Deadline:
October 24, 2024
Location(s)
Australia Canada Online South Africa Worldwide
Overview
With more than 2.3 billion citizens, the Commonwealth provides a potentially huge pool of ideas for advancing societies. As one of the three intergovernmental pillars of the Commonwealth, the Foundation operates within that critical space between government and the people. The Foundation works to bring the voice of civil society into all aspects of governance, supporting civil society engagement in shaping the policies and decisions that affect people’s lives.
Every year, we offer grants of up to £30,000 for projects lasting up to two years to civil society organisations in the Commonwealth. We support projects that seek to facilitate constructive engagement between civil society and decision makers, including civil society participation in policy development and decision-making.
Applications must address one or more of our three priority themes. All applications are required to demonstrate how they will integrate gender considerations into their project design and implementation.
Details
What we fund
Applications must address one or more of our three priority themes and other funding considerations such as partnerships and exclusions. Suggested areas of focus under each theme and other important funding considerations are set out below:
Funding priorities
- Health Justice
Projects could support civil society to engage meaningfully with government on:
- Universal health coverage
- Realising the right to health: better availability, accessibility, quality, participation and accountability in health services and delivery
- Programmes and policies that focus on social determinants of health as part of the inclusive right to health
- Challenging systemic discrimination in health systems and promoting equitable access to health services for marginalised groups and those with special needs
- Promoting the participation of marginalised groups and those with special needs in decision-making processes
- Promoting health and well-being by combating communicable and non-communicable diseases
- Equitable access to essential medicines
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.
- Freedom of Expression
Projects could support civil society to engage meaningfully with government on:
- Advancing a legal and regulatory environment that protects and upholds freedom of expression for all.
- Advancing a legal and regulatory environment that promotes the freedom, growth, and vibrancy of civil society.
- Promoting access to information 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 (e.g., national human rights institutions; Universal Periodic Reviews).
- Promoting art and creativity as means of advocating for and raising awareness of freedom of expression.
Examples of previous projects we’ve funded under this theme can be found here.
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.
- Climate Justice
Projects could support civil society to engage meaningfully with government on:
- Ensuring representation, inclusion, and protecting the rights of those most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
- Addressing the social, political, and economic root causes of climate injustice.
- Strengthening the voices of those most affected by the climate crisis in multilateral and national spaces.
- Ensuring that the voice, agency, and leadership of young women and men are at the centre of policy discussions and decision-making at all levels.
- Advocating for corrective justice for environmental harm, including compensation mechanisms, access to justice and effective remedy, and legal empowerment.
- Ensuring accountability and effective remedy for human rights harms caused by climate change.
- Developing, reviewing, improving, and monitoring laws, policies and practices promoting climate justice.
- Exposing and addressing the factors that contribute to the increased vulnerability of social groups to the consequences of climate change.
- Exposing and addressing negative social and distributional outcomes of climate change mitigation policies and/or encourage support for the development of pro-poor mitigation approaches.
Opportunity is About
Eligibility
Candidates should be from:
Description of Ideal Candidate
Who is eligible to apply:
Eligibility for grant funding under this call depends on the following criteria:
- The applicant is a registered not-for-profit civil society organisation (CSO).
- The applicant is registered in an eligible Commonwealth Foundation member country and the proposed project will be implemented in the country of registration. (Projects can be implemented in one or more eligible Commonwealth Foundation member countries and can have a national, sub-national, regional or international remit). In multi-country projects, the Foundation encourages collaboration with partners in each involved country (see further information on partnerships below).
- The applicant has documented experience, over at least two years, working on participatory governance and advocacy within the proposed area/theme(s).
- The total grant amount requested must be between £15,000 and £30,000 per year for a maximum of two years.
- The requested grant amount should not exceed 70% of the applicant organisation’s total annual income.
- The average of the applicant organisation’s total annual income over the past two years must be less than £2m.
- The project proposal must address at least one of the priority themes and demonstrate appropriate and meaningful integration of gender considerations.
Proposals must relate to projects that are expected to begin within the second half of 2025.
Notes:
- The Foundation appreciates that CSOs interested in applying for a grant may already be doing significant work that falls within the parameters of this grants call and that would benefit from support for its expansion and/or continuation. We are therefore happy to consider supporting an additional component or extension of an existing initiative. This should be made clear in the application.
- The Foundation is piloting support for the inclusion of a creative element into projects funded under this call. This is an optional element to be funded separately (up to 15% of the total grant awarded).
Dates
Deadline: October 24, 2024
Cost/funding for participants
The total grant amount requested must be between £15,000 and £30,000 per year for a maximum of two years.
Un-save Opportunity
Internships, scholarships, student conferences and competitions.
