Funding Friday...
Develop Impact - Issue 167
Happy Friday!
We hope this week finds you well and that you're ready for another edition of Funding Friday. This week we have compiled a list of seventeen funding opportunities from around the globe that are open to individuals and organizations working on innovative solutions to address pressing challenges.
As always, we are eager to hear about your news, projects, and updates that you'd like to share with the community. Please don't hesitate to reach out and let us know what you've been up to!
We wish you a wonderful weekend ahead!
-Jesse
What’s Funding this Week….
Global
Internet Society Foundation Research Program 2023 (up to US$200,000)
The Internet Society Foundation Research Program 2023 is now accepting applications to support global research collaborations that advance the understanding of the Internet and its value for all. The program encourages applied and open research, which addresses real-world questions and is openly published. Research areas include Greening the Internet, the Internet Economy, a Trustworthy Internet, and Decolonizing the Internet. Independent researchers may apply for funding up to US$200,000, while organizations and institutions may apply for up to US$500,000. Applicants should have a postgraduate research degree and relevant publications.
Deadline: May 31, 2023
Iris Prize 2023 for Young People Accelerating Action to Protect & Restore Nature
The Iris Prize 2023 is now open for applications, celebrating and supporting young people who are accelerating action to protect and restore nature. The Iris Project awards three grants each year, alongside a locally-delivered capacity-building program and peer-to-peer mentoring facilitated by their Advisory Panel. The prizes are structured as follows:
$5,000 grant for ages 14-24: Awarded for a new idea, not yet established.
$10,000 grant for ages 16-24: Awarded for an existing project, established on a small scale.
$15,000 grant for ages 16-24: Awarded for an established project, with the potential to replicate and scale.
Eligibility includes individuals, teams, or organizations between the ages of 14-24 who support the principle of protecting and restoring nature, and the rights of those working to defend it. The project should be grassroots, locally-led, and tackle issues important to the local community while being respectful of diversity and inclusion.
Deadline: May 31, 2023
Request for Proposals: Digital Health Week Small Grants
Digital Health Week is a week of action where stakeholders come together to organize events and activities highlighting the potential and opportunities of digital technology and data to accelerate progress towards universal health coverage. The objectives of Digital Health Week are to:
Broaden and deepen the national and regional conversations on the digital transformation of health to achieve universal health coverage (UHC).
Increase the number of actions taken to promote digital transformation as a means of achieving UHC.
Promote collaboration and knowledge sharing on digital health within and across countries and contexts.
Build consensus, increase support and attention for the role of digital technology and the effective use of data as a means of getting the world back on track to meet its SDG commitment to UHC.
Digital Health Week is open to any organization wanting to take action, engage on social media, share stories, launch campaigns, host events, or make a public commitment. Small grants will be provided to selected organizations from low and middle-income countries to organize and engage in activities in the lead-up to and during Digital Health Week, focusing on health data governance.
To apply for the small grants and for more information, visit the Transform Health Coalition website.
Deadline: May 31, 2023
Visa Everywhere Initiative 2023 for Innovators
Applications are open for the Visa Everywhere Initiative 2023. This open innovation program helps startups unlock new opportunities and provides a global platform to showcase their groundbreaking solutions. Selected finalists will get the chance to present their ideas to Visa executives, potential clients, and investors. One winner per region will be selected to compete in the global finals at the TechCrunch Disrupt event.
Prizes
Global finals event prizes:
Overall Winner: $50,000 USD
Audience Favorite: $10,000 USD
Visa Direct: $10,000 USD
Local and regional prizes:
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: $13K - $40K
South Africa: $10K - $20K
Kenya: $10K - $20K
CEMEA (Central Europe, Middle East, and Africa): $10K - $25K
They are seeking products that offer innovative payment and commerce solutions to consumers and businesses in areas such as digital services, digital issuance, value-add for merchants and/or consumers, small/medium-sized businesses, and new categories like sustainable fintechs, urban mobility, and risk.
Deadline: Varies by Region
Call for Applications: Queen Commonwealth Trust Young Leader 2023
The Queen Commonwealth Trust Network is now accepting applications from changemakers aged 18-35 who are actively leading and effecting positive social change in the Commonwealth. The program is open to applicants from The Gambia, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, Maldives, Brunei Darussalam, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Cyprus, Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Tuvalu.
Successful applicants will join a network of over 1,000 global leaders creating positive social change in the Commonwealth. Members will have access to funding applications, capacity-building opportunities, and exclusive resources, such as Harvard's Social Innovation and Change Initiative course.
Deadline: May 15, 2023, 11:59 PM BST
WomenEntrepreneurs4Good Accelerator Program 2023
Applications are open for the WomenEntrepreneurs4Good Accelerator Program 2023. This unique 7-month online accelerator program supports green entrepreneurs at the early stages of their journey. Launched by the Women's Forum for the Economy & Society in partnership with HEC Paris Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center and supported by Bank of America, the program aims to counter the negative impacts of the crisis on women entrepreneurs.
Benefits
A program for all: Supports 100+ women entrepreneurs with market and customer research coaching and business model support in a three-day Startup Sprint.
Perfect your pitching skills: Semi-finalists will have the opportunity to pitch in front of an esteemed Grand Jury from the international entrepreneurship network.
Access to 600+ HEC Paris experts: The 10 finalists will attend a 3-month online incubator program, receiving business coaching, technical support, and professional connections.
Visibility and networking: The 10 finalists will be invited to showcase their projects at the Women's Forum Global Meeting 2023 in Paris.
Deadline: May 2, 2023
European Geosciences Union (EGU) Science Journalism Fellowship 2023
Applications are open for the EGU Science Journalism Fellowship 2023. The fellowships enable journalists to report on ongoing research in the Earth, planetary or space sciences in any European language. Successful applicants receive up to €5,000 to cover expenses related to their projects.
The EGU Science Journalism Fellowship differs from other science journalism prizes, as it funds innovative proposals to report on geoscientific research not yet in the public sphere. The award offers journalists the opportunity to follow geoscientists on location to develop an in-depth understanding of their research questions, approaches, findings, and motivation. The aim of the fellowship is to promote excellence in geoscience reporting.
Proposals are invited from professional, active journalists to report on ongoing research within the Earth, planetary and space sciences. Competitive proposals will:
Focus on a topic in the geosciences (including planetary and space sciences) with potential broad public appeal and within the remit of EGU's scientific divisions.
Outline an original, well-informed approach to the subject.
Feature leading Europe-based researchers and/or have European relevance.
Deadline: June 16, 2023
Pulitzer Center AI Accountability Fellowships 2023-2024
Applications are open for the Pulitzer Center AI Accountability Fellowships 2023-2024. The Fellowships support journalists working on in-depth AI accountability stories examining governments' and corporations' uses of predictive and surveillance technologies in areas such as policing, medicine, social welfare, criminal justice, and hiring.
Grant Overview:
The Fellowship aims to support journalists and newsrooms representing the diversity of communities impacted by AI technologies. It is designed for reporters from all beats, desks, and formats who want to broaden, deepen, and diversify reporting on artificial intelligence with an accountability lens. Journalists need to apply with a reporting project they wish to pursue during their Fellowship.
The 2022 cohort of AI Accountability Fellows reported on themes crucial to equity and human rights, such as the impact of AI on the gig economy, social welfare, policing, migration, and border control. This year, they are placing special emphasis on certain topics, seeking to support at least one project examining the intersection of AI and conflict, war, and peace. In partnership with Digital Witness Lab at Princeton University, they are also recruiting one project focusing on the role of the messaging platform WhatsApp in influencing public discourse in a specific community. Applicants with reporting projects on these topics are strongly encouraged to apply.
Deadline: July 1, 2023
$50 Million to Close the Global Gender Digital Divide
The Women in the Digital Economy Fund (Wi-DEF) is a joint effort between USAID and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to accelerate progress on closing the gender digital divide. USAID will commit up to $50 million in Gender Equity and Equality Action (GEEA) fund resources, and the Gates Foundation will commit $10 million by the end of 2026, with at least half of each of these commitments focused on Africa.
The aim of Wi-DEF is to improve the livelihoods, economic security, and resilience of women and girls, especially those from underserved or marginalized groups. Core results include:
Access and Affordability: Increase internet access and affordability of devices, digitally-enabled services, and data for women.
Relevant Products and Tools: Design and develop products and tools that meet women's needs and facilitate their use of mobile devices, internet, and other technologies, particularly for income-generation purposes.
Literacy and Skills: Strengthen women's digital skills and literacy, including media literacy, to enable them to fully and safely access digital services and participate in digital spaces.
Safety and Security: Address technology-facilitated gender-based violence and online harassment while strengthening safeguards for digital user protection.
Data and Insights: Expand collection and responsible use of sex-disaggregated data to better understand and address social norms and systems that influence gender disparities in technology adoption, inform gender-equitable design, and track and benchmark change.
Deadline: May 26, 2023
Global Feminist Pitch: Feminism in Pictures - Call for Application
The Global Feminist Pitch aims to make solidarities between feminists and feminist movements worldwide visible through different formats. In 2023, the Global Feminist Pitch will give six feminists from Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, or (South) Eastern Europe the opportunity to tell stories of significant feminists, feminist moments, and movements from their region in the form of short graphic novels (8-10 pages).
The Global Unit for Feminism and Gender Democracy will support the selected feminists through a workshop and consultations. The finished short graphic novels will be published together as a publication at the end of 2023.
Deadline: May 25, 2023
Africa
The Africa Digital Rights Fund (ADRF)
The Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) is calling for proposals to support digital rights work across Africa. The current call is particularly interested in proposals related to:
Data governance
Digital resilience for human rights defenders, activists, and journalists
Censorship and network disruptions
Digital economy
Digital inclusion and accessibility for persons with disabilities
Disinformation
Online violence against women
Platform accountability
Grant amounts range between USD 1,000 and USD 10,000, depending on the need and scope of the proposed intervention. Cost-sharing is strongly encouraged, and the grant period should not exceed six months.
The ADRF initiative provides rapid response and flexible grants to organizations and networks to implement activities that promote digital rights, including advocacy, litigation, research, policy analysis, skills development, and movement building.
To apply and for more information, visit the CIPESA website.
Deadline: May 5, 2023
Jamlab Accelerator Programme 2023 for Journalism & Media Innovators
The Jamlab Accelerator Programme (JAP) 2023 is now open for applications from media and journalism innovators in sub-Saharan Africa. This six-month program offers participants the tools, facilities, contacts, and support necessary to convert their ideas and ambitions into commercially viable ventures or products. The program runs from June to November 2023, and benefits include virtual mentorship, a three-month Media Entrepreneurship course, access to technical support, pitching opportunities, and a valuable network. Applicants from all African countries are welcome, and should be committed, creative journalists or media makers passionate about improving sub-Saharan African media.
Deadline: May 19, 2023
VC4A Venture Showcase Africa 2023 for African Founders
The VC4A Venture Showcase Africa 2023 is now accepting applications. This event aims to spotlight the best ventures emerging from the African continent and provide visibility amongst VC4A's network of investors. Since 2017, Venture Showcase Africa alumni have raised over $630 million. The showcase is sector-agnostic and focuses on high-growth, high-impact ventures driving economic growth across the continent. There are six tracks in this year's showcase, including Seed, Series A, Climate Smart Agriculture, Smart Cities, Digital Trade, and Clean Tech.
Selected entrepreneurs will receive various benefits, such as being recognized as a 2023 VC4A Venture Showcase entrepreneur, participating in the VC4A Venture Showcase deal room, receiving investor readiness training, mentorship, technical support, access to VC4A technical partners, masterclasses, and special deals, as well as having a professionally edited 3-minute virtual pitch, a 30-minute deep-dive session with investors in a private room, and joining the alumni network with exclusive access to partner events and fundraising opportunities.
Deadline: May 17, 2023
The HH MSII SDG Challenge 2023 is accepting applications from sub-Saharan African teachers to develop innovative community projects focused on Quality Education (SDG 4) and Gender Equality (SDG 5). Awards include up to $2,000 for project development in the MSII Incubator phase and a chance to win up to $10,000 and access to an exclusive Accelerator Program.
Eligibility:
Practicing teachers based in sub-Saharan Africa
Any community project run by a teacher(s) that enhances learning
Deadline: May 21, 2023
Asia-Pacific
FIRST ASIA-PACIFIC COHORT - 2XI GP Sprint - 2XI GP Launch Pad
Deadline: June 14, 2023
2X Ignite is launching a pre-acceleration and an acceleration program for 25 female-led or gender-balanced fund managers with gender-smart investing strategies across the Asia-Pacific region (Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam).
The 2XI GP Launch Pad is a pre-acceleration practical training course for candidates in the early stages of developing and designing their fund. The 2XI GP Sprint will provide tailored coaching, practical exercises, and network facilitation for GPs aiming to expedite their timeline to a first close. Both programs will run in parallel from the end of August 2023 until the end of February 2024.
All GPs will be selected by a team of representatives from 2X Global, fund investors, and fund investment experts based on an online application and, for the finalists of the GP Sprint, personal interviews.
To apply and for more information, visit the 2X Ignite website.
ZEBOX Launches 5th Hub in Singapore to Drive Sustainable Innovation in Asia Pacific
ZEBOX Asia Pacific, supported by Enterprise Singapore and the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore, will identify startups in Asia, particularly Singapore, to embark on co-innovation projects with corporate partners across markets in the Asia Pacific region. The partners will work on solutions across four key areas: operational efficiency, assets optimization and decarbonization, workflow automation, and future of work. The 20-strong partner community includes three new industry leaders: Bureau Veritas Marine and Offshore, PSA unboXed, and Synergy Marine Group. The founding partner, CMA CGM, and other major partners will also join the co-development projects with the startups.
Visit: https://airtable.com/shrXtXQOJ4NVuxeGY (for application)
Americas
The Village Capital Accelerator Program 2023 is now accepting applications for startups focused on advancing climate justice for migrants and communities of color in the United States. In partnership with the World Education Services (WES) Mariam Assefa Fund, the program seeks to support startups building inclusive solutions for immigrants, refugees, and communities disproportionately affected by climate change.
The accelerator is looking for 10-12 startups addressing the following areas:
Disaster Preparedness and Recovery (Climate tech, Insurtech & Fintech)
Public Action and Efficient Response (Civic tech)
Resilient Housing and Cities (Proptech, Urbantech, Fintech)
Welcoming and Supporting Immigrants and Refugees (Fintech, Healthtech, Edtech, RefugeeTech)
Benefits include:
Access to Abaca
Catalytic capital
Advice from investment analysts
Connections to other founders and the Village Capital network
Training and workshops
Mentorship opportunities
Eligible startups must be legally incorporated as a for-profit entity, have headquarters or operations in the United States, offer a market-based solution to the specified challenges, have an MVP, have raised less than $1.5 million in equity, and have at least one full-time founder based in the U.S.
Deadline: May 25, 2023