Individual Organisation Grants / Collective Action Grants

Individual Organisation Grants / Collective Action Grants is sponsored by Commonwealth Foundation. The Commonwealth Foundation's grants program supports civil society across the Commonwealth, including grassroots communities and creative actors, to advance meaningful social, cultural, and political change.

Open grants call - Commonwealth Foundation On this page you'll find everything you need to apply to our annual open grants call. Remember to check eligibility information carefully before applying. The Foundation’s grants programme supports civil society across the Commonwealth—including grassroots communities and creative actors—to advance meaningful social, cultural and political change.

We support projects that seek change through constructive engagement with governments and other decision-makers and/or through creative advocacy: the intentional use of creative practices to influence public discourse, policy, behaviours or decision-making.

This year, the Foundation is expanding its funding offer to create new opportunities for civil society networks, coalitions, alliances and collectives, building on several years of support for grassroots communities and creative organisations. Applications must address one or more of our three funding priorities.

All applicants are required to demonstrate how they intend to integrate considerations of gender and intersectionality into their project design and implementation. Applicants must check our eligibility criteria thoroughly and read all of the guidance documentation on this page before applying. Please note that we receive a large number of applications each year and are therefore unable to provide individual feedback for applicants.

The grants call is now open for applications The deadline for applications is 1pm GMT on 26 October 2026. We offer funding through two complementary grant streams: Individual Organisation Grants For eligible not-for-profit civil society organisations, including creative organisations, delivering standalone projects. Grants are available from £15,000 to £30,000 per year for up to two years .

For eligible networks, coalitions, alliances and platforms of civil society actors, including creative collectives, working together to strengthen participation and collective action. Grants are available from £15,000 to £20,000 per year for up to two years . Please see the guidance documents for full information about both grant streams.

Our frequently asked questions provide further information on the new Collective Action Grants and changes to this year’s call, as well as answers to common questions about Individual Organisation Grants and the application process. Applications must address one or more of our three priority themes: climate and environmental justice , economic inclusion and freedom of expression .

These areas often overlap, and we encourage applicants to explore the connections between them. These themes are set out below, alongside further considerations and exclusions. Our strategy also identifies small states and gender and intersectionality as cross-cutting priorities.

There should be demonstrable consideration of gender and intersectionality in project design and implementation. We strongly encourage applications from eligible organisations in Commonwealth small states. We welcome projects that meaningfully involve young people to strengthen their leadership.

Climate and environmental justice Projects could address the following areas through constructive engagement and/or creative advocacy: Addressing the social, political, and economic root causes and impacts of climate and environmental injustice, particularly on marginalised groups, and communities Promoting the representation and participation of those most affected by the climate crisis and environmental injustice in climate policy and decision-making and ensuring the protection of their rights Developing, reviewing, improving, and monitoring laws, policies and practices promoting climate and environmental justice Promoting policies and programmes that support a just, clean energy transition that protects the rights and livelihoods of affected communities, including those most marginalised Promoting localised and indigenous knowledge, solutions and practices to influence environmental policies and promote sustainability Promoting accountability, access to justice, and effective remedy for environmental and climate-related harms and human rights violations Please note: this is not an exhaustive list but rather a set of examples to demonstrate the range of possible areas of focus under this theme.

Projects could address the following areas through constructive engagement and/or creative advocacy: Promoting initiatives to strengthen regulatory frameworks to reduce socio-economic inequalities, including income inequality, and support equitable access to resources, assets, services, and opportunities Promoting programmes and policies that protect and strengthen labour rights, including against forced labour in all its forms Promoting the participation of women, youth and marginalised groups to ensure their needs are reflected in economic policy and decision-making, including in development planning, budgeting, and public expenditure tracking Promoting policy reforms that advance sustainable livelihoods, entrepreneurship, inclusive economic opportunities, and decent jobs, particularly for young people and marginalised groups Advocating for systemic reforms that prioritise health and wellbeing as an integral component of inclusive economic policies Advocating for policies supporting the growth (and recognition) of creative industries [music, film, performance arts etc] to create sustainable livelihoods (creative economy) Fostering economic inclusion through youth-led initiatives Please note: this is not an exhaustive list but rather a set of examples to demonstrate the range of possible areas of focus under this theme.

Projects could address the following areas through constructive engagement and/or creative advocacy: Advancing a legal and regulatory framework that protects and upholds freedom of expression, association, assembly, and access to information, to challenge laws used to stifle dissent, and promote self-regulatory mechanisms for the media and civil society Promoting access to information, information literacy and transparency in governance, including through a free and independent press, robust freedom of information laws and their practical application Advancing civil society engagement in national, regional and/or international mechanisms and processes to promote freedom of expression (for example, national human rights institutions; Universal Periodic Reviews) Promoting digital rights and inclusion, protecting women and youth from online violence and reducing gender bias in artificial intelligence (AI) Removing barriers to public participation in matters of public interest and advancing open civic dialogue Promoting public information ecosystems that ensure public decision making is based on credible and well documented information (for example, community documentation, monitoring of environmental harms) Please note: this is not an exhaustive list but rather a set of examples to demonstrate the range of possible areas of focus under this theme.

Other important funding considerations Our strategic impact areas overlap and connect in myriad ways. Applicants are encouraged to explore their intersections: for example, a project could focus on using freedom of information legislation to ensure access to reliable information on the state of the environment, climate finance, or to promote government accountability in relation to climate laws and policies.

Gender and intersectionality The Foundation’s commitment to inclusive participation recognises that social structures and systems are shaped by power dynamics that can create and perpetuate inequality, discrimination and exclusion.

Understanding how different and overlapping forms of inequality affect people is essential to supporting inclusive participation and ensuring that marginalised voices are represented in public dialogue and decision-making. Applicants are required to articulate how gender and intersectionality will be integrated throughout the project.

This may include identifying and addressing barriers to participation, ensuring that the project is informed by differing perspectives and experiences, and allocating resources to support inclusive participation. For example, a project promoting economic inclusion could consider how gender and other forms of inequality affect access to employment, social protection, and other essential services.

This understanding could inform which groups participate in the project, the barriers it seeks to address and the policies or practices it aims to influence.

The Foundation is committed to tailoring its approaches to the varying needs and distinct challenges faced by Commonwealth small states, including economic vulnerability, limited resources, institutional capacity and disproportionate exposure to climate change and environmental degradation.

We seek to strengthen the participation of civil society, grassroots communities and creative actors, amplify issues that disproportionately affect small states and support their engagement in public discourse and policy processes at national, regional and international levels. Applications from eligible civil society and creative organisations in Commonwealth small states are strongly encouraged.

Young people remain central to the Foundation’s mission and its vision for the future of the Commonwealth. Many young people face structural inequalities and barriers that limit their opportunities to influence public dialogues and decisions that affect their lives and futures.

The Foundation recognises young people as agents of change whose perspectives, leadership and lived experiences can help shape responses to pressing issues, including inequality, exclusion, climate risk and democratic erosion. We seek to support meaningful youth participation that goes beyond representation or consultation and enables young people to contribute to public discourse, policy processes and decision-making.

Applications from youth-led organisations are encouraged, as are projects that strengthen young people’s agency and leadership. The Foundation will not fund : Exchanges between developed countries. Activities that are solely targeted at building the capacity of government officials and/or the private sector.

If the project requires activities such as training of government officials, funding for such components should be separately sourced. Projects that focus on service delivery (for example, the distribution of medicines, construction of facilities, and installation of water pumps). Creative projects that do not aim for social or political change.

Activities that promote hatred, discrimination or violence; or those that may endanger participants or communities. Electioneering or partisan political communications. Activities that primarily generate private profit or that do not demonstrate a clear public interest or advocacy outcome.

The Foundation will only fund the following activities where they meet the relevant conditions : Attendance at, or hosting of, training courses, workshops, conferences or events, where they are: part of a larger project funded by the grant (Individual Organisation Grant); or closely aligned to or support the project’s advocacy objectives (Collective Action Grant).

Academic study or research, where it is: part of a larger project funded by the grant (Individual Organisation Grant); or an integral part of the project’s advocacy strategy (Collective Action Grant). Publication of books or films, where they: are part of a larger project funded by the grant (Individual Organisation Grant).

This provision does not apply to a creative element of a grant; or form part of a creative advocacy initiative undertaken by a creative organisation (Collective Action Grant). Before you apply, please check that you are eligible. Only applications that meet all eligibility criteria will be considered.

Individual Organisation Grants Open to not-for-profit civil society organisations and creative organisations registered in eligible Commonwealth Foundation member countries. 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.

This may include constructive engagement between civil society and decision-makers, or using arts and creative expression to influence narratives, policy or public discourse. Applicants should also have significant experience of working in the communities where their proposed project will be delivered. 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. The applicant organisation’s average annual income over the past two years must be less than £2.

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

Open to not-for-profit networks, such as coalitions, alliances or platforms of civil society organisations (CSOs), community-based organisations (CBOs), groups, creative actors or creative collectives in eligible Commonwealth Foundation member countries. If the network or collective is not a registered organisation, a registered civil society organisation that is a member of the collective must act as lead applicant on its behalf.

Networks or collectives must have a minimum of three years’ demonstrable experience relevant to the proposed project and our strategic impact areas. They must also have a minimum of three years’ demonstrable experience relevant to the proposed project and strategic impact area.

This may include experience in participatory governance, advocacy, civic participation, community engagement, or using arts and creative expression to influence narratives, policy or public discourse. Applicants should also have significant experience of working in the communities where their proposed project will be delivered.

The proposed project must, at minimum, be implemented in the network’s or lead applicant’s country of registration. Projects may also be implemented in other eligible countries. Multi-country projects must demonstrate strong local participation in each country of implementation.

The collective or lead applicant organisation’s average annual income over the past two years must be less than £2. 5 million. The requested grant must not exceed 70% of the collective’s or lead applicant organisation’s average annual income over the past two years.

Networks, collectives or lead applicant 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. Requirements for all projects 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.

Proposals must also demonstrate how gender and intersectionality have informed their design and will be integrated throughout implementation. We welcome applications that propose the use of creative advocacy to advance change.

Creative organisations applying for an Individual Organisation Grant, and creative organisations or creative collectives applying for a Collective Action Grant, should submit a small selection of previous or current work demonstrating their creative practice and relevance to the project. Projects are expected to begin between 1 August 2027 and 30 September 2027.

To check your eligibility, please refer to the eligible countries map and complete the eligibility quiz .

Canada* (ineligible to apply as a lead applicant) United Kingdom* (ineligible to apply as a lead applicant) Australia* (ineligible to apply as a lead applicant) New Zealand* (ineligible to apply as a lead applicant) *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. Take our eligibility quiz Which of the following best describes the applicant?

A not-for-profit civil society or creative organisation A not-for-profit network, coalition, alliance, platform or creative collective A government or public-sector body A for-profit business or private-sector body An individual, including an artist, creative practitioner or advocate Has your organisation been registered and operating on a not-for-profit basis for at least three years?

Is the country where your organisation is registered listed on our map of eligible countries? Will the project be implemented, at minimum, in the registered applicant’s country of registration? If it will also be implemented in other countries, are those countries eligible and will there be strong local participation in each?

Is your organisation currently implementing a Commonwealth Foundation grant, or has it recently completed one but not yet received the final payment? Does your project seek to advance at least one of the Foundation’s strategic impact areas through constructive engagement with governments or other decision-makers and/or creative advocacy? Do both of the following apply to your organisation?

It has at least three years’ demonstrable experience relevant to the proposed project and strategic impact area. It has significant experience working with the communities where the project will be delivered. Are you requesting between £15,000 and £30,000 per year, for a maximum of two years?

Is your organisation’s average annual income over the past two years less than £2. 5 million? Is the proposed project expected to begin between 1 August and 30 September 2027?

Is the applicant, lead applicant, network/collective, or any proposed partner included or intending to be included in another application under this open call? Who will be the registered applicant for this proposal?

The network or collective itself, which is registered and operates on a not-for-profit basis A registered not-for-profit civil society organisation that is a member of the network or collective and will act as lead applicant Has the registered applicant been registered and operating for at least three years, and is its country of registration listed on our map of eligible countries?

Will the project be implemented, at minimum, in the registered applicant’s country of registration? If it will also be implemented in other countries, are those countries eligible and will there be strong local participation in each? Is the network, collective or lead applicant currently implementing a Commonwealth Foundation grant, or has it recently completed one but not yet received the final payment?

Does your project seek to advance at least one of the Foundation’s strategic impact areas through constructive engagement with governments or other decision-makers and/or creative advocacy? Do both of the following apply to your network or collective? It has at least three years’ demonstrable experience relevant to the proposed project and strategic impact area.

It has significant experience working with the communities where the project will be delivered. Are you requesting between £15,000 and £20,000 per year, for a maximum of two years? Is the registered collective’s or lead applicant organisation’s average annual income over the past two years less than £2.

5 million? Is the proposed project expected to begin between 1 August and 30 September 2027? Is the applicant, lead applicant, network/collective, or any proposed partner included or intending to be included in another application under this open call?

You may be eligible to apply Based on your answers, you appear to meet the basic eligibility requirements for this grants call. Before applying, please read the full eligibility criteria and relevant guidelines for applicants carefully to make sure that your organisation and proposed project meet all requirements. If you are satisfied that you meet the criteria, you can proceed to the application portal.

You are not eligible to apply Based on your answers, you do not meet one or more of the eligibility requirements for this grants call. Please review the full eligibility criteria and guidelines for applicants for more information. Applications that do not meet all eligibility requirements cannot be considered for funding.

Before you apply, please ensure you have completed the eligiblity quiz and checked that your country is eligible in the dropdown menu on the eligible countries map. Only applications that meet our eligibility criteria can be considered. Register with SurveyMonkey Apply Survey Monkey Apply are the providers of the online platform we are using for grant applications.

We will only consider completed applications that have been submitted using the online application system. Before applying, you need to set up a SurveyMonkey Apply account. To set up your account, click ‘register’ on the website here .

Complete the online application form The application and supporting documents cannot be emailed to the Foundation. Applications open at 12pm GMT on 23 September 2026 and close at 12pm GMT on 26 October 2026 . Provide the required additional documentation All applicants must submit a completed online application form .

All applications must include the following additional documentation: A logic model (using the template provided here ). A clear copy of the applicant’s or lead applicant’s registration certificate . If it does not state that the entity is not-for-profit, include other evidence such as articles of association.

Shortlisted applicants whose original documents are not in English will be expected to provide a certified translation. A document listing the names, roles, responsibilities and contact details of the applicant’s or lead applicant’s board members or trustees . If there is no board or trustee structure, upload the relevant governance structure, including roles and responsibilities .

Applicants based in India should comply with the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), or have preparations in place to obtain valid FCRA registration to receive charitable funding from outside India. For grants of exactly £15,000 per year, the applicant may choose to submit either the latest audited accounts or the most recent annual accounts.

Annual accounts must include a balance sheet, profit and loss statement and notes, and be signed off by the Board or principal executive officer. The accounts must not be older than December 2024. Grants exceeding £15,000 per year, the applicant must submit the most recent audited accounts, including the accounts and the external auditor’s opinion.

They must be signed by the auditor and the Board or principal executive officer and must not be older than December 2024. Collective Action Grant applicants must also provide the collective’s structure, governance, secretariat organisation where applicable, and a full list of current members.

Creative applicants should submit a small selection of previous or current work that demonstrates your creative practice and its relevance to the project. You are permitted to share a maxiumum of: Five minutes of video or audio Five pages of writing or relevant digital material All organisational and financial documents must relate to the same legal entity named as the lead applicant.

Additional information on accounts is provided below. Note that incomplete applications will not be considered. Check you have successfully submitted your application Filling in the application form does not automatically submit it.

Please make sure that after you fill in the application form you go back to the main application screen and click on the submit button to submit your application. You will receive an email from noreply@mail. smapply.

io , the email address from SurveyMonkey Apply, acknowledging receipt of your application soon after it is submitted.

If you do not receive this acknowledgement email one of three things may have happened: Your application was not successfully submitted The email was sent to a different email that was provided in the form Your email is in your spam inbox Please check out all these options and if you are still experiencing problems contact the grants team at cfgrants@commonwealth.

int Application guidance documents Download the documentation you need to apply for this grants call. We have produced specific guidance for each funding stream. What is constructive engagement?

Guidelines for Applicants (Collective Action Grants) Guidelines for Applicants (Individual Organisation Grants) Application Questions (Collective Action Grants) Application Questions (Individual Organisation Grants) Frequently Asked Questions Changes to our open call grants What has changed this year Can I apply for an Individual Organisation Grant AND a Collective Action Grant?

No. An organisation, network or collective may only be included in one application under this open call, whether as a lead applicant or partner. Can we deliver in partnership? Yes.

Partnerships are welcome where they enhance the scale, depth, reach, or impact of the proposed work. For a Collective Action Grant, partners are defined as those directly involved in delivering the work; you do not need to list every member of the network or collective. Do partners need to be registered?

No. While the applicant or lead applicant must meet the relevant registration requirements and be registered in an eligible Commonwealth Foundation member country, partners may be registered civil society or creative organisations, grassroots or community-based groups, informal groups, social movements, networks, artists, storytellers, creative practitioners or advocates.

An Individual Organisation Grant may be delivered by the applicant organisation alone or in partnership. The lead applicant should explain each partner’s role and contribution. Can I partner with unregistered organisations, actors or collectives?

Yes. However, the grant agreement will be with the registered applicant or lead applicant, which will be responsible for the funding and delivery of the project. I am an artist (creative actor or creative practitioner).

How can I engage? If you are a member of a registered organisation, non-for-profit organisation, you can apply to either type of grant as long as you meet the eligibility criteria. You can also be a partner in a proposal that uses creative advocacy to advance one or more of the Foundation’s strategic impact areas.

What is creative advocacy? Creative advocacy is the intentional use of creative practices to influence public discourse, policy, behaviours or decision-making in pursuit of positive social, cultural or political change. What should creative organisations or collectives submit?

Submit a small selection of previous or current work that demonstrates your creative practice and its relevance to the project. Use one or a combination of the following: up to six images, up to five minutes of video or audio, up to five pages of writing or other relevant material, or links to digital, interactive or web-based work. For each example, provide the title, date, your role and a short description of no more than 75 words.

You do not need to create a new portfolio for this application. Existing documentation is welcome, and production quality will not be assessed. If the work was collaborative, briefly explain your contribution.

You may include a link to a wider portfolio, but assessors will only be expected to review the material submitted within these limits. Frequently asked questions Is my organisation eligible to apply?

To be eligible for a grant under this call, the following criteria must be met: 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.

For a Collective Action Grant, the applicant must be a not-for-profit network, coalition, alliance or platform of civil society organisations, community-based organisations, groups, creative actors or creative collectives, registered in an eligible Commonwealth Foundation member country. The list of eligible countries can be found on this page.

An unregistered network or collective must nominate an eligible registered member organisation to act as lead applicant. Newly registered organisations, networks, coalitions or collectives that have been registered and operating for less than three years are not eligible to apply.

The proposed project must be implemented in the applicant’s or lead applicant’s country of registration but may also include activities in additional eligible Commonwealth Foundation member countries. Projects can a national, sub-national, regional or international remit. For multi-country projects, strong local participation in each country of implementation is required.

The project must seek to advance at least one of the Foundation’s strategic impact areas (freedom of expression, economic inclusion, or climate and environmental justice) through constructive engagement between civil society and governments or other decision-makers and/or, the use of creative practice to influence public discourse or decision-making, policy or behaviours in pursuit of positive social, cultural, or political change (creative advocacy).

The applicant, network or collective must have at least three years’ demonstrable experience relevant to the proposed project and strategic impact area, as well as significant experience in the communities where the project will be delivered. The grant requested must be between £15,000 and £20,000 per year for a Collective Action Gran t, or between £15,000 and £30,000 per year for an Individual Organisation Grant.

Grants may be requested for a maximum of two years. The requested grant amount should not exceed 70% of the applicant’s or lead applicant’s average annual income over the past two years. The applicant’s or lead applicant’s average annual income over the past two years must be less than £2.

5 million. The proposal must demonstrate how gender and intersectionality have informed its design and will be integrated throughout implementation, including consideration of factors such as age, disability, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status and geographical location.

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. Applications should relate to projects that are expected to begin between 1 August 2027 and 30 September 2027. Note that applications not meeting the above eligibility requirements will not be considered.

What documents must we submit? All applicants must submit a completed online application form . All applications must include the following additional documentation: A logic model (using the template provided).

A clear copy of the applicant’s or lead applicant’s registration certificate. If it does not state that the entity is not-for-profit, include other evidence such as articles of association. Shortlisted applicants whose original documents are not in English will be expected to provide a certified translation.

A document listing the names, roles, responsibilities and contact details of the applicant’s or lead applicant’s board members or trustees. If there is no board or trustee structure, upload the relevant governance structure, including roles and responsibilities.

Applicants based in India should comply with the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), or have preparations in place to obtain valid FCRA registration to receive charitable funding from outside India. For grants of exactly £15,000 per year, the applicant may choose to submit either the latest audited accounts or the most recent annual accounts.

Annual accounts must include a balance sheet, profit and loss statement and notes, and be signed off by the Board or principal executive officer. The accounts must not be older than December 2024. Grants exceeding £15,000 per year, the applicant must submit the most recent audited accounts, including the accounts and the external auditor’s opinion.

They must be signed by the auditor and the Board or principal executive officer and must not be older than December 2024. Collective Action Grant applicants must also provide the collective’s structure, governance, secretariat organisation where applicable, and a full list of current members. Creative organisations and collectives must provide the required portfolio or equivalent digital evidence.

All organisational and financial documents must relate to the same legal entity named as the lead applicant. Additional information on accounts is provided below. Note that incomplete applications will not be considered.

What type of projects is the Commonwealth Foundation seeking to fund? The Foundation will support projects advancing one or more of three strategic impact areas: freedom of expression; economic inclusion; and climate and environmental justice. Priority will be given to applications that facilitate constructive engagement between civic actors, governments and other decision-makers and/or use creative advocacy.

All projects must integrate gender and intersectionality into their design and implementation. Can we apply for funding in relation to a project that has already started? The Foundation may support work that is not entirely new but builds on, extends or adds a component to an existing initiative that meets the open call grants criteria.

Applicants should identify existing work in the application and explain the value and expected impact of the proposed extension. If the applicant is not a creative organisation or collective, a creative advocacy component added to an existing project will not be considered for funding. What kind