Grantmaking Information Hub
African Collaborative’s Open Call for African-led Organizations
This page is your all-in-one resource for everything related to our Open Call for African-led organizations — including links to our grantmaking criteria, FAQ, and open application portal.
Whether you're planning to apply as a prospective partner or sharing this with African innovators in your network as an ally, you're helping to strengthen a movement rooted in trust and community-led change.
Applications Now Open for African-Led Organizations
3 Years of Flexible, Trust-Based Funding
19 August – 17 September 2025 (11:59 PM UTC-1)
Join a movement reshaping philanthropy across the African continent.
More About OUR OPEN CALL
Since 2020, African Collaborative has invested $8.4M USD in unrestricted funding to 35 African-led organizations across 13 countries.
We partner exclusively with locally led Sub-Saharan organizations, centering trust, sustainability, and community-driven change. This year’s open application cycle welcomes a new cohort into a growing movement rooted in equity, flexibility, and shifting power to African leaders.
What We’re Offering
3 years of flexible, multi-year funding
Open to organizations across Sub-Saharan Africa across any sector
Commitment to trust, transparency, and support beyond the grant
Who Should Apply?
African-led, African-founded, and African-based organizations
Serving communities exclusively in Sub-Saharan Africa
Working toward sustainable, community-rooted change
Why This Matters
We believe that philanthropy should shift power to local leadership.
Our mission is to resource African-led organizations with the tools and funding they need to create lasting change.
Together, we can push for structural transformation in global funding systems.
Applying Made Simple
We’ve designed our application process to be as easy and stress-free as possible. You won’t need to create brand-new materials. Just bring together information your organization already has. Our goal is to help you share your work without extra hurdles.
Additionally, when you apply through our portal, you can indicate your consent for our team to share your organization’s details other with interested funders. We’re committed to amplifying your work beyond our own funding.
Tips to help you get started
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We review applications on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply early for the best chance to be considered this year.
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Review our grantmaking criteria to see if your organization is eligible.
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Want to review the questions before you begin?
Open in Google Doc. You can view and download as PDF or other formats here. No sign-in needed.
Make a copy in Google Drive. Perfect for working with your team. Google sign-in required.
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Our FAQ page covers the questions we hear most often from applicants.
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See our how-to videos for simple tips on starting and submitting your application.
Application Timeline
Applications Open: 19 August 2025 | Applications Close: 17 September 2025 at 1:59 PM (UTC-1) | Announcement: Q1 2026
Learn More & Apply
Thank You!
Your support helps spread the word and build a stronger movement for African-led change. We can’t wait to learn about the innovative impact African organization are driving across the continent. If you have any questions, please reach out.
Contact: grants@africancollab.org