The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) 2025 DRC, funded by the U.S. Embassy Kinshasa under the U.S. Department of State, aims to empower and equip 100 women entrepreneurs across five key cities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Kinshasa, Goma, Lubumbashi, Bukavu, and Kisangani. The program focuses on providing participants with the knowledge, resources, and networks necessary to scale their businesses and foster sustainable economic growth. This initiative supports women entrepreneurs who have been operating their businesses for at least one year and demonstrates a commitment to addressing challenges faced by women in business.

The AWE program is divided into three phases. In the first phase, participants will complete the DreamBuilder online curriculum, designed to build foundational business skills. In the second phase, participants will engage in interactive sessions facilitated by alumni of U.S. exchange programs and local NGOs specializing in sustainable management. These sessions will focus on problem-solving, sharing best practices, and implementing learned strategies. In the final phase, 20 participants will be selected to travel to Kinshasa to pitch their business plans to investors. Out of these, 5 to 10 finalists will have the opportunity to travel to Harvard Business School for advanced business and leadership training.

The program's objectives include equipping women entrepreneurs with business knowledge, enhancing their understanding of social enterprise models, increasing economic opportunities for women, and fostering a network of female entrepreneurs and investors. The initiative leverages the expertise of U.S. exchange alumni and partnerships with local NGOs, with American Spaces serving as key venues for training sessions in four cities. For Bukavu, a separate venue will need to be arranged by the implementing partner.

Eligible applicants for this funding opportunity include not-for-profit organizations, public and private educational institutions, and individuals. For-profit entities are not eligible. Organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration in SAM.gov, while individuals are exempt from these requirements. Cost-sharing or matching contributions are not required. The maximum funding available is $35,000, with one award anticipated for a project duration of up to nine months.

Proposals must include a clear problem statement, program goals and objectives, project activities, a monitoring and evaluation plan, and a budget justification narrative. Applications should also include CVs of key personnel, letters of support from partners, and, if applicable, a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA). The review process will evaluate proposals based on their quality, feasibility, organizational capacity, budget justification, monitoring and evaluation plans, and sustainability.

The application deadline is February 17, 2025, and submissions must be sent via email to KinshasaPDGrants@state.gov. Successful applicants will receive a cooperative agreement detailing terms, conditions, and reporting requirements, with periodic financial and programmatic reporting mandated throughout the grant period.