The nonprofit funding landscape, particularly for East African organisations, has seen drastic changes in 2026. USAID’s withdrawal from these countries in early 2025 disrupted a wide range of programmes, significantly affecting critical sectors, such as healthcare and education. Fortunately, the funding gap is being filled meaningfully by various programmes, including EU funding, the Global Fund, and an increasing number of private foundations that are expanding their work in the region. If you are looking for financial support to bring your brilliant project idea to life, there are several grant programmes, accelerators, and challenges worth checking out. Here are the top 10 global grants for NGOs and CBOs to keep an eye on.
1. IKI Small Grants — 2026 Call
Deadline: 8 January 2027
Part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Government, IKI Small Grants invests in local and regional organisations working to create Nature-based Solutions (NbS). The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) describes NbS as “actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore natural or modified ecosystems, that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, providing human wellbeing and biodiversity benefits”. To qualify, the local organisation must be based in any of the countries eligible for Official Development Assistance (ODA), and must be earning EUR 60,000 to EUR 500,000 in annual revenue. Funding ranges from EUR 60,000 to EUR 200,000.
2. National Endowment for Democracy (NED)
Deadline: January, 27, 2027
If you are seeking grants for NGOs in Kenya and East Africa, NED is one of the funders supporting democracy and civil society organisations. The foundation makes over 2,000 grants annually, backing nonprofits working to create democratic solutions through various activities, including supporting and defending human rights, promoting accountability, promoting civic education, supporting democratic conflict resolution, and more. NED offers funding averaging $50,000 for a period of 12 months.
3. Oilwatch International Small Grants 2026
Deadline: November 13, 2026
If you are a CBO seeking international grant funding, apply for the Oilwatch International Small Grants. The program seeks to back organisations, including grassroots, youth-led groups, women-led organisations, and social movements, running local-led projects that work towards environmental and climate justice. To qualify for support, you must be a member of the Oliwatch and operate within one of the thematic areas, including:
- Defending Earth
- Energy justice and energy democracy
- Equity and climate justice
- Keeping fossil fuels in the ground &
- Restoring communities and ecosystems
Funding is up to $5,000. Project duration is set for 6-9 months.
4. Global EbA Fund Medium-Size Grants 2026
Deadline: November 16, 2026
The Global EbA Fund offers funding of up to $500,000 to back organisations running projects that advance Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA). To qualify, your project must meet EbA criteria, including reducing social and environmental vulnerabilities and creating social benefits in the context of climate adaptation. Your project must also align with one of the Global EbA Fund’s strategic objectives and two of its Action pillars. Additionally, you must clearly identify the climate issues you want to solve and how you’ll address them. Project duration is 24 months or less.
5. Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund — Round 12
Deadline: November 23, 2026
The Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) Challenge Fund is among the top global grants for NGOs and CBOs. The UK government grants programme seeks to support initiatives geared towards reducing the environmental pressure from illegal wildlife trade and broader environmental crime, which in turn contributes to poverty reduction in developing countries. To qualify, your project idea must focus on one or more of the programme’s thematic areas, including:
- Reducing demand for products for illegal wildlife trade and other environmental crimes
- Employ effective legal frameworks and deterrents
- Strengthen law enforcement
- Build sustainable livelihoods to benefit people directly affected by illegal wildlife trade and other environmental crimes.
Round 12 of the fund is offered in two schemes:
- IWT Challenge Fund Extra
- IWT Challenge Fund Evidence – Applications for this end on February 15, 2027.
- IWT Challenge Fund Main &
Funding ranges from £600,000 to £1.5 million per project for a duration of 2-4 years.
6. Cities Deliver: AI Solutions for Public Services
Deadline: November 29, 2026
The Rockefeller Foundation and OpenAI Foundation, through Cities Deliver, are offering $500,000 to $2 million to organisations creating AI solutions that improve public services, especially in underserved communities. Focus areas include public health, economic mobility, environmental resilience, and civic engagement. The programme offers two tracks of funding:
- $500,000 to <$1 million. For organisations with early concepts that are ready for a first city pilot. This fund can be used to refine the idea with city planners, build & test a prototype, and pilot it. By the end of the funding, you should prove that the idea works; that people are actually using it, and show what it would take to make it sustainable and scalable.
- $1-$2 million. For AI solutions in a city that are already showing early results. This money is designed to expand the solution within your city or extend to another city. By the end of the grant, you should have reached more people and be on a credible path to long-term funding, such as government budgets.
To be eligible, an applicant nonprofit organisation, which can include university labs and fiscally sponsored entities or a public benefit corporation, must have a city planner who commits to collaborate as well as a charitable purpose. Beyond funding, successful applicants receive technical assistance, peer learning, visibility & networking, and convening.
7. Erase Indifference Challenge 2026
Deadline: December 4, 2026
As its name suggests, Erase Indifference Challenge invests in projects geared towards reducing indifference towards discrimination. You can address one of the following forms of discrimination:
- Racism
- Antisemitism
- Anti-immigration
- Discrimination against LGBTQ+ people
To be considered, your organisation must already be running a project or have completed one, and can prove meaningful impact. The challenge has set aside €90,000 to be distributed among 8 winners, with the first-place winner receiving €20,000, and €10,000 to each of the other seven winners.
8. Urgent Action Fund Africa — Women’s Rights Funding
The Urgent Action Fund Africa is one of the funding opportunities available for women across East Africa and beyond. The programme seeks to support strategic interventions designed to advance women’s human rights. The grants enable girls and women’s rights advocates, organisations, and collectives to act during, before, and after unexpected critical situations. The organisation applying must be women-led, with at least 70% female members. Informal groups are allowed to apply, but through a registered fiscal sponsor. The programme offers three grants:
- Rapid Response Grants – $12,000 – $15,000
- Protection Grant – Up to $5,000
- Advocacy and Alliance Building Grant – Up to $20,000
9. Rufford Small Grants for Nature Conservation
If you are wondering where to find global grants for NGOs and CBOs to fund your nature conservation project, look no further than Rufford Small Grants for Nature Conservation. To be eligible to apply, you should be in the early stages of your conservation career and working on a project focused on nature conservation. The project must be operating within an eligible country, and the species you are working on must be endangered.
Funding ranges from £7,000 to £18,000.
10. Fund for Innovation in Development (FID)
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Fund for Innovation in Development (FID) seeks to invest in high-potential project ideas that are geared towards addressing poverty and inequality. All organisational types, including NGOs, governments, and research institutions, are welcome to apply, provided they meet the requirements. Funding ranges from €50,000 up to €4 million:
- Preparation grant. Up to €50,000 for early-stage projects. The money is used for preparation and concept validation.
- Pilot stage. Up to €200,000 for organisations whose innovations are already prototyped. The money is used to test these innovations to see if they could work in real-life situations.
- Impact evaluation stage. Up to €1.5 million to help measure the impact of a piloted innovation.
- Scale-up stage. Up to €4 million for organisations whose solutions have proven impact and are ready to scale.
- Innovation and public policy/proof of impact stages. Up to €500,000 for public entities or projects working to integrate their innovations into public policy.