Opportunity Information: Apply for ND NOFO 16 102
Apply for ND NOFO 16 102
- The DOS-IND in the business and commerce, education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "WE Can: Workshops and Business Plan Competition for Women Entrepreneurs" 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 21, 2016 and posted on Apr 21, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 21, 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 $100,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The grant opportunity titled "WE Can: Workshops and Business Plan Competition for Women Entrepreneurs" (Funding Opportunity Number: ND NOFO 16 102) was offered by the U.S. Department of State, through the Public Affairs Section of the North India Office at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi (Agency: DOS-IND). It is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement, which generally means the funder expects to remain actively involved in shaping or supporting implementation rather than simply issuing funds and stepping back. The opportunity was posted on April 21, 2016 (created the same day) and had an application deadline of June 21, 2016.
The program itself focuses on women entrepreneurs in North India, specifically aspiring young female entrepreneurs in major cities across the region. The central goal is capacity-building: giving participants practical skills and knowledge they need to start and grow their own enterprises. While the short description does not list specific workshop topics, the structure implied by the title suggests a combination of training workshops followed by a business plan competition, a common format used to move participants from learning fundamentals into applying them through a concrete venture idea and pitch. The business plan competition component typically serves as both a motivator and a selection mechanism to identify the most promising concepts, while also creating visibility and momentum for participants and their ventures.
In terms of funding and scale, the award ceiling was $100,000, with one award expected. The program is categorized under the funding activity areas of business and commerce and education, reflecting its emphasis on entrepreneurship training and enterprise development rather than direct service delivery alone. The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 19.040, which corresponds to public diplomacy programs, aligning with the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section role in supporting educational and empowerment initiatives.
Eligible applicants included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions within that nonprofit category). In practice, that eligibility set points toward universities, business schools, incubators affiliated with academic institutions, and established nonprofit organizations capable of organizing multi-city programming, recruiting participants, delivering training content, and administering a fair and well-run competition. Since only one award was expected, the selected implementer would likely have been responsible for managing the entire North India regional effort, coordinating workshops across multiple cities, and handling outreach, logistics, mentorship or coaching arrangements, and any competition-related judging and prize structure described in the full announcement.
Overall, this opportunity funded a single, region-wide initiative designed to strengthen the pipeline of women-led startups in North India by combining entrepreneurship education with a competitive, performance-based capstone that pushes participants to translate ideas into structured business plans and investor-ready pitches.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "WE Can: Workshops and Business Plan Competition for Women Entrepreneurs".
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is ND NOFO 16 102.
Which government agency offered this opportunity?
This opportunity was offered by the U.S. Department of State, through the Public Affairs Section of the North India Office at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi (Agency: DOS-IND).
What type of funding instrument was used?
It was a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement.
What does "cooperative agreement" mean in this context?
Based on the listing description, a cooperative agreement generally means the funder expects to remain actively involved in shaping and/or supporting implementation, rather than simply issuing funds and stepping back.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on April 21, 2016 (and created the same day).
What was the application deadline?
The application deadline was June 21, 2016.
What is the main focus of the program?
The program focuses on women entrepreneurs in North India, especially aspiring young female entrepreneurs in major cities across the region, with an emphasis on capacity-building to help participants start and grow enterprises.
What activities were expected under this program?
Based on the title and description, the structure suggests a combination of training workshops followed by a business plan competition. The workshops are intended to build practical skills and knowledge, while the competition functions as a capstone where participants apply what they learned.
Were specific workshop topics listed?
No. The short description does not list specific workshop topics.
What is the purpose of the business plan competition component?
The business plan competition is described as a common format to move participants from learning fundamentals into applying them through a concrete venture idea and pitch. It can serve as a motivator, a selection mechanism to identify promising concepts, and a way to build visibility and momentum for participants and their ventures.
What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling was $100,000.
How many awards were expected?
One award was expected.
What were the funding activity areas for this opportunity?
The funding activity areas were business and commerce and education, reflecting an emphasis on entrepreneurship training and enterprise development.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 19.040, which corresponds to public diplomacy programs.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants included:
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions within that nonprofit category)
What kinds of organizations does that eligibility typically include?
Based on the eligibility description, it points toward organizations such as universities, business schools, incubators affiliated with academic institutions, and established nonprofit organizations that can run multi-city programming and administer a competition.
What geographic area did the program target?
The program targeted North India, with participants drawn from major cities across the region.
Was this grant intended for individual women entrepreneurs to apply directly?
The listed eligible applicants are institutions (higher education institutions and qualified nonprofits). Based on that eligibility list, the direct applicants were expected to be organizations that would implement the program for women entrepreneurs, rather than individual entrepreneurs applying for the grant directly.
What would the selected awardee likely be responsible for?
Since only one award was expected for a region-wide effort, the selected implementer would likely be responsible for managing the overall North India initiative, including coordination of workshops across multiple cities and handling key implementation elements such as outreach, logistics, training delivery, and competition administration.
Does the description mention mentorship, coaching, or prizes?
The summary suggests the implementer may have handled mentorship or coaching arrangements and any competition-related judging and prize structure described in the full announcement, but those specifics are not listed in the short description provided here.
What is the overall goal of the initiative?
The initiative was designed to strengthen the pipeline of women-led startups in North India by combining entrepreneurship education with a performance-based capstone that helps participants translate ideas into structured business plans and more pitch-ready concepts.
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