CONTACT: Shondra Watson-Wilson
swatson@chicagombdacenter.com
312.755.2554
The ChicagoMSDC and the Chicago & St. Louis MBDA Business Centers are pleased to announce the
AFRICAN DIASPORA MARKETPLACE III
BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION APPLICATION IS NOW LIVE!
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Western Union have launched the third round of the
African Diaspora Marketplace business plan competition (ADM III). Successful ADM III applicants will receive a matching
grant of up to $50,000 and will have access to technical assistance and other support services. The ADM III website
(www.diasporamarketplace.org) is now live and entrepreneurs are urged to go online and apply for this grant opportunity
(https://app2.pitchburner.com/s1/site//adm3). The program started accepting proposals on Monday, December
22, 2014 and will close on Friday, February 13, 2015.
Established in 2009 by USAID and Western Union, the African Diaspora Marketplace promotes sustainable economic
growth and job creation in Africa by supporting entrepreneurs with demonstrable connections to or experience in Africa,
who have innovative and high impact start-ups or established businesses on the continent. Since its launch, ADM has held
three rigorous business plan competitions to identify and provide support to the most promising entrepreneurs. ADM has
awarded 34 eligible SMEs with matching grants to start or expand businesses in sub Saharan Africa, Libya, and Tunisia.
Awardees work closely with ADM managers to identify and address their specific business challenges and leverage the
ADM award into additional resources. An additional 850 Africa-based businesses have participated in business training
and access to finance events through ADM. ADM aims to support the development of the entrepreneurship ecosystem by
providing a platform to connect lenders and investors with entrepreneurs across the continent; ADM partners have held
two SME banking forums and an SME investor pitch event, as well as related training and webinars to help entrepreneurs
across Africa successfully access external financing. The ADM team also provides industry, trade and technology information to support business growth and innovation.
ABOUT USAID:
USAID partners to end extreme poverty and promote resilient and democratic societies while advancing security and prosperity. In Africa, USAID invests in the continent’s greatest resource—its people—to sustain and further development, opportunity,
and human rights for this and future generations. For more information, visit www.usaid.gov.
ABOUT WESTERN UNION:
The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a leader in global payment services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta,
Pago Facil and Western Union Business Solutions branded payment services, Western Union provides consumers and
businesses with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around the world, to send payments and
to purchase money orders. The Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded services are offered through a combined network of over 500,000 agent locations in 200 countries and territories and over 100,000 ATMs. In 2013, The
Western Union Company completed 242 million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $82 billion of
principal between consumers, and 459 million business payments. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.
ABOUT ChicagoMSDC
The ChicagoMSDC [www.chicagoMSDC.org] is a premier organization for increasing business opportunities between
major buying organizations and minority-owned businesses. ChicagoMSDC partnerships include over 250 private and
public sector buying organizations and more than 1,100 minority businesses. Buying members
report over $5.5 billion in annual purchases from minority owned firms. Minority enterprise members report employment of
more than 98,000 workers annually.
ABOUT MBDA
MBDA [www.mbda.gov] is the only Federal agency dedicated to the growth and global competitiveness of U.S. minority-owned businesses. Their programs and services better equip minority-owned firms to create jobs, build scale and capacity, increase revenues and expand regionally, nationally and internationally. Services are provided through a national
network of MBDA Business Centers.