Deadline: 9 May 2020
The U.S. Consulate General, Public Affairs Section is seeking proposals for its project entitled “Workshop Connecting Women and Youth-led Indian Businesses with Established American”.
This funding opportunity seeks to build on previous experience and organize a three-day long workshop for Indian women/youth-led MSMEs working in the defense sector. The workshop will include 25 participants from startups working in areas such as design, advanced technology, and artificial intelligence.
These participants should be key personnel involved with the start-ups and can include design and technology experts, financial and marketing personnel, and/or administrators. The workshop should help these firms understand how the defense sector requires different, specialized entrepreneurial and managerial skills. The workshop will also convene experts from leading U.S. and Indian manufacturers.
Entrepreneurs that participate in the workshop will build relationships with established defense players, building capacity in India’s defense sector, and further developing a global supply chain with likeminded partners in the defense industry.
Project Audience
College-educated youth, especially women, in the Hyderabad consular district involved in the defense sector, who are aspiring or active defense-tech entrepreneurs.
Project Objectives
- Participating entrepreneurs will effectively participate in defense expos, as evidenced by surveys conducted three months after the workshop.
- Participating entrepreneurs are equipped to advance MOUs, contracts, partnerships, investment and acquisitions within twelve months of the program.
- Partcipants are empowered to facilitate their firms’ access to funding and incubation opportunities.
Project Deliverables
- Produce a needs assessment identifying barriers and reasons why women and youth are underrepresented in the defense sector in India.
- Using results of needs assessment, widely promote a follow-on process to identify 25 young women and men entrepreneurs involved in the defense sector. These entrepreneurs should focus on areas of advanced technology, artificial intelligence, and design.
- Support further training opportunities for these 25 young entrepreneurs, to help them better manage their businesses, network with established players, and pitch their ideas in support of U.S.-India defense-industry partnership within three months.
- Training sessions will involve a minimum of two networking sessions, one each with leading Indian and American defense firms.
- Participating entrepreneurs will participate in defense-related pitching sessions, as evidenced by surveys administered three months after the workshop.
Funding Information
- Minimum (“Floor”) Award Amount: $45,000
- Maximum (“Ceiling”) Award Amount: $50,000
Note: Applicants are not required to pursue all project objectives and deliverables. What specific subject matter expertise does applicant possess, and which objectives and deliverables are they therefore best suited to pursue?
The Public Affairs Section reserves the right to award less or more than the funds described under circumstances deemed to be in the best interest of the U.S. government, pending the availability of funds and approval of the designated grants officer.
Eligibility Criteria
The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education;
- Civil society/non-governmental organizations;
- Think tanks;
- Public and private educational institutions;
- Individuals;
- Public International Organizations and Governmental institutions.
This award does not allow:
- Programs relating to partisan political activity;
- Charitable or development activities;
- Construction programs;
- Programs that support specific religious activities;
- Fund-raising campaigns;
- Lobbying for specific legislation or programs
- Scientific research or surveys;
- Commercial projects;
- Programs intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization;
- Programs that duplicate existing programs; or
- Illegal activities
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=325263