Tools and resources
Getting Started
Starting a school enterprise is a great way for schools to provide students a chance to learn valuable business and practical skills, and generate extra income.
The best way to receive step-by-step materials to help you plan and set up a school business is to take part in our School Enterprise Challenge.
You can also read about alternative business ideas in the two-page School Business Start-Guides or learn how to set up a self-sufficient school in the School in a Box series.
School business start-up guides
The school business start-up series of 2 page guides provide schools looking to start up their own enterprises with some alternative ideas for business activities to consider. Many of these businesses also serve a double purpose. A school with a brick making business can use some of its production to build new classrooms. Similarly a school selling solar cookers can help parents save money on firewood meaning more savings for school as well as helping the environment, of course!
Brick-Making-Business-Guide.pdf
Dried-Fruit-Business-Guide.pdf
The School in a Box Series
The SCHOOL IN A BOX Guide Series is designed as a ‘one-stop shop’ for anyone interested in establishing their own financially self-sufficient school.
Each manual offers a step-by-step guide to building your understanding of key concepts and mastering a range of planning and management tools, as well as providing a wealth of case studies and real-life examples to illustrate both best practice and easily avoided pitfalls. The full listing of manuals in the series is as follows:
1. Getting Started: An Introduction to Financially Self-Sufficient Schools
2. How To Evaluate Your Organisation
3. How To Organise Your School
4. How To Generate School Income
5. How To Run A Self-Sufficient School
6. How to Educate Successful Rural Entrepreneurs
7. How to Organize Student Life
8. How to Write A Business Plan for a Self-Sufficient School
External Resources Toolkits
UNESCO Entrepreneurship Training Packages
Developed by curriculum experts from Sub-Saharan Africa these modular training packages consist of practical guides for technical and vocation students at secondary level and non-formal learners.
Non-formal learners:
Facilitator’s guide
Participant’s workbook
Secondary students:
Facilitator’s guide
Participant’s workbook
CIVICUS Toolkits
Based on requests from members, CIVICUS has produced a range of toolkits to enable organisations to improve their capacity in a number of keyareas related to project planning, budgeting and monitoring & evaluation.
Action planning
Budgeting (in two parts)
Developing a Financing Strategy
Financial Controls and Accountability
Monitoring and Evaluation
Planning Overview
Strategic Planning
See more sites on our Useful Links page
