Women entrepreneurs could benefit from better targeting, without changing the program content Arti GroverStephen J. AndersonShreya KankanhalliNandini Ramani October 07, 2026 This page in: English

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/developmenttalk/women-entrepreneurs-could-benefit-from-better-targeting--without Every year, governments and development organizations spend billions on business upgrading programs — training, mentorship, consulting — designed to help small firms grow. These programs work, on average. For men. For women entrepreneurs, the average return is statistically indistinguishable from zero. The standard policy response has been to spend more: add gender-specific content, design women-only programs, set enrollment quotas. A new World Bank working paper offers an alternative perspective, one that centers around the cost-effectiveness. Business upgrading programs are not necessarily broken for women. The selection and targeting process could be tailored to improve their efficacy.