Opportunity Information: Apply for PDS DHAKA NOFO FY2025 02
The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) 2025 opportunity is a U.S. Embassy Dhaka Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) grant competition to run the next round of the AWE program in Bangladesh. AWE is a U.S. Department of State Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) initiative launched in 2019 to help women overcome common barriers to starting and growing businesses, especially barriers tied to limited access to finance, professional networks, and practical business training. The program’s core purpose is to build women’s entrepreneurial capability and financial independence through structured training, coaching, mentorship, and networking, with an emphasis on reaching underserved, marginalized, rural, and other underrepresented communities across Bangladesh.
The program model combines no-cost online business education with localized support. Proposals are required to integrate the DreamBuilder online course (developed with Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management and the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation), and they may also incorporate content from the Najafi 100 Million Learners Global Initiative curriculum. The Embassy is looking for implementers that can translate that online learning into real outcomes through facilitated in-person and virtual sessions, practical guidance, and opportunities for participants to connect with experienced entrepreneurs and mentors. A key requirement is a clearly defined American component, such as U.S. experts participating as guest speakers, instructors, or coaches, and this should be reflected directly in the syllabus and program design rather than treated as an add-on.
The intended participants are aspiring women entrepreneurs drawn from diverse backgrounds and regions, including both rural and urban settings, and spanning different education levels and professional experiences. The program prioritizes women who face systemic barriers to economic participation, with diversity and inclusion factors explicitly highlighted (such as geography, age, education, social class, religion, and profession). Cohorts can be run in multiple locations, with cohorts of up to about 30 participants, and the overall approach is meant to build not only individual skills but also lasting peer-to-peer and mentorship networks that continue after the training ends.
The grant’s goals and objectives focus on practical, measurable economic outcomes. The program aims to train roughly 25 to 30 women in foundational business competencies like strategic planning, marketing, and finance using recognized entrepreneurship curricula. It also aims to strengthen mentorship and professional networks by involving U.S. exchange alumni, local business leaders, and qualified facilitators who can provide coaching and open doors to collaboration. Success is framed in terms of participants applying what they learn to build scalable business models, improving profitability and resilience, and generating local jobs. The opportunity includes example outcome targets such as at least 30 participants reporting increased income and 15 hiring additional staff within a year after completion, alongside an inclusion target that at least 50 percent of participants come from economically disadvantaged, rural, or minority communities.
A distinctive feature of this NOFO is the emphasis on alumni engagement and program continuity. Applicants must include follow-on activities for AWE alumnae from prior years, with options like site visits, seed funding opportunities, pitch competitions, fairs, networking events, exchanges, summits, or skills-boosting workshops. Proposals that add thoughtful, interactive, and creative elements to keep alumnae connected and actively growing their ventures are positioned as more competitive, reflecting the Embassy’s interest in building a durable entrepreneurial ecosystem rather than a one-time training course.
Eligible applicants are limited to non-profit and non-governmental entities and similar mission-driven organizations that are legally recognized and able to comply with both U.S. and Bangladeshi legal and technical requirements for Public Diplomacy programs. Eligible categories include not-for-profit organizations, civil society/NGOs, think tanks, public and private educational institutions, and public international organizations and governmental institutions. For-profit entities are not eligible to serve as the prime recipient. Partnerships are allowed through sub-contracting, but only one qualifying non-profit/non-governmental organization can be the primary award recipient, and proposals must clearly define the responsibilities of each partner (with the NOFO referencing 2 CFR 200.331 for subrecipient vs. contractor distinctions).
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant under Funding Opportunity Number PDS DHAKA NOFO FY2025 02, aligned with CFDA 19.022 and categorized under Employment, Labor and Training. The Embassy expects to make one award, with a maximum award amount (ceiling) of $35,000. The original application deadline listed is January 15, 2025, and the opportunity was created on December 3, 2024.Apply for PDS DHAKA NOFO FY2025 02
- The U.S. Mission to Bangladesh in the employment, labor and training sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) 2025" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.022.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-12-03.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-01-15. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $35,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) 2025 - Grant Opportunity FAQs
1) What is the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) 2025 opportunity?
AWE 2025 is a U.S. Embassy Dhaka Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) grant competition to implement the next round of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs program in Bangladesh.
2) Who is offering the grant?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Embassy Dhaka, Public Diplomacy Section (PDS).
3) What is AWE as a program?
AWE is a U.S. Department of State Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) initiative launched in 2019. It is designed to help women overcome common barriers to starting and growing businesses, especially barriers related to limited access to finance, professional networks, and practical business training.
4) What is the main purpose of this AWE round in Bangladesh?
The core purpose is to build women’s entrepreneurial capability and financial independence through structured training, coaching, mentorship, and networking, with an emphasis on reaching underserved, marginalized, rural, and other underrepresented communities across Bangladesh.
5) What kind of program model is expected?
The program model combines no-cost online business education with localized support. The implementer is expected to translate online learning into outcomes through facilitated in-person and virtual sessions, practical guidance, and connections to experienced entrepreneurs and mentors.
6) Is the DreamBuilder course required?
Yes. Proposals are required to integrate the DreamBuilder online course, which was developed with Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management and the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation.
7) Can applicants use other curricula in addition to DreamBuilder?
Yes. Proposals may also incorporate content from the Najafi 100 Million Learners Global Initiative curriculum.
8) What does the Embassy mean by an “American component”?
A clearly defined American component is required, such as U.S. experts participating as guest speakers, instructors, or coaches. This component should be reflected directly in the syllabus and program design, not treated as a separate add-on.
9) Who are the intended participants?
The intended participants are aspiring women entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds and regions across Bangladesh, including rural and urban settings, and spanning different education levels and professional experiences.
10) Does the program prioritize any specific groups of women?
Yes. The program prioritizes women who face systemic barriers to economic participation. Diversity and inclusion factors are explicitly highlighted, including geography, age, education, social class, religion, and profession.
11) How many participants are expected to be trained?
The program aims to train roughly 25 to 30 women in foundational business competencies.
12) What cohort size is suggested?
Cohorts can be run in multiple locations, with cohorts of up to about 30 participants.
13) What topics or competencies should the training cover?
The training is expected to build foundational business competencies such as strategic planning, marketing, and finance, using recognized entrepreneurship curricula.
14) What types of support beyond coursework are encouraged?
The Embassy is looking for implementers that provide facilitated sessions (in-person and virtual), practical guidance, coaching, mentorship, and networking opportunities that help participants apply learning to real business outcomes.
15) What is meant by building “lasting networks”?
The approach is intended to build peer-to-peer and mentorship networks that continue after the training ends, rather than ending support when the course concludes.
16) Are mentorship and professional networks part of the grant objectives?
Yes. One objective is to strengthen mentorship and professional networks by involving U.S. exchange alumni, local business leaders, and qualified facilitators who can provide coaching and help open doors to collaboration.
17) What outcomes does the Embassy consider “success”?
Success is framed in practical, measurable economic outcomes, such as participants applying what they learn to build scalable business models, improving profitability and resilience, and generating local jobs.
18) Are there example targets for outcomes after the program?
Yes. The opportunity includes example outcome targets such as at least 30 participants reporting increased income and 15 hiring additional staff within a year after completion.
19) Are there inclusion targets for participant selection?
Yes. An inclusion target included is that at least 50 percent of participants come from economically disadvantaged, rural, or minority communities.
20) What is the emphasis on alumni engagement?
This NOFO places distinctive emphasis on alumni engagement and program continuity. Applicants must include follow-on activities for AWE alumnae from prior years.
21) What kinds of alumni follow-on activities are acceptable?
Examples include site visits, seed funding opportunities, pitch competitions, fairs, networking events, exchanges, summits, or skills-boosting workshops.
22) What types of proposals are likely to be more competitive?
Proposals that add thoughtful, interactive, and creative elements to keep alumnae connected and actively growing their ventures are positioned as more competitive, reflecting the Embassy’s interest in building a durable entrepreneurial ecosystem rather than a one-time training course.
23) Who is eligible to apply as the prime recipient?
Eligible applicants are limited to non-profit and non-governmental entities and similar mission-driven organizations that are legally recognized and able to comply with U.S. and Bangladeshi legal and technical requirements for Public Diplomacy programs.
24) What types of organizations are listed as eligible?
Eligible categories include not-for-profit organizations, civil society/NGOs, think tanks, public and private educational institutions, and public international organizations and governmental institutions.
25) Are for-profit organizations eligible to apply?
No. For-profit entities are not eligible to serve as the prime recipient.
26) Are partnerships allowed?
Yes. Partnerships are allowed through sub-contracting, but only one qualifying non-profit/non-governmental organization can be the primary award recipient.
27) Do partner roles need to be defined in the proposal?
Yes. Proposals must clearly define the responsibilities of each partner. The NOFO references 2 CFR 200.331 for subrecipient vs. contractor distinctions.
28) How many awards does the Embassy expect to make?
The Embassy expects to make one award.
29) What is the maximum award amount?
The maximum award amount (ceiling) is $35,000.
30) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this NOFO?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PDS DHAKA NOFO FY2025 02.
31) What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is aligned with CFDA 19.022.
32) What category is this opportunity listed under?
It is categorized under Employment, Labor and Training.
33) What type of grant is this?
It is a discretionary grant.
34) What was the listed application deadline?
The original application deadline listed is January 15, 2025.
35) When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on December 3, 2024.
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