The Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation seeks applications for the Changemakers Innovation Challenge. The challenge is open to non-profits and social enterprises across Africa who are using technological/digital tools to create innovative social solutions. Focus areas include health, environment, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Proposed projects must have a maximum life cycle of 12 months and benefit African communities. The challenge is open to non-profits and social enterprises across Africa. The application deadline is 22 August 2025. Changemakers
agriculture
Food and Agriculture Organization — Data for Farm Value Global Challenge
The UN FAO Data for Farm Value Global Challenge 2025 invites early-stage startups worldwide to propose scalable, data-driven solutions that empower smallholder farmers. Eligible startups must be registered companies with at least two team members. Selected participants will receive workshops, one‑on‑one mentoring, and the winner earns a €5,000 cash prize. Applications close on 25 August 2025. Know more
Africa Earth Observation Challenge — Addressing Development Challenges
The Africa Earth Observation Challenge (AEO Challenge) is an open innovation competition aimed at fostering African early‑stage businesses across all sectors that leverage Earth Observation data to tackle pressing development challenges—such as climate change, agriculture, disaster risk reduction, natural resource monitoring, sustainable development, and healthcare. Eligible applicants must be based anywhere in Africa. Finalists and winners receive a comprehensive support package including cash prizes totaling up to US$10 thousand distributed among the top three teams. The application deadline is 29 August 2025. Africa Earth Observation Challenge
International Trade Centre — Youth Ecopreneurs
The Ye! Youth Ecopreneur Program welcomes young entrepreneurs to submit their green business initiatives. The program includes a global boot camp, and accelerator phase, and concludes with the celebrated Youth Ecopreneur Awards. The winner of the Youth Ecopreneur Award receives US$10 thousand in prize money. Applicants must be under the age of 35 and lead businesses that promote land restoration, sustainability, circularity, and/or the green economy. The application deadline is 14 September 2025. Ye! Youth Ecopreneur
African Union Commission — Africa Think Tank Platform
The Africa Think Tank Platform (ATTP) invites consortia of three to five legally registered African think tanks—with representation from at least two African sub‑regions—to submit proposals for multi‑year funding (~US $10 million per consortium over up to 2½ years). The call supports policy‑relevant, collaborative research addressing at least four of the six priority themes: (economic transformation and governance; climate change; regional trade; food security; human capital; digitalization. Applications must be submitted no later than 24 September 2025. Africa Think Tank Platform
UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office — Chevening Scholarships 2026-2027
The Chevening Scholarships provide full or partial funding for full-time courses at the postgraduate level, normally a one-year master’s degree, in any subject at any UK university. Chevening Scholars come from 150 countries, excluding the USA and the EU. Applicants complete the application forms for their chosen universities. The available courses include subjects such as agriculture, conservation, climate change, and others. The current application closes on 07 October 2025. Chevening Scholarships
Garden Club of America — Awards in Tropical Botany and Horticulture
The Garden Club of America (GCA) offers several grants, prizes, and fellowships for students enrolled at universities in the USA, including some awards that have a tropical focus. The GCA Awards in Tropical Botany are open to PhD candidates (application deadline is 15 January); the Loy McCandless Marks Scholarship in Tropical Horticulture is restricted to U.S. citizens who are graduate students or advanced undergraduate students (deadline is 15 January). The Anne Chatham Fellowship in Medicinal Botany is open to PhD students and recent PhD graduates (deadline is 31 January). Applicants should review all programs, criteria, and deadlines. Botany and Horticulture Scholarships
World Food Forum — Youth Representatives Program
The WFF Youth Representatives Program empowers young leaders aged 18–35 to contribute to global agrifood systems policy and advocacy through regional and thematic consultations and representation at the World Food Forum flagship event in October 2025. Eligible applicants include young farmers, Indigenous youth, youth organization members, students, and young professionals with experience in agrifood, environment, or development sectors. Youth Representatives engage virtually and in person, attend a minimum of two regional consultations, and contribute to global dialogues throughout their tenure. The deadline to apply is 10 August 2025. Youth Representatives Program
Commonwealth Scholarship Commission — Professional Fellowships 2025/26
Commonwealth Professional Fellowships support mid-career professionals from developing Commonwealth countries to make professional visits (typically of three months) with UK host organizations. Applications are invited in the thematic area of clean energy, air, and oceans. Fellows must be Commonwealth citizens, refugees, or British-protected persons — and they must be permanent residents in a developing Commonwealth country. Applications are submitted by UK host organizations. The closing date for applications is 22 August 2025. Commonwealth Professional Fellowships
FONTAGRO — Agrobioentrepreneurship
FONTAGRO invites submissions to the LATAM 2025 Agrobioentrepreneurship with Impact competition, aimed at identifying, incubating, and accelerating the top 100 agrobioentrepreneur ventures across Latin America and Spain that demonstrate high socioeconomic and environmental impact. Eligible applicants include agriproducers, producer organizations, private companies, and public or private R&D institutions (e.g. universities, NGOs). Selected winners receive a voucher of up to US$15 thousand to support incubation and acceleration. Applications close on 30 August 2025. Agrobioentrepreneurship LATAM 2025