With a 10 million Euro investment, the Support Program for Small Private Dominican Enterprises (PROEMPRESA), financed with a donation from the European Union and the Dominican government, wrapped up its work in the country after having helped more than 2,000 businesses with 34,885 job creation vouchers, business development and consolidating groups into efficient collectives among the country’s PyMes (small and medium sized businesses).

As part of the European Union’s cooperation program, the organization donated 9.8 million Euros in non-refundable financing while the Dominican government put up another 1.74 million Euros.

PROEMPRESA’s goal was to support a lasting, fair and consolidated economic development program and to create jobs through the development of small businesses with a strong potential for growth.

From the beginning, PROEMPRESA focused their work on creating support services for market development of small businesses and on the institutional reinforcement of small business associations and support groups, such as creating a favorable business atmosphere for small companies.

Taking this into consideration, PROEMPRESA used the logic of direct intervention to increase the competitiveness of the PyMes through market development of support services and to increase the efficiency of companies with the cooperation of services rendered by their associations. They also used direct intervention to strengthen negotiation capacity and skills among small companies and their organizations in order to stimulate a public-private dialogue.

Support for PyMes

One of the most important contributions of PROEMPRESA has been to achieve a sense of unity among the PyMes while still maintaining their efficiency and competitiveness. As such, 889 small companies have organized themselves into 80 Groups for Collective Efficiency and have created managerial leadership. One example of their grassroots work is the support they’re showing to clusters and collective groups who are seeking to guarantee their sustainability.

The System of Service Vouchers for Business Development was established on December 12, 2005. As part of the system, 34,885 vouchers, of which 16,883 were for training and 18,002 for technical assistance, were distributed among workers. Through the help of 120 consultants, 2,086 businesses received services from these thousands of workers through this jobs creation plan.

A dialogue and gathering together of Small and Medium Sized Dominican Businesses (PyMEs) began in 2003 as a result of the Second PROEMPRESA Forum of 2004 where round table discussions were held on regional levels with the goal of identifying the internal strengths and weaknesses of the PyMEs, such as the opportunities and pitfalls ever present in the business world.

In 2005, the Program began to offer training for PyMes Alliances on a regional level. By 2006, it was supporting the first convention of small businesses. Between the end of 2007 and February 2008 they held the Second Level of Round Table Discussions that ended with the elaboration and publication of the Strategic Plan for PyMEs of the Dominican Republic.

History

The Support Program for Small Private Dominican Enterprises (PROEMPRESA) originated as a result of the Support Program for the Improvement of Business Environment in ACP Countries (Africa, Caribbean and the Pacific).

On July 7, 2001 the Financial Agreement for the program was signed. Initially it was meant to last for four years. By September 2005, however, an addendum was signed to extend the program until June 30, 2008.