About Development Alternatives

Development Alternatives (DA) is a premier social enterprise pioneering sustainable development solutions since 1982. DA is committed to creating a world where everyone can live secure, healthy, and fulfilling lives in harmony with nature. Through integrated clean technology solutions, micro-enterprise development, and collaborative institutional ecosystems, DA bridges practice and policy, working with partners to catalyze large-scale action toward sustainable livelihoods and environmental regeneration.
DA’s work addresses the three interconnected crises of our time - Jobs, Resources, and Climate - through impact across three inter-linked, core areas:
●    Livelihood Security and Inclusive Entrepreneurship - Innovative business models and institutional ecosystems to empower local entrepreneurs to create businesses that generate jobs and deliver basic needs.
●    Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy - Accelerating the transition to inclusive and circular modes of production and consumption by reducing carbon and material footprints across the lifecycle of economic activity while promoting local value and wealth creation.
●    Climate Resilience and Ecosystem Restoration - Helping in conserving and regenerating biodiversity, degraded ecosystems, and building resilience to climate change and extreme events in a manner that also generates prosperity.

BACKGROUND
Micro entrepreneurship and more specifically nano-entrepreneurship enterprises form a critical pillar of India’s rural economy, contributing to income diversification, resilience, and employment generation. With increasing recognition of the role of nano and micro enterprises in promoting inclusive and sustainable growth, there is a need for a deeper analysis of rural non-farm entrepreneurship, especially in the context of women’s economic empowerment, climate resilience, digital transformation, and gradual transition from the informal to formal economy.
The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMSE) and the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) are the key national actors shaping the policy ecosystem for micro enterprises, alongside CSOs, CSR initiatives, financial institutions, and incubators. While national-level efforts by the MoRD,MSME, and MSDE have laid the foundation for promoting micro enterprises, states are increasingly recognising entrepreneurship as a key driver of local economic development, employment generation, and inclusive growth. In this context, nano and micro enterprises, particularly those led by women and youth, offer significant potential for transforming rural livelihoods, diversifying income sources, and encouraging resilience.

SUSTAINABLE ENTREPRENEURSHIP GROUP (SEG) WORKS ON MICRO-ENTERPRENEURSHIP
As part of its mandate to enable sustainable livelihoods and address India's job crisis, DA promotes sustainable economic growth through Green and Inclusive Entrepreneurship, enabling under-represented groups such as youth and women to transition from ‘job seekers’ to ‘job creators’ and access entrepreneurship opportunities in underserved regions.

DA has pioneered new approaches to entrepreneurship-led job creation in India through a social innovation approach that is social in purpose, systemic in nature, and inclusive by design. The approach is based on the principles of listening to multi-stakeholder perspectives through dialogue, co-creating solutions with communities, prototyping these solutions, and inducing micromovements of change to accelerate impact at scale. In Uttar Pradesh, this approach has been operationalised through collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihoods Mission (UPSRLM), where Development Alternatives has worked closely with Cluster Level Federations (CLFs) to strengthen women’s collective institutions, enhance access to finance and markets, and accelerate micro-entrepreneurship. By leveraging local leadership and promoting resource networks, these efforts have demonstrated how enabling environments can empower women and youth to move from livelihood dependency to enterprise creation, contributing to broader social and economic transformation.

Having created evidence in the form of enterprises across states with indicators in high sustainability rate, inclusion, and environmental outcomes, Development Alternatives has launched the "1 Million Jobs in 1,000 Days" initiative to accelerate impact at scale. Over the past five years, more than 46,000 micro and small enterprises have been set up and supported, generating over 89,000 sustainable livelihoods in underserved regions.

OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNMENT
This white paper is envisaged to provide a comprehensive landscape analysis, highlight opportunities, and recommend policy and programmatic pathways to support growth, formalisation, and scaling of entrepreneurship in Uttar Pradesh.
The White Paper on Micro- Entrepreneurship in Uttar Pradesh will focus on:
●    Current landscape of micro-enterprises, especially nano-enterprises.
●    Classification and scope of enterprises using MORD, MSME and MSDE definitions. 
●    Role of finance, digitalisation, technology, and infrastructure.
●    Identification of barriers and opportunities, with focus on social economic implication,  related to women and young entrepreneurs.
●    Identification of policy and institutional mechanisms related to women and gender mainstreaming in the entrepreneurial ecosystems and gaps thereof.
●    State-specific opportunities to accelerate entrepreneurship and scalable models.
●    Recommendations for enabling policies and programmatic action at the national and state levels.

SCOPE OF WORK

The Scope of Work for the Consultant includes the following:
1.    Review and Analysis
○    Map the current landscape of micro-entrepreneurship in Uttar Pradesh such as sectors, scale, enterprise size, employment generated, and profitability, and micro and nano entrepreneurs disaggregated by gender, age, and social groups. 
○    Examine barriers and factors driving their growth, and identify any patterns that emerge with respect to regions, gender, age group, and aspirations, sectors, skillsets, ecosystem shifts, etc.
○    Explore with evidence the opportunities and scope for growth in nano-entrepreneurship and its role in rural transformation, including a focus on women and youth 
○    Analyse national and state-level policies, schemes, and definitions (MoRD, MSME and MSDE) relevant to micro and nano enterprises.
○    Examine trends in informal enterprises and transition pathways from subsistence-based income generation units towards opportunity-driven and high productivity and employment, and moving towards gradual formalisation and higher scale of operations.
○    Map local, national and global best practices, enablers, tools and innovations that drive microentrepreneurship.

2.    White Paper Development
○    Draft a White Paper (approx. 40–50 pages) covering:
■    Scope and Opportunity - data and ground stories  
■    National and state-level perspectives 
■    Role of key programmes, schemes, and policies 
■    Enabling ecosystem needs: finance, markets, skilling, infrastructure, digital access, technology adoption, including digitisation and AI.
■    Gender, inclusion, climate resilience, and the future of work dimensions.
■    Policy and programmatic recommendations for growth and scaling.

3.    Discussion Note
○    Prepare a Discussion Note (10–12 pages) summarising scope, gaps, and recommendations for nano enterprises to support stakeholder engagement and discussions.

4.    Stakeholder Engagement
○    Consultations (virtual/in-person) with key state departments and officials, CSOs, financial institutions, academic and training institutions, and experts.
○    Consultations with MORD, MSME, and MSDE to incorporate their knowledge and suggestions for Uttar Pradesh.
○    Incorporate feedback into final outputs.
5.    Finalisation and Dissemination
○    Deliver final versions of the White Paper, Discussion Note, and a short Executive Summary (5 pages).
○    Support content preparation for dissemination materials like a factsheet, social media posts, and articles.
○    Provide a completion report.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE 
●    Advanced degree in Economics, Development Studies, Public Policy, Rural Development, or related field.
●    Minimum 7 years (with Master's degree) or 6-9 years (with a Bachelor’s degree) of progressive relevant experience in policy integration and liaising with Central/State Government on enterprise development, rural livelihoods, and green economy interventions.
●    Demonstrated experience of reviewing relevant national and state-level policies, schemes, and datasets to analyse thrust areas, trends, and state of the sector.
●    Experience in working with Government (MoRD, MSDE, NRLM, SRLMs), financial institutions, and private sector stakeholders.
●    Strong research, analysis, and writing skills (policy briefs, white papers, discussion notes).
●    Experience in facilitating stakeholder consultations at national and state levels.
●    Familiarity with issues related to entrepreneurship, livelihoods, gender, inclusion, climate resilience, and digital transformation.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES 
●    Strong analytical and research skills; working knowledge of data visualisation is an added advantage.
●    Drafting skills suitable for policy briefs, working documents, discussion notes that demonstrate understanding of rural livelihood and entrepreneurship policies and programmes at the state and national level.
●    Excellent communication and networking abilities.
●    Good working knowledge of MS Office (Knowledge of Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and online tools for collaboration.
●    Working proficiency in English and Hindi language.

DELIVERABLES & TIMELINES
Sl. no    Deliverable    Timeline    Payment Schedule
1    Inception note and annotated outline of the White Paper and Discussion Note    Within 2 weeks    20%
2    Draft discussion note on micro-entrepreneurship with scope & recommendations    By 1.5 months    20%
3    Draft White Paper in consultation with relevant stakeholders, and convening of Stakeholder Consultation at the national or state level t    By 2.5 months    25%
4    Final White Paper, Discussion Note & Executive Summary    By 4 months    25%
5    Completion Report    By 4 months    10%

CONTRACT REPORTING, DURATION & LOCATION
●    Reporting: Team Lead, Policy Research with dotted reporting to Program Director, WEE (SEG)
●    Duration: 4 months.
●    Location: Home-based with travel to Delhi and Uttar Pradesh 

APPLICATION REQUIREMENT 
Interested applicants must submit:
1.    CV with details of relevant experience.
2.    Cover letter (max. 1 page) outlining suitability for the assignment.
3.    Samples of authored reports/publications (preferably on entrepreneurship, livelihoods, or policy analysis).

Please submit your application to careers@devalt.org.