Academy for Women Entrepreneurs 2024 – DRC

With AWE, U.S. Embassy Kinshasa hopes to consolidate, professionalize, and existing entrepreneurial networks, leveraging alumni contacts in five provinces/cities (Tshopo – Kisangani, Kinshasa – Kinshasa, Haut Katanga – Lubumbashi, Sud-Kivu – Bukavu and Nord-Kivu – Goma) to train twenty women in each location for the second cohort of 100. Women business owners who are alumni of U.S. government-funded exchange programs alumni will serve as primary facilitators from the American Spaces network countrywide in partnership with local NGOs that focus on sustainable management solutions.

Program Objectives

• Equip participants with knowledge and skills from both U.S. and Congolese training materials to build and scale up sustainable businesses.
• Expand participants’ understanding of social enterprise models.
• Foster participants’ ability to promote economic opportunities for women and increase the number of women-led businesses.
• Facilitate the development of a network of female entrepreneurs and investors to grow women businesses and drive local and international partnerships.

Funding Information

• Length of performance period: 6 months
• Number of awards anticipated: 01 award (dependent on amounts)
• Total available funding: $68,166.00
• Anticipated program start date: September 2024

Project Activities

• Phase 1: Develop and Recruit
  • Participants must register to Dreambuilder platform to access training modules.
  • Identify, recruit, and train facilitators and mentors from the USG alumni community and other female organizations.
  • Announce, conduct outreach, and recruit participants.
  • Produce a facilitation guide for business incubators and social entrepreneurs to use in supporting women’s economic empowerment.
  • Develop extra activities that might engage participants and build network with potential donors and partners.
• Phase 2: Train the Cohort
  • Organize a 3-day AWE Bootcamp with an official launching ceremony in targeted cities (Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Goma, Bukavu and Kisangani).
  • Facilitate training of the online DreamBuilder or Thunderbird’s 100 Million Learners courses through weekly virtual or in-person sessions to discuss challenges, share best practices, and receive guidance from facilitators.
  • Organize activities that integrate localized content to supplement the online DreamBuilder or Thunderbird’s 100 Million Learners courses.
  • Establish a support network among participants to foster peer-to-peer learning and collaboration.
• Phase 3: Milestone Finale
  • Organize a 2-day final gathering on “Women’s Investment Network” to showcase AWE participants and alumnae’ businesses, connect them with potential investors, and increase their access to funding opportunities.
• Session topics include, but are not limited to:
  • Addressing the unique challenge, needs, and opportunities of women entrepreneurs in accessing investment.
  • Inviting potential investors to participate in the forum and provide funding opportunities for promising women-led businesses.
  • Conducting a pitch competition where selected AWE participants and alumnae present their business plans to a panel of investors.
  • Conducting a social media campaign to showcase AWE success stories.
  • Proposals are encouraged to consider the costs of taking 10 AWE alumni from cohort 1 to participate in a two-week business training, mentorship, and networking program at Harvard University in the U.S. and 10 additional AWE alumni to participate in a related program in South Africa.

Participants and Audiences

The 2024 AWE participants will consist of 100 Congolese women entrepreneurs who:

• Reside in DR Congo.
• Own social enterprises or businesses focused on professional development, business incubation, or startup support for women.
• Have 2-5 years of business experience and demonstrate computer proficiency and internet access.
• Are recruited from all 5 regions of Congo via a competitive application process.
• Women business owners who are U.S. alumni will serve as primary facilitators.
• American Spaces network countrywide will serve as venues.
• Proposal needs to include a venue for Bukavu as there is not yet an American Space.

Eligible Applicants

• The following organizations are eligible to apply:
  • Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/nongovernmental organizations with programming experience
  • Individuals
  • Non-profit educational institutions
  • Governmental institutions
• For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.