Deadline: 14 June 2018

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is making a call for the submission of Concept Papers focused on providing tailored business advisory services for business women in developing countries by volunteer business women.

USAID’s Policy on Gender Equality and Female Empowerment lays out a comprehensive commitment to leveling the playing field for women and men. Through this Addendum to the VISP APS, USAID seeks to address several of the known barriers to women’s economic empowerment and equality that growth-oriented women entrepreneurs tend to face. Among those barriers include:

• underdeveloped leadership skills;
• lack of access to tailored business advisory services; and
• insufficient connection to networks that can help them grow their business, access credit and expand their markets.

Objectives

The main objective of WE3 Advisory Services is to help businesswomen in micro, small, or medium enterprises succeed in growing their businesses. This will be measured for business women receiving assistance by one or more of the following factors:

• increased revenues;
• increased profitability;
• increased job growth

Funding Information

• Estimated Total Program Funding: $500,000
• Award Ceiling: $250,000
• Award Floor: $100,000

Eligibility Criteria

• Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
• USAID seeks to support initiatives that will enable women to grow their businesses. Qualifying applications should have the following characteristics:
  • A proven system for providing tailored business advisory services to participating businesswomen at different stages of the business cycle and in different sectors.
  • Proven success in providing effective leadership
  • A credible strategy for connecting participating businesswomen to business networks (such as networks of investors, potential business partners, or industry associations) that can help them grow their businesses.
  • A demonstrated approach to using volunteers to provide pro bono and cost-effective services.
  • A credible strategy for enabling one or more entities to create or expand the services provided under this activity on an ongoing basis after the end of the USAID award.

How to Apply

Applicants can submit their application via email at the address given on the website.