The Public Diplomacy Sections of the U.S. Embassy in Madrid and the U.S. Consulate General in Barcelona (referred to collectively as “PD Spain”) announce an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) program for participants in Spain. The State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) has established the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) as a program supporting women entrepreneurs around the world. 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. Additional information is available at the following link: https://eca.state.gov/awe Priority Region: Project activities may take place in any Spanish city or rural area. Program Objectives: 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 businesses operating in the Spanish entrepreneurial ecosystems and prepare them for potential collaboration with U.S. clients, customers, and investors. The project also aims to empower women entrepreneurs in Spain to fulfill their economic potential, and in doing so, create conditions for a more prosperous society. The objective of the project is to engage English-speaking Spanish or non-U.S. foreign resident female entrepreneurs in Spain with different profiles and backgrounds in an educational program to equip them with the skills needed for the successful development of their business ideas. The awardee will develop a program aimed at increasing entrepreneurial capacity of AWE beneficiaries that integrates 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 Spanish entrepreneurs, 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 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 Spain. Responsibilities of the Awardee: The awardee will be responsible for: The recruitment of AWE participants aged between 20 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, have computer literacy, and be willing to commit up to 7 hours a week for participation in the AWE Spain program. 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. The awardee may propose additional, country-specific teaching modules to complement the DreamBuilder course. These additional modules should target relevant specific challenges faced by Spanish 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 Spain 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 Spain program. PD Spain welcomes proposals which incorporate participants of former AWE programs in Spain or ECA Alumni in their projects. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION Eligible Applicants The following organizations registered in Spain are eligible to apply: Registered public or private non-profit organizations, such as business associations, foundations, and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience. Non-profit or governmental educational institutions; and Governmental institutions For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply. U.S. or third-country organizations are not eligible for a grant under this program unless in partnership with a Spanish entity. Applicants must have organizational representation that is legally registered (i.e. an existing office) in Spain. Organizations with extensive experience in business or entrepreneurship and with an established network, all preferably in Spain, will have priority among applicants. The application package should include: Cover Letter (optional): Applicants are encouraged to submit a cover letter on the organization’s letterhead containing the proposal’s submission date, project title, project performance period, and primary purpose of the project. Proposal Summary: Brief narrative that outlines the proposed project, including its objectives and how it advances the Embassy’s policy goals. Project summary should be one page maximum and clearly indicate the organization DUNS number. Proposal: The proposal should contain sufficient information so that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. Applicants must submit a complete proposal that includes the items listed below. (The proposal should not exceed 10 pages total.) Introduction to the Organization: A description of past and present operations. Please include information on previous grants from the U.S. Embassy and/or U.S. government agencies. Problem Statement: Clear, concise, and well-supported statement of the problem to be addressed and why the proposed project is needed. Project Goals and Objectives: The “goals” describe what the project intends to achieve at its completion. How will the project further the relationship between the United States and Spain? The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments that lead to the achievement of the goals. The goals should be measurable. Program Activities: Describe the program activities and indicate how they will help achieve the objectives. Program Methods and Design: A description of how the project is expected to work and how it will solve or address the stated problem. Proposed Project Schedule: The proposed timeline for undertaking and completing the specific project activities. Dates, times, and locations of planned activities and events should be included. Key Personnel: Names, titles, roles of the key personnel to be involved in the project. Who will work on the project? What responsibilities will they have? What qualifications do they have? What proportion of their time will be used in support of this project (e.g. total monthly/yearly salary at 5%)? Please indicate if any of the key personnel are alumni of a U.S. government-funded exchange program. Project Monitoring and Evaluation: This is an important part of successful applications. Throughout the timeframe of the grant, how will the activities be monitored to ensure they are happening in a timely manner, and how will the program be evaluated to make sure it is meeting the goals of the project? Include indicators the award will track to report on the program’s progress. At minimum, a monitoring and evaluation plan for an AWE Spain award must include the following: the number of participants, demographic information of those participants, the number, type, and location of viewing sessions offered, course enhancement activities and meet-ups, routine follow-up surveys and, in some instances, follow-up calls/meetings to determine programmatic effectiveness as well as how program participants applied information gained through AWE Spain Potential for Multiplier Effect/Longer-term Impact/Sustainability: The proposal should include a discussion of the follow-on impact of the project, even after the end of the program through the multiplier effect or through expected follow-on activities by the AWE participants, mentors and facilitators Media/Communications Plan: How will the applicant use traditional and social media to raise awareness about this project and its results? Proposed Budget: Listing of all project expenses, consistent with the proposal narrative, project activities and USG-wide budget categories. Types and amounts of funding your organization has received for the current project from other partners should be included. Include a budget narrative to explain any costs that are not self-explanatory. Please see point 7 Guidelines for Budget Submission below for further information. Other Attachments: 1-page CV or resume of key personnel who are proposed for the program Letters of support from program partners, if applicable, describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner. The letters must identify the type of relationship to be entered into (formal or informal), the roles and responsibilities of each partner in relation to the proposed project activities, and the expected result of the partnership. The individual letters cannot exceed one page in length. If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA should be included as a PDF file. Official permission letters, if required for program activities If you have completed the SAM.gov process, a screenshot showing your active SAM.gov status, or if you have still have not completed the SAM.gov registration, a screenshot from SAM.gov reflecting that you have started the process. Application Submission Deadline: All applications must be received by November 28, 2021 (11:59 p.m. CET). This deadline is firm and is not a rolling deadline. If organizations fail to meet the deadline noted above their application will be considered ineligible and will not be considered for funding. Application Submission Process: Proposals should be submitted to the U.S. Embassy Madrid and Consulate General Barcelona Public Affairs Sections at the following email address:
[email protected]. Applicants must include the Funding Opportunity Title and Funding Opportunity Number in the subject line of their email. Applications must be submitted in English. Applicants will receive a confirmation e-mail from the Embassy and/or Consulate to indicate that we have received your proposal.