Opportunity Information: Apply for PDS 002 FY2025
The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), FY2025 is a U.S. Mission to Ethiopia funding opportunity that supports women entrepreneurs in Ethiopia by helping them gain practical business skills, stronger professional networks, and greater access to opportunities in both the Ethiopian and global economy. AWE is a global initiative launched in 2019 by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), and it focuses on social and economic empowerment through entrepreneurship training, mentorship, and connections to business leaders. The program is designed to help women start new ventures or grow existing businesses by strengthening core capabilities like strategic planning, marketing, and financial management through a mix of online and in-person learning.
This opportunity will be funded through a cooperative agreement, meaning the award recipient should expect active engagement and coordination with the U.S. Mission to Ethiopia during program implementation. The total award amount can be up to $35,000, with one award expected. Cost-sharing or matching funds are not required, which can make it more accessible to organizations that may not have significant non-federal funding available. The opportunity is listed as discretionary, under CFDA number 19.022, and is managed by the U.S. Mission to Ethiopia. The original application deadline is January 23, 2025.
A central feature of the AWE model is its curriculum delivery through no-cost online platforms developed in partnership with Arizona State University's Thunderbird School of Global Management. Applicants must select one of two approved curricula and build their program around it. The first option is DreamBuilder, created by ASU in partnership with Freeport-McMoRan, which includes practical modules covering topics such as marketing, pricing, and bookkeeping, and also includes a business plan generator that helps participants translate their ideas into a structured plan. DreamBuilder is available in English and Spanish and can be paired with mentoring in local languages. The second option is the Najafi 100 Million Learners Global Initiative, available in about 40 languages, which offers a more advanced curriculum focused on entrepreneurship and innovation. Proposals are required to choose either DreamBuilder or 100 Million Learners rather than combining both.
The program's expected results are clearly oriented toward real-world business growth and sustained peer support. Proposals should show how they will increase participants' understanding of business planning and how to scale operations, connect participants with U.S.-based business experts while sharing U.S. approaches to enterprise management, and build a durable network of women entrepreneurs who support one another and create local partnerships that help businesses expand. Another core objective is ensuring participants leave with the skills and knowledge needed to build sustainable businesses, not just complete a short training series. To strengthen outcomes, applicants are encouraged to incorporate digital skills training and English language training, and the notice specifically emphasizes digital literacy as a strong priority for FY2025 to improve participants' technical skills and digital access.
In terms of where and who to serve, applicants are encouraged to train startups, beginner entrepreneurs, and mid-career entrepreneurs, with a focus not only on Addis Ababa but also on major regional cities where the U.S. Embassy maintains American Corners. These locations include Jimma, Dire Dawa, Mekelle, and Bahir Dar, suggesting a preference for proposals that extend reach beyond the capital and leverage existing Embassy-supported community learning hubs. The program design described in the notice also emphasizes mentorship and guidance from business leaders and U.S. exchange alumni mentors, reinforcing that applicants should plan for coaching, expert engagement, and relationship-building alongside the formal curriculum.
Eligibility is broad but clearly limited to non-commercial actors. Eligible applicants include not-for-profit organizations such as think tanks and civil society or non-governmental organizations, public and private educational institutions, individuals, public international organizations, and governmental institutions. For-profit or commercial entities, including for-profit media organizations, are not eligible. The funding also comes with important content restrictions: proposals will not be funded if they focus on partisan political activity, charitable or general development aid, construction, religious activities, fundraising campaigns, lobbying, scientific research, projects mainly intended to build the applicant organization's internal capacity, or programs that duplicate existing initiatives. Overall, the opportunity is best suited for applicants that can deliver structured entrepreneurship training using one of the required AWE curricula, add strong mentorship and U.S. expert engagement, and build a lasting women-led business network, ideally with a strong digital literacy component and reach into multiple Ethiopian cities.Apply for PDS 002 FY2025
- The U.S. Mission to Ethiopia in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Academy for Women Entrepreneurs, FY2025" 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 2024-12-16.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-01-23. (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.
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