Opportunity Information: Apply for K NOFO 19 101
Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Women's Entrepreneurship as an Engine for Growth is a discretionary U.S. government grant opportunity run by the U.S. Mission to India, led by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Kolkata in partnership with the Nexus Start-Up Incubator at the American Center in New Delhi. The project is designed to strengthen the U.S.-India partnership by giving women entrepreneurs access to practical information, expert guidance, and cross-border networks that can help them grow as business owners and become visible leaders in their communities.
The core purpose of the project is to use women's entrepreneurship as a driver of economic growth and social change, with a strong emphasis on innovation and empowerment. The program is expected to promote a stronger culture of entrepreneurship among women, expand U.S.-India collaboration through the exchange of knowledge and expertise focused on entrepreneurship, and elevate women role models. A key idea running through the opportunity is that showcasing successful women founders, especially in industries often dominated by men, can shift attitudes and encourage young people to view entrepreneurship as a serious first career choice rather than a backup plan.
Under this grant, the selected recipient organization would implement a year-long program serving roughly 30 to 35 women entrepreneurs drawn from east and northeast India. The intent is not only to provide general training, but to help participants scale their businesses in a concrete way through structured support and sustained engagement over time. Alongside business growth, the project is also expected to actively promote participant success stories to increase visibility for women-led ventures and build aspirational examples for others in the region.
The implementation expectations are fairly specific. The awardee must be able to run a competitive selection process to identify participants, ensure mentorship during an initial online training phase, and then support eligible participants through second and third phases of the program. While the full announcement would clarify what those later phases involve, the structure suggests a multi-stage pathway that likely moves from foundational learning and mentoring into deeper, more applied support such as advanced training, networking, exposure to experts, or other scaling-focused activities.
From an eligibility standpoint, applicants can include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and U.S.-registered nonprofit organizations holding 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education). The opportunity is categorized under the education funding activity area and is associated with CFDA number 19.040. The funding opportunity number is K NOFO 19 101, with an award ceiling of $60,000. The notice was created on 2018-12-21 and had an original closing date of 2019-02-20, indicating it was a time-bound competition tied to that period and dependent on funding availability.Apply for K NOFO 19 101
- The U.S. Mission to India in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Women’s Entrepreneurship as an Engine for Growth" 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 2018-12-21.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-02-20. (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: 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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the "Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Women's Entrepreneurship as an Engine for Growth" grant?
This is a discretionary U.S. government grant opportunity run by the U.S. Mission to India. It is led by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Kolkata, in partnership with the Nexus Start-Up Incubator at the American Center in New Delhi. The funded project is intended to strengthen the U.S.-India partnership by supporting women entrepreneurs with practical information, expert guidance, and cross-border networks.
What is the main goal of this program?
The core purpose is to use women's entrepreneurship as a driver of economic growth and social change, with a strong emphasis on innovation and empowerment. The program is expected to help women entrepreneurs grow as business owners and become visible leaders in their communities.
Who is running and leading this grant opportunity?
The grant is run by the U.S. Mission to India and led by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Kolkata. It is implemented in partnership with the Nexus Start-Up Incubator at the American Center in New Delhi.
What types of activities is the funded project expected to deliver?
The selected recipient organization is expected to implement a year-long program that provides structured support and sustained engagement for women entrepreneurs. The opportunity emphasizes practical information, expert guidance, mentorship, and building cross-border networks that support business growth and visibility.
How many entrepreneurs is the program expected to serve?
The year-long program is expected to serve roughly 30 to 35 women entrepreneurs.
Which geographic region is the participant group expected to come from?
Participants are expected to be drawn from east and northeast India.
How long is the program expected to run?
The awardee is expected to implement a year-long program.
Is the focus just on training, or is it intended to help businesses scale?
The intent is not only to provide general training, but to help participants scale their businesses in a concrete way through structured support and sustained engagement over time.
What role does mentorship play in the program design?
The awardee must ensure mentorship during an initial online training phase. The structure also anticipates additional phases beyond the initial online phase, suggesting continued guidance and support as participants progress.
Does the program include multiple phases?
Yes. The implementation expectations describe an initial online training phase with mentorship and then support for eligible participants through second and third phases of the program. The announcement indicates a multi-stage pathway, although the detailed content of later phases would be clarified in the full announcement.
What is the purpose of showcasing women founders and success stories?
A key theme is that elevating successful women founders, especially in industries often dominated by men, can shift attitudes. The project is also expected to actively promote participant success stories to increase visibility for women-led ventures and create aspirational examples for others in the region.
How does this opportunity aim to influence career attitudes toward entrepreneurship?
The opportunity highlights the idea that visible role models can encourage young people to view entrepreneurship as a serious first career choice rather than a backup plan.
What are the expectations for selecting participants?
The awardee must be able to run a competitive selection process to identify participants for the program.
Who is eligible to apply for this grant?
Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and U.S.-registered nonprofit organizations holding 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education).
Are U.S.-registered nonprofits eligible?
Yes. U.S.-registered nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education) are included in the eligibility list.
Are higher education institutions eligible?
Yes. Both public/state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are eligible.
What is the funding activity area for this opportunity?
The opportunity is categorized under the education funding activity area.
What is the CFDA number associated with this grant?
The associated CFDA number is 19.040.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is K NOFO 19 101.
What is the maximum award amount available under this opportunity?
The award ceiling for this opportunity is $60,000.
When was the notice created?
The notice was created on 2018-12-21.
What was the original closing date for applications?
The original closing date listed for the competition was 2019-02-20.
Is this a time-bound competition?
Yes. The opportunity is described as time-bound, with an original closing date of 2019-02-20, and it is dependent on funding availability.
What does "discretionary" mean in the context of this grant?
The opportunity is identified as a discretionary U.S. government grant, meaning it is awarded through a competitive process rather than by formula or entitlement. (The notice specifically labels it discretionary; additional procedural details would be in the full announcement.)
What does the awardee organization need to be capable of delivering?
Based on the listed expectations, the awardee must be able to (1) run a competitive selection process, (2) provide mentorship during an initial online training phase, and (3) support eligible participants through second and third phases of the program, along with promoting participant success stories to raise visibility of women-led ventures.
How does the project connect to the U.S.-India partnership?
The project is designed to strengthen the U.S.-India partnership by expanding collaboration through the exchange of knowledge and expertise focused on entrepreneurship and by building cross-border networks for women entrepreneurs.
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