CAT PROJECTS
           Transylvanian Businesswomen’s Center 

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Strengthening SMEs in the period of transition to a free-market economy and globalization process

Grant Application Proposal :

Project Manager:
Dr. Radu-Adrian Mlesnita

Project Title:
Creation of the Transylvanian Women’s Business Center

Period of Support:
For one year, from June 2000 to May 2001 inclusively.

Total Project Costs and Amount Requested:

Total project costs:  $ 58,493.00 USD
Other sources of support: $ 26,890.00 USD
Amount requested:  $ 32,603.00 USD

Other Sources of Support:
CAT Membership, 45% $ 26,890.00 USD

1.  Introduction:
Proposed Project:
The project aims at the creation and establishment of an independent businesswomen Center.  The Center will:

• strengthen the fragile democratic market economy mechanisms in the benefit of the private enterprises;
• promote the business participation in democratic process;
• increase the base of business young talent in the developing world;
• increase public understanding and appreciation of the role of the women entrepreneur in economic and democratic sectors.

Summary of Organization:
Centrul de Afaceri Transilvania (CAT) Cluj-Napoca is an independent, non-political, non-government, non-profit business organization founded in 1992 to assist the development of local small and medium sized enterprises and support them to the free-market economy.  Currently it has 26 priority development projects to help SMEs, and it is looking for grants and partners in order to accelerate their implementation.

CAT has four departments: Relations, Development, Training & Consulting and Administration.  The Relations Department is responsible for international economic missions and liaison between foreign and local companies wishing to create partnerships.  The Development Department initiates local and foreign financial partnerships for our local development projects.  The Training & Consulting Department provides foreign experts to our member companies in need of training and / or consulting.  The Administration overlooks the daily activities of the Center such as accounting, office supplies, electronic mail correspondence, telephone…

Goals: To create, develop, and implement local development projects in the benefit of Transylvanian private enterprises.  To provide assistance to local SMEs by organizing international economic missions and assisting with foreign expert consulting and training services.

Philosophy: CAT is a true non-political organization providing much needed help to promote local Transylvanian SMEs and provide support through the transition to a free-market economy and democratic society. It is a transparent organization and is a refreshing change to the traditional state-owned or politically influenced organizations where bureaucracy and corruption is present.  Decentralization and the democratic values are promoted with attention to the minority groups (young people, women, minority groups…)

Experience: CAT has benefited from four grants in the past, PHARE (3) and CIPE (1). In the last three years, CAT has administrated no grants, however the success of the following projects can be mentioned:

• Transylvania Business Forum: a place where local and foreign companies had a chance to meet and create solid partnerships;
• Commodities Exchange: the creation of the commodities exchange Bursa Transilvania SA provides information on commercial markets throughout Romania and other countries;
• E-CAT: the creation and recent launching of the first Transylvanian electronic market, virtual business Center;
• Business workshops and on-job training for students: providing local students with experience and knowledge in business;
• Activating seven traditional guilds: grouping SMEs in the fields of construction, transportation, tourism, industry, stylism, trade and media;
• Creation of seven independent CATs organizations in the Transylvania towns, following the principle of decentralization.

2.  Background:
Currently there are no business centers for women in the region of Transylvania (approximately 8 million inhabitants).  Mostly males head the businesses. Women own business in the traditional fields (stylism, cosmetics, and food).  The businesswomen have specific requirements that need to be addressed in order for them to be successful.   The proposed project would address all of these problems.  The young businesswomen will be encouraged and supported.

3.  Project Objectives:
The project objectives are:

• Creation of a women business program, which will include business owners and women wishing to start their own business and /or perform in a new job.  The program will organize an advocacy group to help change and / or create favorable background for the promotion of legislation ideas.
• Creation of a support Center, which will have training and consultancy services for businesswomen members.  It will address the needs of the members.
• Development and launching of a monthly meeting and workshop program to help women with time management, sales techniques, customer service, human resources, marketing, administration, finance, management and consulting.
• Development and launching of training programs, addressing issues such as starting your own business, accounting, communication, …
• Development and launching of consulting service, assisting businesswomen owner’s and bringing solutions to issues facing them.
• Initiating quarterly seminars on advanced level subjects such as trade, investment, internet, e-commerce, banking, financing, insurance, …

• Organizing meetings to create the Center and then to network and brainstorm about the needs of businesswomen in Transylvania. The goal of these meetings is to bring solutions to the problems addressed (through networking, workshops, training and / or consulting).
• Initiating, developing and implementing monthly workshops on relevant business subjects affecting the businesswomen.
• Initiating, developing and implementing training programs to help businesswomen and their needs.  The needs for training will be expressed at the meetings, after which, the training programs may be developed.
• Creating a volunteer committee to govern the Center – Board of Directors.  Their main activities will consist of overseeing the finances of the Center and developing and approving of training, consulting and workshop programs.
• Advertising campaigns to announce first, the opening of the Center and second, the training courses available.
• The membership campaign will occur halfway through the project to ensure the Center’s sustainability.  The Board of Directors will determine a list of fees and the amounts.
• The Center will initiate activities to advocate the rights of women in the workforce, and to diminish discrimination.
• Regular press conferences will be organized to promote the Center.  Free press will establish the Center’s credibility and attract membership to support the Center.
• A website will be created and developed, hosted and updated by CAT.
• A final report will be presented, describing the project’s success and failures.  This will help the Center to improve their activities and the granting organization to recognize the difficulties that may be encountered with similar development projects.

Anticipated Results:
The anticipated results to the objectives are:

Objective: Creation of a women business program, which will include business owners and women wishing to start their own business and /or perform in a new job.  The program will organize an advocacy group to help change and / or create favorable background for the promotion of legislation ideas.
Results:  The organization created by this project will strengthened women-owned SMEs and business women by the grouping and networking opportunities.  The exchange of ideas will bring solutions to the problems women business owners and managers are facing.
As a team, they will be able to fight to improve legislation and create facilities for the free development of the business activities.

Objective: “Creation of a support Center, which will have training and consultancy services for women members.  It will address the needs of the members.”
Results:  The support Center will be able to provide help by consulting and training to solve problems facing women-owned SMEs and women wishing to start their own business.
Consulting will be to improve efficiency within the companies (machinery, human resources, quality control, stock inventory, sales & merchandising techniques, bookkeeping, modern communication,  …

Objective: “Development and launching of a monthly meeting and workshop program to help women with time management, sales techniques, customer service, human resources, marketing, administration, finance, management and consulting.”
Results: The workshop program will help businesswomen in their day-to-day activities in order to improve their efficiency.  They usually deal with subjects that can be covered in a period of 2 – 3 hours.

Objective: "Development and launching of training programs, addressing issues such as starting your own business, accounting, communications, …"
Results:  The training programs will help business women wishing to perfect their skills, refresh their skills or learn them for the first time.  The skills acquired will affect the business-owners as well as women wishing to start their own business.

Objective: "Development and launching of consulting service, providing assistance to businesswomen owner’s and issues facing them."
Results:   The Center will have a part-time consultant who will be able to recommend and provide senior-experts from foreign countries. (Example: NMCP, SES…) to help find solutions.

Objective:“Initiating quarterly seminars on advanced level subjects such as trade, investment, internet, e-commerce, banking, financing, insurance, …”
Results: The seminars will deal on actuality subjects to keep businesswomen informed of the latest trends and technologies in business.

5.  Method of Evaluation

•  A quarterly progress report analyzing the activities done, money spent and results must be submitted to the Project Manager.

•  A “to accomplish” list must be given to the project officer by the project manager at the beginning of each month.  This form will be filled out and returned at the end of the each month.  If an activity was not accomplished as planned, a detailed reason must be given to explain the absence / delay of the particular activity, its causes, and solutions.

•  Surveys will be distributed after each workshop, end of training session and consulting service to determine the customer satisfaction.  The information collected will be valuable to improve the programs and ensure they addressed the needs of the businesswomen.  The Project Manager will develop this form.

6.  Schedule

7.  Program Personnel

1.  Summary of Costs

COSTS TOTAL BUDGET, USD
 

Salaries
Project Manager, 50%, annual: $6000	3000.00
Project Officer, 100%, annual: $4800	4800.00
Trainer, 15%, annual: $4800	720.00
Secretary, 100%, annual: $3600	3600.00
Consultant, 50%, annual:  $5400	2700.00
	14,820.00
Benefits, Allowances and Taxes
Vacation: (2 weeks/year) *trainer: no vacation	587.00
Sick leave: none	5376.00
Other taxes (36.25%):	5,963.00
Space and Utilities
Rent: Office (50sqm @ 10 $/sqm): 500/month	6000.00
Rent: Room for meetings, training: $60/day	2640.00
Utilities: $200/month	2400.00
Space renovations: carpet, paint	3000.00
	14,040.00
Supplies
Paper (2 packs / month @ $3.00)	72.00
Toner	200.00
Files	100.00
Pens & pencils/ liquid paper	40.00
Stapler / paper clips	40.00
Glue / tape	20.00
Stamp & ink	30.00
Paper for fax	40.00
Blocknotes	30.00
1 Flipchart & paper	300.00
Transparents, power bars, other	70.00
CD-ROM, diskettes	200.00
Other consumables	58.00
	1,200.00
Equipment
1 LCD projector	1200.00
1Laptop	1800.00
10 Chairs	500.00
1 Retro-projector	200.00
1 Computer	1  200.00
2 Computers : $600/each	1200.00
1 Modem: Codec	360.00
1 Printer	600.00
1 Copier	900.00
1 Fax machine	210.00
2 Mobile telephones	300.00
2 Desks	340.00
1 Video	150.00
1 Television set	150.00
	9,110.00
Communication & Postage
Telephone: $100/month	1200.00
Internet: $100/month	1200.00
Postage & courier: $50.00/month	600.00
	3,000.00
Travel and Per Diem
Number of travelers: 1
Points of departure: Cluj-Napoca
Destination: 14 towns in Transylvania
Estimated costs for air travel: none
Estimated costs for ground transport: $15 / trip	420.00
Estimated costs food / accommodations: $40 / day	2240.00
	2,660.00
Contractual Services and Professional Fees
Printing	2500.00
Translation: $50/month	600.00
Accounting services: $100/month	1200.00
Web site design	1000.00
Other	0.00
	5,300.00
Other Direct Costs
Advertising campaign	1200.00
Software	500.00
Other: unexpected expenditures	1200.00
Press Conference	500.00
	3,400.00
Total Estimated Costs	59,493.00

2.  Total Estimated Costs
Total Estimated:                                          $ 59,493.00

3.  Anticipated Income
Amount requested from CIPE, 55%:          $ 32,603.00
Cash donations:    -
In-kind contributions:    -
Grants:     -
Other funds: CAT membership, 45% :         $ 26,890.00

4.  Total Anticipated Income
Total anticipated income:                             $ 59,493.00

6.  Authorized Signature
Dr. Radu-Adrian Mlesnita, Project Manager, President of the Transylvania Business Center in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

• Justification of Equipment

• General Information

• Report of Activities – 1998

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