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The US Embassy offering $500,000 to create a network of Women Economic Empowerment Centers in Azerbaijan

Deadline: 1-Aug-22

The Embassy of the United States of America in Azerbaijan has announced an open competition for organizations to submit proposals that focus on creating a network of women economic empowerment centers throughout Azerbaijan and helping Azerbaijan’s women participate in their nation’s labor and entrepreneurship sectors.

The Embassy will fund a project working with women and girls to enhance their ability to open their own businesses, increase their employability, and/or increase their incomes. While using the Embassy’s American Corners – located in Baku and six regional cities of Ganja, Sheki, Khachmaz, Kurdemir, Salyan, and Lankaran – as hubs, the program can also propose additional program centers, such as libraries, youth, and community centers

Program partners will offer training sessions for varying degrees of skills in such areas as financial and digital literacy, resource-efficient agricultural techniques, post-harvest processing, accounting, marketing (including via social media), and business development. In addition, elaborate mentorship programs will be designed to meet the varying needs and aspirations of the participants.

Successful proposals will feature built-in competition and reward mechanisms offering internships and/or similar engagements to the most motivated and promising participants, thus laying pathways to employment (including self-employment), offering new connections, and building new partnerships. Finally, a successful proposal will include a rigorous monitoring, evaluation, learning plan.

Objectives
  • Proposals should demonstrate an understanding of the Embassy’s previous and ongoing efforts which include but are not limited to projects supporting women’s entrepreneurship in Baku and regions, sports programming for girls, provision of legal support to women including those who face domestic violence, empowering girls through STEM and similar programs.
  • Proposals should also leverage the related efforts of like-minded embassies, assistance agencies, and Azerbaijani government bodies, as well as their sizable network of U.S. exchange program alumni, to improve and fine-tune efforts that further their shared goals.
  • The program’s goal is to support women’s economic and social participation and leadership by improving their economic opportunities as entrepreneurs or in quality jobs through building skills, knowledge, and networks.
Funding Information
  • Total available funding: $500,000
  • Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 36 months period or less.
Outcomes
  • Income and control over assets: level of income and revenue, earnings, profits, savings, ownership of productive assets (land, animals, machinery, etc.), women’s increased control on household spending.
  • Decision-making in household and community: increased access to information and technology, participation in community groups, associations, networks, community decisionmaking and leadership.
  • Self-confidence and self-perception: psychological wellbeing, attitudes on own self-esteem, and confidence to interact with authorities and other stakeholders.
  • Changes in gender roles and responsibilities: number of hours spent in housework, equity of domestic care work, community attitudes towards women’s rights and inclusion.
  • Productivity and skills: improved business and work skills, access to productive tools and technologies, access to markets (as buyers and sellers), access to jobs.
Participants and Audiences
  • The intended participants for a potential project are women and girls, including those from economically and socially disadvantaged communities, such as IDP settlements.
  • Proposals should also demonstrate how – in cooperation with their American Corners and alumni network – additional women from defined target groups will be reached, and how assessment results will be analyzed and presented in reports and used for learning and future program design.
Eligibility Criteria
  • Submissions are encouraged from international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and associations with relevant experience, as well as from Azerbaijani NGOs and for-profit entities.
  • Successful applicants should possess some/all of the following attributes:
    • Organizations with a demonstrated success in working with women’s groups at the grassroots level and women empowerment networks. Proven experience in capacity development activities within Azerbaijan will be an asset.
    • A track record in developing and implementing innovative and transformational interventions that mobilize women and promote gender equality and women’s empowerment and female engagement in the local decision-making processes.
    • Applicants should demonstrate that they have existing partnerships or negotiated potential subcontractor arrangements with women-led and locally-led CSOs/NGOs with experience working in the target districts. In such cases, applicants may provide letters of intent demonstrating what activities and where the subcontractor will undertake.
    • In case of a consortium, the lead organization should have at least 5 years of experience in similar project interventions.

For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=340884