Funders, here’s what too many programmes still miss — and what’s possible when you get it right. 

Since 2008, The Human Edge has partnered with some of the world’s leading foundations, development agencies and ecosystem enablers to support entrepreneurs and leaders across Africa, the Middle East and beyond. We’ve seen what accelerates meaningful change — and what quietly holds it back. 

And we’ve noticed a persistent blind spot. 

Mentoring. 

Not the vague kind that means a coffee chat or a few hours of networking. We mean structured, intentional, long-term mentoring that’s embedded into your entrepreneurship programmes as a core component — not an afterthought. 

Too often, mentoring is underfunded, under-designed and under-leveraged — even when everything else in the programme is strong. 

If you’re a grant-making foundation, INGO or donor agency serious about inclusive economic growth, systems change or enterprise development — it’s time to rethink where mentoring sits in your strategy. 

Mentoring is Not a Nice-to-Have — It’s a Multiplier 

The data is clear: 

• Mentored small businesses are twice as likely to survive beyond five years than those without mentoring (Forbes) 

• Entrepreneurs with mentors report an 83% increase in annual revenue, compared to 16% without (MicroMentor Global Impact Report) 

• Over 92% of small business owners say mentoring directly impacts business survival and growth (SCORE, US SBA) 

Mentoring builds the self-awareness, resilience and decision-making capacity that funding and training alone can’t provide. 

But perhaps more importantly for you as a funder — mentoring closes the gap between learning and leadership. It ensures that what’s taught is not just understood but applied, adapted and sustained. 

What is Often Missed 

Even in well-resourced programmes, we regularly see three things: 

1. Mentoring is optional, light-touch or unstructured — leaving it to chance whether real relationships take root. 

2. Mentors are chosen for availability, technical know-how or surface-level alignment — rather than their ability to hold space, build trust and adapt to the human realities of entrepreneurship. Few receive training on how to support entrepreneurs effectively. 

3. Programme staff aren’t equipped to manage the mentoring element — meaning poor matching, unclear expectations and no follow-through. 

The result is that a potentially transformative intervention becomes a line item that sounds good in a report but doesn’t deliver where it matters: in the experience and outcomes of the entrepreneurs. 

Mentoring, Done Right, Changes Everything 

The most effective mentoring is neither transactional nor generic. It’s: 

• Relational: built on trust, curiosity and presence 

• Skilled: mentors are trained to listen deeply, ask better questions, and hold appropriate boundaries 

• Structured: clear expectations, timelines and touchpoints 

• Context-aware/relevant: adapted to local realities, sector nuances and power dynamics 

• Professionally managed: programme managers are trained to set up, support and monitor mentoring relationships over time 

This is what we’ve built our practice around — and it’s what creates enduring change. 

Let’s look at the proof. 

Case Studies That Show What’s Possible 

MAVA Leaders for Nature Academy (2018–2022) 

Client: MAVA Foundation 

Partners: Common Purpose & The Human Edge 

Focus: Intergenerational leadership in conservation across 26 countries 

This year-long programme paired senior and emerging environmental leaders in structured mentoring relationships, alongside coaching and leadership development. 

Results: 

• 93% of mentoring relationships continued beyond the formal programme 

• Participants reported cultural and strategic shifts in their organisations 

• Several mentees later became mentors or programme facilitators themselves 

• The programme ran for four consecutive years, each year adapting and deepening its mentoring component 

“The mentoring relationships didn’t end with the programme. They evolved into professional partnerships, co-designed projects and, in some cases, lifelong alliances.” 

— Programme participant 

Why this matters: Funders often seek sustainability, leadership pipelines and local ownership. MAVA achieved all three — through mentoring. 

New Economy Leaders Academy (2023–2025) 

Client: Partners for a New Economy (P4NE) 

Focus: Systems change, economic rethinking, leadership resilience 

Region: 11 countries 

Mentoring was woven into a 10-month journey supporting leaders navigating complex change. Relationships were carefully matched, expectations contracted, and mentors trained in coaching-based approaches. 

Results: 

• 93% of participants expanded their professional networks 

• 84% felt better equipped to build strong, values-led relationships 

• 80% reported increased confidence and skills 

Why this matters: Mentoring helped turn abstract systems goals into relational leadership capabilities — a core building block of any sustainable movement.

EBRD Women in Business – Tunisia 

Client: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development 

Focus: Women-led SME support 

Duration: 12 months 

Women entrepreneurs were matched with trained mentors and supported by a programme team skilled in managing mentoring relationships. 

Results: 

• 100% business survival rate after one year 

• 58% increased profitability 

• 87 jobs created 

• 83% adopted improved governance practices 

Why this matters: Mentoring helped these women grow not just their businesses — but their leadership, confidence and strategic clarity. 

What You Can Do Differently 

If you’re serious about inclusive growth, gender equity, climate resilience or ecosystem building — mentoring must be more than a buzzword. 

Here’s how to integrate it meaningfully: 

1. Fund mentoring design explicitly — including training, support systems and time for reflection. 

2. Equip both mentors and mentees — don’t assume people “just know” how to mentor or be mentored. 

3. Invest in mentoring management capacity — whoever runs your programme needs the tools and guidance to make it work. 

4. Track outcomes, not just activity — build M&E frameworks that measure growth in confidence, leadership shifts and decision-making, not just outputs. 

5. Think beyond the project — mentoring done well leaves leaders and relationships that outlast your funding cycle. 

The Human Edge: Your Partner in Mentoring for Impact 

From Lebanon to Ghana, Tunisia to the UK — we’ve worked across contexts to design mentoring-centred interventions that align with funder priorities and deliver long-term results. Whether you’re building a new programme or want to strengthen an existing one, we can help you: 

• Design mentoring systems that work 

• Train mentors and mentees in multiple languages 

• Equip programme managers to run effective mentoring tracks 

• Evaluate impact meaningfully 

🔗 Explore our Mentoring Skills and Practice Course 

📖 Read our book: Mentoring Entrepreneurs – The Insider’s Guide 

📬 Get in touch to collaborate 

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Final Thought 

You wouldn’t build a house without scaffolding. Don’t build an entrepreneurship programme without mentoring. 

It’s the human infrastructure that holds everything together — confidence, leadership, and the capacity to keep going when it gets hard. 

If your programmes are ticking all the boxes but still falling short of real, lasting transformation, mentoring might just be the missing piece.