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SEWF social enterprise opportunities- May 2026
Welcome to the monthly SEWF social enterprise opportunities roundup. Each month we curate the grants, fellowships, awards and funding calls open to social enterprises and changemakers worldwide. This May 2026 edition features opportunities across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America and beyond.
Avery Dennison Foundation Grant
Deadline: Rolling
Region: Global
The Avery Dennison Foundation (ADF) is a global funder supporting non-profit and non-governmental organisations working across education access, environmental sustainability and secure livelihoods. Grants typically range from USD 50,000 to USD 100,000, with funding decisions made on a quarterly basis.
Eligible applicants are non-profit or non-governmental organisations working in communities facing significant disparities, with a strong emphasis on geographies of high need outside the United States. Focus areas include improving access to education for marginalised communities, climate resilience and adaptation and economic opportunities for underrepresented populations including women, girls and people facing barriers due to race, disability, or socioeconomic status.
Nathan Cummings Foundation Grant
Deadline: Rolling
Region: United States
The Nathan Cummings Foundation (NCF) offers grants and programme-related investments to organisations advancing racial, economic and environmental justice. Grants range from USD 50,000 to USD 250,000 and PRIs typically range from USD 250,000 to USD 750,000, repayable within three to seven years.
Eligible applicants are organisations whose work aligns with NCF’s focus areas, particularly those operating in the U.S. South. NCF does not fund individuals, direct service projects without an advocacy component, or 501(c)(4) organisations.
WPHF Rapid Response Window
Deadline: Rolling
Region: Global (ODA-eligible countries)
The UN Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund’s Rapid Response Window (RRW) provides flexible funding to women peacebuilders and local women’s rights organisations influencing peace processes worldwide. It offers Direct Support (services up to USD 30,000) and Short-Term Grants (up to USD 100,000), each for a maximum of six months.
Eligible applicants include local and national women’s rights organisations, young women-led organisations, individual women peacebuilders and informal women’s groups in ODA-eligible countries involved in track 1 or track 2 peace processes or peace agreement implementation.
Pulitzer Center Impact Seed Fund 2026 – Southeast Asia
Deadline: 3 May 2026
Region: Southeast Asia
The Pulitzer Center’s Impact Seed Fund (ISF) provides micro-scale grants of USD 3,000 to USD 4,000 to university faculty and researchers in Southeast Asia to support educational and engagement projects on rainforests, oceans and transparency and governance. All funded projects must incorporate at least one story by a Pulitzer Center-supported journalist.
Eligible applicants are university lecturers or researchers affiliated with an academic institution in Southeast Asia, including consortia across multiple universities. Projects should engage students and educators, demonstrate a strong diversity, equity and inclusion approach and are expected to be completed within four to five months of approval.
Blue Ridge Labs Founder Fellowship 2026
Deadline: 3 May 2026
Region: United States (New York)
Blue Ridge Labs, Robin Hood’s venture studio, offers a 20-week Founder Fellowship for early-stage founders working on social impact tech ventures, providing a USD 20,000 stipend alongside mentorship, weekly programming, user research support and access to Robin Hood’s network. The fellowship moves from a virtual exploration phase to an in-person MVP build phase at the BRL Lab in Brooklyn.
Eligible applicants are founders with an idea tied to Robin Hood’s core issue areas of economic mobility, who bring lived or learned experience to their work and are ready to move from idea to action. No prototype or co-founder is required.
Roche Scholarship 2026 – One Young World
Deadline: 6 May 2026
Region: United Kingdom
Roche UK and One Young World are offering 3 fully funded scholarships for young NHS professionals to attend the One Young World Summit in Cape Town, South Africa (3-6 November 2026). The scholarship covers travel, accommodation and catering for the duration of the Summit.
Eligible applicants are aged 18 to 35, based in the UK and hold a position in the NHS or an organisation working in partnership with the NHS. Candidates must demonstrate a commitment to sustainable innovation in healthcare or health equity, such as tackling health inequalities, improving patient care pathways, or reducing environmental impacts in healthcare.
UNESCO International Fund for Cultural Diversity 2026
Deadline: 6 May 2026
Region: Global (developing countries party to the 2005 Convention)
The UNESCO International Fund for Cultural Diversity (IFCD) funds innovative projects supporting the diversity of cultural expressions in developing countries, with grants of up to USD 100,000 for projects implemented over 12 to 24 months. Funded projects must lead to structural change through the development of cultural policies or the strengthening of cultural industries and markets.
Eligible applicants are public authorities, NGOs from eligible developing countries that are party to the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and INGOs registered in any country party to the Convention. Applications must be submitted in English or French.
Bigglesworth Family Foundation Legal Services Grant – Fall 2026
Deadline: 7 May 2026
Region: United States (primarily California)
The Bigglesworth Family Foundation (BFF) offers grants of USD 10,000 to USD 30,000 to legal services organisations as part of its twice-yearly grant cycle. The Foundation focuses on legal aid as a poverty alleviation tool, supporting organisations that provide civil legal services to underserved communities.
Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) non-profit legal services organisations or public entities, primarily based in California. Eligibility and grant type vary by organisational budget size – organisations under USD 1 million may apply for general operating support, while larger organisations may apply for programme or project grants. National organisations may apply for programmes supporting access to justice, leadership development, or civil legal aid hubs.
UNESCO Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education 2026
Deadline: 12 May 2026
Region: Global
The UNESCO Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education recognises two laureates each year making outstanding contributions to girls’ and women’s education. Each laureate receives an award of USD 50,000.
Nominations must be submitted by UNESCO Member State governments, National Commissions for UNESCO, Permanent Delegations to UNESCO, or NGOs in official partnership with UNESCO – self-nominations are not accepted. Nominated projects must have been established and running for at least two years and demonstrate potential for replication and scale.
L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science – Sub-Saharan Africa 2026
Deadline: 15 May 2026
Region: Sub-Saharan Africa (49 countries, including South Africa)
The Fondation L’Oréal and UNESCO offer 38 research grants to young women scientists across Sub-Saharan Africa – EUR 10,000 for doctoral candidates and EUR 15,000 for post-doctoral researchers – alongside leadership and management training.
Eligible applicants are women researchers who are citizens of and conducting research in one of the 49 Sub-Saharan African countries, in sciences including formal, life, environmental, physical, engineering, or technological fields. Doctoral applicants must be in their second year or above; post-doctoral applicants must have defended their thesis after February 2021. Previous L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science awardees are not eligible.
UNICEF Venture Fund – Climate Ventures Cohort
Deadline: 17 May 2026
Region: Global (UNICEF programme countries)
The UNICEF Venture Fund offers up to USD 100,000 in equity-free funding to early-stage and ready-to-deploy technologies including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and blockchain at the intersection of climate change and children’s health.
Applicants must be registered in a UNICEF programme country, have a working prototype and commit to open-source licensing. Women-led start-ups and young founders are especially encouraged to apply.
Heroes of Tomorrow: UN SDG Action Awards 2026
Deadline: 17 May 2026
Region: Global
The UN SDG Action Campaign’s annual awards programme recognises bold action toward the SDGs across three categories: Changemaker (individuals leading collective action), Creativity (initiatives using art or innovation to drive impact) and Resilience (initiatives tackling conflict, inequality, or climate change). Finalists receive coaching and capacity-building support, with winners announced at a ceremony in Rome on 29 October 2026.
MIT Solve 10th Anniversary Global Challenge
Deadline: 21 May 2026
Region: Global
MIT Solve’s 10th Anniversary Global Challenge is seeking 10 tech-based social impact solutions already operating at scale across health, climate, learning, economic prosperity and Indigenous community sovereignty. Each winner receives at least USD 100,000 in unrestricted funding, plus access to mentorship, pro-bono legal support and MIT’s innovation ecosystem. Additional prizes of up to USD 150,000 are available in specific focus areas.
Eligible applicants are organisations with scale-ready solutions – beyond the pilot stage, with demonstrated unit economics and a clear path to reach more people – that address social or environmental outcomes aligned with at least one SDG. Earlier-stage solutions are not eligible.
Agribusiness e-Academy – Call for Submissions Window 2
Deadline: 31 May 2026
Region: Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (OACPS member states)
The Agribusiness e-Academy, organised by GIZ through its Agri-Business Facility for Africa, offers a free online learning pathway for young and emerging agripreneurs to develop a climate-smart business concept. Participants who complete three mandatory courses and submit their AgriCanvas business model stand a chance to win EUR 2,000 in funding, a tablet or laptop, or mentoring support.
Eligible applicants are individuals aged 18 and above based in an OACPS member state, with an agribusiness idea in cocoa, maize, cashew, or livestock (cattle, sheep, or goats). Completion of all three mandatory e-learning courses on the atingi platform is required before submission.
AWS Imagine Grant
Deadline: 5 June 2026
Region: United States
The AWS Imagine Grant supports registered 501(c) non-profits in the United States to advance technology-driven, mission-critical projects using cloud technology. Three award categories are available: the Pathfinder Award (up to USD 200,000 in unrestricted funding plus up to USD 100,000 in AWS credits, for frontier AI projects); the Go Further, Faster Award; and the Momentum to Modernize Award – with award amounts varying by category and application.
Eligible applicants are US-based 501(c) non-profit organisations of any budget size, across all cause areas. Educational institutions are not eligible. Organisations must select one award category per application cycle and may not submit more than one application per cycle.
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program – Makerere University 2026/2027
Deadline: 5 June 2026
Region: Africa (Sub-Saharan Africa focus)
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University offers 13 Master’s scholarships for the 2026/2027 academic year, supporting academically talented young people from Sub-Saharan Africa whose access to higher education is constrained by social and economic barriers.
Eligible applicants must be 35 years or younger, have completed undergraduate education in an African country, have applied for admission to Makerere University’s main campus and be experiencing financial constraints. Priority categories include refugees and internally displaced persons, young people with disabilities, those from underrepresented ethnic groups and international students. At least 70% of scholarships will be awarded to young women.
EU-LAC Digital Accelerator – Open Call #5
Deadline: 12 June 2026
Region: Europe / Latin America & Caribbean
The EU-LAC Digital Accelerator is a fully EU-financed 6-month programme supporting corporate-start-up partnerships across Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean to develop and scale digital solutions. Selected partnerships receive acceleration services valued up to EUR 40,000, plus start-up grants of up to EUR 10,500 for proof-of-concept work.
Applicants must be a partnership of at least one corporate and one start-up or SME from at least two of the three eligible regions. Partnerships from all industries are welcome.
JIABA Food and Agriculture Social Enterprise Accelerator
Deadline: 14 June 2026
Region: Taiwan
JIABA is a joint initiative by IKEA Social Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise Flow, offering a 12-month accelerator programme for social enterprises in Taiwan’s food and agriculture sector. Selected teams receive strategic coaching, customised training, peer learning sessions with IKEA professionals and up to EUR 7,500 (approximately NTD 270,000) in start-up funding.
The programme is open to legally registered social enterprises in Taiwan operating within the food and agriculture value chain – such as production, processing, logistics, or retail – that support disadvantaged communities including small farmers, elderly people, women returning to work and marginalised groups. Applicants must have a track record of commercial operations and demonstrated readiness for business growth.
Also read:
Social enterprise opportunities – April 2026 
SEWF social enterprise news roundup – April 2026 
SEWF Social Enterprise Day: Collective action for people and planet 
SEWF 2019 – Changing the course of history! 
Empowering rural communities and youth through social enterprise policy: SEWF Policy Forum highlights