Academy for Women Entrepreneurs 2025 (Bahamas)

Modules

• Plan at least two to five additional Bahamas-specific modules covering topics such as:
  • Fine Tuning the Business Plan for The Bahamas
  • General Pitch Class
  • Digital Currencies
  • Opportunities for International Trade and Investment / U.S. Export Opportunities
  • Alumni networks and exchanges, amplification of AWE businesses, etc. – in collaboration with U.S. Embassy Nassau

Activities 

• The U.S. Embassy Public Diplomacy team 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, including promotion of AWE through the U.S. Mission in Nassau’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 shortlist, 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 programs, 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 training program, use social media and outreach to print and television networks, as well as engagement by senior Mission officials, to showcase AWE for a wider Bahamian audience.

Note

• The implementation partner is asked to conduct a comprehensive evaluation survey of 2025 cohort graduates. (This can be subcontracted out to a third party.)
• U.S. Embassy branding must be prominently featured on all promotional materials, gifts, and official documents.

Eligibility Criteria

• The implementing partner and grant recipient will work closely with the Embassy’s Public Diplomacy team to design and execute a facilitated program for up to 30 Bahamian female entrepreneurs (age 18 and over) residing in Eleuthera. Activities should include workshops, mentoring, and other interactive sessions. The activities should be innovative and hands-on. In consultation with the U.S. Embassy Public Diplomacy team, the awardee is expected to run all logistics of the AWE program to include, but not limited to the following. Therefore, the proposal should clearly describe how each item below will be addressed:
  • Identify facilitation team and class meeting location.
  • Create AWE 2025 application form/process.
  • Advertise and recruit target audience
  • Hold information session for applicants.
  • Train facilitators
  • Create class schedule/timeline.
  • Collect/organize applications for scoring.
  • Score applications and identify cohort participants (in consultation with U.S. Embassy) (Note: No more than 30 applicants may be chosen for the AWE 2025 program.)
  • Inform applicants – send congratulations and regret letters.
  • Hold program launch event – Introduce facilitation team / Introduce DreamBuilder/ provide signup instructions.
  • Administer pre-survey (supplied by ECA)
  • Arrange for weekly guest speakers, practice activities, or other engaging ways to augment the 13 DreamBuilder modules.
  • Administer post-survey (provided by ECA)
  • Hold a Pitch Competition
  • Plan logistics of graduation event
  • Award prizes to AWEsome Award winners (identified by each facilitator)
  • Hold information session and oversee the dissemination of seed funding grants and other prizes for Pitch Competition winners.
  • Inform AWE graduates of loan and other opportunities available to them from partner organizations.

For more information, visit U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas.