Deadline: 15-Jul-24
The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Energy Resources announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting application to develop and implement the Advancing Women in Clean Energy and Mining (AWCEM), a professional leadership and development program for women working in the clean energy and critical mineral mining sectors in Latin America.
Assistance under this project seeks to increase women’s leadership in the clean energy and critical mineral resource sectors’ workforces, empowering women to become leaders and agents for change in their organizations to support decarbonization and the clean energy transition in response to the ongoing climate crisis.
This project supports the U.S. Strategy to Respond to the Effects of Climate Change on Women, the National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality, the U.S. Strategy on Global Women’s Economic Security with funds from the U.S. Gender Equity and Equality Action Fund (GEEA) which advances economic security for women and girls by increasing their access to resources, services, and leadership opportunities and by addressing the barriers that limit their ability to participate fully in the economy. This project will address GEEA Fund priorities to help secure women’s economic future through green jobs and building resilience to climate change and by providing opportunities for economic benefits through equipping women with technical capabilities and professional leadership skills, increasing women’s economic competitiveness to equally participate in the green labor market and equally benefit from quality well-paying jobs.
Project Goal
- The successful transition to an inclusive clean energy economy will depend on women’s participation and leadership in the energy and mining sectors for minerals needed for the clean energy transition (e.g., lithium, graphite, copper, manganese, etc.). The overall goal of this project is to increase women’s leadership in the clean energy and mining workforce and empower women to become leaders and agents for change in their organizations to support decarbonization and the clean energy transition in Latin America.
Objectives
- The objectives of AWCEM are to:
- Empower, encourage, and guide women participants in setting targeted professional goals to advance their clean energy and critical mineral mining sector careers.
- Increase the confidence and leadership skills in the next generation of women clean energy and critical mineral mining sector leaders;
- Strengthen women participants’ professional network;
- Improve women participants’ clean energy and critical mineral mining sector job function knowledge and skills; and
- Provide women participants with opportunities for career development, public speaking, and project management.
- Engage with private and public sector leaders/decision makers in clean energy and critical minerals on the importance of women’s inclusion.
Components
- ACEM activities related to the above objectives will support the advancement and leadership of women in clean energy and mining sectors at minimum through the following components:
- Regional Women in Energy and Women in Mining Conferences: At least one regional Women in Clean Energy and one regional Women in Mining Conference (2 conferences total) to bring together at least 50 participants each, including private sector and industry leaders and decision makers, women energy and mining leaders, government ministries, civil society, NGOs, and universities, with State Department and ENR leadership to engage them on the importance of women’s inclusion, discuss the state of women in energy and mining, the status of efforts to advance leadership roles for women in the sectors, as well as the importance of male allies that can serve as advocates. Women leaders will share their stories and male allies will share what they are doing to advance women in energy and mining. The Conferences will also serve as the launch of AWCEM in support of the Department of State’s Women in Energy Strategy (WE) and an opportunity to recruit for the mentorship program. The events will be coordinated with ENR’s Office of Public Diplomacy and regional Posts for amplification.
- Mentorship Program: The AWCEM Mentorship Program will match early to mid-career level women working in the clean energy and mining sectors in Latin America with U.S. or regional women mentors to empower, encourage, and support mentees in identifying and developing targeted professional goals and milestones to advance their careers. As part of the program, the award Recipient will recruit all mentees and mentors for the program and provide both with expectations, checkpoints, and other written resources to give the mentorship program structure, direction, and focus. As part of the program, mentees will take part in components 3, 4, 5, and 6 with mentors providing supporting roles to mentees throughout.
- Technical Trainings: AWCEM will deliver sector specific technical trainings to increase AWCEM mentees’ industry and job function knowledge as well as strengthen and develop new technical skills, while building confidence of mentees. Male allies in the region will also be identified to serve as advocates and will be incorporated into Technical Trainings. As part of these activities, the award Recipient will recruit all U.S. and regional speakers and leadership skills trainers, prepare detailed agendas, and make all travel or virtual and logistical arrangements.
- Leadership Skills Workshops: AWCEM will deliver leadership skills workshops to increase AWCEM mentees’ leadership and professional development and the capacity of mentees to move up in their organization structures. Leadership skills development training should include no less than 50 percent of the focus of all workshops and trainings. As part of these activities, the award Recipient will recruit all U.S. and regional speakers and leadership skills trainers, prepare detailed agendas, and make all travel or virtual and logistical arrangements.
- Capstone Project: Capstone Projects will help AWCEM mentees develop their project management skills and final oral presentations will provide mentees an opportunity to hone their communication and public speaking skills by presenting their project during the Closing Conference (noted below). As part of this activity, the award Recipient will design capstone project requirements and parameters for mentees in coordination with ENR.
- Closing Conference: The closing conference will allow mentees to demonstrate all they have learned throughout the AWCEM program presenting their capstone projects to in-country and regional industry leaders, including male allies.
Funding Information
- Funding Ceiling: $1,233,350
- Funding Floor (if applicable): $1,233,350
- Period of Performance: 36 months
- Number of Awards: 1 award(s)
Problem Statement
- The transformation of energy systems, to better address climate change and environmental sustainability, requires an inclusive and diverse workforce that includes the brightest minds, best technologies, and widespread cooperation to diversify and build the supply chains – including for critical raw materials – that support the new clean energy systems. However, women’s contributions are often excluded from the global energy and critical mineral sectors.
- Energy: Women make up substantially less than half of the workforce across the energy sector and continue to be underrepresented in leadership and executive level positions. According to the International Renewable Energy Association (IRENA), women comprise only 22 percent of the workforce in the traditional energy sector, and 32 percent of the renewable energy workforce globally. Also, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), women are listed in less than 11 percent of applications in the patent classes closely associated to the energy sector.
- Mining: In the mining sector, women represent an estimated eight to 17 percent of the global mining workforce, according to McKinsey. In addition to low labor force participation, women’s representation within mining sector leadership sits at 13 percent. Optimal transitions to clean energy require women’s equal participation and leadership, including in renewable energy innovation and entrepreneurship, clean technologies, and soundly governed mining of critical minerals.
Expected Outcomes
- Based on the goals and objectives of the AWCEM, expected results include, but are not limited to the following:
- Increased capacity of women in the region to advance as leaders in the clean energy and critical mineral mining sectors;
- Increased collaboration between women energy and mining professionals in the region; and
- Increased ability of benefitting women to transition to high level positions.
Performance Indicators
- The Department of State requires the applicant to submit monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) plans as part of the proposal process, including overall and local results frameworks and standard and custom performance indicators for both outputs and outcomes with estimated annual targets by fiscal year.
- Illustrative indicators include the following but are not limited to:
- GNDR-2: Percentage of female participants in USG-assisted programs designed to increase access to productive economic resources assets, credit, income or employment
- EG 7.3-2: Number of people trained in technical energy fields supported by U.S. government assistance.
- EG 6-2: Number of individuals with improved skills following completion of USG-assisted workforce development programs.
- EG 6-15: Percent of individuals with better employment following participation in USG-assisted workforce development programs.
- EG 12-1: Number of people trained in clean energy supported by USG assistance.
- GNDR-8: Number of persons trained with USG assistance to advance outcomes consistent with gender equality or female empowerment through their roles in public or private sector institutions or organizations.
Target Countries
- Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Guyana.
Eligibility Criteria
- U.S.-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations with or without 501(c) (3) status of the U.S. tax code;
- foreign-based non-profit organizations/nongovernment organizations (NGO);
- Public International Organizations;
- U.S.-based private, public, or state institutions of higher education;
- Foreign-based institutions of higher education.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.