NOFO: Academy for Women Entrepreneurs 2025 (Tunisia)

AWE, a U.S. Department of State-led initiative established in 2019, supports women entrepreneurs by equipping them with core business skills such as strategic planning, marketing, and finance. Two cohorts of 10 women each participate in in-person training sessions where they engage with local facilitators, business leaders, and U.S. exchange alumni mentors/trainers.

The U.S. Embassy in Tunis invites proposals to design and implement the AWE program in the priority regions. The program, conducted in Arabic, will follow a hybrid model that integrates U.S. online platforms (DreamBuilder and/or 100 Million Learners courses) with localized, in-person mentorship and facilitation.

Successful projects will leverage the expertise of U.S. exchange alumni and/or alumni networks to help participants grow their businesses and create lasting impacts in their communities.

Program Description

• Curriculum Development and Alumni Recruitment
  • Design the curriculum based on DreamBuilder and/or100 Million Learners courses, ensuring it aligns with the program’s overarching goals.
  • Translate course content into Arabic for accessibility and adapt specialized modules to address the specific needs of each cohort:
    • Farming sector for the Jendouba cohort.
    • Handicrafts sector for the Kairouan cohort.
  • Recruit experienced U.S. exchange alumni as mentors, speakers, and coordinators for the program.
• Participant Recruitment
  • Launch a recruitment process in collaboration with the Embassy to identify 20 women between 18-35 years old from Jendouba and Kairouan, with a focus on supporting micro and small business owners in the farming sector (Jendouba) and the handicraft sector (Kairouan). Participants may either be employed in their businesses or aspiring entrepreneurs who wish to start a business. These women may come from both the formal and informal sectors and will have at least basic literacy in Arabic, with no specific requirement for English language proficiency.
• Cohort Training and Launch Events
  • Organize launch events in both Jendouba and Kairouan to introduce participants to the program, mentors, and their fellow cohort members.
  • Facilitate in-person training sessions delivered in Arabic in both locations, following the adapted curriculum.
• Single-Country Conference
  • Host a national closing ceremony in Tunis, bringing together both cohorts to:
    • Showcase small business project and or/ project plans developed during the program.
    • Connect participants with potential investors and stakeholders.
    • Offer sessions highlighting DOS alumni opportunities available for participants after completing the program.
• Program Highlights and Success Stories
  • Collaborate with the U.S. Embassy in Tunis to develop a series of AWE success stories to be featured on social media platforms and in the Embassy “RAISE” Alumni Newsletter, inspiring others and celebrating program achievements.
• Substantial Involvement
  • This award will be implemented with substantial involvement by the PD bureau at the U.S. Embassy Tunis. This includes reviewing and approving key programmatic decisions, such as program content, outreach and media activities, participant recruitment strategies, speaker and trainer selection, and assisting with monitoring and evaluation to ensure alignment with program goals and objectives.

Funding Information

• Awards may range from a minimum of $25,000 to a maximum of $35,000
• Length of performance period: Up to 12 months.

Priority Regions

• Jendouba, Kairouan.

Eligibility Criteria

• The following are eligible to apply:
  • Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations
  • Public and private educational institutions.
  • Public International Organizations and Governmental institutions.
  • Tunisian alumni of U.S. government-funded and U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs. American and other international alumni of U.S. government-funded/sponsored exchange programs may participate as partners but are not eligible to receive funds directly.

Ineligibility Criteria

• For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.