Opportunity Information: Apply for NEAAC ACMEPI 15 010
Apply for NEAAC ACMEPI 15 010
- The Near East Affairs Assistance Coordination in the business and commerce sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Entrepreneurship in the MENA Region" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.500 Middle East Partnership Initiative.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 5, 2015 and posted on May 5, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 15, 2015 No Explanation. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $5,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Eligible applicants include U.S. or foreign non profit organizations for profit organizations private institutions of higher education, public or state institutions of higher education public international organizations and small businesses with function and regional experience in the areas of entrepreneurship in the MENA region.
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Opportunity Summary:
The "Entrepreneurship in the MENA Region" opportunity is a discretionary U.S. government grant competition run by the Department of State, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC), using Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) funds. The purpose is to back practical, results-driven projects that help entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa start new companies and scale existing startups. The central expectation is that funded projects will produce tangible and sustained outcomes, especially around recruiting entrepreneurs, supporting business formation, and accelerating expansion, rather than simply delivering one-off events or general awareness activities.
A strong proposal under this announcement is expected to show a clear understanding of the specific target country context, including how the local economy works, what the entrepreneurial ecosystem looks like, and what barriers typically block new venture creation or growth. The agency is looking for approaches that are already proven or evidence-based, meaning applicants should build on prior successful activities that have increased the number of startups, or present a well-supported model with a strong likelihood of achieving similar results in the target country. In other words, the program is geared toward interventions with a credible track record or solid evidence, and it prioritizes measurable outcomes tied to real enterprise formation and growth within the project period.
The solicitation emphasizes local leadership and local ownership. Applicants must explain how local actors will play meaningful roles in designing, delivering, and sustaining the work, rather than positioning the project as externally driven. Partnerships are a core requirement: proposals should spell out how collaboration with local governments, private sector entities, and nongovernmental institutions will support the objective of increasing the number of startups launched by entrepreneurs. This partnership approach is meant to anchor the project in the local market and improve the odds that benefits continue after the award ends.
The opportunity is intentionally flexible about the types of activities that can be proposed, as long as they directly address constraints to entrepreneurship and translate into measurable business results. Examples of allowable interventions include seed funding mechanisms, entrepreneurial consulting, technical assistance, training and capacity building, efforts to link entrepreneurs to sources of capital, mentor matching and networks, and multi-sector entrepreneurship partnerships (such as collaborations between investors, accelerators, universities, industry, and government). Applications are expected to describe, clearly and succinctly, how chosen interventions remove specific bottlenecks and lead to an increase in new enterprises or the scaling of existing startups within the timeframe of the interventions. The focus is on execution and outcomes: how the pipeline of entrepreneurs will be recruited and supported, how ventures will be formed, and how growth will be demonstrated and measured.
Funding is provided through a cooperative agreement, which typically implies more substantial involvement by the funding agency during implementation compared to a standard grant. The estimated total funding for the competition is $5,000,000, with an expectation of around three awards. Individual awards are anticipated to range from a $1,000,000 floor to a $2,000,000 ceiling. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement stated, so applicants are not required to contribute their own funds as a condition of eligibility, though leveraging partner support can still strengthen a proposal if it advances sustainability and impact.
Eligible applicants are broad and include U.S. or foreign nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, private and public institutions of higher education, public international organizations, and small businesses, provided they have functional and regional experience related to entrepreneurship in the MENA region. This eligibility structure signals that NEA/AC is open to a range of implementers, but still expects credible capacity and demonstrated familiarity with the region and with entrepreneurship programming that leads to real venture creation and expansion.
Administratively, the opportunity was posted on May 5, 2015, with a closing date of June 15, 2015, and an archive date of July 15, 2015. The CFDA number associated with MEPI in this listing is 19.500, and the activity category is Business and Commerce. For applicants needing access help with the full announcement, the notice directs them to the Grants.gov Contact Center (support@grants.gov; 1-800-518-4726), which operates 24/7 except federal holidays.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Entrepreneurship in the MENA Region (MEPI) Grant Opportunity
1. What is the "Entrepreneurship in the MENA Region" grant opportunity?
This is a discretionary U.S. government grant competition run by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC), using Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) funds. It supports projects designed to help entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) start new companies and scale existing startups.
2. What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The purpose is to back practical, results-driven projects that generate tangible and sustained entrepreneurship outcomes. The central expectation is that funded projects will recruit entrepreneurs, support business formation, and accelerate the expansion of startups rather than focus on one-off events or general awareness efforts.
3. What kinds of outcomes is the Department of State looking for?
The solicitation prioritizes measurable outcomes tied to real enterprise formation and growth within the project period. This includes, in particular, increases in new startups launched and evidence that existing startups have scaled, as a direct result of project interventions.
4. Are one-time events or general entrepreneurship awareness campaigns eligible?
The opportunity emphasizes tangible and sustained outcomes and explicitly contrasts that approach with "one-off events" or "general awareness activities." Proposals are expected to focus on interventions that translate into measurable business results.
5. What does a "strong proposal" need to demonstrate about the target country?
A strong proposal is expected to show a clear understanding of the specific target country context, including how the local economy works, what the entrepreneurial ecosystem looks like, and what barriers typically block new venture creation or growth.
6. Does the program require evidence-based or proven approaches?
Yes. The announcement indicates that approaches should be proven or evidence-based. Applicants are expected to build on prior successful activities that have increased the number of startups, or to present a well-supported model with a strong likelihood of achieving similar results in the target country.
7. What is meant by "local leadership" and "local ownership" in this solicitation?
The solicitation emphasizes that local actors should play meaningful roles in designing, delivering, and sustaining the work. Applicants should explain how the project will be locally anchored rather than externally driven.
8. Are partnerships required, and what kinds of partners are expected?
Partnerships are described as a core requirement. Proposals should explain collaboration with local governments, private sector entities, and nongovernmental institutions to support the objective of increasing the number of startups launched by entrepreneurs and improving sustainability after the award ends.
9. What types of activities are allowable under this opportunity?
The solicitation is flexible about activities as long as they address entrepreneurship constraints and lead to measurable business results. Examples listed include seed funding mechanisms, entrepreneurial consulting, technical assistance, training and capacity building, linking entrepreneurs to capital, mentor matching and networks, and multi-sector entrepreneurship partnerships (for example, collaborations among investors, accelerators, universities, industry, and government).
10. What does the solicitation expect applicants to explain about their chosen interventions?
Applications are expected to describe clearly and succinctly how the interventions remove specific bottlenecks and lead to increases in new enterprises or the scaling of existing startups within the timeframe of the interventions.
11. How should applicants address recruitment and support of entrepreneurs?
The announcement emphasizes execution and outcomes, including how the pipeline of entrepreneurs will be recruited and supported, how ventures will be formed, and how growth will be demonstrated and measured.
12. What kind of award instrument is used (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
Funding is provided through a cooperative agreement. The notice explains that this typically implies more substantial involvement by the funding agency during implementation than a standard grant.
13. What is the total estimated funding available?
The estimated total funding for the competition is $5,000,000.
14. How many awards are expected?
The opportunity notes an expectation of around three awards.
15. What is the anticipated award size?
Individual awards are anticipated to range from a $1,000,000 floor to a $2,000,000 ceiling.
16. Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost-sharing or matching requirement is stated in the provided information. Applicants are not required to contribute their own funds as a condition of eligibility, although leveraging partner support may still strengthen a proposal if it advances sustainability and impact.
17. Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include U.S. or foreign nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, private and public institutions of higher education, public international organizations, and small businesses, provided they have functional and regional experience related to entrepreneurship in the MENA region.
18. Does the opportunity allow both U.S. and foreign organizations to apply?
Yes. The eligibility list includes both U.S. and foreign nonprofit organizations, as well as other entity types.
19. Does the applicant need MENA regional experience?
Yes. The eligibility information specifies that applicants must have functional and regional experience related to entrepreneurship in the MENA region.
20. What program funds this opportunity?
This opportunity uses Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) funds.
21. Which Department of State office runs this competition?
The competition is run by the Department of State, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC).
22. What is the CFDA number associated with this listing?
The CFDA number associated with MEPI in this listing is 19.500.
23. What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category listed is Business and Commerce.
24. When was the opportunity posted, and what were the key dates?
It was posted on May 5, 2015. The closing date was June 15, 2015, and the archive date was July 15, 2015.
25. Where can applicants get help accessing the full announcement?
The notice directs applicants to the Grants.gov Contact Center for access help: support@grants.gov or 1-800-518-4726. The Contact Center operates 24/7 except federal holidays.
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