Irwin Grayson Associates
Regulatory reform, advocacy & dialogue

Business Advocacy Fund, Kenya

The Business Advocacy Fund supports business member organisations (BMOs) engage in private public dialogue and advocate an improved business environment in Kenya. As fund manager, we (a partnership of IGA and Coffey International Development are responsible for every aspect of marketing the fund, assisting BMOs to prepare compelling proposals, taking recommendations to the board, providing capacity building support and offering implementation assistance. We commenced work on Phase 1 (described as BAF1) in September 2006 and the Fund was formally launched in November 2006. BAF1 ended at the end of 2010 and BAF2 was launched towards the end of 2011. In turn, this lasted until mid-2016. BAF3 was launched to coincide with the end of BAF2 and will last until mid-2020.

During the first phase, BAF:
  • awarded 58 grants totalling $1.2m to 37 BMOs to finance advocacy activities resulting in the publication of 52 research reports and policy position papers, 419 dialogues and consultations with government, the raising of 167 issues with government and 56 reforms to public policy;
  • trained 515 participants from 117 BMOs in advocacy skills and techniques;
The same partnership - of IGA and Coffey International Development - was successful in winning the contract for BAF2. During the second phase, BAF:
  • supported 124 advocacy projects promoted by 57 BMOs with grants totalling $4.6m. This resulted in BMOs engaging in almost 3,000 dialogues and consultations, the publication of 98 research reports and 150 policy proposals, and some 145 policy reforms;
  • trained 1,864 participants from 261 organisations who participated 3,600 times in 165 courses covering all aspects of advocacy skills, techniques and management.
The same partnership was again successful in winning the contract for BAF3.

One of the innovations in BAF3 was the introduction of Research & Policy Advisers. The RPAs worked closely with BMOs supporting them to undertake research and develop coherent and well argued policy positions. This made a considerable difference to the quality of the documents prepared by BMOs. {short description of image}
I would like to take this opportunity to simply thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn and grow under your guidance. For the past two years have helped shaped my career and professional life and showed me how to transform my mistakes into skills. I am forever grateful for the support and hope to work with you in the near future. {short description of image}
Faith Mariera, Research & Policy Adviser, 2017-2019, 29 November 2019
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Thank you for your great support always. You have been a great mentor and I look forward learning more from you. You are that person who has made working at BAF very enjoyable… We have made fun of difficult situations and this made everything a lot more enjoyable. Thank you for your patience and for holding my hand through the journey… I am confident I will do something meaningful out there and make a difference. {short description of image}
Mercy Kyande, Research & Policy Adviser, 2017-2019, 29 November 2019
Another innovation was to provide PR consultants to assist the BMOs to develop coherent and consistent communications strategies targeting all their key stakeholders. Examples will be provided in due course.

More information is available from the BAF website