Caribbean United for Women’s Economic Empowerment (CUWEE)

The United States Department of State's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA) announces a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to address systemic barriers and socio-cultural attitudes that challenge gender equity and equality in the Caribbean economy, to build the economic resilience and skills capacity of women and adolescent girls aged 16 and older to enable them to enter the labor force and obtain economic security. The project should start in October 2024, exact start dates to be determined. It is anticipated that the award will be executed through a cooperative agreement. This project will be administered by WHA's Office of Policy Planning and Coordination (PPC). Subject to availability of funds, WHA intends to issue one award to not exceed $1,973,359 in FY 2023 Gender Equity and Equality Action (GEEA) Economic Support Funds (ESF) for a project period up to three (3) years. WHA's Caribbean United for Women's Economic Empowerment (CUWEE) project seeks proposals that demonstrate how the potential grantee will strengthen local civil society support actors engaged in advancing women's economic security in the region to help provide economic gender equity and equality in the Caribbean region. The project should include plans to first identify problematic country-specific and/or regional systemic barriers and socio-cultural attitudes, and then work with local civil society organizations (CSO)s to address those barriers. The CUWEE project intends to support a competition that will promote local CSOs to develop and implement pioneering solutions to overcome the local systemic barriers to economic security for women in their country/region. Additionally, the project should provide a training curriculum that builds the capacity of and strengthens the regional Caribbean network of local CSOs engaged in women's economic security.