Latest Opportunities

Total prize pool: USD 65,000

The ECOWAS Startup Awards 2026 identifies high-potential West African businesses with working products, demonstrated traction, and the potential to scale across the region. Eligible startups must be registered in an ECOWAS country and have operated for at least two years.

Who can apply: Founders who are citizens of an ECOWAS member state with a startup registered and operating within the region for at least two years, with a working product or service.

ℹ️ Winners also receive mentorship, investor exposure and regional business-development opportunities.

Up to USD 500,000

12-week programme selecting 10 founders per cohort. Provides 1:1 coaching from operators behind Andela, Flutterwave, and Moove. Covers storytelling, go-to-market, fundraising, product development, and Demo Day exposure. No equity taken for participation.

Who can apply: Early-stage African founders building scalable, innovative solutions to Africa's biggest challenges with strong growth potential.

ℹ️ No equity required for programme participation. Optional follow-on investment from Future Africa (USD 250K–500K), subject to due diligence.

USD 3,500 (organisations) · USD 1,000 (individuals)

The Leave Your Mark Grant supports organisations and individuals undertaking mission, volunteer and social-impact activities around the world. Applicants explain how they are addressing community challenges and how grant support would strengthen their work.

Who can apply: Mission and social-good organisations and eligible individuals worldwide undertaking volunteer or social-impact activities.

ℹ️ Two organisations receive USD 3,500 each; three individuals receive USD 1,000 each.

Share of up to USD 10,000 in cash grants

The Africa Energy Innovation Challenge supports young Africans developing practical energy solutions that create jobs, strengthen agribusiness, improve local manufacturing and expand digital connectivity. The challenge runs four thematic tracks covering green jobs, waste-to-energy, value addition and AI.

Who can apply: Young African professionals and energy entrepreneurs aged 18–35 developing practical energy solutions.

ℹ️ Winners also receive mentorship and business-development support. Tracks: Youth Employment & Green Jobs, Agribusiness & Waste-to-Energy, Local Manufacturing & Value Addition, AI & Connectivity.

Up to €80,000 in catalytic grant funding

The MORE HEALTH for Africa Programme supports African social enterprises developing solutions that improve healthcare access for underserved communities. Beyond catalytic funding, selected organisations receive comprehensive support including investor connections, mentorship and international exposure.

Who can apply: Post-revenue social enterprises operating in Africa and delivering healthcare innovations that improve access for underserved communities.

ℹ️ Selected organisations also receive business-development support, investor connections, mentorship, masterclasses and international exposure.

Up to USD 14,490,000

This funding supports regional economic integration, governance and responsible investment in the critical-minerals sector in the Great Lakes region. The programme provides technical and advisory support to institutions and stakeholders in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Uganda.

Who can apply: Eligible nonprofit organisations, higher-education institutions and other organisations meeting the funding requirements, focused on the Great Lakes region of Africa.

ℹ️ Supports technical and advisory assistance to institutions and stakeholders in Burundi, DRC, Rwanda and Uganda.

Up to £50,000 in prize money

The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation supports African entrepreneurs developing scalable engineering solutions to social, economic and environmental challenges. Shortlisted entrepreneurs gain eight months of intensive training, mentoring, communications support and access to international networks.

Who can apply: Entrepreneurs and innovators from Sub-Saharan Africa developing scalable engineering innovations with commercial, social and environmental potential.

ℹ️ Up to 16 shortlisted entrepreneurs participate in an intensive eight-month training and mentoring programme with access to technical expertise, business-development support and international networks.

USD 10,000 each for 10 civil-society organisations

The SWA Civil Society Catalytic Funding supports civil-society organisations seeking to move beyond participation and advocacy to influence government policy, financing decisions and accountability in the water and sanitation sector.

Who can apply: SWA Civil Society Constituency partners and eligible members of regional partner networks working in water, sanitation and related advocacy.

ℹ️ Supports advocacy focused on political prioritisation of water and sanitation, translating government commitments into action and strengthening accountability.

USD 10,000 – USD 20,000

The Resilient Futures Call 2026 supports non-partisan initiatives working at the intersection of democratic political leadership and climate resilience. The programme is global with Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa identified as priority countries in Africa.

Who can apply: Organisations, networks, collectives and individuals with new or early-stage non-partisan initiatives working at the intersection of democratic political leadership and climate resilience. Applicants do not need to be registered charities.

ℹ️ Incubation Grants of up to USD 50,000 are also available but are nomination-only. Priority African countries: Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.

USD 10,000 – USD 100,000

The Numun Fund's Seed, Grow & Sustain Grant provides flexible, multi-year funding to organizations and collectives using technology as part of feminist and social-justice organizing across Africa. African organisations are explicitly eligible across West, Central, East and Southern Africa.

Who can apply: Feminist-tech organisations, initiatives, collectives and groups across Africa — including registered and unregistered groups, online initiatives and feminist programmes housed within larger human-rights or digital-rights organisations.

ℹ️ Three tiers: Seed (USD 10,000–20,000), Grow (USD 20,000–50,000), and Sustain (USD 50,000–100,000), provided over a two-year cycle.

Up to USD 15,000

The WHO African Region and TDR Impact Grants support implementation research designed to solve practical public-health problems across Africa. The research is expected to produce evidence that can improve how health programmes and interventions are delivered in real-world African settings.

Who can apply: Researchers, health institutions, government programmes and eligible NGOs based in the WHO African Region, including universities, research institutions, ministries of health and disease-control programmes.

ℹ️ Projects last up to 12 months. Applications accepted in English, French or Portuguese.

Up to USD 15 million

GIF provides flexible funding to innovations capable of improving the lives of people in lower-income and underserved communities. The fund operates an open application window, allowing eligible organisations to apply on a rolling basis with funding calibrated to the stage of innovation.

Who can apply: Startups, social enterprises, nonprofits, research institutions and other organisations developing scalable innovations benefiting underserved populations in developing countries, with a strong emphasis on Africa and Asia.

ℹ️ Tiered: early-stage pilots up to USD 230,000; Test & Transition up to USD 2.3 million; proven solutions scaling up to USD 15 million. Financing may be grants, debt or equity.

Up to USD 500

The Daily Grant Programme provides seed funding to changemakers working on charitable, community-focused projects. Designed for early-stage and grassroots initiatives, selected grantees may also access capacity-building workshops, wellbeing support and resource-navigation opportunities.

Who can apply: Individuals, volunteer-led groups and startup nonprofits worldwide working on charitable, community-focused projects with a total budget under USD 10,000.

ℹ️ Project must be volunteer-led with a total budget under USD 10,000. Applicants must not already be receiving a Daily Grant.

Up to USD 50,000

DRF's 2026 grant round supports disability-led advocacy and movement-building under its strategy 'Disability-Led Futures for a Just World.' Particularly interested in initiatives at the intersection of disability rights with gender, climate, economic, and racial justice. Most grants fund 12 months of work starting January 2027.

Who can apply: Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), disability-led organisations, eligible coalitions, and regional OPD networks. Regional applicants must be registered at the regional level and operating in more than 3 countries.

ℹ️ Two-stage process: submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) by June 21 → invited applicants submit full application by August 23, 2026. Projects begin January 1, 2027. Government institutions, public universities, individuals, and service-provision projects are not eligible.

Up to AUD 80,000

The Australian Embassy's Direct Aid Program funds locally-led projects delivering direct, immediate, and high-impact benefits to vulnerable and marginalised communities. Priority given to projects demonstrating strong community ownership, sustainability, gender equality, and environmental protection.

Who can apply: Community groups, NGOs, civil society organisations, and not-for-profit organisations implementing development activities in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, DRC, or Republic of Congo.

ℹ️ Funding is on a not-for-profit basis. Operating and administrative costs (salaries, allowances, office rent, utilities) are generally not eligible. Applicants must submit a detailed budget with supporting quotations and two independent referees.