Should entrepreneur support be free, or should we charge a fee? For years, we asked ourselves this question at Bpeace. What we’ve learned might surprise you: charging isn’t a betrayal of our mission. When done thoughtfully, it is one of the most powerful tools we have to transform how deeply the businesses we serve engage and grow.

Why We Started Charging

Our early programs were ambitious, free, and designed to remove barriers. We offered 18-month journeys, U.S. road trips, and intensive consulting. They attracted strong interest but mixed results: engagement dropped, gender gaps widened, and many leaders lacked the commitment to apply what they learned.

In 2020, we introduced fees to our high-touch, high-impact Maximizer program, not to generate revenue, but to create commitment. We set transparent, tiered pricing based on business size, starting at $500 and capped at $1,500, and we communicated it clearly.

The results spoke volumes:

• Cost per job: $1,600 (vs. $6,500 industry benchmark)
• Return on investment: $52 for every $1 spent
• Engagement: almost no dropouts and stronger peer accountability

Charging wasn’t about exclusion. It was about ownership.

Fees That Build Engagement

We’ve also seen the power of symbolic fees. In our Women Forward program, we charged just $100. With 64 participants, the revenue was modest, but more importantly, the impact was clear: high attendance, strong engagement, and meaningful follow-through.

This is where the conversation around charging shifts. It’s not about revenue. It’s about intention. Small fees can build participation. Larger fees can drive transformation. The key is aligning the price with the purpose.

Lessons From Around the World

We’re not alone in this approach. Through Argidius’s SCALE report—a framework grounded in evidence-based practices to help small businesses grow and create jobs—we’ve been pushed to experiment, test, and learn. SCALE focuses on five core principles that make entrepreneur support more effective, and its practical toolkit has guided both providers and funders to rethink how they drive impact.

At a SCALE 360 session hosted by ANDE, other leaders shared their experiences:

• In Fiji: Palinda Kaituu’s team at the Fiji Enterprise Engine charged fees from day one. It helped set expectations, differentiated them in a crowded space and filtered for motivated participants.
  
  
• In Cambodia: SY Vanna of the Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Center emphasized how clear messaging, a strong value proposition and trust are critical in markets used to donor-funded programs.

We’re grateful to Argidius not only for funding this work, but also for sparking a mindset shift that is helping shape a new narrative: one we are seeing echoed by peers like Palinda and Vanna: charging only works when value is clear and trust is strong.

What Worked… and What Didn’t

What worked:

• Charging upfront to set a tone of commitment
• Framing the fee as an investment in business growth, not a transaction to access the program
• Creating clear participation rules and following-through
• Building brand trust and credibility before introducing fees

What didn’t:

• We tried optional donations or “pay-it-forward” models, but neither stuck
• In new markets, even small fees felt too high when value wasn’t yet proven or referrals weren’t strong.
• Charging added admin complexity that sometimes outweighed the benefits.

In short: charging is a behavioral lever. But it must be used wisely.

The Hidden Cost of Charging

Charging requires a mindset shift. We moved from “supporting beneficiaries” to “serving customers,” while true to our mission. We also invested in payment systems, customer support, and fee waivers. In some cases, it cost more to charge than to give programs away for free.

That’s why intention matters. Are fees about increasing engagement, covering costs, or shifting behavior? Without that clarity, the model falls apart. The key is to align the fee model with your purpose. Charging is not a fit for every program, and that’s okay. 

Where We’re Headed

At Bpeace, charging has helped us work with more committed, coachable entrepreneurs. It sharpened our delivery and how we listen. But it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Fee resistance is real, especially in saturated markets, and messaging value effectively takes time. 

In some regions, we’ve returned to free models to build trust. In others, we’re refining tiered pricing and testing hybrids. Still, we have found that when we charge thoughtfully and transparently, it strengthens—not weakens—our relationship with the entrepreneurs we support. 

Here’s what we know: charging is not about putting up walls. It’s about building better doors—doors that open to committed entrepreneurs ready to grow and make an impact.

5 Takeaways

1. Charge before the program starts. Set the tone early.
2. Communicate expectations clearly. Participation = responsibility.
3. Weigh the cost of charging. Consider admin time, tech, and customer service.
4. Match your fee model to your goal. Small fees for engagement, larger fees for transformation.‍
5. Build trust first. Value must be clear before you charge.