WE-Champs: Strengthening the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem by Networking Regional Women’s Chambers of Commerce and Business Associations | SFOP0008718

Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0008718

The WE-Champs grant opportunity, formally titled "WE-Champs: Strengthening the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem by Networking Regional Women's Chambers of Commerce and Business Associations" (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0008718), is a U.S. Department of State initiative administered through the Office of Global Women's Issues. It was offered as a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement mechanism, which generally means the funder expects to be more actively involved during implementation than in a standard grant. The overall aim is to improve women's economic security by strengthening the enabling environment for women entrepreneurs, primarily by building the capacity, influence, and connectivity of women's Chambers of Commerce and women-focused business associations.

At the center of the opportunity is support for locally designed and locally led efforts to develop stronger, gender-responsive institutions. In practice, this points to work that helps business membership organizations representing women become more effective at serving their members and shaping the business climate. The emphasis on "gender-responsive institutions" suggests improvements in how these organizations operate and advocate, including more inclusive policies, better representation of women entrepreneurs' needs, and stronger organizational systems that sustain long-term support for women in business rather than one-off programming.

A key feature of the grant is the networking component. The program is framed around strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem by connecting regional women's chambers and business associations, which implies activities like building coalitions, creating shared advocacy agendas, facilitating peer learning across countries or regions, and establishing platforms for collaboration. The intent is that by linking organizations and aligning strategies, women's business groups can gain a louder collective voice, share proven approaches, and coordinate advocacy more effectively than they could working in isolation.

The opportunity also explicitly allows partnership with chambers and business associations that are not exclusively focused on women, as long as they are actively advocating on behalf of women entrepreneurs and women in business. This broadens the ecosystem approach: rather than limiting work to women-only organizations, the program can engage mainstream business groups that have influence and reach, especially if they are willing to address concerns identified by women members. The advocacy angle is central and is expected to be driven by the priorities of the organizations and their members, with the goal of addressing practical barriers women face in entrepreneurship and business growth.

Another major thread is that project activities may lead to legal, social, and/or institutional change through targeted advocacy. That signals outcomes beyond training or networking for its own sake. Examples of the kinds of change implied here include reforms to business registration processes, procurement rules, workplace and market regulations, access to finance and collateral requirements, or other institutional practices that disproportionately disadvantage women-owned enterprises. "Social and/or institutional change" also leaves room for shifting norms within the private sector and within membership organizations themselves, such as improving women's representation in leadership, adopting gender-smart services, and building accountability for gender equity in business policy discussions.

On the funding and administrative side, the award ceiling listed for the opportunity is $1,175,308, with an expectation of one award. The eligible applicants are limited to U.S.-recognized nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education). The assistance listing references CFDA 19.801, which is commonly associated with Department of State public diplomacy and related assistance activities. The opportunity was created on March 14, 2022, and the original application closing date was May 6, 2022.

In summary, WE-Champs is designed to strengthen women entrepreneurs' economic security by investing in the organizations that represent them, connect them, and advocate for them. It focuses on building stronger and more gender-responsive chambers and business associations, promoting coordinated regional networking, and supporting member-driven advocacy that can produce concrete policy, institutional, and societal improvements affecting women in business.

• The Department of State, Office of Global Womens Issues in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "WE-Champs: Strengthening the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem by Networking Regional Women’s Chambers of Commerce and Business Associations" 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 Mar 14, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 06, 2022. (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 $1,175,308.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

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