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Social enterprise opportunities – October 2026
This October, opportunities for social enterprises and changemakers reach from Latin America to MENA and beyond, with funding for AI-ready youth, climate adaptation and evidence-based poverty solutions alongside fellowships, grants and awards in gender equity, conservation and social justice. Most deadlines fall this month, so now’s the time to find the right fit.
Find your next opportunity below:
DIV Fund
Deadline: Rolling – applications accepted year-round
Region: Global (low- and middle-income countries)
The DIV Fund is a tiered, evidence-based grant fund that supports innovations with the potential to cost-effectively improve the lives of people living in poverty. It offers three stages of funding – up to USD 200,000 for Stage 1 pilots, up to USD 500,000 for Stage 2 testing and positioning for scale and up to USD 1.5 million for Stage 3 scale-up – with requirements calibrated to the evidence and readiness level of each stage.
Open to nonprofits, social enterprises, startups, universities, research institutions and technical assistance providers working in low- and middle-income countries. Individuals without a legally incorporated entity and government agencies are not eligible; proposals focused exclusively on high-income countries will not be considered.
The Next Move
Deadline: 4 October 2026
Region: Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia)
The adidas Foundation is inviting organisations across the sport ecosystem in Brazil, Colombia and Argentina to apply for The Next Move, a three-year general operating grant initiative advancing gender equity and safer sporting environments. Grants of EUR 150,000, EUR 200,000, or EUR 250,000 per organisation are available, with a total funding pool of EUR 2,000,000 across all selected partners.
Eligible organisations must be legally registered and operating in Brazil, Colombia, or Argentina, with an annual income between EUR 100,000 and EUR 2,500,000. Priority is given to sport and sport-for-good organisations working to address gender-based violence, discrimination and harmful gender norms – particularly those serving girls, young women, LGBTQI+ people, Indigenous peoples and Afro-descendant communities.
Citi Foundation: Fourth Global Innovation Challenge – Preparing Youth for AI
Deadline: 6 October 2026 (Letter of Inquiry)
Region: Global
The Citi Foundation is awarding up to 50 grants of USD 500,000 each – totalling USD 25,000,000 – to nonprofits developing innovative solutions that prepare low-income youth for an AI-driven workplace. Grants are disbursed over two years (2027-2028) and include access to volunteering support and a shared learning community.
Eligible applicants are registered nonprofits serving low-income youth aged primarily 15 to 24 across Citi’s target geographies in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, the Caribbean and North America.
Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator – Asia Pacific Call for Proposals
Deadline: 7 October 2026
Region: Asia Pacific
The UN Climate Technology Centre and Network (UN CTCN) has opened a regional call for proposals under the Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator (AFCIA), seeking innovative climate adaptation solutions from across Asia Pacific. Up to 10 projects will be selected, each receiving up to USD 150,000 in technical assistance support for piloting their approaches. Support is delivered as technical assistance – not a direct grant – covering capacity strengthening, knowledge sharing and access to specialised expertise and resources.
Applications are open to entities based in developing countries in the Asia Pacific region that have officially nominated a National Designated Entity (NDE) to the UNFCCC Technology Mechanism. Eligible organisations include governmental institutions, universities, research centres, NGOs and private-sector entities. All countries in the region may apply, with Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States especially encouraged to do so.
2026 CSO Call for Expressions of Project Intentions
Deadline: 9 October 2026
Region: Global
The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) has launched its annual Call for Expressions of Project Intentions (AMI), inviting civil society organisations to submit project ideas for potential financing in 2027. This year, a single unified call has been introduced for both French and locally governed CSOs, aligned with France’s development and international solidarity strategy.
The call is open to French CSOs and locally governed CSOs (including unions) registered in countries eligible for official development assistance, as defined by the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC). Priority is given to projects in Least Developed Countries and nations particularly vulnerable to climate change. Locally governed CSOs must have previously received financing from an AFD Group entity or a French embassy (annual financing exceeding EUR 100,000).
Pave HER Way – Disruptor Award
Deadline: 16 October 2026
Region: USA
Pave HER Way offers grants of up to USD 90,000 to U.S.-based women with a transformational project or idea that creates public benefit for women and girls. Recipients also take part in a mentorship and cohort experience, with network access available.
Open to women in any field or role who are U.S. legal citizens or permanent residents aged 18 or over, with a project that credibly demonstrates public benefit for other women and girls. Applicants may apply for either the Disruptor Award or the Financial Aid Award, but not both.
Doria Feminist Fund – Cycle 7 Grants
Deadline: 19 October 2026
Region: Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
The Doria Feminist Fund (DFF) provides flexible, long-term funding to feminist groups and collectives across the MENA region. Support is available through core grants, project grants and knowledge production grants, with applications accepted in Arabic, English, or French.
Open to any feminist organisation or collective based in or working across the MENA region, Cycle 7 particularly encourages proposals focused on women’s health, economic empowerment, climate justice and efforts to end gender-based violence.
The Harris Social Impact Fellowship
Deadline: 19 October 2026
Region: USA
The Harris Social Impact Fellowship is a highly selective, full-time, 11-month programme designed by the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. It combines eight weeks of intensive academic coursework in research methods, data analytics, economic analysis and policy analysis with nine months of applied learning at leading research centres and policy institutes. Fellows receive a USD 75,000 stipend for living and healthcare expenses, plus USD 21,000 to fully cover the fellowship academic credential.
Open to recent graduates and early-career professionals with strong STEM skills and a commitment to evidence-based change, the programme is delivered in-person at the University of Chicago Hyde Park Campus with a cohort of just 15 fellows. Focus areas include educational equity, climate action, crime reduction and government efficiency.
D-Prize
Deadline: 25 October 2026 (early submission)
Region: Global
D-Prize seeds new organisations working to distribute proven, evidence-based poverty solutions. Winners receive up to USD 20,000 to pilot and launch, with challenge tracks spanning agriculture, education, health, livelihoods, water and more.
The competition is open to new organisations – particularly first-time entrepreneurs who have not yet launched or raised significant outside funding. Applicants from low- and middle-income countries are especially encouraged to apply.
Whitley Awards 2027
Deadline: 30 October 2026
Region: Global (select countries)
The Whitley Awards are annual awards run by the Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) that recognise grassroots conservation leaders, providing GBP 50,000 in project funding over one year to support and scale up proven, science-based solutions delivering lasting impact for people and nature. In addition to funding, winners receive international recognition and profile-raising, professional media and communications support, peer learning and training opportunities, and eligibility for future Continuation Funding and the Whitley Gold Award.
Open to dynamic, mid-career conservationists who are nationals of the country in which they work, applicants must be leading projects that involve communities at the grassroots level and are grounded in science. No invitation or nomination is required to apply.
The Voqal Partners Fellowship
Deadline: 31 October 2026
Region: USA
The Voqal Partners Fellowship is a six-month program run by Voqal Partners for social justice changemakers with a bold, early-stage idea. Fellows receive a USD 30,000 lump-sum award, a USD 1,000 healthcare stipend, covered travel to three in-person convenings, a childcare stipend for those with dependents under 18 and access to coaching, mentorship and a peer cohort of eight fellows.
Open to individuals aged 18 or older based in the USA, the fellowship prioritises community leaders with lived experience who represent non-dominant cultures and are working to resource historically excluded communities. Voqal Partners especially encourages applications from LGBTQIA+ individuals, women, Indigenous peoples, people of colour and people with disabilities.
Melton Foundation – Global Citizenship Learning Program
Deadline: 15 November 2026
Region: Global (partner universities in Chile, Ghana, Germany, India and the USA)
The Global Citizenship Learning Program (GCLP) is a 10-month fellowship run by the Melton Foundation for university students. The online program equips participants with skills in intercultural communication, inclusive leadership, systems thinking and project management through collaborative peer learning and real-world impact projects. Actively engaged participants are also invited to a fully sponsored week-long in-person gathering.
The program is open to university students aged 18–25 currently enrolled at one of five partner institutions: B.M.S Group of Institutions (India), Dillard University (USA), Universidad de La Frontera (Chile), Ashesi University (Ghana), or Friedrich-Schiller-University (Germany). Applicants must have sufficient English language skills and preference is given to those who expect to remain on campus for at least two years from the program start date.
Disclaimer: The opportunities listed here are drawn from publicly available sources and provided for informational purposes only. They do not constitute professional or legal advice and Social Enterprise World Forum accepts no responsibility for actions taken in relation to this information. We encourage all users to read the full terms and conditions of any opportunity before taking action. To request changes or removal of a listing, contact us at events@sewfonline.com.
