Innovation
challenge
fueled by
la red de
innovación
e impacto
The
Innovation
challenge
fueled by
la red de
innovación
e impacto
Innovation
challenge
fueled by
la red de
innovación
e impacto
ESPAÑOL
People and economies thrive when micro-enterprises are empowered to reach their full potential. Power to Grow: The Innovation Challenge is a search to discover and reward organizations that are empowering micro-enterprises in Central America.
If your organization is focused on increasing the capacity of Central American micro-enterprises to access regional and international markets, apply to Power to Grow by April 27th. Awardees will each receive a comprehensive support package, up to $43,000 to promote their solution, and partnership with a current member of La Red de Innovación e Impacto. Working together, the awardee and La Red member will leverage shared experience and knowledge, benefit from cross-sector collaboration, and forge a coalition to empower micro-enterprises.
Up to 95% of companies in Central America are Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The success of these companies and the prosperity of communities are inextricably linked. However, many struggle to grow and remain competitive in the global marketplace. Power to Grow: The Innovation Challenge Fueled by La Red de Innovación e Impacto aims to support micro-enterprises by creating partnerships between mission-aligned organizations and current La Red members.
Power to Grow selects innovative organizations to join forces with La Red companies (member) towards:
Accelerating innovation and job creation opportunities for Central American micro-enterprises in the agriculture, agro-industry, and textiles sectors;
Building capacity of micro-enterprises to expand to new regional and international markets, with a focus on the U.S. market; and,
Generating economic prosperity across Central America.
Organization legally registered as a nonprofit. This includes NGOs, industry associations, cooperatives, foundations, academia, and other similar institutions; Experience in industry sectors to be assisted (agriculture, agro-industry and/or textile); A network of, or access to, micro-enterprise beneficiaries; Experience in collaborations with private sector, NGOs, government and international entities providing assistance to cooperation programs, entrepreneurs, small farmers, small agriculture producers and/or SME’s (preferably micro and small enterprises); Experience on scaling micro enterprises´ competitiveness, preferably related to improve exports; Experience of more than five years on program execution in the areas being proposed (agriculture, agro-industry and/or textile); Permanent presence in country to execute project activities with La Red member, preferably with knowledge of the Central America region and international markets; Capacity to manage, technical assistance for the framework of international cooperation programs; Capacity to speak Spanish; Available staff and organizational capacity to provide technical assistance and trainings.Work experience with agricultural rural sector, preferably also with experience on tourism projects related to the agricultural sector and community-based organizations;Willing to work collaboratively with Fundación Travolution; Have permanent presence in Belize;Availability to travel to Guatemala to participate in Travolution´s community tourism encounter;Capacity to speak Spanish.Organization legally registered as a nonprofit. This includes NGOs, industry associations, cooperatives, foundations, academia, and other similar institutions;Experience in industry sectors to be assisted (agriculture, agro-industry and/or textile); A network of, or access to, micro-enterprise beneficiaries; Experience in collaborations with private sector, NGOs, government and international entities providing assistance to cooperation programs, entrepreneurs, small farmers, small agriculture producers and/or SME’s (preferably micro and small enterprises); Experience on scaling micro enterprises´ competitiveness, preferably related to improve exports; Experience of more than five years on program execution in the areas being proposed (agriculture, agro-industry and/or textile); Permanent presence in country to execute project activities with La Red member, preferably with knowledge of the Central America region and international markets; Capacity to manage, technical assistance for the framework of international cooperation programs; Capacity to speak Spanish; Available staff and organizational capacity to provide technical assistance and trainings.Knowledge of agriculture sector, preferably with vegetable production;Verifiable experience on past executed projects assisting small farmers;Willing to work collaboratively with Vista Volcanes (VV). This would also require conducting site visits to VV´s facilities located in Chimaltenango and learning from VV´s experience, beneficiaries and network, including joint efforts to receive VV´s technicians for support and follow up where the incoming class operates; Knowledge on exports and certification of agricultural products and small farmers; Willing to implement organic agricultural practices and technologies, friendly with the environment in the locations where the member operates.Organization legally registered as a nonprofit. This includes NGOs, industry associations, cooperatives, foundations, academia, and other similar institutions;Experience in industry sectors to be assisted (agriculture, agro-industry and/or textile);A network of, or access to, micro-enterprise beneficiaries; Experience in collaborations with private sector, NGOs, government and international entities providing assistance to cooperation programs, entrepreneurs, small farmers, small agriculture producers and/or SME’s (preferably micro and small enterprises); Experience on scaling micro enterprises´ competitiveness, preferably related to improve exports; Experience of more than five years on program execution in the areas being proposed (agriculture, agro-industry and/or textile);Permanent presence in country to execute project activities with La Red member, preferably with knowledge of the Central America region and international markets; Capacity to manage, technical assistance for the framework of international cooperation programs; Capacity to speak Spanish; Available staff and organizational capacity to provide technical assistance and trainings.Knowledge of the cocoa sector;Experience on exports to improve microenterprises´ competitiveness (for cooperatives and small cocoa farmers);Experience on organizational-entrepreneurial processes for microenterprises (for cooperatives and small cocoa farmers);Verifiable experience on executed projects that support small cocoa farmers through agroforestry systems and their organizations; Willing to work collaboratively, creating synergies, with Lutheran World Relief in Honduras and/or El Salvador. This would entail coordinating site visits to cooperatives and cocoa producers, plantations and events organized at national and international level to learn on Lutheran World Relief´s experience. Including joint efforts to provide support and follow up to beneficiaries in the implementing country(ies);Capable of promoting changes and improvements at microenterprises, through innovative services and processes. Organization legally registered as a nonprofit. This includes NGOs, industry associations, cooperatives, foundations, academia, and other similar institutions;Experience in industry sectors to be assisted (agriculture, agro-industry and/or textile); A network of, or access to, micro-enterprise beneficiaries; Experience in collaborations with private sector, NGOs, government and international entities providing assistance to cooperation programs, entrepreneurs, small farmers, small agriculture producers and/or SME’s (preferably micro and small enterprises); Experience on scaling micro enterprises´ competitiveness, preferably related to improve exports; Experience of more than five years on program execution in the areas being proposed (agriculture, agro-industry and/or textile); Permanent presence in country to execute project activities with La Red member, preferably with knowledge of the Central America region and international markets; Capacity to manage, technical assistance for the framework of international cooperation programs; Capacity to speak Spanish; Available staff and organizational capacity to provide technical assistance and trainings.Knowledge of the cocoa sector;Experience on exports to improve microenterprises´ competitiveness (for cooperatives and small cocoa farmers); Experience on organizational-entrepreneurial processes for microenterprises (for cooperatives and small cocoa farmers);Verifiable experience on executed projects that support small cocoa farmers through agroforestry systems and their organizations;Willing to work collaboratively, creating synergies, with Lutheran World Relief in Honduras and/or El Salvador. This would entail coordinating site visits to cooperatives and cocoa producers, plantations and events organized at national and international level to learn on Lutheran World Relief´s experience. Including joint efforts to provide support and follow up to beneficiaries in the implementing country(ies);Capable of promoting changes and improvements at microenterprises, through innovative services and processes.Organization legally registered as a nonprofit. This includes NGOs, industry associations, cooperatives, foundations, academia, and other similar institutions;Experience in industry sectors to be assisted (agriculture, agro-industry and/or textile); A network of, or access to, micro-enterprise beneficiaries; Experience in collaborations with private sector, NGOs, government and international entities providing assistance to cooperation programs, entrepreneurs, small farmers, small agriculture producers and/or SME’s (preferably micro and small enterprises); Experience on scaling micro enterprises´ competitiveness, preferably related to improve exports; Experience of more than five years on program execution in the areas being proposed (agriculture, agro-industry and/or textile); Permanent presence in country to execute project activities with La Red member, preferably with knowledge of the Central America region and international markets; Capacity to manage, technical assistance for the framework of international cooperation programs; Capacity to speak Spanish; Available staff and organizational capacity to provide technical assistance and trainings.Preferable experience with textile and/or light manufacturing sector, with artisans and handcrafted production;Verifiable experience on past executed projects assisting micro businesses and small producers;Preferable experience with the export processes of textile products and/or light manufacturing; Willing to work collaboratively with Wakami-Communities of the Earth. This would also require conducting site visits to Wakami System facilities and learning from their experience, which will expand in the incoming class country (Costa Rica), including joint efforts to receive Wakami-Communities of the Earth’s technicians to receive support and follow up at implementing country.Organization legally registered as a nonprofit. This includes NGOs, industry associations, cooperatives, foundations, academia, and other similar institutions;Experience in industry sectors to be assisted (agriculture, agro-industry and/or textile); A network of, or access to, micro-enterprise beneficiaries; Experience in collaborations with private sector, NGOs, government and international entities providing assistance to cooperation programs, entrepreneurs, small farmers, small agriculture producers and/or SME’s (preferably micro and small enterprises); Experience on scaling micro enterprises´ competitiveness, preferably related to improve exports; Experience of more than five years on program execution in the areas being proposed (agriculture, agro-industry and/or textile); Permanent presence in country to execute project activities with La Red member, preferably with knowledge of the Central America region and international markets; Capacity to manage, technical assistance for the framework of international cooperation programs; Capacity to speak Spanish; Available staff and organizational capacity to provide technical assistance and trainings.Specific knowledge of the dairy and cattle sector, its productivity development, competitiveness, diversification and efficient use of resources, from the supply chain of dairy producers;Experience with direct technical assistance to small dairy producers in the Western region in Panamá; Technical experience in the implementation of management system with small producers (preferably dairy producers), including trainings on administrative and commercial skills;Experience and willingness to work collaboratively with other organizations;Knowledge on environmental aspects related to the dairy sector;Experience and willing to create technical reports, conduct technical site visits, develop trainings and follow up tasks.Organization legally registered as a nonprofit. This includes NGOs, industry associations, cooperatives, foundations, academia, and other similar institutions;Experience in industry sectors to be assisted (agriculture, agro-industry and/or textile); A network of, or access to, micro-enterprise beneficiaries; Experience in collaborations with private sector, NGOs, government and international entities providing assistance to cooperation programs, entrepreneurs, small farmers, small agriculture producers and/or SME’s (preferably micro and small enterprises); Experience on scaling micro enterprises´ competitiveness, preferably related to improve exports; Experience of more than five years on program execution in the areas being proposed (agriculture, agro-industry and/or textile); Permanent presence in country to execute project activities with La Red member, preferably with knowledge of the Central America region and international markets; Capacity to manage, technical assistance for the framework of international cooperation programs; Capacity to speak Spanish; Available staff and organizational capacity to provide technical assistance and trainings.Knowledge of agro-industrial and agriculture sector;Experience on exports programs;Preferable past experience on executed projects providing technical assistance on strengthening and designing exports skills for SMEs;Strong experience on scaling microenterprises and small farmers internationally;Cooperate actively with CPmL-N in the execution of technical assistance and support to beneficiaries. This would require conducting site visits to microenterprises and farmers to facilitate and learn from CPmL-N experience, expanding this knowledge to the incoming class. This would include articulating efforts to create a higher impact, as well as willingness to receive CPmL-N consultants who will support and conduct follow up for the implementation of the project activities.