Academy for Women Entrepreneurs - AWE 2020

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE U.S. EMBASSY RABAT Notice of Funding Opportunity Funding Opportunity Title: Academy for Women Entrepreneurs, Open Cooperative Agreement 2020 Funding Opportunity Number: PAS-MOROCCO-FY20-06 Deadline for Applications: Sunday, June 07, 2020 CFDA Number: 19.040 Total Amount Available: $18,000 - $25,000 1. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The U.S. Embassy in Morocco is pleased to announce the open competition to award a cooperative agreement for a new program, the “Academy for Women Entrepreneurs” (or “AWE”). The Public Affairs Office invites proposals from established Moroccan associations, committed and organized civil-society organizations, and academic institutions, to design and implement an intensive, one-week entrepreneurship “boot camp” that would provide approximately 50 emerging female entrepreneurs with critical skills for founding or scaling up their businesses and help develop a network among participants and trainers for future collaboration and support. U.S. and third-country organizations or nationals are not eligible for cooperative agreements under this program unless in partnership with a Moroccan entity. 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, which teaches women to create their own business plans, understand how to raise capital, and connect with networks of successful business owners. At this entrepreneurship-focused boot camp, participants will take part in facilitated training sessions featuring DreamBuilder which offers modules on the fundamentals of launching and scaling up businesses. These sessions should be highly interactive and should be supplemented by in-person talks and workshops, including from successful Moroccan entrepreneurs and alumni of U.S. government exchange programs. The AWE boot camp will target female Moroccan university students/recent graduates or professionals with aspirations to launch their own businesses, who are approximately 22 to 28 years old. Participants should be recruited via a competitive application process from around the country. TheDreamBuilder curriculum is in English so participants must be able to demonstrate requisite language skills. The program will be held at a central location, selected by the awardee in consultation with the U.S. Embassy. Participants should be lodged at nearby residences or hotels. The awardee will be responsible for coordinating and paying for the travel and lodging of all participants to and from the program location. All AWE activities should have a strong American focus. To supplement the facilitated “Dreambuilder” online sessions, the Embassy will work with the awardee to identify and recruit relevant local American business experts and professors in Morocco and/or business experts from the Moroccan branches of American companies to provide complementary lectures and workshops. The Embassy will seek to include a substantial proportion of female role models among these experts. The Awardee will integrate these experts into the boot camp curriculum and arrange and fund their travel and lodging. The sessions involving the Dreambuilder online courses will be conducted in English; supplementary workshops and talks may be conducted in English, Darija, or French. Objectives Each proposal should meet the following objectives, in addition to strengthening understanding of U.S. values, institutions, and precepts: 1. Expand participant’s understanding of the fundamentals of developing, launching, and scaling up a business. 2. Expose participants to U.S. models for business development and connect them with American entrepreneurship experts. 3. Facilitate the development of an ongoing network of female entrepreneurs who can offer support and ongoing best practices while sustaining their relationship with the U.S. Embassy. Proposals Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals that use a variety of interactive activities, workshops, and other learning experiences to help participants develop their entrepreneurship skills. All proposals should contain a proposed syllabus briefly describing how in-person speakers and other activities would supplement the online sessions in the attached Dreambuilder course description, and how these activities would relate to overall program objectives. Proposals should also include a detailed explanation of how applicants will be recruited and a description of how institute activities will bring about the intended results. Proposals should include ideas for at least one follow-on activity approximately two to six months after the institute that would allow all or select participants to deepen their entrepreneurship skills (please note that this award would not cover the costs of any such follow-on activity, which would be subject to additional funding resources). Only Moroccan associations, committed and organized civil-society organizations, and academic institutions with full SAM registration and experience executing youth programs will be eligible to receive funding. 1. GUIDELINES: · Awardees will work closely with the Embassy’s Public Affairs Office to design and execute an intensive, week-long facilitated program for 50 Moroccan female entrepreneurs or aspiring entrepreneurs (age 20 – 28). Activities should include workshops, mentoring, and other interactive sessions. The activities should be innovative and hands-on. · Awardees should recruit participants from across Morocco. A clear methodology of participant recruitment and selection should be detailed in the proposal, including efforts to ensure geographic and socio-economic inclusion. · The cooperative agreement should cover the costs of a venue for the institute and travel, lodging, and full board for participants. · The cooperative agreement should cover the costs of travel, lodging and full board for at least 10 local facilitators. · The cooperative agreement should cover the costs of travel, lodging, and full board for at least 5 expert speakers. · The cooperative agreement should cover funding for any materials necessary for the promotion of the AWE boot camp/recruiting participants and other materials for use in program activities. · Awardees should be prepared to design and implement surveys, polls, or other methods for evaluating the institute’s effectiveness before, during and after the boot camp’s completion. · The proposal should include information about how the awardee will identify and recruit local facilitators and experts. · The proposal should contain a detailed sample agenda of sessions and activities. · Awardees should be available to participate in weekly planning calls with the Embassy and/or the American trainer(s) until the launch of the institute. · Equipment cannot account for more than 10% of the total project cost. · The cooperative agreement will be only awarded to Moroccan associations, committed and organized civil-society organizations and academic institutions that already have a final registration receipt and an established bank account at the time that they apply. · Moroccan associations, civil-society organizations and academic institutions applying to this program should have experience both in organizing large-scale programs as well as demonstrated knowledge of the entrepreneurship and business environment in Morocco. · U.S. and third-country organizations or nationals are not eligible for awards under this program unless in partnership with a Moroccan NGO. · All proposals must be submitted to the U.S. Embassy by June 07 2020. No late proposals will be considered. · All applicants will be notified of funding decisions by Mid-June 2020, subject to the availability of funds. C. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION · Number of awards anticipated: one award. · Approximate award amount: The amount may range from a minimum of $18,000 to a maximum of $25,000. Projects for lesser or greater values will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Funding may be renewed for up to an additional two years on a non-competitive basis pending successful performance and availability of funds. · Type of Funding: FY20 Smith-Mundt Public Diplomacy Funds · The awardee should plan to end the project by July 2021 with dates to be set in coordination with the Embassy. This notice is subject to availability of funding. Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement. The Public Affairs Office will be actively involved in the award implementation. U.S. Embassy staff will: · Provide standardized logos/branding guidelines for AWE promotional materials · Initiate and participate in promotional activities, to include promotion of the AWE through the U.S. Mission to Morocco’s social media platforms and media engagements. · Assist in identifying possible institute venues. Approve the selection of the venue. · Approve participant, facilitator, and expert speaker recruitment and selection plans. · Assist the implementing partner in developing a multistage review process for applicants, including an initial technical review of applications, review and creation of a short list, and process for interviews, which will include a panel of reviewers with Embassy representation. · Assist in identifying and contacting alumni of U.S. government exchange program, representatives of U.S. companies, and U.S. Mission personnel as potential speakers or trainers. . · Review and approve proposed institute speaker and trainer rosters and activity/workshop/site visit topics and formats. · During the boot camp, use social media and outreach to print and television networks, as well as engagement by senior Mission officials, to showcase AWE for a wider Moroccan audience · Collaborate with the awardee in assessing participant needs for post-boot camp additional training and assist in designing a follow-on activity. D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION · To apply, please complete the Project Narrative Form, the Organizational Information Form, and the Budget Proposal template (in USD) · A copy of the final registration papers for the organization and a copy of RIB certificate should be included · Proposals must include a detailed syllabus of daily activities (Please use and attach your own form) · Budgets must follow the budget template and should be submitted in U.S. Dollars (please use $1 = 9.500 MAD as exchange rate) · If other partners are willing to support the proposed activity, please list them as well as their contribution. · The following documents must be submitted to [email protected] no later than Sunday June 07, 2020. o Project Narrative Form (in English) o Applicant Organizational Information Form (in English) o Budget Proposal (in USD) o Evaluation and measurement plan – AWE (in English) o Syllabus activities (Use your own template – in English) For any questions, please contact: [email protected]