Following DGGF's recent lessons learned in TA facility management towards supporting SMEs in emerging markets through business development services, the Dutch Good Growth Fund – Financing local SMEs (DGGF), together with FMO and British International Investment (BII), has developed a Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) operations manual template. This new resource aims to support fund managers and practitioners in designing and managing Technical Assistance (TA) facilities more effectively, with the aim of improving the quality and impact of support provided to SMEs in emerging markets.
From lessons learned to practical application
In 2025, DGGF published its lessons learned on Business Development Services (BDS), drawing from years of local fund managers supporting SMEs across diverse markets. These insights highlighted both the value of tailored technical support and the challenges of delivering it in a structured and scalable way.
Building on these findings, the launched TAF Operations Manual Template translates these lessons into a practical, publicly available framework for implementation. It reflects a growing recognition across the sector of the need for well-designed Technical Assistance Facilities to deliver efficient, targeted support to portfolio companies.
Image: TAF Manual
A practical guide for designing and managing TAFs
BDS focuses on the content of support provided to SMEs, while TAFs define how that support is structured, delivered and managed. The TAF Operations Manual Template provides structured guidance across the full lifecycle of a Technical Assistance Facility, including:
- defining objectives and eligible activities
- setting up governance and management structures
- designing project cycles, from sourcing to implementation
- managing budgets, procurement, and reporting processes
Rather than prescribing a single model, the manual is designed as a flexible tool that can be adapted to different fund contexts and investment strategies. It is intended as a public good, supporting a wide range of stakeholders involved in SME finance and development.
Alongside the manual, DGGF and Dalberg have developed a BDS Management Guidance Booklet, which captures key insights from DGGF’s portfolio experience. This guidance focuses on how to design effective BDS, covering topics such as setting cost sharing and measuring results and impact.
Strengthening partnerships for impact
Together, the two resources provide both the strategic insights and the operational tools needed to strengthen Technical Assistance delivery. By making these resources publicly available, DGGF, FMO and BII aim to enable a broader set of fund managers and organisations to design more effective TA facilities, ultimately supporting SME growth, improving investment outcomes, and delivering stronger development impact.