Opportunity Information: Apply for DXB NOFO 2024 01
The Academy of Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) grant opportunity is a U.S. Mission to the United Arab Emirates funding call (NOFO) inviting organizations to propose and run a structured AWE program in the UAE. The overall purpose is to strengthen women-owned small and medium enterprises by giving founders practical business training, sustained mentorship, and access to networks that help them grow, become more resilient, and expand into new markets. The program is designed to take advantage of the UAE's entrepreneurship ecosystem while also encouraging U.S.-UAE commercial connections and bilateral trade opportunities.
The proposed project length is 14 months and includes a core training and mentorship phase lasting roughly four to six months. During this period, the implementing organization is expected to support at least 20 UAE-based, women-owned SMEs. The emphasis is on building real-world business capability: sharpening knowledge and skills, strengthening peer and professional networks, and helping participants develop credible growth plans that can translate into wider market reach. After the training portion ends, participants are expected to have opportunities to showcase results and progress at venues such as trade shows and policy summits, which can help with visibility, partnerships, customer acquisition, and investor interest.
A key feature of AWE UAE is convening power. The program is meant to bring together private sector networks, U.S. Government-related resources and alumni communities, and other public and private sector support to build a durable community of Emirati and long-term UAE resident women entrepreneurs and business leaders. In practical terms, this means the program is not just a classroom experience; it is intended to connect participants to mentors, sponsors, partners, and institutions that can accelerate growth, create media and market expansion opportunities, and strengthen long-term collaboration across the ecosystem. The initiative also explicitly supports public-private sponsorships and aims to build institutional capacity that increases women's access to economic opportunity.
The opportunity sits within a proven global platform. Since 2019, AWE has supported more than 25,000 women entrepreneurs across 120 countries. In the UAE specifically, AWE has been implemented since 2020 and has supported 41 women-led businesses. Reported outcomes to date include approximately 7 million raised in funding, 45 million in revenues generated, and around 500 jobs created, positioning the program as both a training model and an economic development tool with measurable results.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant issued by the U.S. Mission to the UAE under Funding Opportunity Number DXB NOFO 2024 01, with an original closing date of 2024-09-20. The award ceiling is $150,000, and the notice anticipates up to 15 awards. The funding activity category is Employment, Labor and Training, and the CFDA number listed is 19.040.
Eligibility is broad and includes not-for-profit organizations (based in the U.S. or the UAE), think tanks, public and private educational institutions, public international organizations, and governmental institutions. In other words, the U.S. Mission is looking for capable implementers that can deliver a multi-month entrepreneurship program, coordinate mentors and partners, manage participant selection and support, and demonstrate strong local networks and program management capacity in the UAE context.Apply for DXB NOFO 2024 01
- The U.S. Mission to United Arab Emirates in the employment, labor and training sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Academy of Women Entrepreneurs" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.040.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-08-21.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-09-20. (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 $150,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Academy of Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) UAE Grant Opportunity
1) What is the Academy of Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) UAE grant opportunity?
AWE UAE is a U.S. Mission to the United Arab Emirates funding opportunity (NOFO) that invites eligible organizations to propose and implement a structured Academy of Women Entrepreneurs program in the UAE. The intent is for an implementing organization to run training, mentorship, and networking activities that strengthen women-owned small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UAE.
2) Who is offering this grant?
This discretionary grant is issued by the U.S. Mission to the United Arab Emirates.
3) What is the main purpose of the funded project?
The overall purpose is to strengthen women-owned SMEs by providing practical business training, sustained mentorship, and access to networks that support growth, resilience, and expansion into new markets. The program is also designed to leverage the UAE entrepreneurship ecosystem while encouraging U.S.-UAE commercial connections and bilateral trade opportunities.
4) What types of results is the program trying to achieve for women-owned SMEs?
The program emphasizes real-world business capability, including improving knowledge and skills, strengthening peer and professional networks, and helping founders develop credible growth plans that can translate into broader market reach. The program also aims to create pathways for visibility and partnership through opportunities such as trade shows and policy summits after the training phase.
5) What is the project period (overall length) for proposed programs?
The proposed project length is 14 months.
6) How long is the core training and mentorship phase?
The core training and mentorship phase is expected to last roughly four to six months within the 14-month project period.
7) How many businesses should the program support?
During the core training and mentorship phase, the implementing organization is expected to support at least 20 UAE-based, women-owned SMEs.
8) Who are the intended participants?
The intended participants are UAE-based, women-owned small and medium enterprises. The program also aims to build a durable community of Emirati and long-term UAE resident women entrepreneurs and business leaders.
9) What activities are expected during the program?
Based on the opportunity description, expected activities include delivering practical business training, providing sustained mentorship, building peer and professional networks, supporting participants in developing credible growth plans, and coordinating connections to mentors, sponsors, partners, and institutions within the UAE entrepreneurship ecosystem.
10) Are there opportunities for participants after the training ends?
Yes. After the training portion ends, participants are expected to have opportunities to showcase results and progress at venues such as trade shows and policy summits. These venues can support visibility, partnerships, customer acquisition, and investor interest.
11) What does "convening power" mean in the context of AWE UAE?
In this opportunity, "convening power" refers to the program's intent to bring together private sector networks, U.S. Government-related resources and alumni communities, and other public and private sector support. The goal is to connect participants to mentors, sponsors, partners, and institutions and to strengthen long-term collaboration across the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
12) Does the program support partnerships or sponsorships?
Yes. The initiative explicitly supports public-private sponsorships and aims to build institutional capacity that increases women's access to economic opportunity.
13) How does the program relate to U.S.-UAE business connections?
The program is designed to encourage U.S.-UAE commercial connections and bilateral trade opportunities, alongside building local entrepreneurship capacity within the UAE.
14) What is the global track record of the AWE platform?
Since 2019, AWE has supported more than 25,000 women entrepreneurs across 120 countries.
15) What has AWE achieved in the UAE so far?
In the UAE, AWE has been implemented since 2020 and has supported 41 women-led businesses. Reported outcomes include approximately 7 million raised in funding, 45 million in revenues generated, and around 500 jobs created.
16) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (NOFO identifier)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is DXB NOFO 2024 01.
17) What was the original closing date listed for this opportunity?
The original closing date is 2024-09-20.
18) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $150,000.
19) How many awards does the notice anticipate making?
The notice anticipates up to 15 awards.
20) What is the funding activity category?
The funding activity category is Employment, Labor and Training.
21) What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 19.040.
22) What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes not-for-profit organizations (based in the U.S. or the UAE), think tanks, public and private educational institutions, public international organizations, and governmental institutions.
23) Do eligible organizations need to be based in the UAE?
Not necessarily. The opportunity states that not-for-profit organizations based in the U.S. or the UAE are eligible. Other eligible entity types are also listed, but the program itself is intended to be implemented in the UAE and requires strong local networks and program management capacity in the UAE context.
24) What capabilities is the U.S. Mission looking for in an implementing organization?
The U.S. Mission is seeking implementers that can deliver a multi-month entrepreneurship program, coordinate mentors and partners, manage participant selection and support, and demonstrate strong local networks and program management capacity in the UAE context.
25) Is the program only a classroom training program?
No. The description emphasizes that the program is not just a classroom experience. It is intended to connect participants to mentors, sponsors, partners, and institutions, support media and market expansion opportunities, and strengthen long-term ecosystem collaboration.
26) What kinds of business growth outcomes does the program aim to support?
The program is oriented toward practical growth outcomes such as stronger business skills, improved resilience, credible growth planning, wider market reach, and increased access to networks that can lead to partnerships, customers, and investment interest.
27) What is the grant type?
This is described as a discretionary grant.
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