Knowledge Frontiers provides UK-based researchers active in the social sciences and the humanities with an opportunity to develop international interdisciplinary research projects in collaboration with colleagues from the natural, engineering, and/or medical sciences. The British Academy invites proposals for projects which focus on the interaction between technology, nature, and humanity. The lead applicant must be based at a UK university or research institute. Projects must involve at least one co-applicant who can be based in the UK or overseas. Awards of 24 months in duration and up to £300 thousand are available. The deadline for submissions is 07 October 2026. About Knowledge Frontiers
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Worldwide Universities Network — Research Development Fund
The WUN Research Development Fund (RDF) provides grants of up to £10 thousand for one year to foster research collaborations among academic staff (faculty) at WUN member universities. Applications are open to researchers from WUN member institutions. The RDF supports research projects that fall under the network’s principal research theme of sustainable development. The closing date is 15 October 2026. (Note: Most WUN member universities have earlier internal submission deadlines, and prospective applicants should contact their local WUN Coordinator as soon as possible.) Link to guidelines
Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship — Training for Social Entrepreneurs
The Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship accepts applications for an accelerator program focused on social enterprises working on women’s economic power and/or climate resilience. The program is designed for established social entrepreneurs who directly serve people living in poverty who suffer disproportionately from climate change. Climate resilience falls into one of the following three categories: sustainable energy, availability of sustainable management of water and sanitation, and climate-smart agriculture. Non-profit, for-profit, or hybrid social enterprises that have a clear commitment to an earned revenue model with the potential for scale are all encouraged to apply. There are no geographical limitations. The application deadline is 16 October 2026. Training for Social Entrepreneurs
Teach A Man To Fish — School Enterprise Challenge 2026
The School Enterprise Challenge is an international business program for schools run by the educational charity Teach A Man To Fish. It guides and supports teachers and students to plan and set up real, sustainable school businesses and generate real profits to help support their school or a social cause of their choice. Thematic areas include agriculture, drinking water and sanitation, and the environment, among others. Prizes are between US$250 and US$5 thousand, including in-kind donations like laptops and cameras. Please note that only pre-primary schools, primary schools, secondary schools and technical/vocational colleges are eligible (universities are not eligible to apply). Business Ideas have to be submitted by 06 October 2026. School Enterprise Challenge
International Center for New Media — World Summit Awards 2026
Nominations are open for the World Summit Awards (WSA) and the WSA Young Innovators Awards (young social entrepreneurs under 26 years of age). Start-ups and social entrepreneurs are asked to submit their local digital innovations with high social impact. The 8 award categories include one on Environment & Green Energy (climate, sustainable resources, agriculture). The winner does not receive a monetary award but does benefit from partnerships and integrations. Applications are accepted from companies, organizations, or individuals. The deadline to apply for WSA and WSA Young Innovators is 15 October 2026. (Deadlines for national submission of applications for WSA may vary locally.) Find out more
Japan Science and Technology Agency — Research Partnership 2027
The Japan Science and Technology Agency, in collaboration with the Japan International Collaboration Agency, calls for proposals for the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS). Proposals are invited in the following research fields: environment/energy; bio-resources; and disaster prevention and mitigation. The SATREPS program provides funding of approx. ¥ 100 million per project per year. Researchers external to Japan should consult their national government agency responsible for ODA technical cooperation, the Embassy of Japan, or JICA offices in their resident countries. The deadline for proposals is 19 October 2026. Science and Technology Research Partnership
German Academic Exchange Service — Postgraduate Courses in Germany 2027-2028
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers scholarships to qualified individuals from eligible developing countries for post-graduate studies at German universities in development-related subjects. The program (EPOS) is open to individuals who have completed their previous academic degrees no longer than six years previously; who have at least two years of professional experience; and who are nationals of countries receiving official development assistance (DAC list of the OECD). The available courses range across water resources; renewable energy; land management and tenure; agricultural sciences; forest sciences; ecology; nature conservation; environmental governance; and many others. The application deadline for the next intake (October 2027) is 30 October 2026. EPOS Scholarship
Royal Entomological Society — Insect Photography Competition
The Royal Entomological Society Insect Photography competition is open to all amateur photographers. Photographs entered for the Competition should feature an insect (or group of insects) occurring naturally in the situation in which it is photographed. The subject can be of any life stage, from egg through nymph, larva, or pupa to adult, and can be an insect from anywhere in the world. Prizes range from £250 to £750. The closing date for submission of photos is 31 October 2026. Insect Photography Competition
Common Fund for Commodities — Support for Commodity Development
The Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) provides financial and technical instruments to support projects proposed by enterprises, cooperatives, and institutions. Funding is targeted mainly to for-profit organizations and social enterprises. Projects focused on the sustainable use and conservation of forest resources in the Congo Basin region (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of Congo) are eligible. The maximum amount is US$ 2 million for regular projects, and up to US$ 300 thousand under the Fast-Track procedure. The 29th call for proposals has a deadline of 01 October 2026. Link to the Call for Proposals
Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund — Grants in Support of Endangered and Critically Endangered Species
The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund provides targeted grants to support on-the-ground conservation initiatives for the world’s most threatened species. This global program is open to individual conservationists and organizations working to protect any species of plant, animal, or fungi, with a particular focus on those classified as endangered or data deficient. While the fund primarily supports field-based projects, it does not specify a strict limit for grant amounts; however, typical awards are small grants up to US$25 thousand. Applications are reviewed in three annual cycles, with the next submission windows closing on 31 May 2026, 15 October 2026, and 31 January 2027. Species Conservation Grants