in the long-term infrastructure of the business.
  • Over-budgeting or under-budgeting of items, leading to issues in verification or sustainability.
  • Filler budgets: Adding unnecessary or unrelated expenses just to reach the minimum investment threshold.

What coaches look for

  1. Strategic Allocation of Funds: Is the money being spent on things that will grow or sustain the business?
  2. Efficient Use of Resources: Are you focusing too much on salaries, rent, or recurrent expenses?
  3. Sustainability: Will your business still run in 3–6 months without another round of funding?
  4. Scalability: Are you thinking beyond your local village or county to grow your business regionally or nationally?

The session encouraged entrepreneurs to move beyond short-term thinking and invest in tools, equipment, and systems that create long-term value. For diaspora donors, it was also a chance to better understand how to support projects that are truly impactful and resilient.

Watch the full webinar on our YouTube channel or explore more sessions on the Ag-Career Hub website.

AG-Career Hub — a platform founded by Kenyan diaspora in Germany — partners with WIDU.africa to promote diaspora mobility and offer advisory input both to WIDU and to the diaspora. The platform is geared toward giving Kenyan entrepreneurs and businesses access to business grants and coaching with the aim of creating long-term impact.