UK Commonwealth Foundation Grant supports civil society organisations and creative actors to advance social, cultural and political change through constructive engagement with decision-makers and creative advocacy. The focus is on projects addressing climate and environmental justice, economic inclusion, or freedom of expression, with required consideration of gender and intersectionality.
The grant is offered by the Commonwealth Foundation. The Foundation’s annual open grants call provides two streams — Individual Organisation Grants and Collective Action Grants — and includes guidance, an eligibility quiz and an online application portal for applicants to apply and consult supporting documents.
Commonwealth Foundation Grant Benefits
- Grants available from £15,000 to £30,000 per year for up to two years (Individual Organisation Grants).
- Grants available from £15,000 to £20,000 per year for up to two years (Collective Action Grants).
- Projects must address at least one of the Foundation’s three funding priorities: climate and environmental justice, economic inclusion or freedom of expression.
- Applicants are required to demonstrate how gender and intersectionality will be integrated into project design and implementation.
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Commonwealth Foundation Grant Eligibility Criteria
- 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 strategic impact areas.
- 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 currently implementing a Commonwealth Foundation grant, or recently completed a grant but not yet received their final payment, are not eligible.
- Collective Action Grants: open to not-for-profit networks, coalitions, alliances or platforms; unregistered networks can apply through a registered lead applicant.
- Networks or collectives must have a minimum of three years’ demonstrable experience relevant to the proposed project and strategic impact area.
How to Apply for Commonwealth Foundation Grant?
- Check eligibility using the eligible countries map and complete the eligibility quiz available on the Foundation’s website.
- Review the guidance documents, including Guidelines for Applicants, Application Questions, FAQs, Logic Model Template and How to Apply Guide.
- Register and apply via the online application portal linked from the grants page (Apply now).
- Select the appropriate grant stream and complete the online application form, providing required supporting documentation and submit before the deadline.
Don’t miss this deadline
Applications close on Monday, 26 October 2026. We’ll email you 7, 3 and 1 days before.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are the most frequently asked questions about the Commonwealth Foundation Grant. These answers cover eligibility, benefits, deadlines, funding streams and how to apply.
What is the Commonwealth Foundation Grant annual open call?
The Commonwealth Foundation annual open grants call supports civil society organisations, grassroots communities and creative actors across eligible Commonwealth member countries to advance social, cultural and political change. Projects should use constructive engagement with decision-makers and/or creative advocacy to address one or more strategic impact areas.
What are the funding priorities for the Commonwealth Foundation Grant?
Applications must address at least one of the Foundation’s three funding priorities: climate and environmental justice, economic inclusion, or freedom of expression. Projects should demonstrate how they will integrate gender and intersectionality into their design and implementation.
What grant streams are available and how much funding can be requested?
There are two grant streams. Individual Organisation Grants offer £15,000–£30,000 per year for up to two years. Collective Action Grants offer £15,000–£20,000 per year for up to two years. Maximum potential and exact totals depend on the combination of years requested.
Who is eligible to apply for Individual Organisation Commonwealth Foundation Grant?
Individual Organisation Grants are open to not-for-profit civil society and creative organisations registered in eligible Commonwealth Foundation member countries. Applicants must have been registered and operating for at least three years, with relevant experience and significant community engagement.
Who can apply for Collective Action Grants?
Collective Action Grants are open to not-for-profit networks, coalitions, alliances, platforms, groups or creative collectives. If a network is unregistered, a registered member organisation must act as the lead applicant. Applicants must have at least three years’ demonstrable experience relevant to the project.
Are there income limits for applicants?
Yes. The applicant organisation’s or lead applicant’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 organisation’s average annual income over the past two years.
When must projects begin if funded?
Projects are expected to begin between 1 August 2027 and 30 September 2027. Applicants should ensure proposed start dates fall within this timeframe as set out in the requirements for all projects.
What activities will the Foundation not fund?
The Foundation will not fund exchanges between developed countries, activities solely targeting government capacity building, projects focused on service delivery (such as distribution of medicines), creative projects without a social or political change aim, activities promoting hatred or violence, electioneering or partisan communication, or activities that primarily generate private profit.
How do I check if my country is eligible to apply?
Consult the eligible countries map on the grants page and complete the eligibility quiz provided by the Foundation. Note that some countries are marked with an asterisk indicating organisations registered there are ineligible to apply as lead applicants but can participate as partners.
What is the application deadline and how do I submit my application?
The deadline for applications is 1pm GMT on 26 October 2026. Applicants should review guidance documents, complete the eligibility quiz, prepare supporting documents, and submit their application through the online application portal linked on the Foundation’s grants page before the deadline.
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