A year of expert attention on the parts of your business you never have time to fix.
Khazzan selects a small group of Omani SMEs each cycle, assesses the business end to end, builds a twelve-month improvement plan with the owner, and funds the work that plan calls for.
Recognised by Riyada as Best Development Initiative, and shortlisted at ADIPEC for social contribution and local content.
What you get
A full business assessment
Specialists review your business across seven areas using Sharakah's Business Performance Monitoring Tool and Risk Assessment Tool, then visit your premises and interview your team.
A written plan, not a verdict
You receive a detailed report naming what is working, what is holding the business back, and a twelve-month action plan built around your capacity.
Funding for the work itself
A non-repayable grant pays for the improvements your plan calls for: rebranding, a marketing campaign, an accounting system, a quality certification.
A year of follow-up
Budget preparation, a marketing plan, media exposure, introductions to corporate buyers, and a second assessment at the end to measure what changed.
What gets assessed
Every business in the programme is measured against the same seven areas, so improvement can be tracked rather than claimed.
How the year runs
Apply
Two-step online registration, then supporting documents by email.
Shortlist
Applications are screened against the published criteria, followed by face-to-face interviews.
Assess
Document review, a site visit of one to two days, and interviews with you and your staff.
Plan
A written report and a twelve-month action plan agreed with you before anything begins.
Fund
The grant is released against the approved plan and paid directly to the suppliers doing the work.
Graduate
A second assessment at month twelve measures what actually changed, and the results are published.
Who this is for
You can apply if
- You are an Omani citizen aged 18 or over
- You work full time in the business you own
- The business has been trading for at least 18 months
- All licences are valid: commercial registration, OCCI membership, municipality permits
- The business holds an active bank account
- You keep some form of bookkeeping or financial records
- You can commit to the full twelve months
You cannot apply if
- The business is younger than 18 months
- You run the business alongside other full-time employment
- You are a first-degree relative of an employee of Sharakah, the programme partner, or a programme vendor
- You cannot provide a Central Bank of Oman letter clear of negative items
Applications are accepted from every governorate. Riyada card holders and businesses in Ad Dakhiliyah and Ad Dhahirah are given preference.
What you will be asked for
Half of all applications in past cycles were left incomplete. Gather these before you start.
- Business plan
- Audited financial statements
- Current cash flow statement
- Marketing strategy, if you have one
- All registration certificatesMoCIIP, OCCI, municipality
- Copies of internal policiesHR manual, HSE policy
- Signed contracts with third parties, if any
How the funding works
The grant is not paid to you in cash. Once your action plan is approved, Sharakah releases the funds directly to the third-party suppliers delivering the agreed work, whether that is a branding studio, an accounting system provider, or a certification body. You choose the supplier; the money follows the plan.
About the partners
About Sharakah
Sharakah, the Fund for Development of Youth Projects, was established by Royal Decree in 1998 to support small and medium enterprises in Oman. It provides financial support, advisory services, capacity building and long-term follow-up, and has backed SMEs across manufacturing, services, technology, agriculture, logistics and tourism.
About bp Oman
bp operates Block 61, home to the Khazzan and Ghazeer gas developments, one of the largest unconventional gas resources in the Middle East. The block supplies around a third of Oman's daily domestic gas. Omani nationals make up over 92 per cent of bp's workforce in the Sultanate, and Khazzan for SMEs sits within bp Oman's social investment programme.
Questions
Does it cost anything to take part?
No. Participation is free, and the grant is non-repayable.
How much of my time will this take?
The assessment visit takes one to two days. After that, expect regular follow-up sessions across the twelve months. Owners who cannot commit the time are asked not to apply.
Can I apply if my business already has bank debt?
Yes. Businesses with existing debt are reviewed case by case rather than excluded.
What happens to my financial information?
It is used only for assessment and planning. You sign an agreement with Sharakah before any documents are collected.
If I am not selected, can I apply again?
Yes. Each cycle opens to new applicants, and previous applicants are welcome to reapply.
Interested in the next cycle?
Registration for the next cycle has not opened yet. Contact us to be notified.
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