PROMOTING YOUTH RURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE FARANAH ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF GUINEA | 72067523APS00001

Opportunity Information: Apply for 72067523APS00001

The USAID/Guinea grant opportunity titled PROMOTING YOUTH RURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE FARANAH ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF GUINEA (Funding Opportunity Number 72067523APS00001) is a discretionary grant focused on helping rural youth in Guinea build viable businesses that strengthen local economies and create jobs. It targets the Faranah administrative region, specifically the prefectures of Kissidougou, Faranah, Dabola, and Dinguiraye, where many young people want to contribute to community and national development through entrepreneurship but are held back by persistent structural barriers. USAID is looking to support both current and future entrepreneurs so they can turn business ideas into sustainable income and employment opportunities for themselves and others.

The opportunity is designed around the specific constraints rural youth face in the region. The description highlights limited access to finance, difficulty obtaining technology and productive inputs, and problems linked to transparency and corruption. It also points to gaps in practical business skills, especially around developing business strategies. In response, USAID wants programming that directly helps young entrepreneurs overcome these obstacles in realistic, locally grounded ways. A notable emphasis is placed on inclusive economic empowerment, with USAID explicitly interested in approaches that include female youth and youth with disabilities, signaling that applicants should think about accessibility, equitable participation, and targeted support that reflects the different barriers these groups may face.

USAID plans to fund a local organization or a consortium of local or regional organizations, with one organization serving as the primary lead, using Fixed Amount Awards. Each award has a ceiling of up to USD 2,000,000, dependent on available funding. The expected total performance period is about 3 years and 7 months and is split into two phases. Phase 1 is an Assessment and Co-design phase lasting roughly 7 months with an estimated budget of about USD 100,000. This first phase is essentially intended to diagnose needs, map constraints and opportunities, and collaboratively design a program model that fits the local context. If USAID determines it is necessary, the award can be renewed into Phase 2, the Entrepreneurship Empowerment Program Implementation phase, which would last about 3 years with an estimated budget of about USD 1,900,000. This phased structure strongly suggests USAID wants a thoughtful design process up front and then a larger-scale rollout based on what the assessment and co-design work demonstrates.

Eligibility is restricted to local entities within West Africa, with a preference for Guinean organizations. USAID defines a local entity based on several factors: the organization should be legally organized under the laws of Guinea or another West African country; have its principal place of business or operations in Guinea or another West African country; be majority owned and controlled by citizens or lawful permanent residents of Guinea or another West African country; and be managed by a governing body whose majority are citizens or lawful permanent residents of Guinea or another West African country. In addition to the local-entity requirement, applicants cannot have received more than USD 5 million in direct USAID prime funding over the previous five fiscal years, and U.S.-based organizations are not eligible to apply as prime awardees under this APS (though they could potentially participate in other roles if partnered by an eligible local prime, depending on the solicitation rules).

Administrative details provided include the activity category (Community Development), CFDA number 98.001, and that the original closing date listed was 2023-07-31, with the opportunity created on 2023-06-07. Overall, the grant is structured to identify capable West African local implementers who can design and deliver an entrepreneurship support program in rural Faranah that addresses financing and input constraints, builds practical business capacity, and expands opportunities in a way that is transparent, locally credible, and inclusive of young women and youth with disabilities.

• The Guinea USAID-Conakry in the community development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "PROMOTING YOUTH RURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE FARANAH ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF GUINEA" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 98.001.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-06-07.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-07-31. (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 $2,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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