Opportunity Information: Apply for DOSPNG 23 GR 002
The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) in Hela and Morobe is a U.S. Department of State grant opportunity run through the Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby. The program is part of the broader U.S. government push under the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) initiative, which focuses on helping women increase their economic participation and reduce the barriers that keep them from fully benefiting from business and employment opportunities. In practical terms, this funding is meant to expand an existing U.S. Embassy-run entrepreneurship program by specifically reaching women in Papua New Guinea’s Hela and Morobe Provinces, using a structured training model that combines online learning with organized, facilitator-led group sessions.
At the center of the AWE model is an online entrepreneurship curriculum called DreamBuilder (dreambuilder.org). DreamBuilder was developed through a partnership involving Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Management and Freeport-McMoRan, and it is designed to walk women entrepreneurs through building a viable business plan, understanding core business concepts, learning about capital and financing, and connecting into wider business networks. A key non-negotiable requirement of this grant is that the implementing organization must use the AWE format and must incorporate the English-language DreamBuilder course as a primary component. The Embassy is not looking for a completely new entrepreneurship program design; it is looking for a capable local implementer that can deliver AWE as intended and tailor supporting activities to local realities in Hela and Morobe.
The main goal over the life of the project is to train at least 200 women through five cohorts over roughly three years, with programming delivered in both Hela and Morobe under the same award. Each cohort is expected to include between 20 and 40 participants, and each AWE cycle must include at least five facilitated in-person (synchronous) sessions. Those sessions are meant to help participants stay on track with the online modules, raise completion rates, and build a peer network of women who can continue supporting each other after the formal training ends. Facilitators (often alumni, business leaders, or similarly qualified professionals) lead discussions, help translate the curriculum into local business conditions, and may bring in guest speakers or add targeted content that reflects the specific challenges entrepreneurs face in these provinces.
The opportunity goes beyond classroom-style training. Applicants are encouraged to build a more complete “pipeline” around the DreamBuilder course so that participants get practical exposure and continuing support. Examples mentioned include mentorship activities, networking events, speed-networking sessions, partnerships with business incubators, trade fairs, pitch competitions, graduation events, and even sector-specific programming such as fashion-related activities if relevant. The awardee is also expected to create and run a small-grants program for AWE alumni, awarding small grants through a merit-based application process. Follow-on activities and the small grants component are expected to continue throughout the grant period, helping graduates move from learning to actual business growth.
The target participant group is women ages 18 to 45 who have recently started a business or who have an advanced business idea and can show real progress toward launching. Because DreamBuilder is delivered in English and requires online participation, participants must be comfortable studying and completing assignments in English and must have enough computer literacy to handle the online coursework. The time commitment is meaningful: the announcement notes participants should be prepared to commit several hours per week (figures referenced range from about 4 hours a week for participation up to around 7 hours a week when coursework, discussions, networking, and events are included). The intention is to recruit motivated, high-potential participants rather than casual attendees, so selection includes an application process and interviews, with alternates identified as well.
The implementing organization’s responsibilities are extensive and cover end-to-end program delivery. This includes designing and promoting the call for applications, recruiting widely through media and networks, reviewing applications, conducting final interviews, and selecting participants. The awardee must handle program logistics such as choosing training locations, ensuring adequate space and reliable internet bandwidth, scheduling and staffing sessions, and arranging travel where needed. The awardee is also expected to recruit and support at least two entrepreneurs or business leaders to serve as facilitators who coordinate the learning sessions and effectively act as mentors and trainers. In addition, the awardee must build partnerships with relevant entities (NGOs, foundations, academic institutions, experts, private sector actors) to strengthen the program and extend its reach.
Accountability and learning are also built into the award. The grantee must monitor attendance and participation, maintain regular communication with participants to solve issues that could derail completion, and report progress to the Public Diplomacy Section according to the reporting schedule in the award. A formal Monitoring and Evaluation plan is required, including data collection during the program and follow-up after completion to assess outcomes and overall effectiveness. The Embassy also signals that it welcomes proposals that incorporate alumni of prior AWE cohorts or other U.S. government-sponsored exchange and training programs, which can strengthen local facilitation capacity and expand mentorship networks.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary funding opportunity offered as a cooperative agreement (meaning the U.S. government typically expects active engagement or collaboration during implementation, more than in a standard grant). The opportunity number is DOSPNG 23 GR 002 under CFDA 19.040, issued by the Department of State, U.S. Mission to Papua New Guinea. The award ceiling is $75,000, and the announcement anticipated up to two awards. Eligible applicants are broad and include various government entities, public and private higher education institutions, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, and even individuals, as stated in the listing. The posting date was April 18, 2023, with an original closing date of July 15, 2023, and awards expected to be announced in September 2023.
The proposed timeline lays out a staged rollout: staffing and facilitator hiring/training in fall 2023, launching in one pilot province (either Hela or Morobe) with first cohort recruitment in spring 2024, then delivering the first cohort trainings in summer and fall 2024. The second and third cohorts would be recruited and completed during 2025, and the fourth and fifth cohorts would be recruited and trained in 2026. Throughout that entire period, follow-on programming and the alumni small grants element are expected to run continuously, reinforcing the idea that AWE is not just a short course but a sustained effort to build women-led business capacity and longer-term economic opportunity in both provinces.Apply for DOSPNG 23 GR 002
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Papua New Guinea in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) in Hela and Morobe" 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 Apr 18, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 15, 2023. (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 $75,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Individuals.
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