Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) in Hela and Morobe

Description

Funding Opportunity Description The Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy Port Moresby (PD Port Moresby) announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) program for participants in Hela and Morobe Provinces of Papua New Guinea. The White House-led Women's Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) initiative is designed to empower women worldwide to fulfill their economic potential and, in doing so, create conditions for increased stability, security, and prosperity for all. The target is to reach 50 million women by 2025 by promoting an enabling environment that reduces barriers and facilitates women's participation in the economy. In support, State Department´s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) launched the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), a program to teach women around the world to become successful entrepreneurs. AWE is an educational opportunity for prospective women entrepreneurs and early-stage business owners that uses an online entrepreneurship course at its core. Participants gather “in-person” (synchronous format) to view course modules or to discuss after reviewing individually online. By creating an educational cohort and reinforcing peer-to-peer learning, course completion rates increase significantly from on-line only learning. Facilitators, chosen from alumni, business leaders, or other qualified professionals, will lead the discussions and help to localize the principles taught. Additional sessions should address country-specific topics or develop other skills useful to entrepreneurs. The U.S. Embassy Port Moresby currently runs AWE throughout Papua New Guinea. The U.S. Embassy Port Moresby seeks to expand the program by targeting women in Hela and Morobe Provinces. For that, we are seeking a reliable implementing organization that works with training and/or entrepreneurship, to carry out this project in Hela and Morobe Provinces. AWE uses DreamBuilder, an online training program for women entrepreneurs that was developed through a partnership between Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Management and global copper mining company Freeport-McMoRan to teach women how to create their own business plans, understand how to raise capital, and connect with networks of successful business owners. The grantee must use the AWE format and the DreamBuilder course to qualify for the grant. Additional information is available at the following link: https://eca.state.gov/awe Applications must follow the instructions outlined below. Priority Region: Project activities may take place in Hela and/or Morobe Provinces. Program Objectives: The objective of the project is to engage and train at least 200 female entrepreneurs (5 cohorts in over 3 years) in Hela and Morobe Provinces in the Dreambuilder course and in-person educational programs to equip them with the skills needed for the successful development of their business ideas. Entrepreneurship is a means to respond to new economic challenges, create jobs, and fight social and financial exclusion. The goal of this project is to share lessons and practices from the United States with new business women operating in Hela and Morobe Provinces and prepare them for potential collaboration with U.S. clients, customers, and investors. The project also aims to empower women entrepreneurs in Hela and Morobe Provinces to fulfill their economic potential, and in doing so, create conditions for a more prosperous society. The awardee will develop a program aimed at increasing the entrepreneurial capacity of businesswomen using the DreamBuilder course, in-person trainings, follow-on activities, and small grants programs. The grantee must integrate the English-language DreamBuilder (dreambuilder.org) online course as one of its key components. A single AWE program must encompass at least five facilitated in-person sessions that will provide the participants with an opportunity to discuss the topics addressed in each of the DreamBuilder modules, and to build a network of like-minded entrepreneurs amongst the participants. The modules may be augmented to target relevant specific challenges faced by entrepreneurs in Hela and Morobe Provinces, and to accommodate the topics of guest speaker talks. Applicants are encouraged to build a comprehensive program in support of the skills gained by participants through the DreamBuilder sessions. These may include trade fairs, fashion programs, graduation events, mentorship activities, guest speaker talks, partnerships with business incubators, speed-networking, and/or pitch competitions. Participants of this program should be comfortable taking a course and completing assignments in English. Awardee should be able to demonstrate extensive experience in organizing entrepreneurship or business programs and should have an established network of entrepreneurs, business leaders, and investors throughout Papua New Guinea. Responsibilities of the Awardee: The awardee will be responsible for: The recruitment of AWE participants between the ages of 18 and 45, who have recently started a business or have demonstrated interest and progress in developing an entrepreneurial idea. Selected participants should feel comfortable speaking in English and be willing to commit up to 4 hours a week for participation in the AWE. The design, publication, and promotion of the call for applications through traditional and/or social media platforms and organizational networks that will maximize the number of women reached. Review applications and preselect program participants. The awardee will organize and conduct final interviews for selection of participants and alternates. The awardee may determine additional selection criteria beyond the basic eligibility parameters. Designing the format, locations, target regions/audiences, number of cohorts and participants per cohort, within the established framework, as well as the overall coordination and logistics of the project. Structure partnerships with entities, experts, NGOs, foundations, or academic institutions for enrichment of the program. The awardee may identify joint programming opportunities to maximize the project impact. Adequate staffing of facilitated AWE events and relevant travel arrangements. Creation and implementation of a small-grants program for AWE alumni, promoting and awarding small grants through a merit-based application process. The awardee may propose additional follow-on programs and events such as trade fairs, fashion shows, graduation events etc. The awardee may propose additional, country-specific teaching modules to complement the DreamBuilder course. These additional modules should target relevant specific challenges faced by Hela and Morobe Provinces entrepreneurs. The recruitment and selection of at least two entrepreneurs or business leaders who will act as facilitators and will coordinate and be in charge of all logistics all virtual and in-person gatherings that will follow the completion of each DreamBuilder module. These facilitators will become mentors and trainers of the AWE participants. Identify and provide an appropriate AWE location with sufficient space and internet bandwidth. Monitor attendance and participation of AWE beneficiaries, maintaining regular communication with the participants to troubleshoot and resolve any unexpected issue. Report program’s progress to PD Port Moresby in a timely fashion, per guidelines and reporting periods identified in the award. Execute a comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation Plan consisting of a series of data collection and assessment activities during the program, and after the program completion to evaluate the effectiveness of this AWE program. PD Port Moresby welcomes proposals which incorporate participants of former AWE programs or other alumni of U.S. government sponsored programs in their projects. Participants and Audiences: The target audience for the program should be women with newly created businesses or those with an advanced business idea aged between 18 and 45, with sufficient English skills and computer literacy to complete the English-language version of the DreamBuilder curriculum. Ideal participants will be women who have recently started a business without a structured business plan or have a demonstrated interest in developing a business idea. Participants must be energetic and available to commit up to seven hours a week for studying the course content, participating in discussions, networking opportunities and other events as part of the program. The number of participants per cohort ranges between a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 40. The AWE program must be implemented both in Hela and Morobe Provinces under this award. Proposed Project Schedule Awards will be announced in September 2023. The grantee should hire and train staff and facilitators in the fall of 2023. The grantee should target one pilot province, Hela or Morobe, and recruit the first cohort in spring of 2024. The first AWE cohort should conduct trainings in the summer and fall of 2024. The second and third cohorts should be recruited in 2025, and trainings implemented and completed in 2025. The fourth and fifth cohorts should be recruited and trained in 2026. Follow-on activities and the small grants programs should be ongoing through the period of the grant.

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