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U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs Entrepreneurial & Economic Empowerment (E3) Hub

The Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs (OPA-PD) announces an open competition for a grant through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The Entrepreneurial & Economic Empowerment (E3) Hub project is designed to partner with not-for-profit non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to implement activities which advance the applicant’s goals and the OPA-PD mission: to advance a comprehensive and lasting peace through a negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the development of a vibrant, representative, and responsive Palestinian civil society, private sector, and governing institutions through substantive engagement with American people, institutions, ideas and ideals in order to improve American-Palestinian relations and create greater opportunities for mutually beneficial partnership and cooperation.

Priority Region: Jerusalem, West Bank, and Gaza.

Program Objectives: 

The U.S. OPA E3 Hub is established as a center to focus on entrepreneurial competencies, economic empowerment, and advancement of employment skills of Palestinians audiences. Through the E3 Hub, the OPA aims to provide young Palestinians with the needed tools and support to develop their businesses successfully and have a positive impact on their community.  The E3 Hub will utilize the networks and convening power of the OPA’s public diplomacy programming—including the ability to gather stakeholders, access American business expertise, connections to international businesses, American educational tools, and more—to advance the Palestinian entrepreneurial ecosystem and empower the Palestinian business community.

 

A variety of activities and events (virtual and in-person) should be designed and implemented to achieve the goals stated above and the objectives named below and to position the E3 Hub as the OPA’s center of entrepreneurship and economic empowerment programming.  These activities should be designed to enhance the participants’ skills and connect them to potential collaborators, mentors, and even investors in the United States and throughout the world, to introduce them to new and exciting opportunities at home and in the region, and to enable them to create relationships and partnerships with the American businesses.

 

All proposed projects must aim to advance the OPA-PD mission goals stated above, contain a substantive American element, and achieve all of the following specific objectives:

  1. Advance Palestinian entrepreneurs’ and job seekers’ knowledge and skills to navigate the local and global business environment.
  2. Commemorate the annual Global Entrepreneurship Week (November 2022) with programs planned specifically for the E3 Hub that week.
  3. Create new linkages between Palestinian entrepreneurs/SMEs and regional, American, and international companies and institutions.
  4. Increase the economic empowerment of youth, women, and marginalized communities.
  5. Improve the Palestinian people’s knowledge of American expertise, American businesses best practices, and U.S.-Palestinian partnerships.
  6. Foster connections and dialogue between Palestinian entrepreneurs and international development organizations, American companies or experts, and key stakeholders in higher education and the private sector that will result in collaboration opportunities and new partnerships.
  7. Position the E3 Hub as the umbrella program that supports and raises awareness of OPA-PD entrepreneurial and economic programming.
  8. Utilize the E3 Hub concept to better connect the OPA with stakeholders in the Palestinian entrepreneurial ecosystem, making them more aware of opportunities offered by the U.S. government.

 

Participants and Audiences:

Palestinian small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Palestinian entrepreneurs, recent graduates, job seekers, leaders and influencers in or on the Palestinian entrepreneurial ecosystem, investors, and the larger international business community.

FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Length of performance period:            8 to 12 months

Number of awards anticipated:            One award

Total available funding:                      $150,000

Type of Funding:                                    FY22 Smith Mundt Public Diplomacy Funds

Anticipated programs start date:        on/about October 1, 2022

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

Funding Instrument Type:  Grant, Cooperative Agreement, or Fixed Amount Award. OPA-PD will be substantially involved in carrying out various aspects of the resulting Cooperative Agreement; specifics will be included in award document.

Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 12 months or less, noting that at least the last 1-3 months of the period of performance — after the end of the substantive project activity — should be dedicated to short and medium term measurement and evaluation of project success to measure indicators and determine if leading goals and objectives have been met.

ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

The following types of applicants are eligible to apply: Not-for-profit American or Palestinian organizations based in or with experience and/or partners working in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza.

Organizations wishing to submit proposals to the Public Affairs Section should review the following documents and forms: