Deadline: 16-Jul-21
The U.S. Embassy Bamako has announced an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to train young Malian leaders on how to develop, support, and grow innovative ideas that address challenges in their communities through leadership and entrepreneurship.
This award is a follow-on of the AfrIdea Regional Hackathon, which will be implemented in Guinea, Mali, Senegal, and Togo on June 18-20, 2021. AfrIdea will facilitate workshops designed to help participants develop innovative solutions that address challenges in communities across Francophone West Africa. The three-day virtual event will also foster networking and mentorship opportunities. At the conclusion of the event, three teams from each country will showcase their technological solutions to a panel of judges for the opportunity to pursue follow-on financial and professional development support to implement and grow their ideas.
Qualified organizations and/or individuals will provide follow-on training in leadership and entrepreneurship for Mali’s ten AfrIdea participants as well as ten (10) to twenty (20) other leaders aged 18-29 selected through a competitive process.
Goals
The program goals are to:
- Foster entrepreneurship, leadership, and professional skills of young Malians to become business or social entrepreneurs, and/or leaders in their respective fields to support the expansion of entrepreneurial values in Mali. Areas of interest are: entrepreneurship related to climate change, environmental engineering and innovation, agriculture and food production, technology, design or other innovative fields addressing challenges today and in the future.
- Raise awareness of future Malian entrepreneurs of the entrepreneurial ecosystem as practiced in the United States.
- Identify points of access in the United States for future business partnerships, investment and ongoing education.
- Foster professional and personal ties with local entrepreneurs.
- Award amounts: $35,000
- Total available funding: $35,000
- Number of awards anticipated: 1 award
- Length of performance period: 12 months
Eligibility Criteria
- Youth organizations working in technology, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
- Malian non-profit/nongovernmental organizations or U.S. non-profit/nongovernmental organizations with significant experience in Mali.
- Accredited public and private non-profit educational institutions.
- Individuals.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=334167