Pretoria, South Africa · Grant-Focused Pre-Diligence

Pre-Diligence Infrastructure
for Institutional Funding
Alignment.

Serious capital does not fund ideas. It funds structure.

A structured evaluation system for SME classification prior to institutional funding review — across governance, financials, compliance, operations, and market validation.

Limited pilot cohort currently onboarding

0–100 Institutional Alignment Score™
5 Assessment Pillars
3 Fixed-Scope Tiers
48h Response to Qualified Enquiries

Development Finance Institutions & Grant Bodies We Prepare SMEs For

IDC SEFA NEF DSBD NYDA DTIC ESD / Supplier Development
What This Is

Structural evaluation.
Not advisory.

Capital Alignment Group operates as a pre-diligence infrastructure layer that evaluates SME alignment before institutional funding review.

01

Evaluate structural alignment

Before grant or development finance submission — identifying conditions that cause rejection before merit is assessed.

02

Classify documentation deficiencies

Governance, compliance, and financial reporting gaps identified, categorised, and assigned institutional risk level.

03

Assign Institutional Alignment Score™

Weighted, evidence-based score across 5 pillars. Class A to D. Missing or unverifiable documentation scores zero.

04

Structure remediation priorities

Fixed-scope engagement tiers with defined outputs, clear timelines, and fees confirmed upfront.

Outside Scope — What CAG Does Not Do

  • Grant writing or application submission
  • Capital brokering or funding placement
  • Coaching, mentoring, or motivational advisory
  • Ongoing retainer-based consulting
  • Guarantee or imply funding outcomes
  • Represent any financial institution or funder
"Structural readiness determines outcome before merit is ever considered."
— Lethabo Dukada, Founder · Capital Alignment Group SA
Institutional Alignment Score™

A pre-diligence classification
before institutional evaluation begins.

The score is not a performance metric. It is a structural classification instrument aligned to the documentation and governance expectations of South African DFIs and grant bodies.

Sample Assessment — Illustrative CAG-2026-XXX
57 /100
Institutional Alignment Score™
Class C · High Risk — Not Suitable for Funding Review
Legal & Compliance3/5 · 25%
Financial Readiness2/5 · 25%
Market Validation3/5 · 15%
Operational Maturity4/5 · 15%
Governance & Risk2/5 · 20%
Part of Tier 1 Diagnostic

What the Institutional Alignment Score™ classifies

Every assessment produces a score, a risk class, and a detailed breakdown of pillar-level deficiencies. Output determines eligibility status, grant suitability, and remediation priority — based on verified documentation, not narrative.

  • Weighted across 5 institutional pillars with defined scoring criteria
  • Evidence-based only — missing or unverifiable documentation scores zero
  • Produces Risk Class (A–D), Eligibility Status, and Grant Suitability assessment
  • Determines Remediation Classification and priority corrective actions
  • Delivered as a Certified Institutional Alignment Assessment™ — shareable with advisors
Assess My Alignment
Class A · 80–100Institutionally Aligned.
Class B · 60–79Conditional readiness.
Class C · 40–59High Risk. Rebuild required.
Class D · Below 40Structurally unsuitable.
Funding Programmes

Active funding programmes
we structure businesses to meet.

Current South African government and DFI grant programmes available to qualifying SMEs. CAG does not apply on your behalf — we structure your business to meet institutional requirements before submission.

Important: The difference between rejection and approval is structural, not conceptual. CAG prepares the business — not the application.
Updated Weekly · Snapshot Only
IDC

IDC Business Finance

Industrial Development Corporation funding for high-impact sectors including manufacturing, agri-processing, energy, and tourism.

AmountR1m – R1bn per project
TypeLoans, equity, grants, blended
SectorsManufacturing, agri, energy, ICT

Minimum Class B alignment recommended

SEFA

SEFA Direct Finance

Small Enterprise Finance Agency loans and grant-linked support for SMEs. Priority pathways for youth, women, and previously disadvantaged entrepreneurs.

AmountR50,000 – R5 million
TypeLoans, bridging finance, guarantees
Ownership51%+ black-owned (most streams)

Financial readiness pillar critical for SEFA review

NEF

NEF Funding Programmes

National Empowerment Fund products: iMbewu (startups), uMnotho (BEE capital), and Women Empowerment Fund. Primary instrument for black economic inclusion.

AmountR250,000 – R75 million
TypeLoans, equity, blended finance
OwnershipMajority black-owned required

Governance pillar heavily weighted in NEF review

NYDA

NYDA Youth Grant Programme

Non-repayable grants for entrepreneurs aged 18–35. Combined with business development support across most sectors.

AmountR1,000 – R200,000
TypeNon-repayable grant
EligibleSA citizens aged 18–35

Compliance documentation foundational for NYDA

DSBD

DSBD SMME Support Programmes

Department of Small Business Development targeted grants aligned with national economic priorities — localisation, township, and inclusive growth enterprises.

AmountVariable by programme
TypeGrants, vouchers, business support
FocusYouth, women, township enterprises

Operational maturity and compliance assessed

DTIC

Black Industrialists Scheme

DTIC cost-sharing grant for black-owned manufacturing businesses. One of the most significant non-repayable grant instruments currently available in South Africa.

AmountUp to R20m (20–30% cost-share)
TypeNon-repayable cost-sharing grant
SectorsManufacturing, food & bev, furniture

Class A alignment strongly recommended for BIS

Engagement Architecture

Three fixed-scope tiers.
No undefined scope.

Scope is defined before work begins. Engagements conclude upon delivery of specified outputs. Fixed fees confirmed upfront.

Tier 01 — Classification

Pre-Diligence Diagnostic

Institutional classification before submission.

ZAR 8,500 Standard · Full Certified Assessment
ZAR 11,500 Diagnostic + 60-min Institutional Debrief
  • Institutional Alignment Score™ — weighted across 5 pillars
  • Risk Exposure Breakdown — Critical / High / Moderate / Low
  • Documentation Gap Register — Missing / Incomplete / Acceptable
  • Capital Suitability Assessment — Suitable / Conditional / Not Suitable
  • Certified Institutional Alignment Assessment™
Book Tier 1
Most Engaged

Tier 02 — Remediation

Documentation Structuring

Structural rebuild. Not document writing.

ZAR 22,000 – 45,000 Band determined by Institutional Alignment Score™ Band 1 (65–79): R22k–25k · Band 2 (45–64): R28k–35.5k · Band 3 (<45): R38.5k–45k
  • Documentation Structuring Framework + compliance pack
  • Financial Structuring Templates — grant reporting aligned
  • Governance & Risk Framework — risk register, control tracker
  • Grant Alignment Mapping against institutional review criteria
Request Tier 2

Tier 03 — Pathway

Capital Pathway Alignment

Decision architecture. Not capital introduction.

ZAR 18,000 – 35,000 Fixed fee · 2–4 week delivery
  • Capital Pathway Assessment — grant, debt, blended, DFI
  • Funding Timeline Roadmap with submission checkpoints
  • Institutional Expectation Briefing — primary rejection triggers
  • Negotiation Readiness Checklist — terms, clawback, covenants
Request Tier 3

Tier 2 pricing is determined by Institutional Alignment Score™. Higher alignment = lower remediation band = lower fee.

Book or Enquire

Start with the diagnostic.
Not the application.

The Tier 1 Diagnostic is the correct first step for any SME preparing for institutional funding review. Engaging funders before structural alignment is assessed is the most common and most costly mistake in the grant-seeking process.

Qualification Criteria

This diagnostic is designed for operating SMEs preparing for institutional funding. Early-stage ideas, exploratory enquiries, or businesses without active revenue are not suitable candidates at this stage.

📅
Book Tier 1 Diagnostic — 45 min cal.com/capitalalignmentgroup · Free scheduling · Instant confirmation
or submit an enquiry

Email: info@capitalalignmentgroup.co.za
Phone: (+27) 65 852 9031

Enquiry Form

Qualified enquiries receive a response within 48 hours.