Farm Radio International invites applications for the Liz Hughes Award for Her Farm Radio, which recognises radio programs serving women listeners across sub-Saharan Africa. The program need not focus exclusively on gender equality; any subject qualifies, provided the show demonstrably serves women, whether through health, education, agriculture, or another topic combined with attention to women’s experiences, concerns, or the role of men in gender equality. Any Farm Radio International broadcasting partner in sub-Saharan Africa may apply, and the award goes to the full programme team. The winning team receives a certificate and a prize of CA$1,000. The deadline is 21 August 2026. Liz Hughes Award
Funding News
Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry
The International Union for Conservation of Nature runs the SEAP Forests Investment & Technical Partners (SEAP FIT) Coalition under the GEF-8 Southeast Asia and the Pacific Forests Integrated Programme, and invites submissions to the Coalition’s first Call for Projects. The Coalition is a regional partnership platform working to mobilise forest financing, build investment-ready project pipelines, shape enabling forest policy, and strengthen regional capacity for primary forest protection and restoration, sustainable agriculture, and forest-positive commodity value chains. Eligible activities include avoiding deforestation and degradation (REDD+), afforestation and reforestation, improved forest management, agroforestry carbon projects, protected areas, blue carbon forestry, and community or jurisdictional programmes. Submissions are invited from Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, and Vietnam. Selected projects gain access to Technical Working Group meetings, connections with potential investors, and consideration for grant funding from Coalition members or country-level projects under the wider GEF-8 program. The deadline is 21 August 2026. Details here
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) invites proposals for a regional grant addressing the resilience of rural households and local economies in Latin America and the Caribbean against potential disruptions to remittance flows. IFAD will select one organisation to implement the grant, “Safeguarding Rural Livelihoods in LAC: Roadblocks, Opportunities, and Actionable Measures for a Potential Remittances Crisis,” which carries financing of US$500 thousand. The selected organisation will conduct analytical work, facilitate stakeholder engagement, and pursue policy dialogue and collaboration with the financial sector to help governments, financial institutions, and development partners anticipate and respond to remittance-related risks. The deadline is 04 September 2026. Details here
Biodiversity, Conservation, Wildlife
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) invites proposals under its Sea Turtles Program 2027 Request for Proposals. The program funds conservation work benefiting four sea turtle populations in the Western Hemisphere — leatherbacks and loggerheads in the Northwest Atlantic, and leatherbacks and hawksbills in the Eastern Pacific — with priority given to populations dependent on or migrating through U.S. waters. Funding priorities include stranding response and rehabilitation capacity, reducing bycatch through turtle-friendly fishing gear, restoring and protecting nesting beach habitat in Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, and building regional conservation networks. Eligible applicants include nonprofits, government agencies at all levels, tribal governments, educational institutions, international organisations, and for-profit organisations. Most funded projects take place along U.S. beaches, facilities, or coastal waters; other projects elsewhere in the Western Hemisphere will be considered but at lower priority. Most awards range from US$50 thousand to US$400 thousand, and beach and bycatch projects require a one-to-one non-federal match in cash or in-kind services. Pre-proposals are due 19 August 2026. Sea Turtle Conservation
The Earth Journalism Network (EJN) invites applications for story grants supporting in-depth journalism on biodiversity in West Africa. EJN will award five grants averaging €1,000 to €2,000 each, plus mentorship from an experienced editor throughout the reporting process. Applicants must be journalists based in West Africa — Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, or Togo — with preference given to those based in Francophone West Africa. Freelancers and early-career journalists are welcome. The application deadline is 21 August 2026. Investigative Reporting Grants
The Explorers Club supports the scientific fieldwork of groundbreaking explorers around the world. The Rolex Explorers Club Grant supports young explorers under the age of 35 who are conducting field research to address a novel scientific, environmental, or historical question. The average award is US$10 thousand. The deadline to submit applications is 14 September 2026. Rolex Explorers Club Grant
Energy, Climate Change
The Nigeria Energy Forum (NEF) invites proposals for the Africa Energy Innovation Challenge (AEIC), themed “Accelerating Value Addition, Youth Innovation & Community Action.” The competition mobilises young, early-stage energy entrepreneurs across Africa to develop, prototype, and scale innovative devices, equipment, and digital solutions across four tracks: youth employment and green jobs, agribusiness and waste-to-energy, local manufacturing and value addition, and AI and connectivity. Applicants must be aged 18 to 35 and apply as teams of at least three people, with each team required to include at least one woman and one man. Up to twenty or more shortlisted teams receive complimentary passes to the 11th Nigeria Energy Forum (November 2026). Winners share cash prizes of up to US$10 thousand, present their prototype at the Forum, and receive business development mentorship and incubator support valued at over US$15 thousand. The deadline for initial proposal submissions is 10 September 2026. Africa Energy Innovation Challenge
EPIC Deploy (Enabling Pledge Implementation for Cooling) invites pilot projects that deliver bankable, climate-resilient sustainable cooling solutions. The initiative targets two sectors: the tertiary sector, including hospitals, universities, and public buildings, and industrial and cold-chain applications such as ports and food-chain logistics. EPIC Deploy is open to international consortia composed of at least one public, private, or research entity, with at least one partner based in one of the eligible countries: Kenya, Morocco, Tunisia, Ethiopia, or Brazil. The minimum grant request is US$200 thousand, applicants must secure co-funding of at least twenty per cent, and the total project budget may not exceed US$1.2 million. The deadline is 31 October 2026. Link
The Climate Intervention Environmental Impact Fund (CIEIF) supports innovative projects worldwide working to reverse climate change. The fund supports EIA, predictive impact modeling, and engagement efforts with potentially impacted stakeholders for innovative climate intervention technologies that are on the verge of field testing. Applicants should write a grant request that demonstrates how they would spend US$75 thousand. Applications are due by 01 December 2026. Details here
Water Resources
The National Geographic Society invites proposals under a Request for Proposals for scientific research on ecological dynamics in the Okavango River Basin, spanning Angola, Namibia, and Botswana. National Geographic will hold an informational webinar on 01 September 2026 ahead of the deadline. General eligibility across all Society RFPs requires applicants to be 18 or older, and the Society states a preference for applicants with strong ties to the local context. Applicants may lead only one active proposal at a time, and anyone who previously led a National Geographic Society grant must submit that project’s final report before applying to lead a new one. The deadline is 23 September 2026. Ecological Research
- Tags: Africa, individuals, research, september2026, water
The Donors’ Initiative for Mediterranean Freshwater Ecosystems (DIMFE) launches a call for projects to fund work on the conservation and restoration of freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity, the sustainable use and management of water resources, and the development of sustainable financing mechanisms for freshwater conservation. Grants range from €100 thousand to €500 thousand (with 25% co-financing required for requests over €300 thousand). The call is open to NGOs, scientific institutions, local authorities, and small private enterprises in the region. The deadline for submission is 15 October 2026. Link to DIMFE
The Elisabeth & Amelie Fund supports sustainable water management in developing countries, among others by financing on-the-spot internships for students from developing countries who are studying in Belgium. The internship will take place in a developing country (the student’s country of origin or another country). The grant will cover the expenses inherent to the internship, up to a maximum of €5 thousand. The internships are for students from developing countries who are pursuing a master’s level degree that is linked to water management. The deadline is 20 October 2026. Scholarships for Water Management Fieldwork
Cross-Cutting
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) invites applications for its Women’s Leadership in Disaster Risk Reduction Training Program for World Tsunami Awareness Day 2026. The program is open to any gender aged 18 or older, living in or from Pacific Island countries and territories or Asia, though applicants from elsewhere are also welcome. The program requires proficiency in English and computer literacy with internet access, and it is offered free of charge; participants who complete all requirements receive a UNITAR certificate. The deadline is 21 August 2026. Disaster Risk Reduction Leadership Training
The Earth Journalism Network (EJN) invites applications for a three-day virtual media workshop on mining, environment, and human rights reporting. The workshop is open to journalists in any medium and social media content creators with experience covering mining, environmental, or human rights issues, who are based in Ghana, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, or South Africa. EJN will offer a limited number of communications stipends to participants with unstable internet access, and all who complete the workshop receive a certificate. Following the workshop, EJN plans to award ten story grants of US$2,000 each to journalists and content creators for in-depth reporting on mining, environmental degradation, and human rights in Africa, funding travel, reporter stipends, and multimedia elements, alongside one-on-one editorial mentorship. The deadline is 06 September 2026. Know more
Charity Entrepreneurship invites applications for a round of its Incubation Program dedicated entirely to animal welfare. The program consists of a boot camp open to individuals who want to create, start, and operate an effective charity. Applicants may come from any country and any professional background. The program is entirely free: it fully covers tuition, materials, and travel, and pays a stipend of US$2,000 to US$10 thousand a month based on individual need, including for dependents or high-cost locations. The deadline to apply is 13 September 2026. Charity Entrepreneurship