Academy for Women Entrepreneurs Zimbabwe 2025 | AF HAR FY25 02

Opportunity Information: Apply for AF HAR FY25 02

The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs Zimbabwe 2025 is a U.S. Embassy Zimbabwe (U.S. Department of State) funding opportunity that invites qualified organizations to design and run a year-long (12 months or less) entrepreneurship program for women in Zimbabwe. The overall purpose is practical and economic: to strengthen the skills, confidence, and access to resources that women entrepreneurs need to start, grow, and sustain businesses, and to help them participate more fully in Zimbabwe's private sector. The program is built around a blended approach that combines facilitated in-person and virtual sessions with completion of the online DreamBuilder interactive business training course. Proposals can also incorporate relevant content from the Najafi 100 Million Learners Global Initiative to broaden learning on entrepreneurship and innovation.

The Embassy is looking for implementers that can deliver structured cohorts (up to about 30 participants per cohort) and, if helpful, run the program in multiple locations to reduce barriers for participants. A competitive proposal is expected to bring strong local delivery capacity while also clearly integrating an American component, such as U.S. entrepreneurs or U.S.-based experts serving as guest speakers, instructors, or coaches. Sessions can also include Zimbabwean entrepreneurs and alumni of U.S.-funded exchange programs, plus other specialists, to create a richer learning environment that goes beyond online coursework. Proposals that add hands-on elements like site visits, seed funding mechanisms, pitch competitions, business fairs, networking events, exchanges, or other creative engagement features are encouraged and viewed as more competitive.

The program objectives are focused on measurable business capability gains and durable networks. Applicants are expected to show how their design will improve participants' understanding of business planning, financial forecasting, marketing, and scaling operations. Another key objective is connecting participants with U.S. models of entrepreneurship and U.S. business expertise, not as a one-off guest talk but as an integrated learning and mentoring feature. The program should also strengthen peer-to-peer networks and mentorship among women entrepreneurs to support business growth, collaboration, and local partnerships over time. Proposals should include a clear recruitment and selection strategy for the intended target group and should spell out how the Embassy will be involved in steps like advertising, selection, launch events, selected sessions, and graduations, especially if the award is structured as a cooperative agreement where Embassy staff play a more active role in implementation.

A major requirement is alumni engagement. Proposals must include entrepreneurship programming or engagement activities for alumnae from prior AWE cohorts in Zimbabwe. Beyond simply inviting alumnae to events, strong applications are expected to describe how the project will strengthen the local AWE community, involve U.S. government exchange alumni as mentors or partners, and include follow-up activities after the main cohort training to assess longer-term outcomes and sustain momentum. Applications that build in sustainability plans, partnerships with businesses, and/or cost sharing (cash or in-kind contributions like volunteer time or donated venues) are considered more competitive, as long as the budget remains reasonable and well-justified.

Eligibility is limited to non-profit entities and similar mission-driven organizations, including non-profits, civil society organizations, incubators and tech hubs that are registered as non-profits, and U.S. government alumni organizations. For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply. Applicants must have the staffing, office capacity, and ICT resources to run a hybrid program, including reliable internet connectivity. The target participants are current or aspiring women business owners in Zimbabwe who can commit to completing the full program and who have proven computer skills and dependable internet or data access. Applicants are also encouraged to tailor outreach toward underrepresented populations, niche sectors, or high-growth areas, provided the recruitment plan remains realistic and clearly explained.

The award is expected to be a single award (Expected Awards: 1) with an award ceiling of USD 35,000. The funding instrument may be a grant or a cooperative agreement; the key difference is that cooperative agreements involve "substantial involvement" by Embassy staff during implementation. Projects should be completed within 12 months, although the Department of State notes it may consider non-competitive continuation funding beyond the initial period if funds are available and performance is strong. Payment is handled through reimbursement or advance requests using the SF-270 form, and recipients may only begin incurring costs on or after the official start date on the signed award document.

Application submission is by email, and the deadline is January 10, 2025 at 11:59 pm Central African Time. Applicants must request the application package by emailing PublicDiplomacyGrants-ZIM@state.gov (an automatic reply provides the forms), and completed application materials must be submitted to PublicDiplomacyGrants-Zim@state.gov. Questions can be directed to MawereR@state.gov or the same Public Diplomacy grants email. Applicants should plan ahead for mandatory registrations: organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active SAM.gov registration, and the SAM process can take 4 to 8 weeks. U.S.-based organizations (or those paying U.S. employees) typically need an EIN as part of SAM registration; non-U.S. organizations that do not pay U.S. employees do not need an EIN but still must obtain a UEI and register in SAM.gov.

The application package is fairly structured. Required federal forms include SF-424 (or SF-424-I for individuals, though the eligibility focus here is organizations), SF-424A, and SF-424B. The narrative application is limited to six pages and must be in English, with budgets in U.S. dollars, numbered pages, and Word formatting set to single-spaced 12-point Calibri with at least 1-inch margins. The narrative must cover: program information, a short executive summary, program design (cohort profile, logistics, recruitment/selection, partners, timeline and activities), alumni engagement, communications and outreach (including social media and media plans), and monitoring and evaluation (including tools and how results will be reported to the Embassy). Budgeting must use the specific AWE budget template and include both detailed line items and a budget narrative that explains calculations and assumptions. Typical categories include personnel/programming, contracts, travel, lodging, meals and incidentals, supplies/materials/equipment (with added justification and a disposal plan for items over USD 5,000 per unit), and other itemized costs. Alcohol purchases are explicitly unallowable. There is also a specific restriction that no awarded funds may be used to provide payments or transfers to UNRWA in any form.

Finally, applicants should note standard U.S. government grant conditions: this notice is subject to funding availability; the U.S. government is not obligated to fund any proposal or to cover proposal preparation costs; it may reject any or all applications; and selection does not guarantee future funding. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by February 28, 2025 via email, while selected applicants will receive an award document signed by the Grants Officer, which governs the approved scope, budget, and start date.

• The U.S. Mission to Zimbabwe in the business and commerce sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Academy for Women Entrepreneurs Zimbabwe 2025" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.022.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-11-15.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-01-10. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $35,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for AF HAR FY25 02

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