Academy for Women Entrepreneurs Program in Malta

Deadline: 24-Jan-2025

The U.S. Embassy in Malta has announced an open competition for organizations to submit a Statement of Interest to carry out the next iteration of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) Program.

The purposes of this program, they recommend non-profit and non-governmental entities and organizations take the lead and receive this grant. However, applicants may partner with others, including governmental organizations and entities.  Applicants may also partner with private-sector companies and for-profit entities if their services are offered pro-bono on the project.

Objectives

• To provide women entrepreneurs with the knowledge, skills, and access needed to start and scale successful businesses through U.S-style online training through DreamBuilder and in-person localized sessions and mentorship opportunities
• To foster networks that support the participants’ access to peer-to-peer mentorship, business partners, and scaling opportunities in the region.

What is U.S. Embassy Malta looking for?

• They are seeking an implementing partner (non-profit and non-governmental entity or organization) to implement AWE from the beginning to the end of the program. This implementing partner will develop the AWE in Malta 2025 program, starting with promotion of the program and solicitation of applications for program participants.  The implementer will then be responsible for selecting approximately 30 women entrepreneurs and early-stage business owners who will participate in the AWE program, as well as identify facilitators who will guide these participants through the DreamBuilder coursework and deliver localized training and activities.  Facilitators should understand the local entrepreneurial environment and supplement the course as discussion leaders and guides.  Participants should be women aged approximately 25 and over who are aspiring to start a business or who have recently started a business.  They must commit to the entire course of training.
• The implementing partner will serve as a liaison with U.S. Embassy Malta and AWE stakeholders, leading implementation, facilitating communication with the participants, encouraging their successful completion of the program, monitoring and reporting on progress, promoting the program with the public, and amplifying the core goals of the initiative in supporting women and economic prosperity in Malta.  The organization of networking events with alumni, experts, and successful business owners also represent key elements of the program.  The implementer will also use marketing and communication strategies to amplify the American connection to the program and highlight the program’s partnership with U.S. Embassy Malta, thereby furthering positive local perceptions of the U.S. commitment to open academic and professional exchange with the public in Malta.

Application Requirements 

• Please include the following information in your Statement of Interest to be considered as implementing partner:
  • Name of organization
  • Brief background of organization
  • Projected number of facilitators and their generic profiles
  • Information about potential women participants, such as their generic business profiles (owners vs nonbusiness owners, levels of education, etc.)
  • Describe how you will recruit and select the women participants (approximately 30 participants)
  • List any local partners (NGOs, private sector, government) and describe how they will augment the experience for participants
  • Describe what country-specific sessions you will include in the course schedule to supplement the DreamBuilder modules, including components and ways you will engage and include AWE in Malta alumni and U.S.-government exchange alumni (U.S. Embassy Malta will assist in identifying alumni)
  • Propose networking events that can be included in the program
  • Include the timeline of the training schedule
  • Where and how the training sessions will take place
  • Describe how you will monitor the progress of participants and communicate with them
  • Describe your communication, media, and outreach plan and how you will promote the program and partnership with U.S. Embassy Malta
  • Describe how you will monitor and evaluate the program
  • Include the budget (maximum $40,000), listing program categories e.g., rental of premises, promotion, honoraria to facilitators, seed money for pitch competition winners, social media publicity etc.

For more information, visit U.S. Embassy Malta.