Description
The White House-led Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) initiative is designed to empower women worldwide to fulfill their economic potential and, in doing so, create conditions for increased stability, security, and prosperity for all. The target is to reach 50 million women by 2025 by promoting an enabling environment that reduces barriers and facilitates women’s participation in the economy. In support, State Department´s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) launched the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), a program to teach women around the world to become successful entrepreneurs. AWE is an educational opportunity for prospective women entrepreneurs and early-stage business owners that uses an online entrepreneurship course at its core. Participants gather “in-person” (synchronous format) to view course modules or to discuss after reviewing individually online. By creating an educational cohort and reinforcing peer-to-peer learning, course completion rates increase significantly from on-line only learning. Facilitators, chosen from alumni, business leaders, or other qualified professionals, will lead the discussions and help to localize the principles taught. Additional sessions should address country-specific topics or develop other skills useful to entrepreneurs. The U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Brazil will pilot this virtual version of AWE in three cities (Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo) to help 90 women expand and grow their businesses. For that, we are seeking a reliable implementing organization that works with training and/or entrepreneurship, and which has a national scope in Brazil. We are not opposed to a U.S. organization who works with a Brazilian partner or a Brazilian organization that can organize a virtual program of this scope. The implementing partner will be expected to support AWE from development through graduation and beyond. The training program will be done in 10 facilitated sessions using the Portuguese version of the 10,000 Women curriculum on Coursera. ECA will provide the training for AWE implementers and program facilitators. The implementing organization will be responsible for customizing all of the program components and developing enrichment activities to fit the practical realities of the country. PROJECT PURPOSE To promote women’s economic empowerment through entrepreneurship and innovation. This project will help women grow their businesses with training, tools, networks, and resources they need to become more competitive and fulfill their economic potential and, in doing so, create conditions for increased stability, security, and prosperity in their communities. PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES By implementing this pilot version of the AWE in Brazil, we aim at providing resources for women to engage in U.S-style online education with guided facilitation, enrichment activities, and localization from ECA alumni, Brazilian women business leaders, or other local partners. We also aim at fostering networks that support participants’ access to peer-to-peer mentorship, business partners, and scaling opportunities with businesses in the region and in the United States. IMPLEMENTATION MECHANISM U.S. Embassy Brasília-Brazil intends to implement the project through a grant. The organization should follow the structure below for the implementation of the program: Sessions should start at the beginning of November 2020 and finish by the end of February 2021. All sessions will be online. All sessions coordinated by the implementing organization should be held in Portuguese. Enrichment activities will be organized by the implementing partner and should include but not be limited to a variety of the following: speed mentoring, influencer talks, pitch competitions, conferences/forums, speakers, virtual trade shows.