The Association of Commonwealth Universities offers seven grants of up to £2,000 each, helping early-career researchers attend conferences in other Commonwealth countries. The grants cover registration fees, flights, accommodation, visas, and travel and health insurance. Applicants must be early-career academics at an ACU member university, within seven years of starting their academic career. They must be chairing a session or presenting a paper or poster at an in-person conference in a Commonwealth country other than the one where they work. The conference must take place between January 2027 and January 2028. The deadline is 13 October 2026. Conference Grants
South Asia
Acumen Fund — India Fellows Program 2027
The Acumen Fund promotes the power of social innovation to create solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. The India Fellows Program is designed to equip local leaders with the tools, mindset, and community to tackle poverty and injustice in their communities. Past fellows have included several in smallholder agriculture, renewable energy, waste management, fair trade, and other areas. The fellowship is a mix of offline and online seminars, involving a time commitment of approximately 30 days in the year. The application deadline is 31 October 2026. India Fellows
Misereor — Grassroots Development
Misereor is the international development agency of the Catholic Church in Germany. Its mission is to fight hunger, disease, poverty, and other forms of human suffering in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Issues and themes include climate change and justice; food security and agriculture; access to land; energy for the poor; and extractive industries. Misereor posts guidelines in multiple languages regarding how to request funding support. Applications can be sent at any time. Find the Guidelines for the Submission of Funding
International Campaign for Tibet — Small Grants for Tibet
The International Campaign for Tibet’s Rowell Fund invites Tibetans to apply for small grants supporting projects in environment and conservation, photography, humanitarian work, journalism and literature, or women’s projects, with priority given to work addressing climate change impacts in Tibet. Applicants may request up to US$7,500. Tibetans of any nationality are eligible, applying either individually or on behalf of an organization; non-Tibetans cannot apply. The fund does not support conference attendance or academic research conducted as part of a degree program. The deadline is 18 October 2026. Small Grants for Tibet
Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance — Call for Ideas
The Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance, an investor-led public-private initiative, invites applications to its Call for Ideas, seeking innovative financial vehicles designed to mobilize private capital for climate mitigation and adaptation in developing countries. Rather than funding projects directly, the Lab provides selected teams with roughly seven months of technical assistance, investor engagement, and go-to-market support worth over US$250,000, aimed at developing and launching the vehicle itself. Applicants must be cohesive teams with a proven track record in deploying capital or climate solutions, targeting implementation in ODA-eligible countries, with a specific focus this cycle on Africa, Asia-Pacific, Brazil, India, or Latin America and the Caribbean. Preliminary applications are due 18 October 2026. Call for Ideas
The Liveability Challenge — Sustainability Solutions for Tropical Cities
Temasek Foundation and Eco-Business invite startups and ventures worldwide to submit scalable, commercially viable sustainability solutions addressing urban challenges in the tropics, across three tracks: Decarbonisation, Cool Earth (climate resilience and cooling), and Oceans (sustainable blue economy). The top three solutions in each track receive S$1 million in grant funding. Decarbonisation finalists may also receive up to S$2 million in additional development funding from A*STAR, and Oceans finalists may qualify for up to S$500,000 in equity investment from the Asia Ocean Fund. Finalists are showcased at a Grand Finale in Singapore during Ecosperity Week 2027. The deadline is 18 February 2027. Liveability Challenge
Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund — Small Grants Program, Sri Lanka
The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) and IUCN invite Letters of Inquiry from Sri Lankan NGOs, community-based organizations, Indigenous and women’s groups for projects supporting community engagement in managing threatened ecosystems and species, under the GEF Small Grants Program. Grants are up to US$60,000. Eligible only in five districts: Nuwara Eliya, Kegalle, Ratnapura, Galle, and Matara. The deadline is 09 October 2026. Small Grants Program
Asia Community Foundation — Southeast Asia Ocean Fund
The 30×30 Southeast Asia Ocean Fund invites NGOs, research institutions, and civil society organizations to apply for grants supporting marine conservation, prioritizing projects led by or engaging coastal frontline communities. Grants of up to US$250,000 are awarded over multiple years, with no predetermined activity restrictions. Eligible applicants include local NGOs and research institutions in Southeast Asia; individuals, private enterprises, and government bodies are not eligible. Applications, in the form of an Expression of Interest, are accepted on a rolling basis. Link
Gray Matters Capital — coLABS Impact Investing Fund
coLABS seeks scalable social enterprises that have the potential to dramatically improve the lives of women and girls around the world. coLABS strategically funds entrepreneurs and early-stage ventures that leverage women, and their critical role in the community through revenue-share investment capital. Seed investment ranges from US$100 thousand to US$250 thousand. Focus regions are South Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Pre-screen forms can be submitted on a rolling basis. Details
Primate Conservation, Inc. — Field Research on Rare and Endangered Primates
Primate Conservation, Inc. (PCI) funds field research on rare and endangered primate species in their natural habitat, prioritizing under-studied species and projects involving local citizens from the range country. Grants average US$2,500, with a maximum of US$5,000; PCI does not fund conferences, travel to scientific meetings, tuition, or salaries. Eligible applicants are graduate students, conservationists, and primatologists; current priority regions are Asia and West Africa. Deadlines are 1 February and 20 September each year. Visit Primate Conservation, Inc.