Open Grants Call 2026-27: Individual Organisation Grants

Eligibility rules

• Applicant must be a not-for-profit civil society organisation or creative organisation registered in an eligible Commonwealth Foundation member country

  Funder's wording

  “For an Individual Organisation Grant, the applicant must be a not-for-profit civil society organisation or creative organisation registered in an eligible Commonwealth Foundation member country.”

• Lead applicant must be registered in an eligible country; organisations registered in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand may only join as partners

  Funder's wording

  “*If your organisation is registered in a country that has an asterisk (*) next to it in the list above, you are ineligible to apply for a grant as a lead applicant. Please note that while organisations registered in these countries cannot apply for a grant as a lead applicant, they can participate in a project as partners, so long as the lead applicant is from another eligible country.”

• Applicant must have been registered and operating for at least three years, with at least three years' demonstrable experience relevant to the project and the Foundation's impact areas

  Funder's wording

  “Applicants must have been registered and operating for at least three years, with a minimum of three years’ demonstrable experience relevant to the proposed project and our strategic impact areas.”

• Project must be implemented at least in the applicant's country of registration; multi-country projects need strong local participation in each country

  Funder's wording

  “The proposed project must, at minimum, be implemented in the applicant organisation’s country of registration. Projects may also be implemented in other eligible countries. Multi-country projects must demonstrate strong local participation by organisations, communities and other relevant actors in each country of implementation.”

• Applicant's average annual income over the past two years must be under £2.5 million

  Funder's wording

  “The applicant organisation’s average annual income over the past two years must be less than £2.5 million.”

• Requested grant must not exceed 70% of the applicant's average annual income over the past two years

  Funder's wording

  “The requested grant must not exceed 70% of the applicant organisation’s total annual income, averaged over the past two years.”

• Applicant must not currently be implementing a Commonwealth Foundation grant or awaiting final payment on one

  Funder's wording

  “Organisations that are currently implementing a Commonwealth Foundation grant, or have recently completed a grant but have not yet received their final payment, are not eligible to apply.”

• Project must advance at least one impact area: freedom of expression, economic inclusion, or climate and environmental justice

  Funder's wording

  “All proposals must seek to advance at least one of the Foundation’s strategic impact areas: freedom of expression, economic inclusion, or climate and environmental justice.”

• Project must be expected to begin between 1 August and 30 September 2027

  Funder's wording

  “Projects are expected to begin between 1 August 2027 and 30 September 2027.”

• The project is solely aimed at building the capacity of government officials or the private sectorExclusion — must not apply to you

  Funder's wording

  “Activities that are solely targeted at building the capacity of government officials and/or the private sector.”

• The project focuses on service delivery, such as distributing medicines, building facilities or installing water pumpsExclusion — must not apply to you

  Funder's wording

  “Projects that focus on service delivery (for example, the distribution of medicines, construction of facilities, and installation of water pumps).”

• The project primarily generates private profit, or shows no clear public-interest or advocacy outcomeExclusion — must not apply to you

  Funder's wording

  “Activities that primarily generate private profit or that do not demonstrate a clear public interest or advocacy outcome.”

• The project involves electioneering or partisan political communicationsExclusion — must not apply to you

  Funder's wording

  “Electioneering or partisan political communications.”

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