Academy for Women Entrepreneurs LESA | PDS ZAF FY24 04

Opportunity Information: Apply for PDS ZAF FY24 04

The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs LESA (Lesotho, Eswatini and South Africa) grant opportunity is a competitive funding call from the U.S. Mission to South Africa to select implementing partners to run a five-month entrepreneurship training program for women entrepreneurs based across South Africa, Lesotho, and Eswatini. The program is part of the U.S. Department of State's Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) and is delivered in partnership with Arizona State University's Thunderbird School of Global Management. A core feature of this specific LESA iteration is its use of the Francis and Dionne Najafi 100 Million Learners Global Initiative, an accredited online certificate platform that offers global management and entrepreneurship coursework. In practice, participants will primarily engage with the AWE foundation curriculum, described as an 18-module course with emphasis on global entrepreneurship and innovation, supported by structured local facilitation and mentorship.

The selected organization(s) will be responsible for supporting cohorts of women entrepreneurs in seven total locations: five cities in South Africa and one city each in Lesotho and Eswatini. Program delivery is intended to be blended, combining virtual learning with in-person engagement hosted at American Spaces in each city. A major operational requirement is organizing and staffing weekly cohort sessions, for a total of 18 sessions, where participants not only progress through the online modules but also take part in facilitated discussions, peer learning, and practical mentorship that helps translate course content into real business decisions. The implementer is expected to coordinate closely with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate General, especially to identify an in-person facilitator in each city. These facilitators are ideally alumni of U.S. government exchange or entrepreneurship programs and must be selected in collaboration with the U.S. Mission. Facilitators also need to participate in pre-program training and orientation so that delivery is consistent across cities.

In addition to running the weekly training sessions, the implementing partner must plan and execute key program milestones in each city, including a formal program launch, a graduation event, and a pitch practice session. These events are meant to create structure, accountability, and visibility for participants while strengthening the local entrepreneur community around the cohort. The pitch practice component signals that the program is not only instructional but also oriented toward helping entrepreneurs present their businesses clearly, refine value propositions, and prepare for potential financing opportunities.

A distinctive post-program responsibility is that, after graduation, the implementer will work with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate to administer a United States Africa Development Fund (USADF) funding competition for AWE graduates who choose to apply. The implementing partner will support the competition process, including helping manage application intake and assisting with the review process alongside the U.S. Mission. This funding competition is described as annual and dependent on the availability of funds, meaning it is a planned pathway for some alumni but not an automatic guarantee of grant support for every graduating participant.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is listed as a discretionary award using a cooperative agreement mechanism, which typically implies a higher level of collaboration and ongoing engagement between the funder (the U.S. Mission) and the implementing partner compared to a standard grant. The funding opportunity number is PDS ZAF FY24 04, under CFDA 19.022, with an award ceiling of $119,190 and an expectation of up to two awards. The original closing date provided in the announcement is April 26, 2024, and the opportunity was created on March 6, 2024.

Eligibility is limited to non-profit organizations based in South Africa or the United States that can demonstrate proven on-the-ground implementation capacity in South Africa. The eligible applicant types explicitly include non-profit think tanks, civil society and non-governmental organizations, and public or private educational institutions, provided they meet the non-profit requirement and can deliver programming locally. The overall goal of the grant is to build practical entrepreneurship skills among women business owners across the three countries through a structured curriculum, consistent in-person facilitation, and a clear bridge to potential follow-on funding opportunities for graduates who are ready to compete for additional support.

• The U.S. Mission to South Africa in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Academy for Women Entrepreneurs LESA" 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 2024-03-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-04-26. (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 $119,190.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for PDS ZAF FY24 04

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