Accelerating Social Entrepreneurship in Ethiopia (ASE) 2021 NOFO

ASE is interested in awarding grants to organizations with concrete, feasible and measurable approaches that can support the continued growth of the social entrepreneurship movement in Ethiopia with as many of the following elements: · A development of a targeted* accelerator program that will cater to previously underserved populations in areas where little or no training is available, offering training content that will teach critical skills for refining and scaling up social businesses · Conduct a competition, and identify the most impactful business ideas and support with equitably with seed money grant if needed · Establishment of a network of social entrepreneurs that can serve as a platform to transfer and share skills and resources · A sustainable mentorship programs · Conducting impact analysis or program monitoring and evaluation All proposal activities must take place in the priority regions and in any of the U.S. Embassy public engagement venues called American Spaces Ethiopia (ASE). Interested organizations must be able to demonstrate their capacity to receive and manage grant funding, plan and facilitate training and events, and successfully engage with entrepreneurs. ASE also requires that all programming to be non-discriminatory and expects implementers to include strategies for integration of individuals/organizations regardless of religion, gender, disability, race and ethnicity. Additionally, all proposals submitted MUST include a contingency plan in the event of lingering COVID19 health restrictions.