Responsible AI research, AI ecosystems, policy
- Typical size
- CAD 100k – 1M
- How to apply
- Open calls under AI4D and Cultivate Africa's Future.
Thematic funding windows
Thematic Grants Directory
Nine curated windows — AI & digital development, disaster relief, girl child education, anti-FGM & forced marriage, disability inclusion, joint-venture institution building, substance abuse, rehabilitation, and G2G loans & partial grants.
Vetted by our advisory team · updated quarterly
AI & digital development
AI and Digital Development grants for developing countries
Funders backing responsible AI, digital public infrastructure, connectivity and tech-for-development in the Global South.
Data & AI for social impact
- Typical size
- $50k – $500k
- How to apply
- Invitation + open RFPs; strong nonprofit AI capacity focus.
Digital economy, broadband, govtech
- Typical size
- $100k – $5M
- How to apply
- Channelled via governments and consortia.
Digital skills, AI for SDGs, govtech
- Typical size
- Project-based
- How to apply
- Partner via country offices and FAIR Forward AI programme.
Open-source AI, AI accountability
- Typical size
- $25k – $250k
- How to apply
- Themed cohorts; strong civil-society lens.
AI applied to humanitarian & development problems
- Typical size
- $100k – $3M + Fellows
- How to apply
- Periodic open calls + Impact Challenges.
Natural disaster relief
Natural Disaster Relief & Resilience grants
Rapid-response and resilience funders for floods, droughts, cyclones, earthquakes and climate shocks.
Rapid response and underfunded emergencies
- Typical size
- $250k – $4M
- How to apply
- Disbursed through UN agencies; partner with WFP/UNICEF/UNHCR.
Emergency response, DRR, anticipatory action
- Typical size
- €100k – €5M
- How to apply
- Must be an ECHO Framework Partner (FPA).
Small / fast onset crises (<72h activation)
- Typical size
- £30k – £300k
- How to apply
- Members-only; great for mid-size INGOs.
Disaster response, food security, resilience
- Typical size
- $500k+
- How to apply
- APS — rolling concept notes; pre-register in SAM.gov.
Anticipatory and emergency response
- Typical size
- CHF 100k – 750k
- How to apply
- Channelled through national Red Cross societies.
Disaster preparedness & recovery
- Typical size
- $100k – $1M
- How to apply
- Invitation-based, multi-year.
Girl child education
Girl Child Education Support grants
Funders investing in girls' schooling, retention, scholarships, STEM and safe learning environments.
Local advocates for girls' secondary education
- Typical size
- $30k – $100k / yr
- How to apply
- By nomination / open calls in priority countries.
Girls' education research & scaling
- Typical size
- $100k – $500k
- How to apply
- By invitation; strong evidence focus.
System-level girls' education reform
- Typical size
- Country-allocation based
- How to apply
- Engage via Ministry of Education / Local Education Group.
Girls' secondary scholarships & leadership
- Typical size
- Partnership
- How to apply
- Co-implementer model in 5 African countries.
Scholarships for young women & marginalised youth
- Typical size
- Institutional partnerships
- How to apply
- Apply via partner universities.
Anti-FGM & forced marriage
Anti-FGM and Forced/Child Marriage grants
Donors funding survivor support, prevention, alternative rites of passage, legal reform and adolescent girl programming.
Prevention, response & abandonment of FGM
- Typical size
- Country-window grants
- How to apply
- Channelled via UNFPA / UNICEF country offices in 17+ countries.
Community-led ending of child marriage
- Typical size
- $10k – $50k
- How to apply
- Direct grants to grassroots groups; participatory grantmaking.
Bodily autonomy, anti-FGM advocacy
- Typical size
- $25k – $150k
- How to apply
- Letter of inquiry; strong human-rights framing required.
Feminist orgs ending GBV including FGM/child marriage
- Typical size
- $20k – $200k
- How to apply
- Themed calls; partners with women's funds globally.
Ending violence against women & girls, harmful practices
- Typical size
- Multi-year, $250k+
- How to apply
- Country-based windows; CSO Reference Groups select sub-grantees.
Adolescent girls' empowerment, ending child marriage
- Typical size
- £100k – £400k
- How to apply
- Periodic themed open calls.
Disability inclusion
Persons Living with Disability grants
Funders supporting Disabled People's Organisations (DPOs), inclusive education, assistive tech and accessibility.
DPO-led advocacy & CRPD implementation
- Typical size
- $10k – $50k
- How to apply
- Participatory grantmaking by persons with disabilities.
Country-level CRPD systems change
- Typical size
- $200k – $1M
- How to apply
- Joint UN-government-DPO proposals.
Small grants to disability orgs in developing countries
- Typical size
- €500 – €10k
- How to apply
- Rolling applications; led by persons with disabilities.
Inclusive eye health, community-based rehabilitation
- Typical size
- Partnership
- How to apply
- Long-term implementing partnerships.
Eye health, inclusive education & employment
- Typical size
- Project-based
- How to apply
- Partner via country offices in Africa.
Assistive technology innovation & access
- Typical size
- £25k – £500k
- How to apply
- Themed challenge calls.
Joint venture & institution building
Joint Venture Grants for building institutions
Blended-finance and co-investment windows that fund consortia building new institutions — schools, hospitals, research centres, social enterprises.
JV equity + concessional capital for institutions
- Typical size
- $1M – $50M
- How to apply
- Co-investment with private sponsors; pipeline via IFC officers.
Listed products mobilising capital for development institutions
- Typical size
- Co-financing, varies
- How to apply
- Competitive open call.
Sovereign + private JVs for institution building
- Typical size
- $5M – $100M+
- How to apply
- Pitch through AIF Investor Marketplace.
Enterprise + community institution co-builds
- Typical size
- $50k – $250k
- How to apply
- Direct grants + technical assistance.
Multi-year JV programmes (e.g. Young Africa Works)
- Typical size
- $5M – $200M
- How to apply
- Co-design with national stakeholders.
Scaling proven institutions via co-investor coalitions
- Typical size
- $1M – $10M
- How to apply
- Invitation; align with Skoll portfolio.
Drugs & substance abuse
Drugs and Substance Abuse Prevention grants
Funders for harm reduction, prevention, youth drug education and policy reform.
Drug prevention, treatment, alternative development
- Typical size
- $25k – $500k
- How to apply
- Country-office partnerships and themed calls.
Harm reduction, drug policy reform
- Typical size
- $50k – $500k
- How to apply
- Letter of inquiry; strong human-rights lens.
Substance use, addiction, recovery systems
- Typical size
- $100k – $1M
- How to apply
- US-focused but supports global research.
Drug policy advocacy & harm-reduction networks
- Typical size
- $5k – $50k
- How to apply
- Themed support for members and partners.
Harm reduction for people who use drugs (HIV/TB context)
- Typical size
- Country envelopes
- How to apply
- Engage via Country Coordinating Mechanism.
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation grants — addiction, post-conflict & medical
Funders for rehab centres, reintegration of ex-combatants and offenders, and physical/medical rehabilitation services.
DDR, reintegration of ex-combatants & youth at risk
- Typical size
- $1M – $3M
- How to apply
- Eligible countries on the PBF list; UN-led joint programmes.
Prosthetics, orthotics, mobility devices
- Typical size
- Partnership
- How to apply
- Co-funds national rehab centres in conflict-affected states.
Reintegration, vocational rehab for youth
- Typical size
- CHF 100k – 500k
- How to apply
- Concept note via online portal.
Youth substance use prevention & recovery
- Typical size
- $100k – $1M
- How to apply
- Strategic initiative; mostly invitation.
Offender rehabilitation, alternatives to detention
- Typical size
- €100k – €1M
- How to apply
- Annual calls; multi-country consortia.
G2G aid · loans · partial grants
Government-to-Government, Loans & Partial Grants
Bilateral and multilateral G2G windows, concessional loans, and blended packages combining grants with loans.
Concessional loans, IDA grants, results-based financing
- Typical size
- $10M – $1B
- How to apply
- Sovereign borrowers; engage via Ministry of Finance.
G2G loans, grants for LICs, partial-credit guarantees
- Typical size
- $5M – $500M
- How to apply
- Country Strategy Papers define the pipeline.
Concessional + market-rate sovereign financing
- Typical size
- $5M – $500M
- How to apply
- Government counterpart required.
Loans, leasing, instalment sale + grants from ISFD
- Typical size
- $1M – $300M
- How to apply
- Member-country governments; Shari'ah-compliant instruments.
Concessional yen loans + grant aid (infrastructure, health, education)
- Typical size
- $5M – $500M
- How to apply
- Negotiated G2G; channel via foreign affairs ministry.
Concessional loans + partial grants for SDG-aligned projects
- Typical size
- €5M – €300M
- How to apply
- Country agreement required; some NGO sub-windows.
Promotional loans + grants on behalf of BMZ
- Typical size
- €5M – €500M
- How to apply
- G2G negotiated; aligned with German bilateral cooperation.
Loans, guarantees, partial-grant feasibility studies
- Typical size
- $1M – $1B
- How to apply
- Private-sector projects with sovereign overlay.
Climate mitigation & adaptation projects
- Typical size
- $10M – $250M
- How to apply
- Access via Accredited Entities (national or international).
Need help shortlisting?
Our advisors can match your organisation to 3–5 of these funders and review your concept note before submission.
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