Six current grant opportunities for African NGOs, civil-society organisations, researchers and public institutions are accepting applications in August and September 2026. The calls cover public health, conservation, climate early warning, science and innovation, and cultural collaboration.

Eligibility differs significantly. Some calls accept NGOs directly, while others require research institutions, multi-country consortia or specialist organisations. Read the complete official guidelines before investing time in an application.

Current grants and funding opportunities in Africa

1. GEF SGP CSO Challenge Program: Environmental Solutions

Funder: Global Environment Facility and IUCN
Funding: Up to US$300,000 per organisation
Deadline: 15 September 2026 at 23:59 UTC
Project duration: Up to 24 months

The programme supports civil-society organisations that are ready to replicate or scale proven environmental solutions. Its priorities include community management of threatened ecosystems, sustainable agriculture and fisheries, low-carbon energy access, chemicals and waste management, and sustainable urban solutions. The current call covers eligible GEF recipient countries in Africa as well as other participating regions.

Review eligibility and apply through the official GEF SGP CSO Challenge website.

2. WHO AFRO/TDR Impact Grants for Implementation Research

Funder: WHO Regional Office for Africa and TDR
Funding: Up to US$15,000 per grant
Deadline: 15 September 2026 at 17:00 CEST
Study duration: Maximum 12 months

This call supports implementation research that strengthens African health systems and improves the delivery of existing interventions. Priority areas include person-centred primary care, digital transformation, appropriate AI-supported tools, climate-sensitive diseases, WASH integration, antimicrobial resistance and One Health surveillance.

The principal investigator and most of the research team must be based at an eligible institution in the WHO African Region. Eligible institutions can include ministries, health programmes, universities, research institutes and NGOs. Applications require a proposal, budget, short CV, ethical approval and an acknowledgement letter from the relevant programme or health-service manager.

Read the official WHO call and submission requirements.

3. STISA 2034 Multilateral Research Call

Programme: Science Granting Councils Initiative
Funding envelope: US$12 million
Expression-of-interest deadline: 25 September 2026 at 23:59 EDT
Project duration: Up to 36 months

The call supports African-led, multi-country research consortia aligned with the African Union’s Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2034. Applications must involve at least three institutions from eligible SGCI countries, with up to five co-applicant institutions from five countries. Country eligibility, thematic streams and grant caps vary.

Research avenues include resilient health systems, One Health surveillance, climate-linked threats and other STISA priorities. Organisations should use the official country selector and call document before forming a consortium.

Check country eligibility, find partners and access the official STISA call.

4. Connect & Create 2027: Africa–Europe Cultural Partnerships

Funder: European Union
Support: Up to 70% of eligible project costs
Deadline: 30 September 2026 at 23:59 Paris time

Two calls are available: one supports the circulation of performing arts and music, while the other supports professional mobility for cultural delegations attending major international events. Eligible applicants include organisations in Sub-Saharan Africa and the European Union.

Applicants should confirm the required partnership structure, eligible costs and co-financing arrangements in the full call documents.

Open the official EU announcement and application information.

5. ECMWF SEWA Grants: Strengthening Early Warning in Africa

Funder: European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts
Focus: Regional pilots for impact-based forecasting tools and services
Deadline: 30 September 2026 at 14:00 CEST

The Strengthening Early Warning in Africa programme has regional calls for Western, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. The grants support pilots that improve impact-based forecasting and early-warning services.

The coordinating organisation must register on the official submission portal and access the applicable regional call package. Applicants should review the guidelines closely because organisational and partnership requirements are specific to each call.

Access the official ECMWF SEWA calls and submission instructions.

6. CEPF Small Grants for the Guinean Forests of West Africa

Funder: Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund
Funding: Up to US$50,000
Deadline: 31 August 2026 at 23:59 UTC

This call supports conservation work in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and São Tomé and Príncipe. Eligible applicants include NGOs, community groups, private enterprises, independent public institutions and other civil-society organisations.

Applicants must use the official Letter of Inquiry template and follow the required submission format. English, French, Portuguese and Spanish applications are accepted.

Review the current official CEPF calls and application documents.

How to choose which grant to pursue

Do not choose a call only because its funding ceiling is attractive. First test organisational eligibility, geographic coverage, thematic alignment, required partnerships, co-financing, project duration and evidence requirements. A smaller, well-aligned opportunity is usually a better investment than a large call that requires your organisation to stretch beyond its mandate.

Create a short bid/no-bid note for management. Summarise the donor, deadline, award size, strategic fit, expected impact, required partners, estimated preparation effort and major compliance risks. Record who authorised the decision to proceed.

Application preparation checklist

  • Download and read the complete official call and all annexes.
  • Confirm the legal status, country and organisational eligibility rules.
  • Check whether a consortium, co-financing or endorsement letter is mandatory.
  • Develop a clear problem statement supported by current evidence.
  • Connect activities, outputs, outcomes, indicators and budget lines.
  • Assign responsibility for narrative, budget, safeguards and final quality review.
  • Submit before the deadline and retain the portal receipt or confirmation email.

Build stronger funding systems

A competitive proposal needs more than persuasive writing. It requires a feasible results framework, realistic budget, risk controls, partner due diligence and a plan for monitoring and learning. ATI’s Proposal Writing and Fundraising Training Workshop helps teams build these capabilities, while the Grants Management Training Workshop focuses on compliant implementation after an award.

Important funding notice

Funding calls can be amended, extended or closed by the issuing organisation. Africa Training Institute does not administer these grants, charge application fees or guarantee selection. Always use the official links above to confirm the current deadline, eligibility rules and submission channel.