Office of Global Women's Issues

The Department of State Office of Global Women's Issues funds women's economic empowerment, Women, Peace, and Security initiatives, and gender-based violence prevention and response programming globally through CFDA 19.801, with the most recent grant award made on September 30, 2024, and multiple solicitations currently open with due dates in February 2025.

The program has disbursed 188 awards since 2011, with combined federal dollars obligated of $173.4 million and total obligated dollars (including recipient cost-share) of $175.8 million. Award activity has declined recently: the program issued one award in 2024, six in 2023, and seven in 2022, after issuing two to three awards annually in 2020–2021. The program is predominantly Project Grants (157 awards, 84 percent) with a smaller share of Cooperative Agreements (31 awards, 16 percent).

Funded activities span three pillars. Women's economic empowerment grants support women entrepreneurs, business skills training, women's chambers of commerce and business associations, women-led supply chains, and economic access in conflict-affected settings. Recent awards include support for women-led networks addressing women's economic security (Cooperative Agreement SAQMIP23CA0377, $5.1 million), women entrepreneurs and leaders through networking and professional development (Project Grant SAQMIP23GR0382, $246,750), and Afghan women's educational scholarships (Cooperative Agreement SAQMIP22CA0139, $1.6 million). Women, Peace, and Security initiatives advance women's participation in peace negotiations, conflict prevention, and post-conflict reconstruction, including support for WPS centers and networks (Cooperative Agreement SAQMIP24CA5060, $1.8 million, since terminated). Gender-based violence prevention and response work addresses female genital mutilation and cutting, child and forced marriage, technology-facilitated gender-based violence, and survivor services in conflict-affected regions, including efforts in Myanmar, Rwanda, Malawi, and Tanzania.

Funding concentration is split between two Department of State entities. The Office of the Secretary of State leads by federal dollars obligated ($89.2 million across 36 awards), while the Office of Global Women's Issues leads by award count (145 awards, $82.9 million). Three regional bureaus (East Asian and Pacific Affairs, African Affairs, and South and Central Asian Affairs) manage smaller portions of the portfolio. Award magnitudes vary widely, from under $50,000 to $50 million for the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative Trust Fund project (Project Grant SLMAQM18GR2014, $50 million). Typical Cooperative Agreement awards range from $1 million to $6 million; Project Grants typically fall between $100,000 and $500,000.

Three solicitations are currently open with February 2025 due dates. S/GWI FY24 RSOI: SHE's BRIGHT (due February 25, 2025, solicitation DFOP0017101) seeks statements of interest for girl-led initiatives addressing gender-based violence and harmful practices including female genital mutilation and child marriage in Indonesia, Nepal, Niger, Sierra Leone, or West Africa, targeting girls ages 10–19. Women's Amplified Voices in the Economy (WAVE) (due February 24, 2025, solicitation DFOP0017065) solicits consortia of U.S.-based and international organizations to strengthen grassroots, women-led networks addressing barriers to women's economic opportunity across at least three countries; limited to 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Women for PEACE (due February 17, 2025, solicitation DFOP0017088, with modification in progress as of January 23, 2025) seeks full proposals from 501(c)(3) nonprofits to advance women's meaningful participation as decision-makers in conflict mediation and peace negotiations in conflict-affected or politically transitional countries. All three are Cooperative Agreement mechanisms. A prior opportunity on technology-facilitated gender-based violence support (due March 5, 2024) has passed.