Valuing Female Domestic and Informal Work Through Capacity Building | AFPRA 24 01

Opportunity Information: Apply for AFPRA 24 01

Valuing Female Domestic and Informal Work Through Capacity Building is a U.S. Embassy Praia (U.S. Department of State) grant competition focused on improving the economic security and job prospects of women working in Cabo Verde's informal economy, especially domestic workers. The opportunity is grounded in national data showing that poverty in Cabo Verde falls more heavily on women and that this economic vulnerability often connects to other risks, including gender-based violence and sexual harassment. The program also highlights structural barriers that keep many women in precarious work, such as limited access to information about legal rights, lack of formal work contracts, low social security enrollment among domestic workers, and caregiving responsibilities that restrict time and mobility for better employment. It points to the gender pay gap in informal work and the extreme vulnerability of informal livelihoods to shocks like COVID-19 as key reasons targeted support is needed.

The grant's overall goal is to economically empower and expand employment opportunities for at least 100 female informal workers by the end of the project period, with most participants expected to be domestic workers. Applicants must operate in Cabo Verde and specify which island or islands they will target, with preference given to proposals that take a broader, more inclusive national approach that still fits the budget and timeline. The program is designed not only to build individual skills, but also to strengthen awareness of rights and support longer-term improvements in the policy environment affecting informal and domestic workers.

The opportunity sets three main objectives. First, it seeks to equip female informal workers with practical knowledge and marketable skills that help them move into safer, more secure, and more stable employment. Second, it aims to improve participants' understanding of their rights and duties as workers, addressing the common information gaps that increase vulnerability to exploitation. Third, it calls for organizing and engaging relevant stakeholders to advocate for legal and procedural reforms that reduce barriers faced by informal workers, with particular attention to domestic work where informality is widespread.

Applicants are expected to propose a complete project design, but the notice establishes several minimum required components. The project must start with a planning and launch phase that clarifies activities and publicly presents the project on the selected islands. It must also include mapping and coordination with key partners at both island and national levels, and formalize partnerships through mechanisms such as memorandums of understanding. The program should rely on appropriate expertise in both design and implementation and should actively involve partnerships with non-governmental and community-based organizations, municipalities, central government entities, and other relevant actors. A strong monitoring and evaluation approach is required, including time-bound milestones and performance measurement throughout implementation.

Capacity-building activities are the core of the program and must cover practical and rights-based content. At a minimum, trainings should address topics such as small business management, financial education, marketing and stock management, workplace health and safety, and workers' rights and duties. The grant also encourages modules dealing with gender, gender-based violence, and harassment in informal work environments, recognizing the link between economic vulnerability and exposure to abuse. In addition, caregiver training is highlighted as a potential employment pathway. Applicants are expected to present training modules in a structured way, including the number of days for completion and clear criteria for successful completion, rather than one-off workshops without defined outcomes.

A notable required element is a competitive cash award component to help women start or sustain small businesses. This is intended to link training to real economic outcomes by providing selected graduates with resources to launch or stabilize income-generating activities. Proposals must clearly explain how the cash awards will be administered, what criteria will be used to select recipients, how disbursements will be tracked, and how success will be measured. Alongside training and business support, the program must also include information and awareness campaigns on informal and domestic workers' rights and duties, using channels like radio, television, and social media. Finally, the project must include advocacy activities aimed at advancing reforms that benefit female informal and domestic workers, such as improvements in legal protections, contracting norms, and social protections.

The expected results are specific and outcome-oriented. At least 100 women must be identified and trained, with participant selection intentionally inclusive, including marginalized populations. Beyond training completion, the program must also support at least 100 women in securing improved employment opportunities, including self-employment, signaling that job outcomes are not optional add-ons but central deliverables. The project should produce a measurable increase in awareness of workers' rights, particularly domestic workers' rights, and demonstrate progress toward reforms that improve conditions for female informal workers. These results must be backed by a monitoring plan with indicators that are specific, measurable, achievable, reasonable, and time-bound, and include clear data sources, measurement methods, and reporting frequency.

Performance reporting is a major requirement, with a set of suggested indicators and several mandatory U.S. Government gender and workforce indicators. Core indicators include the number of women trained, the number who gain increased economic opportunities or engage in income-generating activities, the number of rights-awareness campaigns conducted through media, the number of civil society organizations supported with project funds (sex-disaggregated), and the number of meetings with government officials or other stakeholders to advance reforms. Required indicators also include the percentage of female participants gaining access to productive economic resources, the number of people trained with U.S. Government assistance to advance gender equality or women's empowerment (sex-disaggregated), and the percentage of participants who obtain better employment after participating in U.S.-supported workforce development programming (sex-disaggregated).

Funding is planned under U.S. Government Fiscal Year 2025 through ESF resources tied to the Gender Equity and Equality Action (GEEA) Fund, and it is explicitly contingent on funding availability. The award instrument is a grant, with an anticipated single award and an award ceiling of $140,000. Eligible applicants include Cabo Verdean and non-Cabo Verdean organizations with relevant experience in Cabo Verde, including non-profits and NGOs, think tanks, public and private educational institutions, public international organizations, and governmental institutions. The funding opportunity number is AFPRA 24 01, and the original application closing date listed is 2024-07-17.

• The U.S. Mission to Cape Verde in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Valuing Female Domestic and Informal Work Through Capacity Building" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.989.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-05-30.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-07-17. (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 $140,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for AFPRA 24 01

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