The grant could provide up to $4,740,000.
This grant will incentivize support and help build sustainable communities in Panama and Costa Rica, to include rural areas where possible. This will be done through the development of small to medium-sized business enterprises supported by small business development centers (SBDCs). This project will include a two-track process. Track one will focus on developing sustainable tourism for economic development. Track two will focus on workforce development that supports industries/business sectors related to or handling tourism, which include textiles, agriculture, restaurants, hotels, and tourism service sectors, and trains host community small businesses and migrants and marginalized and vulnerable populations to work in these industries. WHA is also open to applicants suggesting other business sectors that would fit or support their project design. This project also seeks to improve the institutional capacity and training of business counselors at SBDCs specific to communities in Panama and Costa Rica, with a focus on migrants and marginalized and vulnerable populations. This project intends to encourage collaboration management approaches in Central America that promote inclusive and equitable policies and practices in coordination with Department and WHA partners. This may include supporting communities that host migrants. The project activities should be conducted in coordination with feedback from WHA, Panama's Autoridad De La Micro Pequeña Y Mediana Empresa (AMPYME), and Costa Rica's Instituto Nacional de Aprendizaje (INA) and Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Comercio (MEIC).