Deadline: 4-Nov-22
The U.S. Mission to Barbados announces an open competition for eligible organizations or individuals to submit applications to carry out a program to implement the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) program.
Objectives
- Provide resources for women to engage in U.S.-style online education with guided facilitation and localization from ECA exchange program alumni, local women business leaders, or other local partners.
- Foster networks that support participants’ access to peer-to-peer mentorship, business partners, and scaling opportunities with businesses in the region and in the United States.
- Post is inviting proposals from eligible applicants to coordinate and implement the 2023 cohort of this program.
Specific Objectives
- The Recipient agrees to coordinate and administer the program and meet the specific objectives below:
- Coordinate with U.S. Embassy to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean and the OECS to identify and plan appropriate enrichment activities such as individual mentorship and coaching, pitch preparation, business plan development, awareness of non-traditional financial opportunities, and community service.
- Identify and compensate a skilled and experienced facilitator who will lead class sessions, create content for the sessions that supports DreamBuilder program content and is adaptable to reflect local practices and regulations in Barbados. The facilitator will be present for all sessions to provide program continuity.
- Assume responsibility for receiving and reviewing applications and selecting the applicants/participants for this program.
- Assign a representative to review and provide guidance on participant’s business plans and pitch activities.
- Contract for catering to provide light refreshments for in-person events.
- Disburse payments in respect of mentoring opportunity to participants.
- Program and Participant – Monitoring and Evaluation
- Collaborate with the Embassy on the implementation of program/sessions
- Collaborate with the Embassy to identify external speakers for sessions from the network of ECA alumni of exchange programs.
- Collaborate with the Embassy to identify external speakers for sessions from the network of ECA alumni of exchange programs.
- Collaborate with the Embassy to identify external speakers for sessions from the network of ECA alumni of exchange programs.
- Provide quarterly updates on the execution of the project, inclusive of attendance records and relevant engagement surveys.
- Collaborate with the Embassy to design and execute the marketing, recruitment and selection of the program’s participants.
- Design and implement a comprehensive promotion and recruitment plan.
- Identify and coordinate the rental/provision of a conference room with requisite AV tech and conference amenities for the program duration.
- Provide Program and Participant – Monitoring and Evaluation
- Inform the Embassy on the implementation of program/sessions and agree on sessions where Embassy presence/participation is required.
- Identify and contract external speakers for the workshop and the pitch competition.
- Provide quarterly updates on the execution of the project
- Liaise with the Embassy and provide immediate updates on challenges or issues encountered
- Update the Embassy on program design.
- Arrange and identify all logistics related to hosting the opening and closing ceremonies as well as any other program events/activities.
- Maintain a register of AWE alumni from the respective island nation.
- Collect and share images and videos of the cohort for use as testimonials by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
- Coordinate all logistics relating to a Pitch Competition.
Funding Information
- Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $25,000.00 to a maximum of $75,000.00
- Total available funding: $125,000.00
- Duration: Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed by July 31, 2024.
Priority Region: WHA/The Eastern Caribbean – Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. PDS Bridgetown is seeking applicants to implement this program in the countries listed. Proposals must specify the country where a potential grantee will work.
Eligibility Criteria
- The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations
- Public and private educational institutions
- Individuals
- Alumni of U.S. Department of State exchange programs
- Who actively support the development of entrepreneurs and who through their past and current activities support this field.
- With a proven record of successful project implementation and engagement with international and regional funding organizations.
- Who are citizens and residents of Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and/or St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
- Project/Program
- Recruit 20-25 program participants
- Identify and contract a suitable location to host the sessions.
- Disburse payments to the speakers and facilitators for their activities in support of the program
- Organize and disburse payments and actions in relation to the hosting of networking events to include a products expo and the opening and closing ceremonies during the program
- Participants and Audiences:
- Ages 18 years and older
- Applicants from underserved communities
- Applicants’ business is not older than 2 years
- Applicants can also have a business idea (ideation)
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=343985