The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) 2025 program, announced by the U.S. Embassy Yaoundé’s Public Diplomacy Section (PDS), invites proposals from eligible organizations to support women entrepreneurs in Cameroon. The program aims to promote women’s economic opportunities and prepare women-owned businesses for U.S. export markets by enhancing product quality, understanding export compliance, and developing market entry strategies.

The program will train fifty Cameroonian women entrepreneurs over six months in 2025. Participants will engage in a comprehensive curriculum, including content from Thunderbird’s 100 Million Learners platform and specialized workshops on U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations, U.S. Department of Agriculture requirements, packaging standards, and export compliance. The program will begin with an export readiness bootcamp and conclude with a two-day AWE Alumni Trade Fair and Export Forum in Douala. The final event will connect participants with U.S. buyers, investors, and other export opportunities.

Eligible applicants include registered not-for-profit organizations, trade organizations, alumni of U.S. government exchange programs, educational institutions, and civil society organizations from the United States and Cameroon. For-profit entities are not eligible. All applicant organizations must possess a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and have active registration in SAM.gov. Proposals must include information about the organization’s experience, program design, goals, activities, and plans for monitoring and evaluation.

The funding available for this program is thirty-five thousand dollars, and up to two awards will be made. The proposed projects should have a duration of no more than six months, with an anticipated start date of September 2025. Individual awards will range between twenty-five thousand and thirty-five thousand dollars, depending on program needs and the availability of funds. Cost sharing or matching is not required.

Applicants must submit proposals that include a summary, project objectives, activity timeline, key personnel, project partners, and a detailed budget with justification. Supporting documents such as resumes of key staff and letters of support from partners should also be included. Proposals must clearly address the program goals, including strategies for recruiting participants, delivering effective training, and ensuring long-term business growth.

Applications must be submitted by email to PDSgrantsYaounde@state.gov no later than January 12, 2025, at 5:00 PM Central Africa Time. Proposals will be evaluated on the quality and feasibility of the project, organizational capacity, clarity of objectives, cost-effectiveness, monitoring and evaluation plans, sustainability, and impact on underserved communities. The U.S. Embassy will have substantial involvement in key program activities, including input on participant selection, program design, and promotional strategies.

Successful applicants will receive formal award notification, with funds available for project implementation. Awardees will be required to submit regular financial and programmatic reports, as outlined in the grant agreement. This opportunity is subject to the availability of funding, and applicants are encouraged to review all requirements carefully before submission. For questions, applicants can contact the U.S. Embassy Yaoundé at the provided email address.