Opportunity Information: Apply for S PA100 16 GR 003 WHA 07052016
Apply for S PA100 16 GR 003 WHA 07052016
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Paraguay in the employment, labor and training sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Breaking the Cycle – Formalize and Succeed" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.801.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 05, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 18, 2016. (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 $125,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
Breaking the Cycle - Formalize and Succeed is a U.S. Department of State funding opportunity administered by the U.S. Mission to Paraguay (U.S. Embassy Asuncion). It is a limited-competition Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) focused on expanding economic inclusion for disadvantaged women in Paraguay by helping them move from informal income activities into formally established small businesses. The central idea is to build and deliver a practical, structured entrepreneurship training program that takes women from having little or no business background to being able to plan, formalize, and launch a viable enterprise.
The funded project is expected to develop a set of portable training modules, designed like a "business in a box" start-up kit. This implies ready-to-use, replicable materials that can be delivered consistently across multiple locations, rather than a one-off course that only works in one city or with one instructor. The training is designed for women entrepreneurs with minimal formal experience, so the curriculum is expected to be highly practical and step-by-step, with an emphasis on the fundamentals of starting a business and navigating the formal economy. A key outcome the program aims to achieve is increased participation of women in the formal sector, addressing the current constraint that many women-run microbusinesses operate informally and therefore have less access to protections, growth opportunities, markets, and possibly credit and government services.
In terms of scale and delivery, the program targets up to 300 women and will be implemented across eight training sites throughout Paraguay. The full training cycle is intended to last one year from start to finish, suggesting a longer-term engagement model rather than a short workshop. Over that year, participants are expected to learn how to develop a business plan, complete steps needed to formalize their business, and actually start operations, meaning the training is not just theoretical instruction but oriented toward real business creation and compliance with formal registration requirements.
The NOFO sets a very specific participant focus. The project should work exclusively with women connected to Paraguays network of womens reference centers (noted as four centers in a small but growing system), shelters serving victims of trafficking or other forms of gender-based violence, and also several small business networks. This framing makes the program both an economic empowerment effort and a support pathway for women who may face heightened barriers due to trauma, displacement, safety concerns, or limited access to traditional employment. In practice, this focus implies that the implementing organization should be capable of delivering training in environments that may require added safeguards, coordination with service providers, and participant-centered approaches that account for sensitive circumstances.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary and supports either a grant or a cooperative agreement, meaning the government may either fund the recipient with standard grant oversight or maintain more active involvement in program execution if a cooperative agreement is used. The activity category is Employment, Labor and Training, and the CFDA number associated with the opportunity is 19.801. The award ceiling is $125,000, and the Embassy anticipated making one award, so applicants would be competing for a single, relatively modest award intended to produce a defined program package and deliver training at scale across multiple sites. The opportunity was created July 5, 2016, with an original closing date of August 18, 2016.
Overall, the grant centers on creating a transferable entrepreneurship training system and delivering it across Paraguay to help vulnerable and disadvantaged women progress from informal work to formal small business ownership. Success, as implied by the NOFO, would be demonstrated through a complete, usable set of training modules and start-up tools, consistent multi-site delivery to as many as 300 participants, and tangible movement by trainees toward business planning, registration/formalization, and launch of income-generating enterprises within a one-year training timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the "Breaking the Cycle - Formalize and Succeed" funding opportunity?
"Breaking the Cycle - Formalize and Succeed" is a U.S. Department of State funding opportunity administered by the U.S. Mission to Paraguay (U.S. Embassy Asuncion). It is issued as a limited-competition Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and focuses on expanding economic inclusion for disadvantaged women in Paraguay by helping them transition from informal income activities into formally established small businesses.
What is the main purpose of this NOFO?
The purpose is to build and deliver a practical, structured entrepreneurship training program that can take women with little or no business background and help them plan, formalize, and launch a viable enterprise within a one-year training cycle.
Who is the target participant group for the training program?
The project is intended to work exclusively with women connected to Paraguay's network of women's reference centers (described as four centers in a small but growing system), shelters serving victims of trafficking or other forms of gender-based violence, and several small business networks.
Does the program serve participants outside these referenced networks?
Based on the NOFO description, the participant focus is specific and exclusive: the project should work only with women connected to the women's reference centers, relevant shelters, and identified small business networks.
What problem is the program trying to address?
The program aims to address the constraint that many women-run microbusinesses in Paraguay operate informally, which can limit access to protections, growth opportunities, markets, and potentially credit and government services. The intended outcome is increased participation of women in the formal sector.
What kind of training approach is expected?
The training is expected to be highly practical and step-by-step, emphasizing core fundamentals of starting a business and navigating the formal economy. It is designed for women entrepreneurs with minimal formal experience.
What does "business in a box" mean in this NOFO?
In this NOFO, "business in a box" refers to a set of portable, ready-to-use, replicable training modules and start-up tools. The intent is to create materials that can be delivered consistently across multiple locations rather than a one-off course that only works in one city or with one instructor.
What deliverables are expected from the funded project?
The funded project is expected to develop a complete set of portable training modules and start-up tools (the replicable "business in a box" kit) and deliver the training across multiple sites. The program is also oriented toward tangible outcomes: business planning, completion of formalization steps, and actual business start-up activity during the training cycle.
How many participants is the program expected to reach?
The NOFO targets up to 300 women participants.
How many training locations are expected, and where?
The program is expected to be implemented across eight training sites throughout Paraguay.
How long is the training cycle expected to last?
The full training cycle is intended to last one year from start to finish, indicating a longer-term engagement model rather than a short workshop.
What are participants expected to accomplish during the year?
Over the year, participants are expected to learn how to develop a business plan, complete the steps needed to formalize their business, and start operations. The NOFO frames this as more than classroom instruction, emphasizing real business creation and compliance with formal registration requirements.
Is the opportunity a grant or a cooperative agreement?
The NOFO supports either a grant or a cooperative agreement. This means the U.S. government may fund the recipient with standard grant oversight, or it may maintain more active involvement in program execution if a cooperative agreement is used.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is Employment, Labor and Training.
What CFDA number is associated with this funding opportunity?
The CFDA number associated with the opportunity is 19.801.
How much funding is available?
The award ceiling is $125,000.
How many awards were anticipated?
The Embassy anticipated making one award, meaning applicants would be competing for a single award.
Is this a competitive opportunity?
Yes. It is described as a limited-competition NOFO, and only one award was anticipated.
When was the opportunity created, and what was the original deadline?
The opportunity was created on July 5, 2016, with an original closing date of August 18, 2016.
What does success look like according to the NOFO description?
Success is implied to include: (1) a complete, usable, and replicable set of training modules and start-up tools; (2) consistent delivery across eight sites to up to 300 participants; and (3) tangible movement by trainees toward business planning, formal registration/formalization, and launching income-generating enterprises within the one-year timeline.
Does the NOFO emphasize delivery in sensitive or high-barrier environments?
Yes. Because the participant population includes women connected to shelters serving victims of trafficking or other forms of gender-based violence and women reference centers, the description implies the implementing organization should be prepared for added safeguards, coordination with service providers, and participant-centered approaches suitable for sensitive circumstances.
Is the training intended to be theoretical or hands-on?
The NOFO emphasizes practical, structured, step-by-step instruction aimed at real outcomes, including business planning, formalization steps, and actual business launch activities.
Is the program intended to be replicable beyond a single city or instructor?
Yes. A central requirement is that the modules and materials be portable and replicable, so they can be delivered consistently across multiple locations rather than depending on one specific setting or trainer.
What geographic focus does the opportunity have?
The program is to be implemented throughout Paraguay, with activities delivered across eight training sites.
What broader outcome is the program designed to support?
The broader outcome is greater economic inclusion of disadvantaged women in Paraguay through increased participation in the formal economy and the creation of formally established small businesses.
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