U.S. Mission to Suriname: Women Entrepreneurs Program 2025

Objectives

• The proposals should meet the following objectives:
  • Provide resources for women to engage in U.S.-style online education with guided facilitation and localization from ECA exchange program alumni, local women business leaders, or other local partners.
  • Foster networks that support participants’ access to peer-to-peer mentorship, business partners, and scaling opportunities with businesses in the region and in the United States.
  • Build a network of female entrepreneurs that is committed to supporting and promoting relationships that help grow businesses and drive local partnerships, and
  • Equip participants with skills and knowledge to build sustainable businesses
  • Proposals should generally be no more than four (4) pages in length
• Proposals submitted should clearly address program implementation showing the proposed activities and suggested speakers. Applicants should give a detailed recruitment strategy for the target population, clearly specifying how the Embassy would be involved. The proposal should include ideas for follow-up activities after program implementation to assess the impact of the program. Proposals with sustainability and/or cost sharing built in are preferred. Applicants should be able to demonstrate extensive experience in organizing entrepreneurship or business programs and should have an established network of entrepreneurs and business leaders throughout Suriname.

Responsibilities of the Awardee

• The Recipient agrees to coordinate and administer the program and meet the specific objectives below:
  • Recruitment of AWE participants ages 18 years and older, who have recently started a business or have demonstrated interest and progress in developing an entrepreneurial idea. Selected participants of this program should be comfortable taking a course and completing assignments in English and be willing to commit up to 4 hours a week for participation in the AWE.
  • Design and promote the call for applications through traditional and/or social media platforms and organizational networks that will maximize the number of women reached, including women in underserved communities.
  • Assume responsibility for receiving and reviewing applications and selecting the applicants/participants for this program.
  • Arrange and identify all logistics related to hosting the opening and closing ceremonies as well as any other program events/activities.
  • Identify a skilled and experienced facilitator who will lead class sessions, create content for the sessions that supports DreamBuilder program or 100 Million Learners’ Initiative content and is adaptable to reflect local practices and regulations in Suriname. The facilitator will be present for all sessions to provide program continuity.
  • Assign a representative to review and provide guidance on participant’s business plans and pitch activities.
  • Identify and contract external speakers for the workshop and the pitch competition.
  • Execute a comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation Plan consisting of a series of data collection and assessment activities during the program, and after the program completion to evaluate the effectiveness of this AWE program.
  • Collaborate with the Embassy on the implementation of program/sessions
  • Collaborate with the Embassy to identify external speakers for sessions from the network of ECA alumni of exchange programs.
  • Provide quarterly updates on the execution of the project, inclusive of attendance records and relevant engagement surveys.
  • Liaise with the Embassy and provide immediate updates on challenges or issues encountered
  • Update the Embassy on program design.
  • Maintain a register of AWE participants.
  • Collect and share images and videos of the cohort for use as testimonials by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
• PAS Paramaribo welcomes proposals that support initiatives such as opening new AWE cohorts, offering follow-on entrepreneurship programming to AWE alumni, and conducting AWE alumni engagement activities.

Funding Information 

• Number of awards anticipated: one award (dependent on amounts)
• Total available funding: $35,000.00
• Length of performance period: 6 to 12 months.

Target Audiences

• Female citizens and residents from Suriname selected by a competitive application process. AWE participants should commit to complete the program, have proven computer skills, and have access to the Internet or a reliable data connection
• Ages 18 years and older
• Applicants from underserved communities
• Applicants’ business is not older than 2 years
• Applicants can also have a business idea

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible Applicants:
  • Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations Public and private educational institutions Individuals.
• Required Registrations:
  • All organizations applying for grants (except individuals) must obtain a SAM registration in order to be eligible for a grant.  (Registration is free of charge).
  • If an organization plans to issue a sub-contract or sub-award, those sub-awardees must also have a unique entity identifier (UEI number).
• Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding.
• Applications are accepted in English only, and final grant agreements will be concluded in English.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.