QA SFOP0010296 4.pdf

NOFO SFOP0010296

Caribbean United for Women’s Economic Empowerment (CUWEE)

Questions and Answers April 15, 2024

Question 1: In reference to specific objective 2 outlined on page 7, section A4, we observed that the first activity entails a "small grants challenge," while the subsequent activities mention

"small grants projects." Could you kindly clarify the concept of the "small grants challenge" for our better understanding?

Response 1: Certainly. The "small grants challenge” is conceived to be the activity where the grantee does the call for proposals from local CSOs in each of the named participating countries in the Caribbean region. This challenge is envisioned to ask for local CSOs or other appropriate actors in this space to submit proposals for innovative projects (the winning proposals will become the “small grants projects”) that will address barriers to women’s participation in the economy (barriers as identified in Objective 1’s activities – see page 6-7 in the NOFO under A.4.

Objectives) in their countries or the covered region (if applicable regionally).

This “small grants challenge” would happen in two rounds, and the selected winners’ small grant projects will last for up to 12 months per round (with a recommended 4-6 months of overlap of the two rounds to help objective 3’s trainings and networking). For example, the small grant projects chosen out of the proposals from round 1 of the small grants challenge would go from Jul. ’25 – Jun. ’26 (dates are strictly for examples sake), then the small grants projects chosen out of the proposals from round 2 of the small grants challenge would go from

Jan. ’26 – Dec. ’26 (dates are strictly for examples sake). This overlap of the period that small grant projects are active from both rounds of the small grants challenge (Jan. ’26 – June ’26) will ideally help the grantee with the training and networking required activities for Objective 3’s

Activity 1: Provide capacity building training and support for civil society – starting with training the winning recipients of the small grant challenge and building their presentation skills to reproduce that training to other relevant CSOs in their country/region. (see page 7 of the

NOFO).

Question 2: Furthermore, regarding the Gender Analysis requirement, we are prepared to furnish a standalone document adhering to the length of no more than 5 pages. However, for the integration of this analysis within the proposal narrative, would you prefer a dedicated section solely focused on Gender Analysis, or would you prefer its integration dispersed throughout other relevant sections of the proposal?

Response 2: Regarding your question on the integration of the gender analysis within the proposal narrative (as you pointed out, this is in addition to the required standalone Gender

Analysis document – per page 17 of the NOFO) – since you are already providing a standalone

Gender Analysis, it would be most helpful for the reviewers of proposals to see the gender analysis integration dispersed throughout the relevant sections of the proposal narrative.