Opportunity Information: Apply for C NOFO 19 103
The Indian Women Social Entrepreneurs Network (IWSEN) grant opportunity is a discretionary U.S. government-funded project issued by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Chennai under Funding Opportunity Number C NOFO 19 103. The program is designed to convene and support 40 women social entrepreneurs from across India and give them practical tools, training, and connections to strengthen their enterprises and expand their broader influence. Rather than focusing only on scaling individual businesses, the opportunity emphasizes building durable, localized systems of mutual support, shared knowledge, and resource exchange that can be replicated and sustained over time.
At the center of the project is the creation and launch of a new, participant-built national network: the Indian Women Social Entrepreneurs Network. The grantee is expected to facilitate a process where the 40 selected entrepreneurs collectively help design, execute, and formally establish IWSEN, ensuring the network reflects real needs on the ground and is shaped by the lived experience of the women it serves. A key expectation is that the participants do not just complete a one-time training; they become founding members of the network and are prepared to act as master trainers who can bring additional women into the network later, multiplying the program's impact beyond the initial cohort.
The opportunity lays out three core goals with clear evidence expectations. First, it aims to improve the operating environment and networking capacity of women social entrepreneurs in India, with attention to strategies for replication and scaling; progress on this goal is expected to be measured through pre- and post-project surveys. Second, it seeks to guide participants in forming a pan-India network grounded in practical knowledge sharing and peer support, with success demonstrated by the actual establishment of IWSEN. Third, it envisions IWSEN as a platform for advocacy, helping women-led social enterprises secure stronger support systems and access to funding, which in turn advances economic empowerment, financial independence, and positive community outcomes.
The program also has a public diplomacy dimension. Where relevant, the grantee should highlight best practices from the United States and explain how strengthening women-led social entrepreneurship and building cross-border ties can produce benefits that extend to the U.S. economy. In practical terms, this means the project should not only train and convene participants, but also frame the initiative in a way that underscores the value of women entrepreneurs, networks, and social enterprise ecosystems, and communicates those benefits to broader stakeholders.
In terms of eligibility and funding parameters, applicants must be nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status in the United States (excluding institutions of higher education). The award ceiling is $60,000. The activity category is Business and Commerce, and the CFDA number listed is 19.040. The opportunity was created on 2019-06-24, with an original closing date of 2019-07-31. Overall, the grant is structured to produce both near-term outcomes (training, improved capacity, and a launched network) and longer-term outcomes (an ongoing national platform led by women founders who can train others, advocate for resources, and shift social and cultural perceptions through increased economic empowerment).Apply for C NOFO 19 103
- The U.S. Mission to India in the business and commerce sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Indian Women Social Entrepreneurs Network" 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 2019-06-24.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-07-31. (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 $60,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Indian Women Social Entrepreneurs Network (IWSEN) Grant
What is the IWSEN grant opportunity?
The Indian Women Social Entrepreneurs Network (IWSEN) grant is a discretionary U.S. government-funded project issued by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Chennai under Funding Opportunity Number C NOFO 19 103. The project is designed to convene and support 40 women social entrepreneurs from across India and equip them with practical tools, training, and connections.
Who is issuing and funding this opportunity?
The opportunity is issued by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Chennai and is described as a U.S. government-funded project.
What is the primary purpose of the program?
The program aims to strengthen women social entrepreneurs by providing practical training and by building a durable, localized system of mutual support, shared knowledge, and resource exchange that can be replicated and sustained over time.
How many participants will the program support?
The program is designed to convene and support 40 women social entrepreneurs from across India.
Is the program only about scaling individual businesses?
No. While strengthening enterprises is part of the intent, the opportunity explicitly emphasizes building durable systems of mutual support, knowledge-sharing, and resource exchange, rather than focusing only on scaling individual businesses.
What is IWSEN in the context of this project?
IWSEN refers to a new, participant-built national network called the Indian Women Social Entrepreneurs Network. A central expectation of the project is the creation and launch of this network.
What is the grantee expected to do?
The grantee is expected to facilitate a process where the 40 selected entrepreneurs collectively help design, execute, and formally establish IWSEN. The network is expected to reflect real needs on the ground and be shaped by the lived experiences of the women it serves.
Are participants expected to become part of the network after training ends?
Yes. The opportunity expects participants to become founding members of IWSEN, not just trainees who complete a one-time program.
What does "master trainers" mean in this opportunity?
The program expects the initial 40 participants to be prepared to act as master trainers who can bring additional women into the network later, expanding the impact beyond the first cohort.
What are the core goals of the project?
The opportunity outlines three core goals: (1) improve the operating environment and networking capacity of women social entrepreneurs in India, including strategies for replication and scaling; (2) guide participants in forming a pan-India network grounded in practical knowledge sharing and peer support, demonstrated by the establishment of IWSEN; and (3) support IWSEN as a platform for advocacy to strengthen support systems and access to funding for women-led social enterprises, advancing economic empowerment and positive community outcomes.
How is progress or success expected to be measured?
For the goal related to improving the operating environment and networking capacity, progress is expected to be measured through pre- and post-project surveys. For the goal related to forming the network, success is demonstrated by the actual establishment of IWSEN.
What evidence is expected for building the pan-India network?
The opportunity indicates that success for the network-building goal should be demonstrated by the actual establishment of IWSEN.
What does the opportunity mean by advocacy and access to funding?
The opportunity envisions IWSEN serving as a platform for advocacy that helps women-led social enterprises secure stronger support systems and improved access to funding, contributing to economic empowerment, financial independence, and positive community outcomes.
Does the program include a public diplomacy component?
Yes. The opportunity states that, where relevant, the grantee should highlight best practices from the United States and explain how strengthening women-led social entrepreneurship and building cross-border ties can produce benefits that extend to the U.S. economy.
What does the public diplomacy aspect require in practical terms?
In practical terms, it means the project should not only train and convene participants, but also frame the initiative to underscore the value of women entrepreneurs, networks, and social enterprise ecosystems, and communicate those benefits to broader stakeholders.
Who is eligible to apply for this grant?
Applicants must be nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status in the United States. Institutions of higher education are excluded based on the eligibility description provided.
Are U.S. universities eligible to apply?
No. The opportunity specifies that eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in the United States, excluding institutions of higher education.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is $60,000.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category listed is Business and Commerce.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 19.040.
What is the funding opportunity number (NOFO) for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is C NOFO 19 103.
When was this opportunity created and when did it close?
The opportunity was created on 2019-06-24, with an original closing date of 2019-07-31.
What outcomes is the grant designed to produce?
The grant is structured to produce near-term outcomes such as training, improved capacity, and a launched network, as well as longer-term outcomes such as an ongoing national platform led by women founders who can train others, advocate for resources, and shift social and cultural perceptions through increased economic empowerment.
Is replication and scaling part of the program design?
Yes. The opportunity highlights strategies for replication and scaling and emphasizes durable systems that can be replicated and sustained over time.
What geographic scope is implied for participants and the network?
The program is designed for 40 women social entrepreneurs from across India, and it seeks to form a pan-India national network.
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