Funding opportunities
Covid – 19 specific funding opportunities
UK Aid Direct Small Charities Challenge Fund
Type of project: SCCF welcomes applications for projects working towards addressing the Global Goals to improve the lives of the most vulnerable and marginalised. It will be prioritising applications that can demonstrate that they are responding to longer term impacts of COVID-19. The fund remains open for applications addressing a wide range of Global Goals in a variety of contexts. However, we will expect all applicants to be able to explain: how their project will address anticipated longer term impacts of the virus and outline how the risks of COVID-19 to project delivery could be mitigated as part of their application. We appreciate the crisis is developing rapidly and that accurately predicting how COVID-19 will impact the specific context you work in will be challenging.
Location: Projects are only eligible if they are set up in a country that is ranked in the bottom 50 of the UN Human Development Index (HDI) or if it is considered of high or moderate fragility by the UK government. Afghanistan, Somalia and Syria are the exceptions to this rule and are not eligible. See a full list here. The fund receives a particularly high volume of proposals for projects in Kenya. For Kenya, priority will be given to projects delivering in areas with high levels of poverty (for example, the North, East and urban slums) and those addressing issues like basic health, girls’ education, family planning and youth employment.
Eligibility: The Fund is open to any small, UK-registered charity or not-for-profit organisation, with an annual income of £250,000 or less. Your organisation or your downstream partner will also need to be registered in the country of delivery for your application to be eligible.
Grant size: Up to £50,000 for up to 2 years. UK Aid Direct does not specify how much of the budget should go to capital expenditure, monitoring and evaluation activities or UK costs. It is up to the organisation to make the determination appropriate to the project.
Deadline: 25 February 2021
Shift Power for Peace Digital Fund
Type of project: This fund is designed to support access the digital tools needed to continue peace building work, even remotely, during the period of lockdown and restrictions brought about by COVID-19. This fund is primarily for the purchase of phone credit, basic equipment, software and other communications tools.
Location: selection is based on the 2019 Fragile State Index
Eligibility: Any individual, group or organization that meets the following criteria can apply: must be carrying out peace building work in a fragile or conflict affected country for a minimum of six months, defined as any activities that have a strong direct impact on peaceful outcomes in a community; must refuse to use violence or weapons in their work, and embraces the concept of non-violence, is engaging in locally or nationally focused work and must not be a branch of an international organization.
Grant size: Between $50 and $750. Total fund value is $100,000
APPLY HERE
The Global Resilience Fund for Girls and Young Women
Type of project: Resourcing girls’ and young women’s activism through the COVID-19 crisis. The Fund is prioritizing applications from girls and young women with disabilities, girls and young women of colour, LGBTQIA2S youth, afro-descendant, indigenous and immigrant girls and young women, as well as those living in urban slum areas, rural areas, refugee camps, occupied territories and in conflict affected settings.
Location: Worldwide
Eligibility: Registered and unregistered community organisations led by girls, young women and/or trans and intersex youth with incomes of below $50,000 per year may apply.
Applicants must have previously received funding from one of the following organizations: Central American Women’s Fund, Central America and Mexico Youth Fund (CAMY Fund), Disability Rights Fund, Filia, FIMI - The International Indigenous Women’s Fund, Fondo Semillas, Ford Foundation, FRIDA I The Young Feminist Fund, Global Fund for Children, Global Fund for Women, MADRE, Mama Cash, Plan International, Purposeful, Ukrainian Women's Fund, UNICEF, With and for Girls Collective, Women Enabled International, Women's Fund Asia, Women Win.
Grant size: up to $5,000 - Grants are fully flexible
Closing date: N/A
APPLY HERE
GlobalGiving Microgrants
Type of project: These microgrants are focused on funding immediate and urgent needs that your organization foresees in the next 30-60 days as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Location: Worldwide
Eligibility: Your organization must have Partner, Leader, or Superstar status, up-to-date due diligence, and at least one active project. GlobalGiving must be able to disburse funds to your organization.
Grant size: $1,000
APPLY HERE
National Institute for Health Research Travel and subsistence funding
Type of project: Travel and subsistence funding to appropriately qualified public health professionals, clinicians and academics who wish to offer science and technical advice to support the immediate response to COVID-19. Applicants are required to ensure appropriate duty of care, insurance, safeguarding and all other liabilities are in place and that they have the support of their institution for any travel, as well as appropriate institutional support in the destination country.
Location: Low- and middle-income countries
Eligibility: The awards are open to applicants who have a substantive position at a UK higher education institution or research organisation.
Deadline: Applications should ideally be submitted at least 2 weeks before the planned travel.
APPLY HERE
USAID USAID/Bangladesh and the Private Sector: Partnering to Fight COVID-19
Type of project: The goal of the USAID Bangladesh and the Private Sector: Partnering to Fight COVID-19 program is to provide a medium through which organizations can work with USAID and the private sector to build Global Development Alliances that will: a) respond to the current outbreak of COVID-19 in Bangladesh; b) address important business interests and objectives; and c) advance USAID’s strategic priorities and objectives.
Location: Bangladesh
Eligibility: USAID Bangladesh is particularly interested in working with the Bangladeshi private sector. This includes non-traditional development partners such as private businesses, business and trade associations, chambers of commerce foundations, and financial institutions, in addition to traditional non-profit NGOs and for-profit development firms. An INGO can be either the resource partner or the implementing partner, but the consortium should include a private sector partner, preferably from the business community.
Grant size: between $900,000 and $10,000,000
Closing date: 29 April 2021
APPLY HERE
UKRI / Newton Fund Agile Response call to address COVID-19
Type of project: Proposals are invited for short-term projects addressing and mitigating the health, social, economic, cultural and environmental impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak. UKRI will support excellent proposals which meet at least one of the following: New research or innovation with a clear pathway to impact on policy or practice that has the potential , within the period of the award, to deliver a significant contribution to the understanding of, response to, and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in a developing country context; Supports the manufacture and/or wide scale adoption of an intervention with significant potential for impact in developing countries; Gathers critical data and resources quickly for future research use.
Location: Low- and Middle-Income Countries identified on the OECD DAC list of ODA recipients.
Eligibility: Both UK and overseas applicants may apply. Both have separate eligibility criteria. Click on 'apply' to read full details.
Grant size: There is no specific budget for this call. We are interested in funding research of any scale that can demonstrate it will deliver impact during the lifetime of the project.
Closing date: Rolling
APPLY HERE
UKRI repurposing existing grants for Covid-19
Type of project: Apply to switch your existing grant to UKRI GCRF grant to Covid-19 priority areas: New research or innovation with a clear pathway to impact on policy or practice that has the potential , within the period of the award, to deliver a significant contribution to the understanding of, response to, and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in a developing country context; Supports the manufacture and/or wide scale adoption of an intervention with significant potential for impact in developing countries; Gathers critical data and resources quickly for future research use.
Researchers must provide a good case for why their original project should be repurposed.
Location: Low- and Middle-Income Countries identified on the OECD DAC list of ODA recipients.
Eligibility: This is process is not available for either: Companies and organisations being funded by Innovate UK or Applicants holding a Newton Fund grant.
Grant size: Please note that no subsequent extension to the grant or additional costs will be allowed in order to meet the original objectives where these were altered to permit new COVID-19 research.
APPLY HERE
The Aids Foundation of South Africa – Small Project & Support Fund
Type of project: Activities that provide an immediate response to Human Rights violations with a social emphasis on mitigating the effects of COVID 19. The activities will have the overall aim of empowering vulnerable communities, especially during this unfortunate time. Recognising that the current global COVID-19 crisis is not just a health crisis but also a socioeconomic crisis, its impact is cross cutting and raises a number of diverse human rights concerns. Therefore, it is encouraged to consider activities that are not only implementable during the current shifting restrictions but also address issues such as access for basic needs, access to education and mental health etc.
Location: South Africa
Eligibility: Applications may be submitted by individuals, non-governmental organisations, faith-based organisations, groups/collectives working with in human rights with annual budgets under R1.5m. Current grantees from the AFSA or Bread for the World are ineligible for this call.
Grant size: Up to R75,000 ZAR
APPLY HERE
Women's Voice & Leadership Fund – Rapid Response Grants
Type of project: The Fund has a special emphasis on mitigating the effect of COVID 19 on Women’s Rights. More information on the gender dimensions of COVID can be found here. The funding comes from Global Affairs Canada and is being augmented by funds from UK Aid.
Location: South Africa
Grant size: R20,000 – R50,000 South African Rand
Closing date: Rolling
APPLY HERE
National Geographic Society’s Emergency Fund for Journalists
Type of project: This fund places particular emphasis on delivering news to underserved populations, particularly where there is a dearth of evidence-based information getting to those who need it. We are interested in local and even hyper-local distribution models. Priority communities include: Those at high risk or hit especially hard by the virus, indigenous communities, immigrant or refugee communities, underserved, urban, rural, elderly populations, and children. Reporting may cover any aspect of the virus and its fallout, including but not limited to: Social consequences of COVID-19 and measures to contain it, particularly related to equity—such as its impact on immigrant communities, domestic violence, and early childhood education. Stories of resilience and solutions that could be applied on a regional or global scale. Novel forms of data visualization or science communication to help communities better understand how to protect themselves.
Lessons learned from local response(s) to COVID-19 that could be applied to other large-scale challenges, such as climate change or the refugee crisis. Best practices of how educators, students, and schools are reacting to this crisis, particularly as they illuminate under-resourced schools.
Location: Worldwide
Eligibility: We seek writers, photographers, videographers, audio journalists, cartographers, filmmakers, and data visualization experts to apply for this funding.
Grant size: US$1,000–8,000. Applicants may use up to 100 percent of their budget as personal reimbursement for their reporting time
Closing date: Rolling
APPLY HERE
Outright Action International LGBTIQ Emergency Fund
Type of project: The grants can be used for any emergency that has occurred as a result of the COVID-19 health crisis by organisations working directly with and for the LGBTIQ community. The funds may be used for immediate support to community members to buy food or medicines, or for your organization to pay rent and utilities.
Location: Any country outside the USA, Canada, the European Economic Area, Switzerland, Australia or New Zealand
Grant size: $2,500 - $10,000
Eligibility: Your organization must work directly with and for LGBTIQ people; Your organization must be based outside the USA, Canada, the European Economic Area, Switzerland, Australia or New Zealand
Closing date: Rolling
APPLY HERE
Omidyar Network India Rapid Response Funding
Type of project: funding to tackle the challenges posed by the Covid-19 situation including. Proposals are welcomed across the following themes: Data, apps and other technology-led initiatives; Community outreach and mobilisation campaigns; Initiatives that improve economic resilience of workers and small businesses; Fact-based inputs that can inform the thinking of decision-makers in crisis response (e.g. actionable research, narrative building, storytelling, and community campaigns); Collaborative efforts amongst funders and solution providers.
Location: India
Grant size: 500,000 – 20m Indian Rupees
Eligibility: NGOs, research organisations and for-profit businesses registered as Indian entities, seeking to implement their project on a no-profit basis.
Closing date: Rolling. If you do not hear from the Network in 10 days, you should assume your proposal has not made it past the initial screening.
APPLY HERE
The Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation
Type of project: Projects which mobilize civic initiatives meant to help limit the coronavirus crisis and counter its negative impact on society, good governance, democracy, rule of law, and access to free media.
Location: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine
Grant size: Proposals should be under $25,000. Management costs and administrative costs are limited to 25% of the overall award.
Eligibility: Civil society organizations legally registered in one of the aforementioned countries
Closing date: Rolling
APPLY HERE
Open Road Alliance
Type of project: Charitable Grants will only be offered to organizations responding directly to COVID-19 that are also demonstrating how their intervention moves towards longer term adaptation and systemic/sustainable impact beyond the immediate outbreak. Proposals must be for projects which are: Mid-implementation – programs that are otherwise fully funded (not pilot projects); One-time cash need – well-defined discrete funding need (not pooled funds); Prioritizing clear, demonstrable, and deep impact that Can demonstrate clear potential to ‘flatten the curve’; AND Supports longer-term societal and economic adaptation beyond the immediate outbreak.
Location: Worldwide
Eligibility: Eligible organizations must be one of the following: A US-registered 501c3 non-profit in good standing; A for-profit social enterprise or foreign charity with a US-registered charitable fiscal sponsor/partner organization in good standing (501c3, Private Foundation, DAF, etc.); A foreign-registered charity able to successfully complete an equivalency determination (ED) process. (Note: Disbursement of funds may be delayed until the ED process is complete)
Grant size: Up to $100,000 USD
APPLY HERE
The Noel Buxton Trust's African Grants
Covid 19 update: We are now ready to accept new applications within our existing programmes. We understand that applications may include work responding to the Covid-19 crisis. We will listen carefully to applicants and offer flexible and timely support as best we can.
Type of project: Trustees favour work such as small business support and training and microfinance in both urban and rural settings. Applications in support of initiatives that are building sustainable futures in the semi-arid areas of Africa are especially welcome. Trustees also welcome appeals that support and protect street children and help them find safe and sustainable livelihoods.
Location: Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Uganda, Sudan and South Sudan. Within these areas, priority will be given to work with communities living in urban slums and semi-arid regions where economic hardship is most extreme.
Eligibility: Trustees tend to offer grants to smaller, grass-roots organisations and do not generally respond to appeals from large and well-supported charities. The Trustees welcome applications from Diaspora led organisations based and registered in the UK and is also willing to consider direct applications from registered civil society organisations in Africa.
Grant size: The maximum grant is £5,000 per year for up to three years.
APPLY HERE
The Fore - Rapid Action by The Fore and Trusts (RAFT Fund)
Type of project: RAFT Fund offers unrestricted grants to organisations that are able to demonstrate the impact of their mission and offer creative solutions to getting through the current crisis and building for delivery beyond the acute phase of the crisis.
Location: UK & Overseas
Grant size: Up to £5,000
Eligibility: any small charity or social enterprise in the UK with turnover of under £500,000. This includes organisations who work overseas.
Closing date: At the time of writing, the fun is spent out. However, it is planning to reopen when more funds are raised.
APPLY HERE
Deadline: April 2021
African Women's Development Fund
Type of project: work that is led by women and supports the leadership and concerns of women facing multiple discriminations e.g., women with diverse abilities; women living with HIV and AIDS, young women, LBTQ communities, women sex workers, women in the rural areas and marginalised women in urban areas. The fund supports: Body & Health Rights; Economic Security & Justice; Leadership, Participation & Peace.
Location: Africa and eligible countries in the Middle East - Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq and Yemen
Eligibility: Women-led organisations registered in any African country and working at the local, national, subregional or regional African levels may apply.
Closing date: 14 April
Emile Bruneau Empathy Fund: 2021 Call for Applications
Type of project: Project focused on building or fostering empathy among children and youth in Palestine through projects including summer camps, music groups, drama and theatre classes and other cultural, physical activity or artistic initiatives.
Location: Palestine
Eligibility: Not-for-profit organization may apply
Grant size: up to $2,500
Closing date: 16 April
Type of project: Projects engaged in the relief of human suffering in all its aspects especially, but not exclusively, those with a Christian emphasis and ethos.
Location: UK and overseas
Eligibility: UK registered charities only. All projects for capital building and renovation works are specifically excluded from funding.
Grant size: £1,000 to £3,000
Closing date: 23 April
Type of project: The fund has two international focus areas: 1) access to essential services (water, sanitation and waste) for disadvantaged populations and 2) emergencies. The Foundation looks favourably on participation of the populations concerned in financing the service provided both in terms of cash contributions and labour within their capabilities.
Location: Developing countries
Eligibility: Legally registered organisations established for at least 1 year may apply
Grant size: up to €80,000
Closing date: 30 April Apply: https://www.fondation-suez.com/en/
Type of project: early childhood development to Resource and Training Organisations that provide holistic programmes to support the growth, development and education of young children aged birth to five. The direct beneficiaries are predominantly women who are most likely to care for young children.
Location: South Africa
Eligibility: Local South African organisations may apply.
Closing date: 30 April
Type of project: Projects focused on one of five goals: encourage social inclusion, advance education, develop the arts, advance equality and diversity and promote religious understanding.
Location: Africa, Central and South America
Eligibility: UK registered charities working in the project locations may apply.
Grant size: up to £5,000
Closing date: 30 April; 31 August; 31 December
Deadline: May 2021
Type of project: Music and arts education and participation, deafness and other disabilities, the elderly, medical relief including hospice support, and medical research
Location: London, Northern Ireland and South Africa. The South Africa programme only accepts applications once a year for the May deadline.
Eligibility: Registered charities only.
Grant size: £1,000 - £5,000
Closing date: 5 May
Type of project: projects building a society where leprosy is not deemed an issue, discrimination and stigma do not exist and affected persons can receive the treatment and services they need. Projects are focused on three areas: tackling disease, fighting discrimination, preserving history.
Location: Worldwide
Eligibility: Non-profit organizations including educational and research institutions may apply.
Grant size: 2020 average grant size was $ 20,000 - $30,000
Closing date: 5 May
THET - UK Partnerships for Health Systems
Type of project: Projects focusing on the development of stronger and more resilient health systems through improving the quality of health services, the skills and knowledge of health workers and other professionals in the health sector, especially in reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent services and builds on institutional capacity to decrease any reliance on external support. Small grants will focus on innovation, gender equality and/or social inclusion, climate change and blended and remote learning.
Location: Sub-Saharan Africa or South-East Asia
Eligibility: Non-governmental organisations may apply. Applications must be made by a Health Partnership between a UK health institution and an LMIC health institution based in one, or more, of the countries identified in this call.
Grant size: up to £50,000
Closing date: 12 May
Type of project: Relief of poverty and disability; Provision of access to shelter, education, healthcare and water; Less popular and hard to fund activities/projects.
Location: UK & International
Eligibility: The Trust supports local projects in the North East of England, national organisations providing benefit across the UK and international charities registered in the UK.
Grant size: up to £10,000
Closing date: 15 May
The Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OWISA)
Type of project: OSIWA works to support the creation of open societies in West Africa marked by functioning democracy, good governance, the rule of law, basic freedoms, and widespread civic participation. OSIWA seeks proposals aimed at achieving the following specific themes: Economic Justice; Democratic Governance; Equality, Justice and Human Rights.
Location: West Africa
Eligibility: OSIWA primarily awards grants to local organizations based in West Africa. In rare and limited circumstances, OSIWA provides support to West Africa-based international organizations with a strong commitment to transferring knowledge to local groups they partner with. Our grants also go to government institutions as well as regional and sub-regional organizations working in our core priority areas.
Closing date: 15 May
Type of project: The Radio 4 Appeal is a weekly 3-minute programme highlighting the work of a charity and appealing for donations to support its activities. The appeal aims to provide an opportunity for raising money and awareness to a variety of charities.
Location: UK-wide & international
Eligibility: A charity can only have an appeal broadcast on the BBC once every three years. UK charities registered with the Charity Commission whose work has an impact at UK or international level are eligible. You must provide two sets of audited or independently examined accounts and have up to date management accounts within a 3-month period. Charities members of the Disasters Emergency Committee are ineligible.
Grant size: average of £5,000 to £20,000
Closing date: 17 May
Ernest Kleinwort Grants Programme
Type of project: Charitable work in the County of Sussex, Wildlife & Environmental Conservation (UK and International), Reproductive Health (International) – applications within this category will only be considered for family planning projects delivering in Africa and Asia, and in areas where there is clear and intended impact on the environment. Grants will be considered for start-up costs, core costs or for a specific project for which applicants have requested support. This could include a contribution towards a building/refurbishment project, purchase of specialist equipment or other similar capital expenditure, or assistance with running costs.
Location: UK and International
Eligibility: Must be registered in the UK
Grant size: Small Grants: up to £3,001; Medium Grants: £3,001 - £10,000; Large grants: over £10,001. Large grants must be discussed with the Trust before applying
Closing date: 19 May. Small grant requests can be made at any time.
The Embassy of Finland in Addis Ababa
Type of project: Support for local civil society organizations for projects with a human rights approach. Focus areas include the rights of women and girls, children, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups of the community and climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Location: Ethiopia
Eligibility: Local Civil Society Organizations registered with the Agency for Civil Society Organizations may apply.
Grant size: Up to €250,000
Closing date: 31 May
U.S. Mission to Malawi Special Self-Help Fund
Type of project: Projects that increase fundamental education and marketable skills or that expand entrepreneurial knowledge and opportunity. Projects that address needs within disadvantaged or marginalized populations are encouraged. Projects funded have included classroom blocks, under-five clinics, pregnant mothers waiting shelters, school libraries, girls’ hostels, installation of biogas digesters, eco-stove production, and provision of clean and safe drinking water through boreholes and shallow wells.
Location: Malawi
Eligibility: Registered Malawian civilian, religious, social, community development, special interest, disability organisations, or advocacy groups or organization may apply. Applicants must demonstrate they have adequate internal controls and financial monitoring procedures in place, and strong ties to and support from the local community and local governmental bodies.
Grant size: $3,000 - $8,000 per project.
Deadline: 31 May
Deadline: June 2021
Type of project: Projects which strengthen transparent and accountable governance that respects human rights and address inequality as an integral part of addressing climate change and protecting the environment for all. Projects should clearly articulate the linkages between civil and political human rights and good governance with climate and the environment.
Location: East Asia and Pacific Region
Eligibility: U.S.-based and foreign-based non-profit organizations/nongovernment organizations (NGO) and public international organizations may apply.
Grant size: up to $1,500,000
Deadline: 4 June
U.S. Mission to Angola - Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Fund
Type of project: Small community-based development projects which help improve basic economic or social conditions at the local community or village level.
Location: Angola
Eligibility: Registered Angolan civilian, religious, social, community development, special interest, disability, or advocacy group or organization may apply.
Grant size: $2,000 - $10,000 per project
Deadline: 15 June
Solve Global Challenge - Resilient Ecosystems
Type of project: Technology-based solutions that: Help communities restore, sustain, and benefit from resilient ecosystems by preserving and restoring carbon-rich ecosystems and biodiversity hotspots, whether terrestrial, coastal, or marine; Provide scalable and verifiable monitoring and data collection to track ecosystem conditions, such as biodiversity, carbon stocks, or productivity.
Location: Worldwide
Eligibility: Individuals, teams, or organizations may apply
Grant size: $10,000
Closing date: 16 June
Solve Global Challenge - Equitable Classrooms
Type of project: Finding technology-based solutions that ensure all primary and secondary school learners have access to quality, safe, and equitable learning environments by increasing the engagement of learners in remote, hybrid, and physical environments, including strategies and tools for parental support, peer interaction, and guided independent work; Enabling access to quality learning experiences in low-connectivity settings; Ensuring the physical safety and mental health of learners and support teachers to adapt their pedagogy, facilitate personalized instruction, and communicate with students and their families in remote and hybrid settings
Location: Worldwide
Eligibility: Individuals, teams, or organizations may apply
Grant size: $10,000
Closing date: 16 June
Solve Global Challenge - Digital Inclusion
Type of project: Improving access to digital services for everyone, including reliable infrastructure, devices, and affordable data plans, particularly for those who do not have access in remote and rural areas; equipping everyone with culturally relevant digital literacy skills to enable participation in the digital economy; scaling safe and private digital identity and financial tools to allow people and small businesses to thrive in the digital economy.
Location: Worldwide
Eligibility: Individuals, teams, or organizations may apply
Grant size: $10,000
Closing date: 16 June
Solve Global Challenge - Health Security & Pandemics
Type of project: Technology-based solutions to protect people from the impacts of infectious disease emergencies through last-mile primary healthcare providers with the necessary tools and knowledge to detect disease outbreaks quickly and respond to them effectively; strengthen disease surveillance, early warning predictive systems, and other data systems to detect, slow, or halt future disease outbreaks; prevent the spread of misinformation and inspire individuals to protect themselves and their communities, including through information campaigns and behavioural nudges; Combat loneliness, stress, depression, and other mental health impacts of disease outbreaks.
Location: Worldwide
Eligibility: Individuals, teams, or organizations may apply
Grant size: $10,000
Closing date: 16 June
The Brian Mercer Charitable Trust
Type of project: Most of the Trust´s funding is awarded to projects which focus on prevention and relief of human suffering, caused by poverty and ill health. Such interventions must be of proven best-value or demonstrate the potential to become so. Both direct interventions (e.g., provision of medical treatment) and indirect interventions (e.g., medical or technological research) will be considered. To avoid duplicating interventions currently funded, the Trust does not accept applications for projects addressing: emergencies/disasters/refugees, eyesight or malaria.
Location: UK or overseas
Eligibility: UK registered charities with an annual income of no greater than £700,000 may apply. Grant size: The total annual budget is £800,000.
Deadline: 17 June
National Endowment for Democracy (NED)
Type of project: Projects working to advance democratic goals and strengthen democratic institutions. NED focuses on promoting and defending human rights and the rule of law, supporting freedom of information and independent media, strengthening democratic ideas and values, promoting accountability and transparency, strengthening civil society organizations, democratic political processes and institutions and a broad-based market economy.
Location: Worldwide
Eligibility: Nongovernmental organizations, which may include civic organizations, associations, independent media, and other similar organizations may apply
Grant size: $ 50,000
Closing date: 25 June
Deadline: July 2021
The Stanley Thomas Johnson Foundation
Type of project: Conflict resolution. Projects which deal primarily with the causes, circumstances and consequences of violence, including protection for civilians, especially displaced persons and refugees; psychosocial assistance and rehabilitation of the victims of war and conflict; projects to prevent and resolve conflicts for people affected by war. Until 2022 the foundation gives preference to projects supporting (unaccompanied) children and young people.
Location: Afghanistan, Chad, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen, UK, Switzerland.
Eligibility: UK and Swiss registered civilian non-profit organisations working in the above stated countries may apply.
Closing date: 2 July
British & Foreign Schools Society
Type of project: BFSS supports work which improves the quality, sustainability, and access to education for young people up to the age of 25 within international marginalised and deprived communities. Funding is available for new or pilot projects. We do not fund existing programmes. BFSS currently has two priority areas, and particularly welcomes applications which focus on: Re-establishing education where the provision of education has suffered from conflict or natural disaster; Enhancing the opportunities and reducing barriers for girls to access education.
Location: Worldwide
Eligibility: BFSS funds small to medium sized organisations with an annual income of between £5,000 and £2.5 million. Organisations must have UK charitable status. BFSS do not fund non-UK based organisations, Community Interest Companies or individuals. Organisations must have continuous UK accounts for at least three years. Organisations must be directly involved in the provision of the project activities. We do not fund organisations whose primary purpose is fundraising.
Grant size: £5,000 to £60,000 per project (maximum £30,000 per year). BFSS will fund between 25% to 100% of the total project costs but will give preference to projects with some degree of matched funding.
Closing date: 8 July
Type of project: Any projects geared towards grassroots assistance are eligible for financing under this call. Particular attention will be given to projects designed to assist the most vulnerable groups such as women, children and the physically disabled. Key areas include: Primary/secondary education; Vocational training; Primary health care, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS; Water and sanitation; Reconstruction for disaster areas; Agricultural development.
Location: Uganda
Eligibility: Any non-profit organization, which has been registered with the National Board of NGOs or local governments and has a minimum of two years’ experience in implementing development projects at a grassroots level, and which has full-time paid staff and track record in handling at least 50 % of the requested fund is eligible to apply. Potential recipients are international or local NGOs, community-based organizations, medical institutions, educational institutions and local authorities/governments.
Grant size: Total budget envelope is approximately US$100,000
Deadline: 31 July
Deadline: August 2021
Fondation Mérieux's Small Grants Programme
Type of project: Projects which improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases: HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, hepatitis, neglected tropical diseases and other infectious diseases representing significant public health issues. The Foundation will prioritise projects which have strong local involvement: links with local authorities, local associations and beneficiaries and those whose beneficiaries are mothers and children.
Location: Algeria, Bangladesh, Benin, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, DR Congo, Egypt, Gabon, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Haiti, Iraq, Iran, Ivory Coast, Laos, Lebanon, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Myanmar, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Chad, Tunisia, Senegal, Tajikistan, Togo, Vanuatu and Vietnam
Eligibility: Registered non-profit organisations may apply
Grant size: up to € 5,000
Closing date: 1 August
The GC Gibson Charitable Trust
Type of project: This year we will support capital or product purchases in the areas of education and of physical and mental health for all ages
Location: Worldwide
Eligibility: UK registered charities whose income is no more than £1m may apply
Grant size: Up to £4,000. Projects should have a maximum cost of £20,000.
Closing date: Opens on 1 August 2021
Ernest Kleinwort Grants Programme
Type of project: Charitable work in the County of Sussex, Wildlife & Environmental Conservation (UK and International), Reproductive Health (International) – applications within this category will only be considered for family planning projects delivering in Africa and Asia, and in areas where there is clear and intended impact on the environment. Grants will be considered for start-up costs, core costs or for a specific project for which applicants have requested support. This could include a contribution towards a building/refurbishment project, purchase of specialist equipment or other similar capital expenditure, or assistance with running costs.
Location: UK and International
Eligibility: Must be registered in the UK
Grant size: Small Grants: up to £3,001; Medium Grants: £3,001 - £10,000; Large grants: over £10,001. Large grants must be discussed with the Trust before applying
Closing date: 20 August. Small grant requests can be made at any time.
Type of project: Projects focused on one of five goals: encourage social inclusion, advance education, develop the arts, advance equality and diversity and promote religious understanding.
Location: Africa, Central and South America
Eligibility: UK registered charities working in the project locations may apply.
Grant size: up to £5,000
Closing date: 31 August
Deadline: September 2021
Type of project: Projects which sustainably improve lives among the sick, the elderly, the disabled and the disadvantaged. Grants are preferred to assist specific projects or items of equipment.
Location: UK & overseas
Eligibility: Open to UK registered charities with an annual income of £250,000 or less
Grant size: Typical size of grant is in the region of £1,000 to £10,000.
Deadline: Opens 1 September (Closes when 100 applications have been received)
The Cumber Family Charitable Trust
Type of project: We prefer charities working in the areas of welfare, education, medical or disadvantaged children's needs, or agriculturally/conservation focussed. They prefer to fund longer term projects that do not necessarily appeal to the general public.
Location: UK & overseas
Eligibility: Your charity must have a base and a bank account in the UK.
Grant size: up to £2,000
Closing date: September. You should aim to submit your application one month before the meetings which take place in March and October each year.
Type of project: The Radio 4 Appeal is a weekly 3-minute programme highlighting the work of a charity and appealing for donations to support its activities. The appeal aims to provide an opportunity for raising money and awareness to a variety of charities.
Location: UK-wide & international
Eligibility: A charity can only have an appeal broadcast on the BBC once every three years. UK charities registered with the Charity Commission whose work has an impact at UK or international level are eligible. You must provide two sets of audited or independently examined accounts and have up to date management accounts within a 3-month period. Charities members of the Disasters Emergency Committee are ineligible.
Grant size: average of £5,000 - £20,000
Closing date: 6 September
The Brian Mercer Charitable Trust
Type of project: Most of the Trust´s funding is awarded to projects which focus on prevention and relief of human suffering, caused by poverty and ill health. Such interventions must be of proven best-value or demonstrate the potential to become so. Both direct interventions (e.g., provision of medical treatment) and indirect interventions (e.g., medical or technological research) will be considered. To avoid duplicating interventions currently funded, the Trust does not accept applications for projects addressing: emergencies/disasters/refugees, eyesight or malaria.
Location: UK or overseas
Eligibility: UK registered charities with an annual income of no greater than £700,000 may apply.
Grant size: The total annual budget is £800,000.
Deadline: 16 September
Contracting opportunities
Find out more about contracting opportunities and how to apply in our Bidding for a DFID contract guide.
The Department for International Development (DFID) now spends 14% of its total budget (£1.4 billion) through commercial contracts, all of which are open tenders and which any organisation can apply for, including NGOs and local organisations. The formal route for DFID to inform suppliers about new opportunities is through the DFID supplier portal.
Ongoing grant opportunities
Abilis Foundation
Type of projects: supporting people with disabilities to implement their own projects in developing countries
Location: developing countries
Eligibility: Disabled People's Organisations from developing countries
African Women's Development Fund
COVID-19 update to current grantees
Type of project: young women, women facing multiple discrimination, and approaches that include engaging the arts, culture, sports and technology. The fund focuses on the following themes: Body & Health Rights; Economic Security & Justice; Leadership, Participation & Peace. The fund also awards capacity building grants that focus on advancing organisational growth and development – for example strategic planning, developing fundraising and communications strategies, strengthening organisational governance systems and human resources management
Location: Africa
Eligibility: applicants must be African women’s organisations which are led by a woman and which have a majority female staff and board. They must also be registered in an African country and have been in existence for at least 3 years. The fund will only consider grants that are less than 50% of an organisation’s annual income
The Alan & Babette Sainsbury Charitable Fund
Type of project: education and young people's employment and projects which promote freedom of speech or advance peace and reconciliation
Location: sub-Saharan Africa
Eligibility: registered charities may apply
Grant size: £5,000 - £25,000
The Alborada Trust
Type of project: medical and veterinary causes, research and education, welfare of animals and help with relief to disaster areas worldwide
Location: worldwide.
Eligibility: registered national and international charities may apply
Grant size: the Trust only awards grants of £25,000 or more
The Alchemy Foundation
Type of project: WASH, disability, social welfare, personal reform, medical research and aid especially in areas of blindness and disfigurement, individual enterprise and respite for carers. The Foundation can also fund the cost of fundraisers
Location: UK and Overseas
Grant size: total granting for 2018 totalled £448,925
The Al Fayed Foundation
Type of project: relieving the plight of orphans, refugees and street children abroad
Location: worldwide
The American Express Foundation
Type of project: unsolicited applications can be made under the areas: Developing Leaders within non-profit and social purpose organisations working to solve the world's biggest challenges; and Serving Communities by building the capacity of non-profits to develop, engage and retain community members as volunteers
Location: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Greater China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, UK, USA
Eligibility: non-profit organisations
AngloAmerican Group Foundation
Type of projects: environment, education and training; community development; HIV/AIDS and welfare
Countries: UK, Chile, Peru, India, Mozambique, Brazil, Colombia, China, Mongolia, Zimbabwe
Grant range: unspecified
The Ashworth Charitable Trust
Type of project: humanitarian causes operating locally, nationally and internationally. The underlying principals are: justice; education for all; the need to address the situation of the very poor and of those at the margins of society; that all people everywhere should be able to share the fruits of and be empowered to participate in the construction of a just, prosperous and sustainable society; and that to achieve these aims, it is necessary to build the capacity of individuals, communities and institutions
Location: worldwide
Eligibility: UK-registered charities whose turnover is under £1 million.
Grant size: not usually exceeding £3,000
The Austin Bailey Foundation
Type of project: the relief of poverty and ill-health, and the fostering of opportunities for young people in the developing world
Location: developing countries
Eligibility: registered UK charities only
Grant size: grants for new applicants rarely exceed £400. Grants for charities known to the Trust can reach approximately £4,000
The Becht Family Trust
Type of project: The Trust's main focus area is the preservation and restoration of biodiversity. It is planning to allocate the largest part of its annual donations to this area. It also supports humanitarian aid including the case of Environmental Disasters as well as efforts to structurally help children with medical, educational or other programmes both in developing and developed countries. It also supports educational programmes within both these key areas.
Location: Worldwide
Grant size: £2.7m granted in 2018. Both restricted and unrestricted grants can be made.
APPLY HERE
The Blackwood Engineering Trust
Type of projects: education or projects which generally benefit children and young people in need due to poverty, bereavement, sickness or disability which have little funding from statutory bodies are a largely run by voluntary organisations
Location: locations where Blackwood Engineering operates, including the UK, China and around the world
Grant size: £500 - £2000. Larger grants may be considered in exceptional circumstances
The Bottle Top Foundation
Type of project: poverty alleviation schemes and grass roots education initiatives that empower young people
Location: current grantees are working in Brazil, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi and South Africa
Eligibility: local offices or affiliates of national or international organisations cannot apply. In most cases grantees have budgets in the £5,000 – £50,000 range
Budget: £3,000 and £15,000
Bread for the World – Partnership opportunities
Type of project: Bread for the World works with more than 2,000 partner organisations for peace, justice and the preservation of creation. Partners are expected to share the funders underlying ethical values. Bread for the World needs to examine the organisational capacity of the partner organisations to conduct a project as well as the reasonability of a planned project.
Location: Countries of the Global South, as well as in Germany and across Europe.
Eligibility: Registered organisations may apply. They must provide proof of registration and a copy of their statues and a letter of recommendation that shows that actions do not take place in isolation, but that they are integrated into the local development policy or church policy landscape.
Grant size: As a rule, all expenses directly related to the project can be funded.
However, Bread for the World avoids 100 % funding of projects. Partner organisations must secure other sources of financing (e.g. own funds, third-party financing). Project proposals which exceed €200,000 are also assessed by the Development Service and Humanitarian Aid Committee of Bread for the World.
APPLY HERE
The Bromley Trust
Type of project: There are two focus areas: 1. Human Rights - trafficking & Slavery; Torture & Abuse and Persecution. Within this stream, the Trust does not support international development work, disaster relief, organisations working wholly outside of the UK, domestic abuse or Female Genital Mutilation; 2. Prison reform – this is for projects working in the UK only. The Trust tends to provide unrestricted support (core funding) to specialist organisations. If your overall work does not entirely fit within the focus areas but you wish to apply for a specific project or element of your work that does fit, contact the Trust to discuss.
Location: UK and overseas
Eligibility: Any UK-registered charity, including those who undertake work internationally may apply. Grantees usually have an annual income of between £100,000 and £1.5m
Grant size: between £5,000 and £20,000 per year for up to 3 years
Britford Bridge Trust
Type of project: poverty relief; education; health and; the arts, culture, heritage or science
Location: UK and overseas
Eligibility: registered charities may apply
Grant size: £4,000 - £170,000. Most grants are for c. £10,000
The C&A Foundation
Type of projects: accelerating sustainable cotton, improving working conditions, eradicating forced labour, and enabling circular fashion
Location: Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Pakistan, Turkey, Tanzania, Indonesia
Grant size: proposals for under €100,000 can be reviewed by a programme manager. Those that are over €500,000 are reviewed by the Board of Directors who meet twice a year in June and December
Chalk Cliff Trust
Type of project: education, malnutrition or medical related. The grant need not be specifically tied to funding projects. The funding can be used as seed capital, to help with core administration costs, or to help an organisation through a difficult time
Eligibility: Organisations should be based in East Sussex, UK. Donations will normally be made to registered charities, however organisations pending registration or pressure groups will also be considered
Grant size: most grants are in the region of £3,000 - £5,000
Charles Hayward Foundation
Type of projects: clean water and sanitation; basic health programmes; self-sustainability through training in farming skills and income generation activities
Countries: Commonwealth countries of Africa
Grant range: up to £15,000
The Charles Léopold Mayer Foundation for the Progress of Humankind (FPH)
Type of project: addressing the following themes: Good Governance & Regional Cooperation; Shared Ethics & Responsibility, including projects focused on conflict resolution and Sustainable Development, including supporting biodiversity
Location: worldwide
Charles Steward Mott Foundation
Type of projects: strengthening philanthropy and the nonprofit sector as vital vehicles for increasing civic engagement and improving communities and societies
Countries: South Africa
Grant range: $15,000 to $250,000
Cisco Foundation Global Impact Cash Grants
Type of projects: innovative approaches to critical social challenges. Organisations and programmes must focus on at least one of the following areas: access to education; economic empowerment; critical human needs. Programmes must serve the underserved, and leverage technology to improve the reach and efficiency of services.
Location: worldwide
Grant size: the maximum request amount for first-time grant recipients is US$75,000
Civicus Crisis Response Fund
Type of projects: CSOs facing new restrictions on their work can apply for funding for emergency advocacy actions to defend civic freedoms and democratic values. The Fund provides grants to mobilise quick, principled and effective advocacy responses to events that threaten fundamental rights to associate and assemble freely. The fund also supports civil society through resiliency grants, designed to ensure that organisations have greater flexibility and creativity to proactively prevent and mitigate threats against their organizations. Funds are provided where immediate action is required, either to forestall imminent threats or to address new restrictions.
Location: Worldwide
Eligibility: National CSOs Grant size: 10,000 USD for projects lasting up to 6 months
The Coca Cola Foundation
Type of project: Areas of focus are Empowering women: economic empowerment and entrepreneurship; Protecting the environment: access to clean water, water conservation and recycling; Enhancing communities: education, youth development and other community and civic initiatives. In addition, the Foundation supports many local community programs such as HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness programs. The Coca-Cola Foundation is also providing additional funding and grants to communities and organizations in response to Coronavirus. These grants support local organizations and vulnerable communities during these times.
Location: Worldwide
Eligibility: Charitable donations are made to non-profit organizations and to foreign organizations that are the equivalent of U.S. charities. Charitable donations are not made to individuals, religious, political, legislative, lobbying or fraternal organizations.
APPLY HERE
Cumbria Overseas Aid Trust
Type of project: Projects which contribute in some way to the relief of poverty and which will have some long-term and sustainable benefits to a local community. Trustees also prefer a connection to Cumbria either through individuals involved or the origins of the organisation.
Location: developing countries
Eligibility: UK NGOs may apply
Grant size: usually under £1,000 but can be up to £2,000
Danson Foundation
Type of project: education projects
Location: developing countries
Eligibility: UK NGOs may apply
Grant size: various grants between £1,000 - £150,000
Denise Coates Foundation
Type of project: education and training; disaster recovery/emergency relief; community development; medical research and development
Location: UK and overseas
Eligibility: UK NGOs may apply
Grant size: in the 2016-17 financial year the Foundation committed to provide £5,964,536 of grants and donations to 21 charitable entities, 19 of which totalled more than £20,000
De la Rue Charitable Trust
Type of projects: educational projects at home and abroad which promote relevant skills, international understanding and bring relief from suffering
Location: the UK and under-developed communities where De la Rue does business
Eligibility: UK registered charities
Grant size: approximate annual fund value is £60,000 with 10-12 charities supported in 2016/17
Draper Richards Kaplan
Type of project: Innovative strategies, systems changing approaches, and disrupting technologies seeking to dramatically improve the lives of people and the world. Our goal is to find social entrepreneurs with dynamic ideas and nurture them at the early stages with maximum leverage and total commitment. We concentrate our selection on the capabilities of the founder, the scalability of the model, and the potential impact of the organization on the world.
Location: Worldwide
Eligibility: Individual leaders, domestic (U.S.) and international organizations, non-profit, for-profit and hybrid social enterprises may apply.
Grant size: 3 years of unrestricted capital totalling $300,000
Dubai Cares
Type of projects: school infrastructure; school health; nutrition; water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in schools; quality of education
Countries: Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Cambodia, Chad, Comoros Islands, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Jordan , Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Uganda, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia
Grant range: unspecified
Overhead recovery: this donor limits overhead recovery to no more than 7% of donations
Covid- 19 update: We have now made the decision that for the immediate future (and including our June and October Board meetings), our grant-making will be focused on: (a) charities that are well-placed to support vulnerable communities through this crisis (previous grant recipients will be prioritised, but we may consider new charities to us as an exception) (b) supporting charities with which we have an existing relationship to overcome funding challenges caused by the COVID-19 crisis.
Type of projects: 1) Community Development which covers the provision of water and power, the encouragement of farming, enterprise, wildlife conservation. 2) Peace & Humanitarian Support including disaster relief.
Location: Kenya and Uganda
Eligibility: UK charities and charitable incorporated organisations may apply.
Grant size: between £25,000 and £35,000 per year.
Eleanor Rathbone Charitable Trust
Type of projects: benefit women or orphaned children; demonstrate local involvement in scoping and delivery, except where skills required are not currently available e.g. eye surgeons in remote rural areas; repair damages in post-conflict countries; deliver clean water and sanitation
Location: sub-Saharan Africa, Indian sub-continent including Afghanistan, and projects in Palestine or those supporting Palestinian refugees
Eligibility: UK CSOs may apply
Grant size: £1000 - £3000
Elton John AIDS Foundation
Type of projects: Projects providing tangible impacts on individuals living with and communities affected by HIV Aids
Location: Cameroon, Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Myanmar (Burma), Nigeria, Russian Federation, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Eligibility: UK and Southern CSOs can apply
Grant range: £10,000 - £15,000
The Euro-Mediterranean Foundation of Support to Human Rights Defenders – Urgent Grants
Type of project: Urgent grants are allocated to human rights defenders in difficulty or at risk, for the specific purpose of allowing them to protect their safety and pursue their activities, as well as to small human rights organisations or groups with the aim of strengthening their operational capacities to implement innovative activities in the region.
Location: South-Mediterranean region
Eligibility: Applicants must show that an intervention by the Foundation will help counter threats against their lives and/or those of members of their family and reinforce the visibility and pursuit of their activities at a strategic timing.
Grant size: Maximum of EUR 5,000.
Apply here
Embassy of Japan in Zimbabwe
Type of project: Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects
provides funding for projects focusing on basic education, health care, food and nutrition, WASH, child protection and support for disadvantaged people.
Location: Zimbabwe
Eligibility: Be officially recognised as a non-profit organisation; be working for socio-economic
development at the grassroots level, have been operating for more than two years in the field of the proposed project and with sound finances.
Grant size: 10,000,000 Japanese yen.
Apply here
European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM)
Type of project: EPIM is seeking to support transnational partnerships of civil society organisations active at EU, national, bilateral, regional and/or local levels to advise European asylum policies and practices. Projects should aim to: promote feasible, evidence-based alternatives; and/or put forward thought-provoking ideas, and/or react to policy proposals and practices to safeguard the right to asylum and prevent backtracking. Projects must be advocacy-focused, i.e. are seeking to bring about a change in existing and/or future policies and practices. Supported activities could include, among others: power mapping and analysis, joint transnational civil society strategizing, policy roundtables, bilateral advocacy meetings, legislative lobbying, strategic litigation, and development of advocacy
Tools.
Location: Projects should be implemented in the European Union. Projects implemented in non-EU countries (e.g. Turkey, the UK) could also be considered eligible if of EU relevance.
Eligibility: Non-profit organisations registered in the European Union are eligible. Non-EU based non-profit organisations can apply as partners. EPIM will only consider applications that are based on a partnership of at least 2 civil society organisations. Transnational partnerships are encouraged but not required. The involvement of other types of actors, such as international organisations, academic institutions and/or public bodies is optional.
Grant size: up to €40,000 over 18 months
Apply here
F G CHARITABLE TRUST
Type of project: supporting groups who are victims of either: breaches of human rights; any public calamity (including famine earthquake or pestilence); war or civil disturbance; the immediate or continuing effects of lack of natural or other resources; or any other cause of poverty distress or suffering.
Location: Any part of the world but with a particular focus on Africa, South America, the Indian sub-continent and Eastern Europe.
Eligibility: faith-based organisations only
Grant size: £450,000 worth of grants and legacies were disbursed in 2016/7
Ford Foundation
Type of projects: educational opportunity and scholarship; sustainable development; freedom of expression; gender; sexuality and reproductive justice; human rights; economic fairness
Countries: worldwide
Grant range: unspecified
Ford Foundation's JustFilms Grant
Type of projects: artist-driven film and new media projects, and other forms of creative visual storytelling, that explore the rich diversity of the human experience. These stories inspire imaginations, disrupt stereotypes, and help transform attitudes that perpetuate injustice.
Location: worldwide
Grant range: unspecified
French Development Agency´s Fund for Innovation in Development
Type of project: FID accepts applications for innovations in any sector, and specifically encourages applications for solutions in education, health, climate change, and gender equality for innovations.
Location: All low- and middle-income countries. FID specifically encourages applications from the priority countries for French aid.
Eligibility: Researchers, governments, NGOs and for-profit companies may apply
Grant size: €50,000 – €4m depending on grant type
Front Line Defenders Protection Grants
Type of projects: Rapid and practical financial support to improve the security and protection of human rights defenders (HRD) and their organisations improving physical security of an organisation or individual, digital security and communication security; supporting legal fees for HRDs who are being judicially harassed; paying for medical fees for HRDs who have been attacked or who have suffered a medical condition as a result of their peaceful human rights activities; providing family assistance for imprisoned HRDs or family members who are at risk because of a HRD's activities.
Location: Worldwide Eligibility: local organisations and individuals may apply
Grant range: $7,500
FP2020 Rapid Response Mechanism
Type of project: family planning
Eligibility: Registered NGOs, CSOs and INGOs, governments, private and UN organisations are eligible
Grant size: up to US$ 250,000. The vast majority of projects receive less than US$100,000. Please note grants cannot be used to fund: Purchase of contraceptives; Government staff salaries or honorariums; Scholarships to individuals; Fees to attend a conference; Basic research, academic studies or surveys; Capital equipment (such as machinery, vehicles, IT equipment, and office furniture)
The Gibbs Trust
Type of projects: innovative undertakings by Methodist churches and organisations, other Christian Causes, especially of an ecumenical nature, and a wider category in the fields of the creative arts, education, social and international concern
Location: Wales and overseas
Eligiblity: UK-registered charities
Grant size: grants totalling £43,250 were made to international causes in 2016/7. This figure included one £9,000 donation. The remainder were between £1,000 - £3,000
Deadline: the pattern is for the Trustees to meet three times during the financial year: around Easter, in late summer, and after Christmas
The Girl Generation’s End FGM Grassroots Fund
Type of project: supporting local, grassroots organisations in some of the countries most affected by FGM. Projects funded include: educating people about the harmful effects of FGM; promoting community dialogue on and offline; training teachers and healthcare workers, or building a new generation of youth activists to tackle FGM
Location: current grantees are working in Nigeria, Kenya, Somaliland, Sudan, The Gambia, Senegal, Mali and Burkina Faso
Eligibility: local, grassroots organisations in some of the countries most affected by FGM
Grant size: an average of $10,500 per grant
Gisela Graham Foundation
Type of project: alleviating poverty and deprivation among children in less developed countries through care, education, and family support
Location: worldwide
Eligibility: corporate bodies and registered charities
Grant size: grants awarded are normally for sums under £10,000, but most donations are for less than £5,000
Global Fund for Children
Type of projects: innovative, locally-led projects where all children and young people enjoy equal resources and opportunities in society and can live to their full potential
Location: worldwide
Eligibility: legally registered as a local organisation in the country where you operate with youth or child-focused programmes. Most new partners have budgets under $100,000
Global Fund for Community Foundations
Type of project: strengthening community foundations and other local philanthropic institutions, including women's funds, human rights funds and other grassroots grant makers
Location: Latin America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, East and Central Europe, and Central Asia. Applications from community philanthropy organisations representing disadvantaged communities in the global north will also be considered on a case-by-case basis
Eligibility: community philanthropy organisations, including community foundations, women's funds, environmental funds, national public foundations and other grassroots grant makers
Budget: US $7,000–$15,000
Global Fund for Women
Type of projects: gender equality and human rights
Location: worldwide
Eligibility: local organisations working directly in their communities, which are led by historically marginalised groups such as women, girls, or trans people
Global Innovation Fund
Type of project: social innovations that aim to improve the lives and opportunities of millions of people. There are three stages applicants can apply for:
- Pilot: Your innovation is still in an early phase. You are testing core assumptions around operational, social and financial viability.
- Test and Transition: Your innovation has completed initial testing and is now transitioning to larger scale. You have some information on your operational, social and financial viability. You want to solidify this before you scale.
- Scale: Your innovation has solid operational, social and financial viability. You have strong evidence that my innovation improves the lives of those living on less than $5 PPP per day. Now you want to replicate your innovation in new countries and context, reaching millions of people.
Location: developing countries.
Eligibility: for-profit firms, non-profit organisations, researchers, and government agencies may apply. Less than 10% of applicants are invited to submit full proposals.
Grant size:
- Pilot projects: The maximum per project is $230,000 USD.
- Test and Transition: The maximum per project is $2.3 million, although the average investment size is smaller
- Scale: The maximum per project is $15 million, although the average investment size is much smaller
Global security challenges
Type of projects: combatting global security challenges, with particular focus on countries affected by conflict and fragility and to support relevant analyses and the development of situational awareness
Location: regions in North Africa, the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, the Middle East and South East Asia
Eligibility: NGOs (Norwegian, international and local, including non-commercial foundations), the UN system and other multinational organisations
Green Climate Fund
Project: The Green Climate Fund is a global fund created to support the efforts of developing countries to respond to the challenge of climate change. GCF helps developing countries limit or reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change.
Location: Developing countries
Eligibility: To implement projects funded by GCF, applicants must become Accredited Entities. These entities can be private, public, non-governmental, sub-national, national, regional or international bodies and are responsible for presenting funding applications to GCF, and then overseeing, supervising, managing and monitoring approved projects and programmes. Non-Accredited Entities can also engage with the fund via: partnering with an Accredited Entity on implementing its approved GCF project; co-financing projects with an already Accredited Entity; and as a readiness delivery partner, provided that the entity can demonstrate relevant expertise, experience and ability to implement projects.
Grant size: The Fund utilizes a variety of financial instruments to realise projects. These include grants, concessional debt financing, equity and guarantees.
APPLY HERE
Hazel’s Footprints Trust
Type of project: improving the quality of education. Funding can be requested for capital expenditure and/or project running costs
Location: developing countries
Eligibility: Only UK registered charities may apply. Applications must be submitted by mid-February to be considered at the May meeting or by mid-August to be considered at the November meeting
Grant size: £1,000 - £10,000
The Headley Trust
Type of project: access to safe water, promoting better use of water resources and sanitation projects; sustainable farming and livelihood development; helping girls to continue their education beyond primary school, students’ access to secondary and tertiary education and projects to improve the quality of teaching; trachoma prevention and treatment programmes in Ethiopia and care for mothers and infants in sub-Saharan Anglophone Africa; projects tackling the aftermath of conflict
Location: sub-Saharan Africa
Eligibility: registered charities may apply
Grant size: small grants of c £1,000 or larger grants of £20,000 - £60,000
The Hemraj Goyal Foundation
Type of project: promoting education, women and children’s rights and putting an end to human trafficking
Location: UK and overseas with a focus on Asia
Her Voice
Type of projects: meaningful engagement of adolescent girls and young women in national youth related policy and program processes supported by or linked to the Global Fund
Location: Botswana, Cameroon, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Eligibility: registered or unregistered group, network or community-based organisation of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) or young people; or a community-based organisation implementing programs for AGYW and/or youth
Grant size: £2000
The International HIV/Aids Alliance Challenge Response Grant
Type of project: projects impacting both of the following: 1) the people/person you intend to help is/are experiencing discrimination or threats to their health, life or security that impact their access to HIV services and; 2) it is critical that activities take place within the next few months to address barriers that prevent them accessing HIV services
Location: various countries in Africa, Latin American and the Caribbean
Eligibility: Civil society organisations that are led by, or work with, LGBT people or MSM. Organisations can apply to support individuals whose situation meets the criteria stated above
Grant size: up to $20,000
The International HIV/Aids Alliance Emergency Response Grant
Type of project: urgent situations where lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBT) and men who have sex with men (MSM) are facing stigma, discrimination and threats of violence that impact their access to HIV services
Location: various countries in Africa, Latin American and the Caribbean.
Eligibility: Civil society organisations that are led by, or work with, LGBT people or MSM. Organisations can apply to support individuals whose situation meets the criteria stated above
Grant size: up to $20,000
IUCN's Save Our Species Rapid Action Grants
Type of project: Projects which enable and support conservation of threatened species across Africa requiring urgent measures and rapid action at the local level to protect the species and their habitat.
Location: Sub-Saharan continental Africa, not including South Africa
Eligibility: Legally registered non-profit making organisations may apply, including local or international non-governmental organisations. Local and national CSOs , including indigenous or community-based organizations, will be favourably considered. International NGOs will be required to work closely with national stakeholders, local communities and with the consent and all required authorizations from the government.
Grant size: €25,000
Izumi Foundation
Type of project: The Foundation only consider Letters of Inquiry (LOI) within its current geographic focus or five health areas : Maternal & Neonatal Health, Nutrition, Neglected Tropical Diseases, Infectious Disease and Healthcare System Infrastructure. Please note, only a small handful of organizations will be invited to submit a full proposal. The time between LOI submission and a possible invitation to submit a full proposal varies between 6 to 12+ months.
Location: Africa and Latin American & the Caribbean. A full list can be seen here.
Eligibility: All organizations must be legally registered for at least one year in order to be eligible for funding. Organizations within the United States must have IRS designated tax-exempt status; Organizations and agencies outside of the United States must have legally recognized non-profit status; All organizations must be able to provide their most recent audited or reviewed financial statements as well as the amount of their overall operating budget.
Grant size: $50,000 - $100,000 over 2 years. New partners often start with a $50,000 grant over two-years. Grants rarely exceed 50% of the organization’s overall operating budget.
Apply here
Type of project: Health - projects that address one or more of the main causes of child mortality: New-born health, Pneumonia, Diarrhoeal diseases, Malaria, Malnutrition and WASH. Education: we will consider education-related proposals backed by evidence of the approach’s effect on learning outcomes.
Location: Ethiopia (new applications temporarily suspended), India, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia.
Eligibility: To be eligible for funding potential partners must: be registered as a charity; Have an annual income of over £1 million; Have a proven 3-year track record in addressing the relevant issue; Have an established in-country presence in the relevant country; Work in collaboration with, rather than in parallel to, the national government of the Priority Country.
Grant size: New partners may apply for grants of between £100,000 and £200,000 per grant year. We are happy to consider applications for a contribution towards the total cost of a project, rather than the full project budget.
The Jephcott Charitable Trust
Type of project: four main areas of funding: population control, the natural environment, education and health.
Location: worldwide
Eligibility: a registered charity or properly constituted organisation whose administrative expenses do not form more than 15% of their annual income
Grant size: £2,000 to £10,000, and in exceptional cases only, up to £20,000
The JJ Charitable Trust
Type of project: environmental projects, especially community-based agriculture initiatives, which aim to help people help themselves in an environmentally sustainable way
Location: sub-Saharan Africa
Eligibility: registered charities may apply
Grant size: in 2017, the trust made 4 grants totalling £179,000 in this category
The Joffe Charitable Trust
Type of projects: the underlying causes of poverty and the advancement of human rights. The fund work in two areas: (a) building a fairer economy, with a focus on fighting corruption and promoting tax justice, and (b) strengthening small charities that have great potential
Location: Anglophone Africa
Eligibility: normally only UK-based charities but in exceptional circumstances will fund non-charities
Grant size: £5,000 to £30,000 per year for up to three years
John Ellerman Foundation
Type of projects: advancing the wellbeing of people, society and the natural world by focusing on the arts, environment and social action. The fund is willing to be flexible, and may venture outside it funding criteria if a different approach would be more effective
Location: UK and UK Overseas Territories
Eligibility: UK CSOs with an income between £100,000 and £10m
Grant size: up to £100,000
JTI Foundation
Type of project: The Foundation's main focus area is disaster risk reduction. It helps less privileged people and victims of natural or man-made disasters improve their quality of life by supporting organizations that implement programs it believes are relevant and appropriate. If your organisation meets this mission you may apply.
Location: Worldwide
Eligibility: Registered organisations may apply.
Apply here
Just Trust
Type of projects: addressing the difficulties of some of the most disadvantaged sections of society in some of the least advantaged parts of the world
Location: worldwide (not UK)
Eligibility: UK-registed charities
Grant size: in 2017, the trust made 45 grants ranging from £300 to £5,000 and totalling £62,800
Kitchen Table Charities
Type of project: primary education; health, sanitation and clean drinking water; child and mother care, including street children and maternity services; poverty alleviation, especially revenue generating projects
Location: Africa
Eligibility: UK or locally registered CSOs may apply. No part of any grant should be spent in Britain on administration - including salaries and advertising campaigns.
Grant size: grants rarely exceed £10,000
Laudes Foundation (Previously C&A Foundation)
Type of project: The Foundation was created to respond to the convergence of two global crises - inequality and climate breakdown and supports brave, innovative efforts that inspire and challenge industry to harness its power for good. It has two focus areas: Fashion and the Built Environment and one cross-cutting programme: New Economy. The latter will work with financial actors as well as with the industry actors to foster a shift in the global financial system. It will also influence investments in fashion and the built environment, to explore how finance can be used to encourage or foster innovation and good business practice.
Location: The Foundation has offices in Europe, India, Brazil, Hong Kong and Bangladesh. The organisation is global in nature, as is the New Economy programme. Their work in the built environment will focus mainly on Europe initially, while fashion focuses on the most relevant producing countries.
The Foundation does not usually accept unsolicited applications. However, if you have an idea you can get in touch.
Lennox Hannay Foundation
Type of project: health or the saving of lives; arts, culture or science; education; religion
Location: UK and overseas
Eligibility: only UK registered charities may apply
Grant size: most grants do not exceed £20,000
The Marr Manning Trust
Type of projects: two focus areas: 1) education, including access to education by marginalised groups; Quality of teaching; equality for female and disabled students and; 2) Livelihoods projects including secure employment; Access to finance, support to entrepreneurs; market access
Location: sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian Sub-Continent and South East Asia
Eligibility: registered, independent charitable organisations and NGOs with an annual income of between £25,000 and £1m
Grant size: 14 grants were supported in 2017/8 with a total value of £372,888
Medica Mondiale
Type of project: combating and preventing sexualised and gender-based violence against women in war and conflict zones
Location: south-eastern Europe; the African Great Lakes Region; Iraq, especially Central Iraq; West Africa
Eligibility: women-led organisations working in collaboration with other human and women’s rights movements who are formally registered as non-governmental and non-profit organisations
Budget: €10,000 - €15,000 per year
Mercury Phoenix Trust
Type of project: The Trust's work concentrates on fighting HIV/AIDS by funding programmes focusing on education and awareness, particularly aiming at young people in and out of school and projects to help children orphaned by AIDS.
Location: Developing countries
Eligibility: Registered charities can apply
Apply here
Michael and Susan Dell Foundation
Type of project: serving children living in urban poverty, particularly in the areas of education, family economic stability (including microfinance) and childhood health.
Location: USA, India, South Africa
Eligibility: generally, the foundation does not provide grants to support: individuals, medical research projects, event fundraisers or sponsorships, lobbying of any kind or endowments
Grant size: the foundation generally will not fund more than 25 percent of a project’s budget or more than 10 percent of an organisation’s total annual operating expenses
The Mitsubishi Corporation Fund for Europe & Asia
Type of project: (1) conservation of the environment, (2) education of the public in environmental conservation and (3) relief of poverty in any part of the world. Within these broad objectives, the Fund gives particular consideration to any grants for projects that also support the economic and social development of local communities in an environmentally sustainable manner.
Location: Europe and Africa especially where the Fund has a presence.
Eligibility: The Fund does not make grants to individuals or for religious, political or lobbying purposes. It does not support any organisation that discriminates based on race, colour, creed, sex, sexual orientation, marital status or handicap, and only makes direct grants and donations to charitable or non-profit organizations or academic institutions.
Grant size: Total grant funding of between £200,000 - £300,000 per annum
Apply here
The National Lottery Community Fund’s Digital Fund
Type of project: the Fund is looking at how it can enable digital specialists to offer free assistance to small organisations
Location: the UK
Eligibility: small voluntary sector organisations can get in touch to find out more about this initiative
Nestle Foundation
Type of project: The Foundation's work is primarily concerned with human nutrition research issues dealing with 1) maternal and child nutrition, including breastfeeding and complementary feeding; 2) macro- and micronutrient deficiencies and imbalances; 3) interactions between infection and nutrition, and 4) nutrition education and health promotion. Projects which have strong capacity building elements, and the implementation of the results of a research project will be considered favourably.
Location: The developing world
Eligibility: Eligible institutions are departments or institutes from universities, hospitals other institutions of higher education in low- or lower middle-income countries. Joint applications from more than once institution (especially South-South) are welcomed. Joint applications from more than one institution involving a North South collaboration may also be considered. For project applications demonstrating North-South collaboration, it is important that the following criteria are fulfilled: (i) the Principal Investigator is from the South and the proposal has relevance to nutritional problems of the South, and (ii) the majority of the budget is earmarked for the South, and (iii) demonstration on the completion of the project of institution and capacity building in a sustainable manner in the South.
Grant size: up to US$100,000 per year or up to US$300,000 over 3 years.
The Noel Buxton Trust's African Grants
Type of projects: hard-to-fund community-led organisations working to build local sustainable livelihoods, such as small business support and training and microfinance in both urban and rural settings
Location: Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Uganda, Sudan and South Sudan
Eligibility: trustees tend to offer grants to smaller, grass-roots organisations. The trustees welcome applications from diaspora-led organisations based and registered in the UK. The trust is also considers direct applications from registered civil society organisations in Africa
Grant size: maximum grant is £5000 per year for up to three years
The Oak Foundation
Type of projects: there are six main programmes are: Environment, Child Abuse, Housing and Homelessness, International Human Rights, Issues Affecting Women and Learning Differences. There are four national programmes: Brazil, Denmark, India and Zimbabwe
Location: worldwide
Grant size: there is an annual grant-making budget of more than $200m. Except in special circumstances or in Zimbabwe, the foundation generally does not provide programme grants under US$25,000
OCHA Fund for investigations into sexual exploitation, abuse, and sexual harassment
Type of projects: contract investigative staff or to commission an investigation by a qualified company; reimburse a provider of investigative services where investigation is provided by a partner organisation; fund auxiliary investigation costs including travel, translation services in country of investigation
Location: worldwide
Eligibility: IASC organisations and affiliated partners that do not have dedicated investigations capacity, or have limited investigations capacity
Grant size: expected between $30,000 and $60,000
The Old Dart Foundation
Type of project: initiatives to improve health, literacy, education and employment opportunities among impoverished women, children and young people
Location: Peru, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Chile
Grant size: grants ranged from £5,000 - £500,000 in 2017
The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID)
Type of projects: those which enhance livelihoods by addressing challenges in areas such as education, energy poverty, food security, public health, water supply and sanitation, which may not be directly funded through other financing windows. Projects supported include technical assistance for small-scale social schemes, research, and humanitarian aid. In addition, OFID runs special programs for health, Palestine and energy poverty
Location: priority is given to low-income, least-developed countries
Eligibility: intergovernmental organisations such as UN agencies and international, national, regional and non-governmental organisations. Individuals, private entities and OFID Member States -Algeria, Ecuador, Gabon, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela - are not eligible to apply for assistance.
Grant size: unspecified. In 2016, OFID funded to US$11.7m over 42 projects. Half of all its commitments went to African countries in 2016
Open Society Initiative for East Africa
Type of projects: health and rights; freedom of expression and information; justice and human rights
Countries: East African countries
Grant range: $10,000 to $200,000
The Open Technology Fund's Internet Freedom Fund
Type of project: Projects and people working on open and accessible technology-focused projects that promote human rights, Internet freedom, open societies. The fund focused on four key areas: Technology Development - development of innovative Internet freedom technology, prototypes, and projects as well as core infrastructure projects that serve the Internet freedom and human rights communities; Applied Research - this research may include identifying how, why, or where censorship is happening, studying specific Internet freedom tools and ways to improve them, advancing knowledge around what types of content censors target, or assessing threats to Internet freedom in a specific geographic context; Digital Security - OTF aims to fill missing digital security capacity needs for on-the-ground organizations promoting human rights, focusing on those fighting to increase free expression and Internet freedom and; Community Convenings - funding that empowers Internet freedom communities to become stronger and vibrant by focusing on cultivating deeper trust relationships, improving knowledge share and collaboration, and supporting and diversifying the next generation of leaders.
Location: communities from the Global South living in repressive environments.
Eligibility: Non-profit organization/non-government organization, including U.S.-based NGO, PIO, or foreign NGO; Non-profit university or research institution in any country; for-profit organization or business in any country
Grant size: $50,000 - $200,000. Please note this is a performance-based contract with payment issued on completion of stated objectives, activities, and deliverables.
Open Technology Fund - Rapid Response Fund
Type of project: The Rapid Response Fund aims to facilitate the digital emergency response community to resolve threats in a timely and comprehensive manner for individuals, communities, and organizations whose free expression has recently been repressed. To resolve digital emergencies, OTF offers both direct financial support as well as technical services from trusted partners to high-risk people and organizations, such as bloggers, cyber activists, journalists, and human rights defenders.
Location: Worldwide
Eligibility: Any organization or person within OTF’s remit who requires urgent assistance related to a digital emergency can apply
Grant size: Average grants are between US$5,000 and $25,000. Grants cannot exceed $50,000
Apply here
Patagonia world trout grants programme
Type of projects: working to restore and protect wild, self-sustainable trout, salmon and other fish species within their native range. This includes both indigenous freshwater and saltwater fish
Location: United States, Canada, Japan, Korea, Australia, Chile, Argentina, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Luxembourg, Italy, Ireland, Germany, France, Denmark, Belgium, Austria and the Czech Republic
Eligibility: small, grassroots, activist organisations with charitable status (or with a fiscal sponsor with such status)
Grant range: $5000 - $15,000
Paul Hamlyn Trust Open Grants Fund, India
COVID-19 update to current grantees
Type of projects: health, education, governance, livelihoods, and empowerment. The fund assists NGOs to consciously design and develop programmes which assist communities to build on their strengths, ensure that their rights and entitlements are not usurped and help them deal with the critical factors that make them vulnerable. Such groups might include: Ultra poor families in mixed communities; Dalit communities; Tribal communities fighting for or dispossessed of their land and resources; Women; Disabled people, particularly children; Communities with little or no access to health services or education; Unorganised labour
Location: only in the Indian states of: Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal & Assam
Eligibility: organisations supported must be local Indian NGOs with Foreign Contribution Regulation Act registration. Non-Indian organisations or locally registered branches of non-Indian organisations are not supported
Grant size: There is no minimum or maximum grant size. The funder does not usually fund 100% of the amount requested. They can support overheads and running costs; applicants must be able to explain how these costs are calculated
Paung Sie Facility
Type of project: responsive financial and technical support to demand-driven, catalytic initiatives which promote social cohesion in Myanmar
Location: Myanmar
Eligibility: local, national and international organisations are eligible but applications from local initiatives and organisations are particularly encouraged
Budget: $5,000 - $200,000
Pollination Project and Levi Strauss Company
Type of projects: grassroots environmental projects; conserving, protecting, restoring and/or advocating for the ecosystems upon which our civilisation depends
Countries: worldwide
Grant range: $1,000 to $5,000
The Positive Action for Children Fund (PACF) - Grant Programme
Type of project: support for organisations working to end mother-to-child transmission of HIV
Location: special attention is given to Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Angola, Burundi, Tanzania and Kenya
The Prince of Wales's Charitable Foundation
Type of projects: the primary areas of interest are the built environment, responsible business and enterprise, young people and education, and global sustainability
Location: UK and overseas
Eligibility: UK registered not-for-profit organisations that support grassroots community-based projects
Grant size: average £1500, maximum £5000
Pro Victimis Foundation
Type of projects: bringing about lasting changes in the lives of the most vulnerable communities by supporting primarily the victims of forgotten or unrecognised disasters, including extreme forms of exploitation, chronic consequences of armed conflict, natural or industrial disasters, etc. Priority is given to issues which receive little or no international attention and innovative approaches
Location: Africa: Algeria; Burundi; Liberia; Morocco; Rwanda; Sierra Leone. Asia: Cambodia; Laos; Nepal. America: El Salvador; Guatemala; Nicaragua; El Salvador; Guatemala; Nicaragua
Eligibility: hard to fund national or international NGOs with recognized expertise and a proven track record
The Queen Anne's Gate Foundation
Type of projects: making potentially unproductive lives productive
Location: predominantly the UK and Asia
Grant size: total grant funding for 2017 was £204,049
Rhododendron Trust
Type of projects: the education, social development and medical well-being of young people
Location: UK and overseas
Eligibility: generally smaller charities
Grant size: grants totalled £123,000 in 2018
Rivers Foundation
Type of projects: Social welfare and humanitarian aid projects both in the developing world
and the UK. The Trust prefers to support charities which benefit people affected by multiple factors of inequality including poverty, disability, age, gender, ethnic status, or the poor medical, welfare or educational infrastructure in their country.
Eligibility: Charities registered in the UK may apply
Grant size: £500 - £1,500. In 2017-18, grants totalled £58,000. £27,000 went to charities which work in the developing world.
The Robert Bosch Stiftung
Type of projects: The Foundation is open to receiving short summaries of new project ideas, provided they are in line with their strategic and funding principles. These are: Education; Society (including Civil Society; Migration; Youth & Democracy); Health (including chronic disease care); International Relations; Science & Research.
Application procedure: The procedure is a two-stage process. Firstly, you submit your project idea. The idea summarizes the content and financing of the envisaged project. The Foundation will contact you to confirm whether they can pursue your idea further and if so, you will be invited to submit a comprehensive project application.
Location: Worldwide
Type of projects: The Foundation does not accept proposals for building projects, investments, manufacturing facilities, ongoing infrastructure costs, projects that have been proposed in the past, Printing costs, Evaluation measures outside the scope of projects carried out or supported by the Foundation.
Sabancı Foundation Open Call Grant Programme
Type of project: The grant program supports education projects working to promote equal access to opportunities for women, youth and persons with disabilities. The projects should cover at least one of the aspects below: Supporting Quality Education; Securing Access to Education and Retention; Supporting Rights Based Non-Formal Education.
Location: Turkey
Apply here
Saga Charitable Trust
Type of projects: education, training, healthcare and income generation
Location: developing countries that host Saga holidaymakers
Grant range: up to £20,000
The Said Foundation
Type of projects: the Foundation has a long-term commitment to supporting the needs of children and young people with disabilities. The current priority is supporting Syrian children in Jordan and Lebanon, and the host communities that support them
Location: Jordan and Lebanon
Eligibility: the Foundation welcomes new proposal applications, however the humanitarian crisis in Syria has resulted in resources being heavily committed to existing partners and projects. Before submitting a grant application they recommend that you contact them for the most up to date information about funding priorities
Southern Africa Trust
Type of project: Projects with a poverty reduction agenda. Grant support has been allocated towards food security, governance for development, trade with focus on informal cross border trade, migration and socio protection and capacity building of civil society. We accept unsolicited proposals from organisations that believe that their programmes will add value to the mission and objectives of the Trust.
Location: The Trust works within the Southern African Development Community, comprised of 16 Member States; Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Eligibility: Most grantees are national network associations that implement projects with a regional reach and grants are also allocated to regional networks, regional apex organisations, social movements and media houses.
Apply here
Tahir Foundation
Type of project: The Foundation funds a variety of time-bound projects and collaborative activities that promote the core aim of improving access to adequate healthcare and education especially for disadvantaged, marginalized populations facing the greatest barriers to the advancement of their quality of life. They also provide free heart surgeries and cancer treatments for children.
Location: Indonesia
Apply here
The Generations Trust
Type of project: Projects which aim to provide a better quality of life for children who need it the most; those who are disabled, disadvantaged, or struggle with ill health. The Trust also supports environmental protection and conservation projects.
Location: UK & developing countries
Eligibility: Before applying, applicants are advised to contact the Trust before applying.-
Apply here
Tanzania Development Trust
Type of projects: combating poverty and disease among the people of Tanzania by the development of education, health and other social services, the improvement of water supplies, other communal facilities, and the promotion of self-help activities
Location: Tanzania. Priority is given to projects in these regions: Dodoma, Kagera, Kigoma, Lindi, Mara, Mtwara, Pemba North, Pwani, Shinyanga, Singida, Simiyu and Tabora
Eligibility: the Trust does not fund grants to: individuals; purchase, maintenance and running costs of transport; salaries, allowances, per diems; or running costs of an organisation. However, it may consider training costs in order to develop and assist a project in its implementation and sustainability
Grant size: less than £6000
Thackery Medical Research Trust
Type of project: supporting international charitable medical supply organisations. This may include establishing sustainable supply chains for the production, distribution and use of medical equipment in areas of the world that are poorly supplied. Projects which relieve and prevent disease and sickness in under-developed countries by supporting appropriate research and manufacture of medical products will also be considered
Location: UK and developing countries
Grant size: the Trust has an annual budget of £30,000 and aims to offer grants to more than one organisation
The True Colours Trust Small Grants Programme Africa
Type of projects: promoting and developing palliative care for adults and children in Africa, including improving access to appropriate pain relief
Location: Africa
Eligibility: local African and UK organisations may apply
Grant size: £500 - £5000
Trafigura Foundation
Type of project: Programmes that achieve effective and lasting impact in the Foundation’s two focus areas: Fair and Sustainable Employment and Clean and Safe Supply Chains. Programmes must contribute to our commitment to help people reach their full potential. As such, we favour programmes that demonstrate strong ownership, build local capacities and clearly articulate how to increase the autonomy of beneficiaries.
Location: Countries where Trafigura Group has operations. For the full list please see here.
Eligibility: Small- to medium-sized NGOs or small projects within larger NGOs are eligible.
Translators Without Borders (TSF)
Type of project: TSF helps non-profit organisations overcome communication barriers, increasing access to critical information and services while fostering a climate of understanding, respect, and dignity in times of great need. We work with a global network of translators to provide professional translations to non-profit organizations working in humanitarian assistance, helping those most in need.
Location: Worldwide
Eligibility: Non-governmental, non-profit organisations with legal status in its country of incorporation may apply. Documents must have a clear humanitarian/development purpose that will help aid workers in crises, health or education or will be directly used by vulnerable people. Legal, fundraising, HR or lobbying documents cannot be translated under this scheme.
The United Nations Fund for Victims of Torture Emergency Grants
Type of project: The Fund may, on an exceptional basis, consider emergency requests for projects that provide direct medical, psychological, social, economic, legal, educational or other forms of assistance to torture victims and members of their family. Emergency grants may be awarded to projects operating in exceptional circumstances such as a sudden increase in the number of victims of torture to be assisted due to human rights and/or humanitarian crisis, or other circumstances, which prompt the need for urgent assistance to victims of torture and their family members.
Grant size: No more than $100,000
Apply here
UNDP Small Grants Programme
Type of projects: biodiversity, climate change mitigation and adaptation, land degradation and sustainable forest management, international waters and chemicals
Location: worldwide
Eligibility: local communities including indigenous people, community-based organizations and other non-governmental groups may apply
Grant size: the programme provides grants of up to $50,000
UNICEF Innovation Fund
Project: The Innovation Fund allows UNICEF to quickly assess, fund and grow open-source solutions that can improve children’s lives. Financial and technological support is available for companies that are using technology in innovative ways to improve the world
Location: UNICEF programme countries.
Eligibility: Applications must come from private companies registered in eligible countries. NGOs can be listed as partners; however, the company must bear all the contractual responsibilities.
Apply here
The Urgent Action Fund Asia and the Pacific's rapid response grant-making programme
Type of project: protection and support to women, non-binary (e.g., lesbian, Trans) human rights defenders or organisations that face urgent risk in their advocacy to uphold women’s human rights and human rights. There are two funding streams: 1) Security and Well-being Grants and 2) Resourcing Resilience Grants.
Location: Asia and the Pacific
Eligibility: women/non-binary people must be the primary beneficiaries of the grant, preferably channelled via a women’s rights organisation
Grant size: up to USD $5,000
Urgent Action Fund for Women's Human Rights
Covid-19 update
Type of project: responding to security threats or unexpected advocacy opportunities experienced by women, transgender, or gender non-conforming, activists and human rights defenders
Location: Middle East, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, the South Caucuses, and the following countries: Canada, Turkey, United States, and Russia. There are separate Urgent Action Funds for Africa and Latin America
Eligibility: applications must be Women/Trans-led. Women/Trans people must be the primary decision-makers in the organisation, group, or action.
Grant size: applicants for Security Grants can request up to $8,000 USD for immediate needs (for use within 3 months). Applicants for Opportunity Grants can request up to $8,000 USD for activities that will be carried out within the next 6 months
Urgent Action Fund – Africa
Type of project: Strategic interventions that take advantage of opportunities to advance women’s human rights. Such opportunities arise when an unexpected event – positive or negative – creates a situation in which rapid intervention can have a significant impact. Grants are made in 5 categories: Defending the defenders; Protecting women’s individual dignity, safety and autonomy; Justice and the rule of law; Economic Justice; Natural Resource Governance & Climate Change. Fund-Africa is not able to make grants for humanitarian efforts, general programme activities, or individual participation in conferences.
Location: Africa
Apply here
USAID’s Development Innovation Ventures fund
Type of project: DIV is USAID’s open innovation programme that tests and scales creative solutions to any global development challenge, funding products, technologies, services, or applications that can scale breakthrough solutions to critical global development challenges
Location: any country in which USAID operates
Eligibility: DIV accepts applications from U.S. and non-U.S. organisations, non-profit and for-profit entities
Grant size: three tiers of start-up financing: Stage 1: Proof of Concept ideas can receive up to $200,000 in seed funding over 3 years. Stage 2: Testing and Positioning for Scale applicants can get $200,000 to $1,500,000 in supporting grants for 3 years. Stage 3: Scaling solutions can ask for $1,500,000 to $5,000,000 in investments over 5 years
USAID’s Engagement for Equity Programme
Type of project: conducting complex advocacy and awareness campaigns in cooperation with stakeholders from diverse segments of society and government; engaging in formulation of policy recommendations on select democracy and governance and economic empowerment issues, drawn from consultations with citizens and other stakeholders; monitoring and tracking the implementation of targeted legislation, reforms, and initiatives of high importance to vulnerable and marginalised groups. Awards will be made in five thematic areas: Women in Governance and Economy; Empowering Women through Enhanced Awareness of Women’s Property Rights; Increased protection and awareness of vulnerable populations’ rights; Expand Participation of Persons with Disabilities (PwD); and Expand Youth Participation
Location: Kosovo
Eligibility: legally registered Kosovo-based non-profit and non-governmental entities may apply. Public international organisations are ineligible
Grant size: up to $25,000
ViiV Positive Action for Girls and Women Small Grants Programme [PDF]
Type of project: community-led interventions that address either: sexual violence; harmful practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM); early and forced marriage; sexual and reproductive health and rights for underserved and vulnerable girls
Location: resource-limited settings
Eligibility: non-governmental and either not-for-profit or have a social purpose
Grant size: £5,000 - £25,000 per year for 2 years
Van Neste Foundation
Type of project: We will be assessing appeals on how effective they are in reaching one or all of the three areas: Social Change, Children and Young People; the Developing World. In the latter category, the Foundation expects the majority of grants to be within the UK but also want to support Charities working in the developing world where their objectives coincide with our focus on Social Change and Children and Young People.
Location: UK & the developing world
APPLY HERE
Vitamin Angels
Type of projects: Vitamin Angels gives grants of selected micronutrient commodities, especially vitamin A, to non-profit organizations working with underserved populations globally
Grant range: gift-in-kind
The Wallace Global Fund
Type of project: priority areas: 1) challenge corporate power; 2) defend and renew democracy; 3) protect the environment; 4) promote truth & create freedom in the media; 5) advance women’s human rights and empowerment
Location: worldwide
Eligibility: US and international organisations with or without a US fiscal sponsor may apply
The Waterloo Foundation world development main grants programme
Type of projects: sexual and reproductive health, nutrition
Location: developing countries
Eligibility: UK-based charities prioritised, many of whom work in close partnership with smaller local NGOs based in the countries in which they operate. The funder can consider providing some support towards the capacity-building of local NGO partners as part of a grant to support project delivery. Local CSOs will need to provide a reference
Grant size: £50,000 - £100,000 over 1-3 years
The Waterloo Foundation world development small grants programme
Type of projects: nutrition, sexual and reproductive health, education and WASH
Location: worldwide
Eligibility: grants will be prioritised for small UK charities led by committed individuals, especially those based in Wales, which are working to deliver projects in developing countries
Grant size: under £10,000 over a one to two year period
The Watson Family Charitable Trust
Type of project: medical and for humanitarian purposes
Location: Northern Ireland and Uganda
Grant size: £1,000 - £20,000
The Weeden Foundation Quick Response Biodiversity Fund
Type of project: critical habitat acquisition projects
Location: South America
Eligibility: non-profit conservation organisations may apply
Grant size: $10,000 - $50,000
Wellcome Trust Innovator Awards
Type of project: Innovator Awards are open to researchers who are developing healthcare innovations that could have a major and measurable impact on human health working in any scientific discipline and on any type of technology
Location: worldwide
Eligibility: individuals and teams from not-for-profit and commercial organisations can apply. Collaborations are encouraged
Deadline: apply online at any time. Shortlisting meetings happen every three months
Grant size: up to £500,000, or up to £750,000 for multidisciplinary collaborations
Women´s Peace & Humanitarian Fund: Rapid Response Window on Women's Participation in Peace Processes
Type of project: Financing for strategic and urgent services and initiatives that support the participation of women peacebuilders and women’s civil society organizations in national, subnational and international formal peace processes. Funding Stream 1 for Direct Support includes logistical and technical support that would increase the likelihood of a woman CSO representative to actively participate in or influence a peace process or the implementation of a peace agreement – such as the cost of travel arrangements, childcare, access for persons with disabilities, interpretation needs, expert advisory support, etc Location: Peace processes in all ODA eligible countries with a track 1 or track 2 peace process, including non WPHF-eligible countries.
Eligibility: Local and national civil society organizations are invited to submit a request for support, including coalitions of CSOs. Women-led organizations are especially encouraged to apply. Proof of legal registration (or legal status) is not required for an application for direct support.
Grant size: Funding Stream 1: Direct Support up to $25,000
