Driving Local Development with the Tunisian Chambers of Commerce | NEAAC ACBURGR 17 012

Opportunity Information: Apply for NEAAC ACBURGR 17 012

Driving Local Development with the Tunisian Chambers of Commerce is a U.S. Department of State grant opportunity designed to strengthen Tunisia's regional Chambers of Commerce so they can play a more effective, modern role in local economic growth and job creation. The opportunity builds directly on earlier U.S.-funded work under the Chamber and Business Association Capacity Assistance Program (CBACAP), which ran from 2012 to 2017. CBACAP helped Tunisian chambers shift toward demand- and revenue-driven services for businesses, first by improving internal capacity and creating customized strategic plans, and later by encouraging stronger integration among chambers, developing value-added member services, and testing public policy advocacy pilots. Those efforts positioned chambers to function more proactively as local development actors rather than passive administrative bodies.

The new grant seeks proposals that take the next step: improving internal governance and management systems, expanding and tailoring services for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and young entrepreneurs, and helping chambers build the expertise needed to connect their members to international markets and partnerships. A major theme is governance and operational effectiveness. Applicants are encouraged to propose practical mechanisms for better decision-making and accountability inside the chambers, along with workflow tools such as process maps or workflow charts that reduce delays, improve service quality, and save staff time and resources. The goal is to make the chambers more transparent, better managed, and more consistent in performance across different regions.

A second focus is ensuring chambers provide services that are genuinely useful to the business community, especially SMEs and young entrepreneurs who often need hands-on support. This could mean designing or upgrading services that address real constraints faced by smaller firms, such as business development support, networking, compliance guidance, market information, export readiness assistance, or targeted training programs. The opportunity also emphasizes building internal chamber expertise so staff and leadership can sustain these services over time, rather than relying on short-term outside support.

Another priority is stronger coordination and collaboration. Proposals may include initiatives that encourage cooperation among Tunisia's various regional chambers, as well as outreach strategies to attract new member companies, including smaller firms that may not typically engage with chamber structures. The opportunity also highlights the value of formal or informal partnerships between chambers and key Tunisian institutions involved in trade and investment, particularly CEPEX (the Tunisia Export Promotion Center), along with other relevant public or private bodies. In addition, the program aims to increase the chambers' ability to act as a bridge between member companies and jobseekers, reinforcing the chambers' role in the employment ecosystem by connecting employer needs with local talent and training pathways.

Importantly, the program is structured to complement, not duplicate, previous capacity-building investments. It recognizes that past efforts have produced meaningful improvements, but that chamber performance and capacity still vary widely by region. For that reason, the project is allowed to concentrate resources on the chambers that remain weaker or less developed, while still aligning with the broader national goal of creating a more coherent, country-wide network. The opportunity explicitly ties this work to Tunisia's decentralization context, aiming to help regional chambers support development outside the capital and contribute to inclusive growth, particularly in underserved areas.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is a discretionary grant (Funding Opportunity Number NEAAC ACBURGR 17 012) with an award ceiling of up to $1,000,000. It falls under business and commerce and employment/labor/training activities (CFDA 19.600). A wide range of applicants are eligible, including U.S. and non-U.S. nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), public and private institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and certain other entities. The original closing date listed for proposals was August 28, 2017, and the funding opportunity was created on July 25, 2017. Overall, the grant is meant to help Tunisia's chambers become better governed, more service-oriented, more connected nationally and internationally, and more capable of supporting enterprise growth and employment at the local level.

• The Assistance Coordination in the business and commerce, employment, labor and training sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Driving Local Development with the Tunisian Chambers of Commerce" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.600.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-07-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-08-28. (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 $1,000,000.00 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, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for NEAAC ACBURGR 17 012

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