The Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation accepts applications from national and regional non-profit organizations working to address social, environmental, and economic challenges across the African Continent. Focus areas include health, environment, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Proposed projects must have a maximum life cycle of 12 months and benefit African communities. The application deadline is 10 October 2025. Click here
Ilka Westermeyer
International Fund for Agricultural Development — Macadamia Nut Export Value Chain
IFAD launches an EOI to partner with food, agriculture, or trading companies interested in supporting Rwanda’s macadamia nut producers. The goal is to build sustainable export value chain linkages by combining private sector resources with smallholder production, improving livelihoods and adoption of sustainable practices. Eligible firms must be ready to co-invest and partner in the intervention. EOIs must be submitted by 13 October 2025. Details here
African Women in Agricultural Research and Development — African Women in Data Science Leadership Program
African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) invites applications from high-potential African women under 35 in selected Sub-Saharan countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Zambia). Up to 40 participants will be chosen for a nine-month, non-residential virtual program offering leadership training, mentoring, communication and personal branding skills, and gender-integration capacity. The program does not offer stipends or sitting allowances or subsidies. However, all training materials and mentorship provided will be at no cost. The call is open now and closes 15 October 2025. Leadership Program
Farm Radio International — Farm Radio Awards
The George Atkins Communication Award recognizes individual radio broadcasters for their outstanding commitment and contribution to food security and poverty reduction in low-income countries. The winners will receive a certificate and C$500. Farm Radio International broadcasting partners in Africa can apply. The deadline to apply is 17 October 2025. Farm Radio Awards
Commonwealth Secretariat — Commonwealth Youth Awards 2025
The Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work recognize individuals ages 15 to 29 who lead innovative development projects in themes that include agriculture, small enterprise, skills training, climate change, environmental protection, sustainable livelihoods, and poverty reduction. The program selects regional winners from each of Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. Winners are awarded grants of up to a total of £5 thousand in total to advance their projects. The application deadline is 17 October 2025. Commonwealth Youth Awards
UNICEF — Climate Innovation Challenge
The UNICEF Climate Innovation Challenge invites early- and growth-stage frontier technology startups in emerging economies to propose scalable, child-centered solutions using AI, data science, blockchain, and related tools to tackle climate-related threats to children—such as health risks, disaster resilience, and systems adaptation. Selected ventures will receive technical mentorship, visibility and networking opportunities, and support to prepare for future investment. Eligible applicants must be private for-profit companies registered in UNICEF programme countries. The application deadline is 21 October 2025. Climate Innovation Challenge
Earth Journalism Network — Western Balkans Environmental Media Grant
The Earth Journalism Network (EJN) awards grants to support activities that improve media coverage of environmental challenges and solutions. ENJ provides €10 thousand to a single journalist network, media organization, civil society group, or academic institution in the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo) to support journalistic coverage of biodiversity, environmental threats, and nature-based solutions. Applications are due 30 October 2025. Western Balkans Environmental Media Grant
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations — Mountain Future Award
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) invites institutions and individuals to submit proposals for transformative mountain projects. Projects must address glacier-related challenges, sustainable water management, agrifood systems, glacier preservation or the resilience and livelihoods of mountain communities. Winning projects will receive seed funding and project incubation assistance. New projects and projects in the initial planning stages are eligible; ongoing projects are not. The application deadline is 31 October 2025. Mountain Future Award
Global Biodiversity Information Facility — Biodiversity Information for Development: Sub-Saharan Africa
The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) invites proposals for project funding from Sub-Saharan Africa under the “Biodiversity Information for Development” program. GBIF offers support for four types of projects: (1) Institutional-level biodiversity data mobilization to strengthen institutional capacity and mobilize policy-relevant biodiversity data (maximum funding: €30 thousand); and (2) Multi-institutional biodiversity data mobilization to build or strengthen collaborations between institutions to mobilize data for research and policy addressing national or regional priorities (maximum funding: €60 thousand. Applicants must be legal entities such as government agencies, natural history museums, research institutes, universities, or NGOs located in an eligible African country. The deadline for submission of concept notes is 03 November 2025. BID Africa
AGNES-BAYER Science Foundation — Research Grant 2025
The AGNES-BAYER Science Foundation Research Grant enables doctoral students from sub-Saharan African countries to undertake research in biodiversity conservation and sustainable agriculture. The Grant aims to support African PhD students to carry out activities that are part of the doctoral research, including but not limited to field experiments and data collection or laboratory studies. A maximum grant of €7,000 will be awarded to each successful applicant. All applications must be submitted online by 09 November 2025. Research Grant for Biodiversity Conservation & Sustainable Agriculture