WMI Online Academy 2024
The WMI Online Academy 2024 will take place on Monday, September 30 – Friday, December 6, 2024. The WMI Academy is an exciting opportunity for recent graduates to participate in an intensive professional development program. Invited participants can choose between learning skills essential to developing business or CBO/NGO plans. Guest speakers from universities and industry professionals will be presenting key concepts and the how-to skills needed during weekly one-hour live webinars. With a small cohort, recent graduates can engage and ask questions with presenters from across Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda.
Invited participants are able to register up to August 30, 2024.
Academy Webinar Schedule
Time Commitment: The time commitment to attend all live sessions is approximately 20 hours over a 9-week period (2.5 hours per week).
Participants choose between option 1 or option 2:
Option 1: Business Plan Development
Monday, September 30 – Friday, December 6, 2024
Week 1: Where to Start: Conducting Market Research
Week 2: Designing a Mission Statement
Week 2: Choosing a Business Model
Week 3: Don’t Start Without a SWOT Analysis
Week 4: Part I: Intro to Budgeting
Week 4: Part II: Intro to Financial Management
Week 5: HR Part I: Starting from Zero
Week 5: HR Part II: Creating Your Team
Week 6: Branding Part I: Creating Your Brand Identity
Week 6: Branding Part II: Creating a Branding Guide
Week 7: M&E: Measuring Success & Indicator Development
Week 8: How to Create a Pitch Presentation
Week 8: Optional – Check-in & Q&A to prepare for the competition
Week 9: Independent Week to Prepare For Pitch Presentation
Week 10: Live Finale! Pitch Presentation Competition!
Option 2: Community Based Organization/NGO Plan Development
Monday, September 30 – Friday, December 6, 2024
Week 1: Where to Start: Conducting a Needs Assessment
Week 2: Designing a Mission Statement
Week 2: The Guiding Theory of Change
Week 3: Don’t Start Without a SWOT Analysis
Week 4: Part I: Intro to Budgeting
Week 4: Part II: Intro to Financial Management
Week 5: HR Part I: Starting from Zero
Week 5: HR Part II: Creating Your Team
Week 6: Branding Part I: Creating Your Brand Identity
Week 6: Branding Part II: Creating a Branding Guide
Week 7: M&E: Measuring Success & Indicator Development
Week 8: How to Create a Pitch Presentation
Week 8: Optional – Check-in & Q&A to prepare for the competition
Week 9: Independent Week to Prepare For Pitch Presentation
Week 10: Live Finale! Pitch Presentation Competition!
Participation Requirements
Certificates
WMI is honored to award the following certificates as part of the WMI Online Academy 2024:
1) Certificate of Completion: Will be awarded for 100% webinar attendance. The certificate will include the number of hours of instruction.
2) Business/CBO/NGO Pitch Presentation Participation: Presenters will receive a participation certificate which will include recognition of the CBO, NGO or business plan that was presented.
3) Pitch Presentation Winners (3): The three top-scoring pitch presenters will also receive an honorary certificate for their accomplishment.
The WMI Online Academy Pitch Competition 2024
Attendees are encouraged to participate in the WMI Online Academy Pitch Competition 2024!
During the registration process, invited participants are encouraged to share a business, CBO or NGO idea that interests them.
Throughout the first eight weeks, attendees will strengthen their ideas and during the final webinar session, participants who are interested will be provided the spotlight to present their business, CBO or NGO idea to a panel of WMI Board of Director judges and fellow peers.
The three top-scoring presentations will be awarded $500, $300 and $200 to support their pitch idea or local community!
Registration to participate is due by Sunday, October 27, 2024.
Questions
WMI 2024 Online Academy Team
Email: academy@wellsmountaininitiative.org