WilmaFund seeks to attain an average rate of return on invested equity of 10% per annum in US dollar terms. This expected return has been assessed in consideration of the types of commercial opportunities likely to be available, problems of achieving efficient scale from very small beginnings, the cost of providing business planning and management oversight in very poor surroundings, the need to invest in supporting activities (especially technical education), and high risks from both human and systemic failure. Emphasis on building capacity for leadership and management, excellence in planning and other business development assistance, and strong buy-in from supportive communities, underpins WilmaFund's assumption that a high percentage of its incubated enterprises will survive and grow.
WilmaFund, through its investment and business advisory activities, promotes clusters of linked enterprises in poor, predominantly rural areas of Tanzania. At least one enterprise in each cluster must be able to sell through to the larger regional and national markets, and due emphasis is given to those with export potential. Taken as a group, each cluster organized in a Community Enterprise LLC must provide derivative economic, environmental, and social benefits to members of its host community organization, or CDA. While many projects will be start-ups in the Phase-1 portfolio, a rising fraction of WilmaFund's total investment will support the expansion/diversification plans of existing Community Enterprise LLCs.