Calls by impact funders
When you are looking for grant funding, we are here to support you. We have first-hand knowledge of grant opportunities that match your case and we can build on a strong track record of successful proposals.
- Grants for private sector investment in developing countries usually cover only part of a project budget and require a substantial cash and/or in-kind contribution. In case of development banks, grants are often tied and subject to their provision of a loan.
- Grant programmes typically target innovative and scalable projects with a high potential payoff in terms of the programmes development goals. Grant programmes are generally organised as competitions that generally attract far more entries than can be funded.
- Grant funding is financially attractive but comes with strict performance, reporting and accountability conditions. We provide support to help you comply with these requirements.
Only a selection of grant programmes is presented on our website. Contact us for more information!
develoPPP Classic
The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) offers up to €2 million in technical and financial support for companies expanding operations in developing and emerging countries. The program targets projects with long-term commercial interest and strong development impact. Applications are accepted year-round.
Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF)
AECF offers grants and interest‑free loans ranging from USD 15,000 to 1.5 million, matched by at least 30 % co‑funding, to catalyze agribusiness and renewable energy enterprises across Sub‑Saharan Africa. The program supports commercially viable innovations that deliver rural livelihoods, climate resilience and sustained development impact. Different opportunities are published regularly.
Business Partnership Facility (BPF)
The Belgian Development Cooperation and King Baudouin Foundation offer grants of €50,000–€200,000 to support entrepreneurial initiatives advancing the SDGs in developing countries. Projects must be commercially viable and part of the core business of at least one partner. Preference is given to Belgian-linked initiatives. Calls are periodic.
EEP Africa
EEP Africa offers grants and repayable grants of €200,000–€1 million to early-stage clean energy projects in Southern and East Africa. Funding supports innovative business models in technologies like solar, biogas, mini-hydro, and cookstoves. At least 30% co-financing is required. Applications are open annually.
Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa (BGFA)
BGFA offers results-based financing and catalytic capital to off-grid energy companies in Burkina Faso, Liberia, Mozambique, Uganda, and Zambia. Funding supports early- and middle-stage market expansion through scalable business models. Specific financial eligibility applies. Country funding rounds open periodically.
Enterprise Zambia Challenge Fund
Implemented by Self Help Africa (with Imani Development), the EU-funded Enterprise Zambia Challenge Fund provided grants of EUR 150,000–1 million to Zambian for‑profit agri‑enterprises. Eligible firms had at least three years’ operations and a minimum annual turnover of EUR 150,000, integrating smallholders into value chains. Calls closed by 2024.
Common Fund for Commodities (CFC)
CFC provides debt or equity financing of USD 300,000–2 million to SMEs working with (semi-)commodity value chains like coffee, cotton, or oilseeds. Projects must be commercially viable, engage smaller farmers, and generate socio-economic impact. Applicants must earn in hard currency.
DOEN Foundation
DOEN provides grants, loans, and early-stage investment to small, innovative initiatives advancing a regenerative economy, social inclusivity, or creative society. It supports enterprises and organizations in their first phases of development, typically funding up to one-third of the budget. Applications are open year-round.
Challenge Fund for Youth Employment (CFYE)
CFYE offers co-financing from €100,000 to support scalable solutions that create better jobs for youth in Africa and the Middle East. Country-specific calls invite private sector, civil society, and knowledge institutions to address youth employment challenges with integrated, demand-driven approaches. Country window calls open periodically.
Fund for Innovation in Development (FID)
FID (by Agence Française de Développement) offers grants from €50,000 to €4 million to test and scale innovations that reduce poverty and inequality. Funding spans four stages, from prototyping to scaling. Priority areas include education, health, gender, and climate. Applications are accepted year-round.
Powering Renewable Energy Opportunities (PREO)
PREO offers grants of up to £300,000 to support innovative, productive use of energy (PUE) projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. Funding targets locally relevant, commercially viable solutions that drive economic development through clean energy. Technical assistance is also available. New funding rounds open annually.
develoPPP Ventures
BMZ offers co-financing of up to €100,000 for innovative, early-stage companies registered in Ghana, Kenya, or Tanzania. The program supports scalable business models with strong development impact and alignment with the SDGs. Matching equity is required. Applications are accepted regularly.
Dutch Fund for Climate and Development (DFCD)
DFCD provides grants and investment to climate adaptation projects in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Early-stage initiatives can access grant funding through the Origination Facility (up to 2025), with pathways to scale via debt or equity. The fund targets resilient land, water, and agroforestry solutions.
Agri-Business Facility for Africa (ABF)
ABF, led by GIZ, supports rural MSMEs in African agricultural value chains—particularly cocoa, maize, and livestock—through training, advisory services, and funding for climate-resilient innovations. Under the EU-OACPS-BMZ Joint Action, ABF promotes skills development, value chain integration, and South-South exchange. Calls for project ideas open periodically.
Modern Cooking Facility for Africa (MCFA)
MCFA offers grants of up to €2.5 million to clean cooking companies providing affordable, energy-efficient cooking solutions in DRC, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The program supports scalable business models that improve access to modern cooking services. Funding rounds open regularly.
DANIDA Green Business Partnerships (DGBP)
DGBP funds innovative market-based partnerships with grants of DKK 4–15 million (USD ~0.5–2.2 million) between at least one international commercial partner and a non-commercial partner to address green transition challenges and inclusive economic growth. Partnerships combine business viability with development impact across climate and inclusive growth. Annual calls invite project proposals
Mastercard Foundation Fund for Resilience and Prosperity (FRP)
FRP offers grants of US$500,000–2.5 million to SMEs in 20 African countries across agriculture, climate adaptation, and digital sectors. Projects must match at least 30% of costs and create work for youth, including women, people with disabilities, and refugees. Disbursement is milestone-based over 3 years.
Ukraine Partnership Facility
UPF offers grants of up to €4 million, covering up to 95% of eligible costs, for Dutch-led partnerships supporting Ukraine’s sustainable recovery. Projects must be non-profit and focus on agriculture, water, healthcare, sustainable energy, or circular construction. One local and one Dutch partner are required.
Clean Energy Demonstrators in Tanzania
Contracts for Innovation: Clean Energy Demonstrators in Tanzania UK Innovate offers contracts of £200,000–£800,000 to develop clean energy demonstrators in Tanzania. Projects must showcase innovative, scalable solutions that improve energy access and support local economic development. Open to UK and international organisations. Applications close Q3 2025.
GREENTech4CE
GREENTech4CE offers matching grants of €100,000–€500,000 to Zambian-owned businesses expanding green, circular, or digital operations. Eligible sectors include mining, manufacturing, energy, logistics, construction, and digital (excluding agriculture). Applicants must have 3+ years of operations and meet financial criteria. Projects must demonstrate innovation and inclusive job creation.
Facility Investing for Employment
FIE provides co-financing grants of €650,000–€10 million for investment projects creating private-sector jobs in Ghana, Morocco, Rwanda, and Senegal. Public, private, and non-profit actors may apply. Projects may also receive support for employer-funded social protection schemes. Call opened in Q1 2025.
Partnering for Green Growth (P4G)
P4G offers grants of USD 100,000–300,000 to partnerships tackling climate solutions in food, energy, and water across Colombia, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, South Africa, and Vietnam. Each partnership must include an early-stage business and nonprofit. Technical assistance and investment matchmaking are included. Applications open regularly.
AECF REACT 2.0 : Energy for Green Growth
Managed by AECF, this program offers milestone- and results-based grants of $100,000–$500,000 to Kenyan companies delivering low-carbon, climate-smart innovations. Priority areas include clean energy access, PUE, circular economy, e-mobility, and agri-processing. Applications opened in Q2 2025.
KliK Foundation ITMOs
The KliK Foundation supports climate mitigation activities in developing countries that generate at least 250,000 ITMOs (or 500,000 in large economies) under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Selected projects help Switzerland meet its international climate targets. Calls are open on a rolling basis.
Joint Innovation Facility (JIF)
Managed by GIZ under SPARK, the Joint Innovation Facility (JIF) supports Africa-Europe digital innovation and green transition. It funds cross-border consortia led by African entities with at least two partners (Africa-EU or Sub-Saharan). Grants range from €100,000–€250,000, milestone-based, for solutions with measurable impact in climate mitigation, adaptation in blue tech, mobility, energy, and smart cities. Currently open, with up to four more calls expected.