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
Africa
Earth Journalism Network — Investigative Reporting Grants on Biodiversity in West Africa
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
Earth Journalism Network — Virtual Media Workshop on Mining, Environment and Human Rights Reporting in Africa
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
Nigeria Energy Forum — Africa Energy Innovation Challenge for Youth-Led Energy Solutions
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
United Nations Environment Program — Mountain Community Resilience Grants in East Africa
The UN Environment Program invites community-based organisations in the East African Community to apply to the first call for proposals of the Mountains ADAPT small grants project. The grants support ecosystem-based approaches that help mountain communities respond to climate change impacts, protect their natural environment, and improve livelihoods, funding activities such as ecosystem restoration, rainwater harvesting, climate-smart agriculture, and disaster preparedness. Grants provide up to US$30 thousand each toward design and implementation. This first round will fund up to fifteen projects across Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Eligible applicants are locally based, formally registered non-governmental organisations. The application deadline is 15 September 2026. Mountain Community Resilience Grants
National Geographic Society — Ecological Research in the Okavango River Basin
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
EPIC Deploy — Sustainable Cooling Pilot Projects in Africa and Brazil
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
Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund — Guinean Forests of West Africa Small Grants
The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) invites letters of inquiry for small grants to support biodiversity conservation in the Guinean Forests of West Africa hotspot. This call is open to civil society organizations operating in Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Liberia, and São Tomé and Príncipe. Projects must align with specific investment priorities related to species conservation and the management of priority sites. Grant amounts are up to US$50 thousand. Applicants are encouraged to review the regional ecosystem profile and consult with the Regional Implementation Team before submitting their proposals.The deadline for letters of inquiry is 31 August 2026. Guinean Forests of West Africa Small Grants
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations — Innovate Africa Challenge
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) invites applications for the Innovate Africa Challenge, which supports the deployment of proven artificial intelligence solutions for climate-smart agriculture in Africa. The challenge seeks AI-driven innovations that improve climate resilience, agricultural productivity, and farmer decision-making in areas such as precision agriculture, crop forecasting, pest and disease surveillance, climate risk modeling, and natural resource management. Eligible applicants are startups, innovators, and solution developers. Preference is given to applicants serving smallholder farmers. The application deadline is 31 August 2026. Innovate Africa Challenge
World Bank — Africa Visiting Scholars Program
The World Bank invites applications for the Visiting Scholars Program 2026, which supports early- and mid-career African researchers in advancing policy-relevant research on development issues. The programme offers scholars the opportunity to spend up to six months at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. Eligible applicants are nationals of sub-Saharan African countries who are affiliated with a university, research institution, or government agency in Africa. The program covers travel costs, provides a monthly stipend, and offers office space and research support. The application deadline is 09 September 2026. Africa Visiting Scholars Program