A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The U.S. Embassy in Port Louis, Mauritius announces an open competition for non-profit organizations to submit applications to lead a program for women entrepreneurs through the U.S. State Department's Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) program in Mauritius. Please follow all instructions below.
Program Objectives:
The U.S. State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) established the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) an exchange program in 2019 to empower women with the professional skills, networks, and access they need to launch or scale successful businesses.
Implemented in nearly 100 countries since 2019, AWE has empowered an estimated 25,000 women entrepreneurs around the world with the professional business skills they need to reach their full economic potential. The AWE program was implemented in 2021 in Mauritius.
As a U.S. government exchange program, AWE connects women with U.S.-style learning and expertise to advance business acumen and build stronger ties among women entrepreneurs in different markets.
The AWE program partners with Arizona State University's Thunderbird School of Global Management (ASU) and the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation, the creators of DreamBuilder, a no-cost online learning platform that teaches AWE participants the fundamentals of business from a U.S. perspective. In 2023, the Department and ASU established a new five-year, public-private partnership to also offer AWE participants advanced courses through the Francis and Dionne Najafi 100 Million Learners Global Initiative.
In addition, by networking with local business leaders and U.S. Exchange Alumni, the AWE program includes localized content specific to entrepreneurs' needs.
ECA's Office of Academic Programs manages the AWE program and supports U.S. Missions worldwide to leverage the power of local U.S.-government Exchange Alumni networks to serve as facilitators, guest speakers, and mentors for the AWE program. Learn more at https://eca.state.gov/awe.
The project will include the following objectives:
Develop a program aimed at increasing entrepreneurial capacity of AWE beneficiaries that will integrate the DreamBuilder (dreambuilder.org) online course or the Najafi 100 Million Learners Global Initiative as one of its key components. The program will encompass facilitated viewing sessions that will provide the participants an opportunity to discuss the topics and to network. The modules may be augmented to localize the context, and to accommodate the topics of guest speaker talks.
Identify a facilitator(s) to lead discussions, help localize the principles taught and engage in speed mentoring, influencer talks, pitch competitions or trade fairs for women to apply business skills in real-time.
Create an educational cohort and recruit 25-35 women aged 25 or older to engage in U.S.-style online education with guided facilitation. The awardee will promote the call for participants through traditional and/or social media platforms and organizational networks that would maximize the number of women reached. In consultation with the awarding agency, the awardee will determine additional selection criteria beyond the basic eligibility parameters and devise an application form. The awardee will review and pre-select program participants and in close collaboration with the U.S. Embassy will organize and conduct final interviews to select the participants.
Foster networks that support participants' access to peer-to-peer mentorship, business partners, and scaling opportunities with business in the region.
The project has the following goal:
Provide the selected women entrepreneurs with the skills, resources, and networks needed to start and scale successful businesses.
Participants and Audiences:
The target audience for this project are Mauritian, Rodriguan and Seychellois women, aged 25 and older who have recently started a business and have about a year experience selling their product or service. Participants should have basic computer skills and have minimal previous business training.
B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION
Length of performance period: 1 year
Number of awards anticipated: 1 award
Award Floor: $17,000
Award Ceiling: $25,000
Type of Funding: FY25 Smith Mundt Public Diplomacy Funds
Anticipated program start date: May 2025
This notice is subject to availability of funding.
Background
The U.S. Embassy in Port Louis, Mauritius announces an open competition for non-profit organizations to lead a program for women entrepreneurs through the U.S. State Department’s Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) program. Established in 2019, AWE aims to empower women with professional skills, networks, and access necessary to launch or scale successful businesses. The program has been implemented in nearly 100 countries and has empowered approximately 25,000 women entrepreneurs globally.
In Mauritius, the AWE program was initiated in 2021, partnering with Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management and the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation to provide U.S.-style business education.
Grant Details
The project will include the following objectives:
- Develop a program aimed at increasing entrepreneurial capacity of AWE beneficiaries that will integrate the DreamBuilder online course or the Najafi 100 Million Learners Global Initiative as a key component. This includes facilitated viewing sessions for discussion and networking.
- Identify facilitators to lead discussions and engage in speed mentoring, influencer talks, pitch competitions, or trade fairs for real-time application of business skills.
- Create an educational cohort by recruiting 25-35 women aged 25 or older for U.S.-style online education with guided facilitation.
- Foster networks that support participants’ access to mentorship and business opportunities.
Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants include registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience, as well as non-profit or governmental educational institutions. For-profit entities are not eligible. Organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number issued via www.SAM.gov and valid registration on SAM.gov.
Period of Performance
The performance period is set for one year, with an anticipated program start date in May 2025.
Grant Value
The award floor is $17,000 and the award ceiling is $25,000. Only one award is anticipated.
Place of Performance
The grant will be performed in Mauritius.
