Business Advisory Program
The UN Global Facility Business Advisory Program connects small and medium enterprises with sector-experienced advisors for strategy development, operational improvement, and growth planning. Advisory support that is practical, direct, and focused on measurable outcomes.
What the Business Advisory Program Offers
The program matches qualifying SMEs with advisors from relevant industries and functional disciplines. Matching is based on sector, challenge type, and geographic context. Advisory engagements are structured to produce outcomes, not reports.
- Initial business assessment to identify priority advisory needs
- Matched advisor with verified sector and functional experience
- Structured advisory sessions with defined objectives and deliverables per session
- Strategy and operational planning support
- Financial planning and cash flow management guidance
- Market repositioning and growth planning
- Human capital and organizational development support where relevant
Where Advisory Support Creates the Most Value
Strategic Clarity in Uncertain Conditions
SMEs operating in post-disruption environments frequently face decisions under conditions of genuine uncertainty: whether to maintain, reduce, or pivot their product mix; which customer segments to prioritize; whether to hold or release staff; how to sequence recovery investments. Research from Harvard Business School on SME resilience indicates that external advisory input during periods of strategic uncertainty significantly improves decision quality, primarily because advisors provide the outside perspective and comparative data that internal management cannot generate independently.
Operational Systems Upgrade
Many SMEs that survive economic disruption do so with improvised operational processes that accumulated during the crisis period. These processes are often inefficient, undocumented, and dependent on specific individuals. Business advisory support helps businesses identify which improvised systems to formalize, which to discard, and how to build operational resilience that will persist into the next growth phase.
Preparing for Financing Discussions
Most SMEs who apply for recovery financing are declined not because they are unworthy of credit but because their financial documentation, business plans, and management presentations do not meet lender standards. Advisory support through the Business Advisory Program specifically addresses financial readiness, including financial statement preparation, business plan quality, and management narrative development, to increase the success rate of financing applications.
Advisor Qualification and Matching
All advisors in the UN Global Facility network meet minimum experience standards and are assessed for sector knowledge, geographic familiarity, and communication competency before joining the program. Matching criteria include:
- Sector alignment (manufacturing, services, agriculture, retail, technology, hospitality, etc.)
- Functional expertise match (finance, operations, marketing, HR, supply chain)
- Geographic and regulatory context familiarity
- Language capability where relevant
Why the UN Global Facility's Advisory Model Works
Accountability to Outcomes
Each advisory engagement is structured around defined business outcomes agreed at the start of the engagement. Advisors are evaluated on the progress of the business toward those outcomes, not on hours delivered or documents produced. This accountability structure ensures advice is practical, actionable, and tested against real business reality.
Sector-Grounded Advisors
The program does not use generalist business consultants. Each advisor has a verified track record in the sector they advise on. The difference between advice from someone who has built and run a business in your sector and advice from someone who has read about it is significant. Our advisor selection process prioritizes the former.
Integration with Other Programs
The Business Advisory Program integrates with the SME Recovery Program, Market Access Program, and Capacity Building Program, so businesses receive advisory support that is coordinated with, not siloed from, the other forms of support they are receiving. Advisors are briefed on all active program engagements for each business they support.
FAQ
Business Advisory FAQ
How is an advisor matched to my business?
Matching is based on your sector, the nature of your primary challenge, geographic context, and language requirements. The program coordinator conducts an initial assessment conversation with you before proposing an advisor match. You have the opportunity to discuss the proposed match before confirming the engagement.
How many advisory sessions are included?
Advisory session frequency and duration are determined by the scope of the engagement and the business's needs. Most engagements involve monthly sessions over a 6 to 12 month period. Intensive engagements for businesses in acute situations can involve more frequent contact in the early phase.
Can I apply for advisory support without being in the SME Recovery Program?
Yes. The Business Advisory Program is available as a standalone engagement. Contact us to discuss your situation and determine which programs best fit your needs.
Apply for Business Advisory Support
Submit an expression of interest and a regional coordinator will contact you within 5 business days to discuss the advisory program and your eligibility.
Apply for Advisory Support