Best Sustainability Grants in Africa

The Gerda Henkel Foundation's Patrimonies funding initiative supports projects aimed at preserving historical cultural heritage, particularly in crisis regions. It encourages collaborative development with the Foundation, focusing on scientific research in history, archaeology, and art history. With a flexible approach, the initiative responds quickly to urgent needs while fostering long-term academic networks. The Foundation also promotes educational opportunities for young scholars and emphasizes the importance of local involvement and sustainable practices in funded projects.

IDEA WILD offers small equipment grants to empower conservation professionals worldwide, enhancing their ability to conduct essential biological research and conservation education. With over $300,000 in equipment distributed annually, the program prioritizes projects that demonstrate strong conservation impacts. It focuses on supporting professionals in developing countries, where a grant can significantly impact conservation efforts. Since 1991, IDEA WILD has supported over 4,500 projects in 100 countries, fostering biodiversity and sustainability through innovative management practices.

The Pulitzer Center is inviting applications for the Ocean and Fisheries Reporting Grant, aimed at supporting journalists in addressing critical ocean health and fisheries issues. This initiative encourages innovative reporting on topics such as illegal fishing, climate change impacts, and biodiversity loss. By fostering a global network of journalists, the grant aims to highlight underreported stories, promote sustainable practices, and empower coastal communities. Ideal for both seasoned and emerging journalists, this grant seeks to enhance public awareness through impactful journalism.

The Peter J. King Family Foundation Grant supports organizations dedicated to enhancing children's health, education, and welfare, particularly in economically disadvantaged areas. Priority is given to initiatives in the Saint Paul, Minnesota area, followed by the Twin Cities metro region and Africa. Grants are evaluated based on long-term sustainability and the number of beneficiaries, with a clear emphasis on impactful contributions rather than program funding gifts.

The Sachs Family Foundation Grant aims to enhance the quality of life for economically and educationally disadvantaged individuals and families. The Foundation supports self-sustaining charitable organizations focusing on economic and educational opportunities, particularly in low-income communities in the U.S. and developing countries. Grants are available for various initiatives, including education, housing, and job training, with a keen interest in programs that demonstrate clear potential for sustainability.

Save the Rhino International (SRI) Grant aims to protect critically endangered rhinos through strategic funding and collaboration. With a focus on key populations like black, Sumatran, and Javan rhinos, SRI emphasizes law enforcement, biological management, and stopping illegal markets. They support field programs that meet specific eligibility criteria and prioritize sustainable financing mechanisms. SRI's efforts aim for the long-term recovery of these species, ensuring their survival and promoting international awareness and support for rhino conservation.

The Tingari-Silverton Foundation Grant supports transformational initiatives that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Targeted towards Australia-based NGOs and select international organizations, the foundation seeks projects that yield significant social impact. Organizations must demonstrate innovative approaches and measurable outcomes. Notably, grants are not available for individuals or for-profit entities. This opportunity is ideal for those ready to revolutionize their communities through impactful solutions.

The Pulitzer Center's Work/Environment Reporting Grants are now open for applications, focusing on the impact of climate change on workers and employment sectors. This initiative seeks compelling stories that highlight the challenges faced by vulnerable workers as temperatures rise, alongside innovative solutions being explored by companies. We encourage diverse voices and collaborative proposals that reflect the complexity of climate-related labor issues, aiming to inform the public and drive meaningful dialogue.

The World Land Trust Grant focuses on supporting projects that protect biodiversity and ecosystems, primarily in the Global South. The grant prioritizes sustainable conservation activities such as land acquisition and habitat restoration. While aimed at NGOs, it may also support other organizations that can effectively contribute to conservation. Current priorities include projects in Asia, West Africa, and North Africa, with an emphasis on exceptional conservation value.

What is a One Young World Scholarship?

One Young World scholarships open doors for extraordinary young changemakers to join the One Young World Summit and global Community, fully funded. These fully funded leadership scholarships cover travel, accommodation, and meals so your ability to make an impact is never limited by financial constraints.

From worldwide initiatives to regional programmes, we offer scholarships for young changemakers and scholarships for social impact leaders working on today’s most urgent challenges.

We partner with civil society organisations, governments, businesses, universities, and philanthropies to make these fully funded leadership scholarships possible — ensuring the brightest minds have the platform they deserve.

Our Scholars

Our scholars demonstrate proven leadership ability, creating change in their communities. Many of our scholars are changing the world at the grassroots level, some are top-performing industry professionals, while others are paving the way politically in their countries.

The Pankaj Award to End Conflict

Recognising and funding young leaders who are creating unity in a world of deepening conflict and division.

This Award has been launched to recognise the young leaders who are tackling conflict at its roots and creating unity within and between communities torn apart by divisions.

Regent Global and One Young World will identify ten young leaders as finalists for the award, based on their demonstrated impact:

• Providing solutions to end or prevent conflict at a local, national, or regional level
• Increasing awareness and understanding between communities through dialogue and education
• Preventing the outbreak and escalation of violence within and between communities
• Empowering and protecting the rights of marginalised and oppressed groups
• Implementing sustainable peacebuilding measures to prevent the re-emergence of conflict

From the ten finalists, an independent expert judging panel will select the inaugural winner of The Pankaj Award to End Conflict. 

Benefits

• All finallists will receive:
• Funding from $10,000 - $100,000 to invest in their work to end conflict
• A fully-funded place to attend the One Young World Summit Cape Town, South Africa from 3 - 6 November 2026.
  • Travel to and from Cape Town (flights in economy).
  • Hotel accommodation in Cape Town in a private room between 2 - 7 November 2026 (inclusive).
  • All meals covered (includes breakfast, lunch and dinner on conference days).
• Lifelong membership of the One Young World Ambassador Community, a global network with 20,000+ members in 190+ countries. 

The KFAS: Al-Sumait Prize for Health recognizes groundbreaking contributions to food security, health, and education in Africa. This prestigious award, established in honor of Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Sumait, seeks nominations for individuals or institutions that have made significant advancements in various fields, including sustainable agriculture and innovative health solutions. The prize aims to celebrate impactful research and initiatives that contribute to the continent's socio-economic development, with nominations open for the 2025 cycle.

The U.S. Embassy in Ouagadougou invites innovative proposals to enhance U.S.-Burkina Faso relations through economic growth and security cooperation. This program aims to support joint projects in law enforcement, infrastructure protection, and regional stability, while promoting American values and excellence. Targeting diverse stakeholders, including youth and local organizations, it encourages initiatives that yield measurable benefits for both nations. Applicants must be registered and demonstrate a successful track record in relevant fields, ensuring sustainability post-funding.

Pernod Ricard Scholarship

For young leaders tackling the harmful impacts of excessive alcohol consumption and promoting safe, balanced and positive social occasions.

Social gatherings and moments of celebration are vital for promoting safe and responsible spaces where people can build and sustain healthy social interactions. Pernod Ricard is dedicated to elevating these occasions into authentic experiences of conviviality and sharing, ensuring they are enjoyed responsibly and inclusively, with or without alcohol.

However, parties and gatherings are not without risk. Moments of togetherness may fail to include those experiencing isolation, anti-social behaviour can be a threat to personal safety, and, when alcohol is involved, excessive consumption can cause harm to individuals and their communities. Worldwide, 3 million deaths every year result from harmful use of alcohol. This represents 5.3% of all deaths (1). Recent statistics indicate that feelings of isolation are on the rise globally, with some reports suggesting that up 1 in 4 young adults experience social isolation (2).

To truly generate the social and health benefits of togetherness, we must work together to create more inclusive, safer and more balanced moments of social connection. On the frontline in the fight against isolation and the harmful use of alcohol, the industry and the hospitality sector plays a pivotal role in realising inclusive environments that promote balance and personal well-being.

Pernod Ricard’s flagship responsible drinking initiative, DRINK MORE WATER, aims to do just this - empower individuals to foster balance in their habits to enhance social moments. In a world that is becoming more polarized, the notion of balance and moderation can be questioned. Through strong programmes and innovative initiatives, Pernod Ricard continues its mission to promote balanced drinking in society; to encourage mindful drinking behaviours, to engage with the hospitality and bartending community and make them champions of moderation and to ensure that all social moments and interactions are inclusive - that everyone has a place at the table.

This ambition can only be achieved if we engage meaningfully with individuals through programmes and partnerships, equipping young adults with the tools and knowledge to foster a culture of balance, responsibility and sustainability. This is why we’re teaming up with One Young World, the global community for young leaders, to launch the One Young World | Pernod Ricard Scholarship.

The scholarship will identify and connect an interdisciplinary team of 10 committed young leaders who are working to build positive social spaces and tackle harmful drinking and its wider impacts in their countries and communities. Scholars will receive full funding to participate in the One Young World Summit 2026 which takes place in Cape Town, South Africa from 3 - 6 November.

Scholars will participate in the Summit as members of Pernod Ricard’s delegation, have opportunities to help shape our interventions at the event and receive expert mentorship to accelerate their initiatives. In addition, scholars will participate in post Summit collective thinking sessions to reflect on the future of socialising.

What's included in the scholarship?

• Participation in the One Young World Summit 2026 in Cape Town as a Pernod Ricard delegate.
• Hotel accommodation in Cape Town between 2 - 6 November (inclusive) 2026.
• The cost of travel to and from Cape Town (flights in economy)
• Catering which includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• Transport between the Summit accommodation and the Summit venue.
• Access to Pernod Ricard professionals in their field on the basis of needs & consultancy.
• Collaborate with other scholars to influence Pernod Ricard’s thinking on socialising and efforts to reduce excessive alcohol consumption. Make your voice heard through the collective sessions with guest speakers.

The EEP Africa Call for Proposals invites innovative early-stage clean energy projects in Southern and Eastern Africa. The Energy and Environment Partnership Trust Fund, supported by Nordic Development Fund and various countries, offers financial assistance to enhance clean energy access and development. Eligible applicants must demonstrate innovation, active project development, and local commitment. Grants range from EUR 200,000 to 1,000,000, requiring co-financing of 30-50% of the total project budget. This initiative aims to support sustainable development and job creation.

The Henry Arnhold Fellowships, offered by the Mulago Foundation, seek innovative leaders with impactful conservation and climate solutions. This one-year fellowship provides $100,000 in funding, workshops, and a community of experts to help fellows scale their initiatives. The program emphasizes designing high-impact strategies and building sustainable organizations, aiming to create significant environmental change. Applications are open until August 7, 2025, encouraging recommendations for promising candidates.

The Interledger-NextGen Higher Education Grant aims to nurture a talent pipeline for inclusive digital financial systems by collaborating with educational institutions. This initiative focuses on developing open payment technologies and enhancing digital financial literacy among students. With funding up to USD 50,000 for projects lasting 12 months, the grant supports educators in creating innovative programs that prepare students for careers in open-source and fintech. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, making it accessible to universities worldwide.

The Solidarity Fund Grant, part of the Black Feminist Fund, aims to empower Black feminist movements by providing essential resources. Acknowledging the historical underfunding of these movements, the fund supports groups led by Black women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals. It focuses on solidarity efforts that foster collaboration and joint campaigns, enabling activists to drive social change. This initiative is crucial for advancing justice, self-determination, and equity within communities, ensuring that Black feminist visions are amplified and sustained.

The New England BioLabs Foundation Grant focuses on supporting nonprofit organizations that enhance biocultural diversity and ecosystem services in regions such as Central America and West Africa. Projects should aim to conserve biological diversity, sustain traditional knowledge, and promote local economic vitality. The foundation prioritizes community-led initiatives, especially in coastal communities along Massachusetts' North Shore. Those interested must first submit a letter of inquiry, adhering to specific guidelines before proceeding with full proposals.

The Ørskov Foundation is offering the Dr Neville Suttle scholarships for graduate students from low-income countries, focusing on sustainable land use and poverty alleviation. Applications for 2025 are now open, with a deadline of December 31, 2025. Grants of up to £2,500 will support online or in-person training costs. Eligible students must demonstrate university support and commitment to relevant training. This initiative aims to promote education and sustainable practices in developing regions.

The Bezos Scholars Program, supported by the Bezos Family Foundation, is a transformative, no-cost leadership development initiative designed for high school juniors. Each year, selected scholars from the U.S. and Africa engage in a year-long program, developing leadership skills through civic engagement and community projects. Participants receive personalized college advising, funding for their projects, and an all-expenses-paid trip to the Aspen Ideas Festival, fostering a diverse community of changemakers committed to making a difference.

The Tessler – Sabbagh Graduate Student Prize Award, administered by the American Institute for Maghrib Studies (AIMS), invites graduate student members to submit papers addressing the Maghrib. Eligible papers must be presented at professional meetings in 2024 and submitted for publication to the Journal of North African Studies. This award honors Professor Mark Tessler and Professor Georges Sabbagh for their significant contributions to AIMS. Winners will be announced at the annual MESA meeting.

The Small Cat Action Fund, managed by Panthera, aims to support in situ conservation and research for various small cat species. It provides crucial funding for projects focusing on the ecological needs of these felids, excluding the larger cat genera. Eligible species include the Caracal, Ocelot, and Lynx, among others. The fund particularly emphasizes field conservation efforts and local personnel support, fostering biodiversity and sustainable habitats for these important species.

Young Health Programme

The Young Health Programme (YHP) is a global disease prevention initiative, aiming to provide education for young people to feel empowered to make informed choices about their health and catalyse a global, youth-led advocacy movement.

The programme operates in over 40 countries and partners with more than 60 non-profit organisations, including UNICEF and Plan International. The YHP combines community programmes, research, advocacy, and the development of young leaders, with a focus on underserved communities.

Since its launch in 2010, the YHP has directly reached over 23 million young people, trained over 1 million, and engaged more than 23,000 AstraZeneca employees, who have volunteered their time with more than 140,000 hours.

The YHP aims to prevent the most common non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer, diabetes, heart disease and respiratory disease, by addressing five main risk factors: tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol, and air pollution. Additionally, the programme tackles climate-health impacts to build healthier communities, recognising, as projected in the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, that children born after 2010 will be the first generation to enter adulthood in a world where the average temperature will reach 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, and are expected to experience a +2°C rise within their lifetime.1

AstraZeneca Young Health Programme Impact Fellowship 2026

AstraZeneca is looking for passionate, driven young leaders to join their 2026 Young Health Programme (YHP) Impact Fellowship. The Fellowship supports young advocates to create actionable change to: 

• Advance health equity – with a focus on acting early to prevent non-communicable diseases among young people, or supporting young people living with rare diseases.
• Take action on climate and nature – advocating for the mitigation of the harmful effects of climate change on the health and well-being of young people.
• Build health systems resilience – contributing to stronger health systems that prioritise earlier intervention to meet today’s needs and mitigate tomorrow’s disease burden.

Benefits

The selected Fellows will gain access to networks, funding and development opportunities, enabling them to drive a global health movement led by and for young people:

A fully-funded scholarship to attend the 2026 One Young World Summit in Cape Town, South Africa (3–6 November 2026) as well as access to the One Young World Ambassador Network and the Young Health Programme (YHP) Alumni group of other young changemakers working to improve youth health.

Structured learning and development offerings to enable them to scale their impact, including both self-directed and live learning. This includes access to the One Young World Academy, an award-winning mini-MBA programme, mentorship from AstraZeneca colleagues and professional training.

Each selected Fellow will receive a grant of either USD $10,000 or USD $50,000 (if selected as the Lead2030 winner** for Sustainable Development Goal 3, for which applicants will be automatically considered) from AstraZeneca, through their non-profit organisation. Fellows are expected to use the grant to implement a project focused on either (1) advancing health equity (2) taking action on climate and nature (3) building health systems resilience.

The International Foundation Grant is aimed at U.S.-based non-profit organizations working in developing countries to enhance health, education, and income levels for impoverished communities. While currently not accepting new applications, the foundation reviews proposals from previously invited organizations. The focus lies on holistic, community-driven projects in sectors such as agriculture, education, environment, and health. Partnerships with local entities are encouraged to ensure sustainable and impactful outcomes.

About Us

The Pulitzer Center has a bold vision: to be the venue for the world’s most innovative and consequential reporting, with journalism as the key element for mobilizing society through audience engagement strategies.

Founded in 2006 by Jon Sawyer, the Center is an essential source of support for enterprise reporting in the United States and across the globe. The thousands of journalists and educators who are part of our networks span more than 80 countries. Our work reaches tens of millions of people each year through our news-media partners and an audience-centered strategy of global and regional engagement.

We believe that people and communities who actively engage with systemic challenges will find solutions together. By supporting journalists as they conduct in-depth investigations, produce compelling stories, and engage diverse audiences, we create a ripple effect of world-changing impact. The result? Policy reforms, public awareness, and community empowerment.

Africa Climate and Environment (ACE) Micro Grants

The second cohort of the Africa Climate and Environment (ACE) Micro Grants is receiving applications for outreach projects focused on Transparency and Governance in forest and ocean. Proposals should clearly and creatively integrate one or more Pulitzer Center-supported stories while targeting young professionals or communities. We are seeking proposals that create engagement on issues such as natural resource management, harmful corporate practices, corruption, and their impacts on biodiversity, Indigenous peoples, human rights, and climate. The initiative aims to strengthen public understanding and advocacy through storytelling, emphasizing accountability and sustainable environmental governance.

The Audi Environmental Foundation Scholarship, in collaboration with One Young World, empowers seven exceptional young leaders to attend the One Young World Summit 2025 in Munich. This scholarship targets individuals aged 18-30 who are addressing climate issues through innovative solutions, education, and advocacy for climate justice. Scholars will gain access to the summit, accommodation, travel support, and catering, fostering their impact in environmental protection and sustainable practices.

About the ICMM Young Leaders Scholarship

The International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) is a collaborative group of leading mining and metals companies whose purpose is to strengthen the mining industry's contribution to sustainable development and catalyse strong environmental and social performance across the sector.

The transition to a net-zero economy will be metal-intensive and it is vital that these critical materials are produced in a way that respects human rights, protects nature and isn’t carbon intensive. If managed responsibly, mining can be transformational – enabling social progress and sustainable development across local economies. Taxes, jobs, skills, infrastructure, and community services are just some of the ways that host countries have experienced the benefits of mining. We are committed to maximising these, while minimising any potential for harm to people or planet.

ICMM does not shy away from uncomfortable truths – the industry has caused harm to people and the planet. Our drive is to minimise this harm by providing the platform for leading companies to come together to solve some of the most urgent challenges the industry faces.

One Young World is the global community of 20,000 young leaders based in 190+ countries. Our purpose is to identify, connect, and elevate the next generation of global leaders from all sectors. One Young World believes in funding young leaders, and has to date, invested $3 million in direct grants in the work of its community.

Selected young leaders will receive:

• Full funding to participate in the One Young World Summit 2026 which takes place in Cape Town, South Africa from 3 - 6 November.
• Exclusive dialogue with ICMM CEO on the sidelines of the One Young World Summit.
• Lifelong membership of the One Young World Ambassador Community.
• Access to the One Young World Action Accelerator and expert-led mentor sessions to help turn their inspiration into action.
• Access to the One Young World Global Kickstart programme designed to provide delegates with enhanced leadership skills and principles alongside expertise around the Summit's main themes.