Grants Closing in January 2026 – Funding Opportunities for African NGOs

Tracking grant deadlines is one of the most critical — and often overlooked — responsibilities for African non-governmental organisations.

Many high-quality funding opportunities are lost each year not because organisations are ineligible, but because deadlines pass unnoticed or preparation begins too late.

January 2026 is a particularly active month, with multiple international and regional funders closing competitive calls across health, climate, biodiversity, innovation, youth leadership, and digital development.

This article provides a verified, deadline-driven roundup of grant opportunities closing in January 2026, specifically relevant to African NGOs, community-based organisations, and locally registered nonprofits.

All opportunities listed have been reviewed for legitimacy, relevance to African contexts, and alignment with nonprofit implementation realities.

FundingOpportunitis.com publishes funding information for practitioners — not marketing copy. The purpose of this roundup is to help organisations quickly identify relevant opportunities, understand sector and geographic focus, and take timely action based on accurate information.

Deadlines matter. The grants below are closing soon, and most will not reopen until the next funding cycle.

Discover 19 Grants Closing in February 2026 

Summary of Grants Closing in January 2026

• Van Tienhoven Biodiversity Grants 2026 – Van Tienhoven Foundation | Biodiversity & Conservation
• GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) Tanzania OP8 – UNDP/GEF | Environment & Climate
• TIHMC Bioindustries CallUp Programme 2026 – TIHMC (South Africa) | Bioeconomy & Innovation
• 2026 African Poetry Digital Humanities Grant – APBF / Brown University | Arts & Digital Humanities
• BeVisioneers: The Mercedes-Benz Fellowship 2026 – Mercedes-Benz | Youth & Climate Innovation
• Aidsfonds Paediatric HIV Call (2026–2028) – Aidsfonds | Health & HIV
• 2026 ESTDEV Green & Digital Call (Africa) – ESTDEV | Digital & Green Transition
• Zambia O&M Water Grant – Sector Partner Grant | WASH
• IOM Youth-Led Climate Mobility Grant – IOM | Climate & Migration
• IKI Small Grants 2026 – GIZ / German Government | Climate & Biodiversity
• Eye Health Innovation Accelerator – Villgro Africa / Fred Hollows Foundation | Health Innovation
• International Albert Schweitzer Prize 2026 – NASF | Community Health

Featured Grant Opportunities Closing in January 2026

Van Tienhoven Biodiversity Grants 2026 – Deadline: January 2026

The Van Tienhoven Biodiversity Grants support small-scale, field-based conservation initiatives focused on the protection of threatened species and ecosystems. The programme is designed for organisations delivering direct conservation outcomes rather than policy advocacy, academic research, or large institutional programmes.

African NGOs and community-based organisations working in biodiversity hotspots, protected areas, or fragile ecosystems are strongly represented among past grantees. Supported projects typically focus on habitat restoration, species protection, and community-led conservation approaches with clear ecological impact.

Grants are intentionally modest in size, reflecting the foundation’s emphasis on practicality, local engagement, and cost-effective conservation. Funding is generally suited to pilot initiatives, targeted interventions, or the continuation of proven conservation activities rather than organisational expansion.

This grant opportunity is best suited to organisations with hands-on conservation experience, strong local partnerships, and the ability to demonstrate measurable biodiversity outcomes within a defined project period.

GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) Tanzania OP8 – Deadline: 22 January 2026 (14:00 EAT)

The Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (SGP) Tanzania OP8 is implemented nationally by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and forms part of GEF’s eighth operational phase. It remains one of the most accessible funding mechanisms for grassroots and national civil society organisations working on environmental sustainability in Tanzania.

The grant programme supports community-driven projects that generate global environmental benefits while strengthening local livelihoods. Priority thematic areas under OP8 include biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture and fisheries, climate change mitigation and adaptation, low-carbon energy access, and the sound management of chemicals and waste.

Grants of up to USD 50,000 are available per project. The application process begins with a concept note stage, and a minimum co-financing contribution is required. Administrative costs are capped, reinforcing the programme’s focus on direct community impact rather than overhead growth.

This opportunity is particularly well suited to Tanzanian NGOs and community-based organisations with strong local roots and demonstrated environmental programming experience.

TIHMC Bioindustries CallUp Programme 2026 – Deadline: 23 January 2026 (16:00 SAST)

The TIHMC Bioindustries CallUp Programme is a South Africa–based funding initiative supporting early-stage bioeconomy and bioindustry innovations. Managed by The Innovation Hub Management Company (TIHMC), the programme aims to move promising bio-based technologies from proof of concept towards commercial and societal application.

Funding of up to ZAR 300,000 is available for eligible South African registered entities, including qualifying non-profit organisations, SMMEs, and start-ups operating at Technology Readiness Level 3 or above. Priority areas include bioconversion, industrial biocatalysis, bioremediation, microbial bioprospecting, and biorefinery development.

Projects are funded over a 12-month period and are expected to articulate a longer-term development or scale-up pathway. The programme actively encourages applications led by women, youth, and persons with disabilities.

While innovation-focused, this grant opportunity is relevant to NGOs and social enterprises working at the intersection of science, sustainability, and socio-economic development.

2026 African Poetry Digital Humanities Grant – Deadline: 23 January 2026

The African Poetry Digital Humanities Grant supports digitally driven research and creative projects that place African poetry at the centre of scholarly and public engagement. The grant is issued by the African Poetry Book Fund in partnership with Brown University, with support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

The programme provides USD 10,000 in funding for projects running from April 2026 to April 2027. It is open to researchers, scholars, archivists, and creative practitioners based in African countries who are using digital tools to preserve, analyse, or disseminate African poetic traditions.

Eligible projects may include digital archives, annotated collections, mapping initiatives, or analytical platforms that expand access to African poetry across languages and regions. Applicants are expected to demonstrate both subject expertise and a clear digital methodology.

Although smaller in scale than development grants, this grant opportunity holds significant academic and cultural value within the humanities sector.

BeVisioneers: The Mercedes-Benz Fellowship 2026 – Deadline: 26 January 2026

BeVisioneers: The Mercedes-Benz Fellowship is a fully funded global fellowship programme supporting young people who are developing solutions to environmental and climate-related challenges. While the fellowship is awarded to individuals rather than organisations, it is highly relevant to African NGOs that work closely with youth innovators, climate hubs, and early-stage social enterprises.

The 2026 fellowship is open to applicants aged 16 to 28 from selected African countries, including Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. The programme runs for 12 months and combines online learning, mentorship, and peer collaboration, with an expected commitment of approximately 24 hours per month.

Fellows receive a needs-based monthly stipend, coverage of programme-related costs, and access to layered mentorship support. Upon completion of the fellowship year, participants may apply for additional project funding of up to EUR 20,000 to further develop or scale their initiatives.

NGOs may benefit indirectly by encouraging eligible staff members, volunteers, or partners to apply, strengthening internal innovation capacity and expanding networks in the climate and sustainability space.

Aidsfonds Paediatric HIV Call (2026–2028) – Deadline: 30 January 2026

The Aidsfonds Paediatric HIV Call supports locally led initiatives addressing persistent gaps in paediatric HIV prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Despite progress in preventing mother-to-child transmission, many children across sub-Saharan Africa remain undiagnosed or disengaged from care during early childhood and adolescence.

This multi-year funding opportunity is open to locally registered NGOs and community-based organisations in Nigeria, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, and Tanzania. Eligible applicants must demonstrate at least four to five years of experience implementing paediatric HIV programmes and are encouraged to apply through CBO-led consortia.

Priority focus areas include improved case identification, index testing, point-of-care early infant diagnosis, and differentiated service delivery models tailored to children and adolescents. Funded projects are expected to contribute to national HIV strategies and generate practical learning for scale-up.

Applications are submitted through the Good Grants online platform. Due to the technical depth of the call, this grant opportunity is best suited to organisations with established clinical or community HIV service delivery experience.

2026 ESTDEV Green & Digital Call (Africa) – Deadline: 30 January 2026

The Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV) Green and Digital Call supports projects that integrate digital solutions with green, inclusive, or governance-focused development outcomes. The Africa-focused 2026 call reflects Estonia’s development cooperation model, which emphasises efficient, open-source, and digitally enabled public services.

Grant sizes typically range from EUR 50,000 to EUR 150,000, with a co-financing requirement of approximately five percent. Priority themes include digital public services, education and skills development, climate-smart governance, and data-driven decision-making, with country eligibility defined in the official call documentation.

A distinguishing feature of ESTDEV funding is the emphasis on demonstrable Estonian added value, including knowledge transfer, institutional strengthening, and sustainable system design. An optional scholarship component of up to EUR 50,000 may be available where relevant.

Applications are submitted through the APIS online portal, and indirect costs are capped at seven percent. This grant opportunity is well suited to NGOs with strong technical capacity and public-sector partnerships.

Zambia O&M Water Grant – Deadline: January 2026

The Zambia Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Water Grant is designed to improve the long-term functionality and reliability of existing water supply systems across Zambia. Rather than financing new infrastructure, the grant focuses on strengthening operational, financial, and institutional systems that keep water services running.

The grant opportunity is relevant to NGOs and nonprofit organisations working in rural and peri-urban water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) contexts, particularly those supporting community water management committees or local authorities.

Key focus areas include improving maintenance systems, strengthening accountability mechanisms, and enhancing technical capacity at community level. Funding of up to USD 500,000 is available, reflecting the scale of operational challenges the grant seeks to address.

Given the funding level, applicants are generally expected to demonstrate experience managing complex WASH programmes and engaging with multiple stakeholders.

IOM Youth-Led Climate Mobility Grant – Deadline: January 2026

The IOM Youth-Led Climate Mobility Grant supports youth-driven initiatives responding to the impacts of climate change on migration, displacement, and immobility. Managed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the grant recognises the growing leadership role of young people in addressing climate-related mobility challenges.

This opportunity is open to youth-led organisations and NGOs that place young people in decision-making roles. Supported projects are expected to address local climate mobility challenges through community-based, participatory approaches.

Priority themes include climate-related displacement risks, resilience in environmentally stressed communities, and youth participation in migration governance. Grants of up to USD 15,000 are available, making this grant opportunity suitable for smaller organisations or pilot initiatives.

IKI Small Grants 2026 – Deadline: January 2026

The IKI Small Grants programme is funded by the German Federal Government and implemented by GIZ. It provides direct financial support to local and grassroots organisations working on climate change mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity conservation.

The programme is notable for its accessibility to local NGOs, particularly those already implementing practical climate or biodiversity solutions at community or sub-national level. Grant funding ranges from EUR 60,000 to EUR 200,000 per project.

Supported themes include climate adaptation, emissions reduction, biodiversity protection, and sustainable natural resource management. Projects are expected to demonstrate clear environmental outcomes and alignment with international climate and biodiversity commitments.

Eye Health Innovation Accelerator – Deadline: January 2026

The Eye Health Innovation Accelerator is delivered through a partnership between Villgro Africa and The Fred Hollows Foundation. It supports organisations developing innovative approaches to improving access to quality eye care services, particularly for underserved populations.

The accelerator combines grant funding with mentorship, technical assistance, and ecosystem support. It targets organisations and social enterprises with tested concepts seeking to refine, validate, or scale their solutions.

Priority areas include community-based eye care delivery, diagnostic and screening innovations, and technology-enabled service models. This grant opportunity is best suited to organisations with an existing prototype or operational model.

International Albert Schweitzer Prize 2026 – Deadline: 6 February 2026

The International Albert Schweitzer Prize recognises outstanding, locally led health initiatives delivering tangible impact in underserved communities across sub-Saharan Africa. Administered by the Nederlands Albert Schweitzer Fonds (NASF), the prize supports small and medium-scale organisations working on frontline health service delivery.

Awards of EUR 25,000, EUR 15,000, and EUR 10,000 are granted across three tiers. Eligibility is restricted to locally registered African NGOs, community-based organisations, and clinics. International NGOs and fiscal sponsors are not eligible.

Applications must be submitted exclusively through the VC4A online platform.

Who Should Apply for These Grants

The funding opportunities closing in January 2026 are relevant to a wide range of African NGOs, community-based organisations, social enterprises, and research-oriented nonprofits. While eligibility varies, most opportunities prioritise organisations with strong local presence, practical implementation experience, and alignment with sector-specific priorities.

How to Prepare Before Applying

Before applying, organisations should ensure that registration documents, governance structures, and financial records are current. Reviewing eligibility criteria and submission requirements carefully is essential, as many of these grants operate on strict deadlines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are all grants open across Africa?
No. Each opportunity has specific geographic eligibility requirements.

Do all grants require co-financing?
Some programmes require co-financing, while others do not.

Can small organisations apply?
Yes. Several grants are designed specifically for grassroots or youth-led organisations.

Are individuals eligible?
Most grants target organisations, although fellowships such as BeVisioneers are individual-based.

Where should applications be submitted?
Always use the official funder websites or application portals listed in each opportunity.

Closing Note

January 2026 presents a particularly dense funding window for African NGOs. Monitoring deadlines and acting early can make a significant difference in securing support. FundingOpportunitis.com publishes verified, regularly updated grant roundups to help organisations stay informed and prepared.

Bookmark this page and check back monthly for new funding opportunities relevant to African NGOs.