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.Apply for NEAAC ACBURGR 17 012
- 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the "Driving Local Development with the Tunisian Chambers of Commerce" grant opportunity?
It is a U.S. Department of State discretionary grant opportunity designed to strengthen Tunisia's regional Chambers of Commerce so they can play a more effective and modern role in local economic growth and job creation.
What is the main purpose of this grant?
The grant aims to help Tunisian regional chambers become better governed and managed, provide more useful services to businesses (especially SMEs and young entrepreneurs), improve coordination among chambers, and build the capacity to connect member companies to international markets and partnerships, while also strengthening links between employers and jobseekers.
How does this opportunity relate to earlier U.S.-funded chamber support in Tunisia?
This 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. The new grant is positioned as the "next step" after CBACAP, with an emphasis on complementing (not duplicating) prior investments.
What did CBACAP (2012 to 2017) focus on?
CBACAP helped Tunisian chambers shift toward demand- and revenue-driven services by improving internal capacity, creating customized strategic plans, encouraging stronger integration among chambers, developing value-added member services, and testing public policy advocacy pilots.
What are the key program themes and focus areas for proposals?
The opportunity highlights three main focus areas: (1) governance and operational effectiveness, (2) stronger and more tailored services for SMEs and young entrepreneurs, and (3) increased coordination and collaboration among chambers and with relevant institutions, including trade and investment bodies.
What does the grant mean by improving "governance and operational effectiveness"?
It refers to practical mechanisms for better decision-making and accountability inside chambers, plus workflow tools (such as process maps or workflow charts) intended to reduce delays, improve service quality, and save staff time and resources. The broader aim is transparency, better management, and more consistent performance across regions.
Are workflow tools specifically encouraged in proposals?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly encourages workflow tools such as process maps or workflow charts as practical ways to improve operations by reducing delays and improving service quality and efficiency.
Which business groups are specifically emphasized as beneficiaries?
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and young entrepreneurs are emphasized as key beneficiaries, particularly because they often need hands-on support and may face constraints that chambers can help address.
What kinds of chamber services does the opportunity suggest improving or developing?
Examples mentioned include business development support, networking, compliance guidance, market information, export readiness assistance, and targeted training programs, with an emphasis on addressing real constraints faced by smaller firms.
Does the opportunity emphasize sustainability of services after the grant ends?
Yes. A stated emphasis is building internal chamber expertise so staff and leadership can sustain improved services over time rather than relying on short-term outside support.
What does the program mean by connecting chambers to international markets and partnerships?
It refers to building chamber expertise so they can help member companies access international markets and partnerships. The opportunity frames this as a capacity-building need for chamber staff and leadership.
Does the grant encourage coordination among different regional chambers in Tunisia?
Yes. Stronger coordination and collaboration among Tunisia's various regional chambers is an explicit priority, including initiatives that encourage cooperation and contribute to a more coherent country-wide network.
Does the opportunity address outreach or membership growth?
Yes. Proposals may include outreach strategies to attract new member companies, including smaller firms that may not typically engage with chamber structures.
Are partnerships with Tunisian trade and investment institutions relevant to this grant?
Yes. The opportunity 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.
Does the opportunity include an employment or workforce connection?
Yes. It aims to increase chambers' ability to act as a bridge between member companies and jobseekers by connecting employer needs with local talent and training pathways, reinforcing chambers' roles within local employment ecosystems.
Is the program intended to replicate previous capacity-building activities?
No. The opportunity is structured to complement, not duplicate, previous capacity-building investments. It acknowledges earlier gains while focusing on remaining gaps and uneven chamber performance across regions.
Can the project focus more resources on certain chambers or regions?
Yes. Because chamber capacity still varies widely by region, the opportunity allows concentrating resources on chambers that remain weaker or less developed, while still aligning with the national goal of a coherent network.
How does the grant relate to Tunisia's decentralization context?
The opportunity explicitly ties the work to Tunisia's decentralization context by aiming to help regional chambers support development outside the capital and contribute to inclusive growth, particularly in underserved areas.
What type of funding instrument is this?
It is a discretionary grant.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is NEAAC ACBURGR 17 012.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is up to $1,000,000.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 19.600.
What subject areas or activity categories does this grant fall under?
It falls under business and commerce and employment/labor/training activities.
Who is eligible to apply?
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.
Are for-profit organizations allowed to apply?
Yes. For-profit organizations, including small businesses, are listed as eligible applicants.
Are non-U.S. organizations allowed to apply?
Yes. Non-U.S. nonprofits are explicitly included among eligible applicants.
When was this funding opportunity created?
The funding opportunity was created on July 25, 2017.
What was the original closing date for proposals?
The original closing date listed for proposals was August 28, 2017.
What overall change is the grant trying to achieve in the role of chambers?
The grant is meant to help chambers function as proactive local development actors rather than passive administrative bodies by improving governance, modernizing operations, strengthening service delivery, and expanding engagement across business, employment, and international market linkages.
Does the opportunity seek uniform improvements across all regions, or does it recognize differences in chamber capacity?
It recognizes differences. The opportunity notes that chamber performance and capacity vary widely by region and allows targeted support for weaker or less developed chambers while still supporting a broader, country-wide network vision.
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