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Connect with the Peace Corps
If you're ready for something bigger, we have a place where you belong.
Apply to the Peace Corps
The application process begins by selecting a service model and finding an open position.
Let us help you find the right position.
If you are flexible in where you serve for the two-year Peace Corps Volunteer program, our experts can match you with a position and country based on your experience and preferences.
Serve where you’re needed mostEconomic Growth Facilitator
Community Economic Development
Job highlights
- Advance your Spanish language skills through everyday conversations and learn from dedicated Language and Cross-Culture Facilitators.
- Learn and apply innovative business approaches to drive economic development within rural communities.
- Attend and network at local conferences for digital literacy and science, technology, engineering, and math.
Dominican Republic • North America
In partnership with: Secondary public schools, community organizations, small businesses
Get answers live — every weekday at .
Apply by
August 15, 2026Know by
October 1, 2026Depart on
March 1, 2027Duration
2 years, plus 3 months trainingAbout the project
Experienced business owners and recent graduates alike are invited to support aspiring entrepreneurs in the Caribbean.
The Dominican Republic is experiencing remarkable economic growth, yet many communities still face barriers. One of the key challenges is expanding access to economic opportunities for women and youth, who remain among the most vulnerable groups. While national initiatives have made strides in promoting entrepreneurship and competitiveness, gaps in geographic coverage and capacity mean that many individuals lack the skills and resources to take advantage of available opportunities. Addressing these gaps is essential to ensure that economic growth translates into prosperity and long-term stability for all.
As an Economic Growth Facilitator, you will support the community to unlock local talent and pursue economic opportunities. Together, you will facilitate training, provide personalized mentoring, and identify related national programs to participate in. You will help individuals—especially women and youth—to develop the skills to launch successful businesses, manage finances effectively, and navigate the job market. These efforts strengthen household economic security, foster innovation, and create pathways for upward mobility.
Learn more about what Volunteers do in country by visiting our Dominican Republic project page.
Required skills
Qualified candidates will have one or more of the following criteria:
Associate degree in any business discipline, plus two years of full-time, related business work experience post-high school.
OR
Bachelor's degree in any business discipline.
OR
High school diploma or GED and four years of experience in business management.
Language: Spanish
A. Completed 4 years of high school Spanish coursework in the past 8 years
B. Completed college-level Elementary II Spanish semester (Elementary III in quarter system) within the past 6 years
C. Score between 50-62 on the Spanish College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exam in the past 6 years
D. Score Novice-High or Intermediate-Low on official American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) in Spanish within the past 6 years
Required behavioral competencies
These competencies are essential for all service assignments and are assessed in the application and interview process:
Motivation for and commitment to service
Adaptability and open-mindedness
Problem solving and resourcefulness
Behavioral maturity and professionalism
Photos from Dominican Republic
How you and the community will make an impact together:
Teach financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and employability classes in secondary schools.
Facilitate after-school workshops on digital marketing and business skills for youth.
Consult with small business owners to strengthen financial practices and marketing strategies.
Support aspiring entrepreneurs to develop business plans and launch new ventures.
Organize and deliver trainings on money management, including savings and budgeting.
Collaborate with community-based groups to improve organizational capacity and income generation.
Coordinate regional conferences or events focused on digital marketing and financial literacy.
You may also work on additional projects that meet the community’s interests and priorities, such as facilitating an English conversation club or a youth entrepreneurship fair.
Volunteers will live with a host family for the first three months at their assigned site to support language learning and integration. While you may transition to independent housing afterward, availability is not guaranteed and living conditions vary widely. Homes may lack running water, reliable electricity, or consistent cell service, but these conditions offer opportunities to experience authentic Dominican culture and build resilience.
Learn more about the living conditions, including detailed information on culture, communications, housing, and health/crime statistics on our Dominican Republic country page. You can also delve into stories about local communities by reading our blog or Volunteer stories.
Meet a Volunteer in Dominican Republic
Palak W.
Community Economic Development Facilitator
"Most Dominicans have never encountered a person of my ethnicity before. It is truly a unique opportunity to see how locals perceive me and to teach them more about India."
See full Volunteer profile
As an Economic Growth Facilitator, you will be trained on employment, entrepreneurship, and income management. Peace Corps/Dominican Republic will teach you Spanish to help you comfortably live in and connect with the community. You will also receive language resources to continue your language learning during service, and you may have the opportunity to learn Haitian Creole.
After 9 weeks of training, you will move to a rural or peri-urban community where you will collaborate with local secondary public schools to assess the local needs and develop solutions based on community-driven priorities.
Only heterosexual couples can be accepted for this program. Each person must apply separately and must qualify for a position in either the same or a different sector than their partner. Cross-sector couples will live with different host families who may reside in different communities during training. Cross-sector couples may see each other for joint-sector training days or on the weekends but neither are guaranteed. Couples who are selected for the same sector will live together but work with different local partners which may be in the same community or in neighboring communities (not more than 30 minutes apart). Cohabitating couples are highly encouraged to present themselves as married throughout service due to cultural expectations.
To learn more about serving as a couple in Dominican Republic, visit the country page.
Application process
From application to departure takes around nine months. Learn about the application process for Volunteer opportunities.
Medical/legal clearance
You will need to be cleared medically and legally in order to serve in Dominican Republic. Review information on medical clearance and legal clearance to learn about the process.
