Funding Friday
Happy Saturday everyone (Friday got away from me),
With shifting funding landscapes, alternative funding sources are more critical than ever to ensuring that vital projects continue. This week’s opportunities highlight programs supporting climate action, social justice, early-stage innovation, and community-led development. While challenges persist, these funding calls serve as a reminder that transformative change is still possible—and urgently needed.
Jesse
Global
🔬 Morgan Stanley Inclusive & Sustainable Ventures
📝 Morgan Stanley's Inclusive & Sustainable Ventures (MSISV) provides early-stage innovators with access to capital and resources to help them develop and scale. MSISV includes two in-house accelerator programs: a Lab designed for startup founders and a Collaborative to support emerging nonprofits.
🤔 Thought-Provoking Questions and Insights
Access to Capital: How can early-stage innovators overcome systemic barriers to accessing capital, and what role do programs like MSISV play in this process?
Sustainability Focus: In what ways can startups and nonprofits integrate sustainability into their business models, and how does MSISV support these initiatives?
Global Collaboration: How can global accelerator programs foster collaboration among diverse entrepreneurs and drive inclusive innovation?
🔗 Morgan Stanley Inclusive & Sustainable Ventures
⚖️ Advancing Social Justice through Legal Grants
📝 The Impact Fund provides recoverable grants to legal services nonprofits, private attorneys, and small law firms aiming to address economic, environmental, racial, and social injustices.
🤔 Thought-Provoking Questions and Insights
Legal Support for Social Justice: How can legal funding initiatives like the Impact Fund empower marginalized communities to seek justice and systemic change?
Sustainable Legal Funding: What are the benefits and challenges of recoverable grants in sustaining long-term legal advocacy efforts?
Global Applicability: How can similar legal grant models be implemented in other regions to support environmental justice and human rights cases?
🔗 Impact Fund: Advancing Social Justice through Legal Grants
🔄 ICAT's Transformational Change Toolkit Grants
📝 The Initiative for Climate Action Transparency (ICAT) is inviting proposals from organizations to develop case studies applying the ICAT Transformational Change Toolkit. These studies aim to enhance understanding of the toolkit's applications and benefits. Eligible applicants include local governmental and non-governmental entities, such as research institutions, think tanks, academic bodies, and grassroots organizations. Selected organizations will implement the toolkit over a seven-month period in developing countries and provide feedback to improve its usability. Case studies may assess various interventions, including those related to Article 6, carbon markets, private sector investments, or a combination thereof.
🤔 Thought-Provoking Questions and Insights
Transformational Change: How can the application of the ICAT Transformational Change Toolkit facilitate systemic shifts towards low-carbon and sustainable development pathways?
Capacity Building: In what ways can local organizations leverage this grant to enhance their capacity in assessing and implementing transformational climate actions?
Policy Integration: How can the insights gained from these case studies inform national policies to align with international climate commitments?
🔗 ICAT's Transformational Change Toolkit Grants
🌳 Brainforest Selection Criteria & Process
📝 Brainforest's Venture Program is an intensive acceleration initiative designed to support startups focused on nature, forests, and biodiversity. The program offers personalized coaching, access to a vast network of experts and investors, and financial support of $125,000 for a 7% equity stake in the selected ventures. Key focus areas include AI-driven biodiversity monitoring, regenerative agriculture, monetizing biodiversity, and deep-tech solutions for ecosystem restoration.
🤔 Thought-Provoking Questions and Insights
Impact Measurement: How can startups effectively demonstrate scalable impact metrics that align with Brainforest's mission?
Innovative Solutions: What groundbreaking technologies or business models can disrupt markets and scale across sectors?
Market Validation: What evidence can early-stage startups provide to showcase initial market validation and potential for impactful growth?
🔗 Brainforest Selection Criteria & Process
🧬 Worldwide Cancer Research
📝 Worldwide Cancer Research funds innovative discovery research to tackle challenging questions in cancer biology, aiming for breakthroughs in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Their 2025 Grant Round is open for applications until March 31, 2025, or until 500 submissions are received. Researchers worldwide can apply, with funding focused on novel, high-impact ideas.
🤔 Thought-Provoking Questions and Insights
Innovative Research: How can pioneering ideas in cancer biology lead to significant advancements in understanding and combating various cancer types?
Global Collaboration: In what ways can international research collaborations enhance the development of novel cancer therapies and diagnostic tools?
Funding Impact: How does early-stage funding support the exploration of high-risk, high-reward cancer research projects that may not yet qualify for traditional funding sources?
🔗 Worldwide Cancer Research: 2025 Grant Round Now Open
Asia Pacific
💡 Funding for Least Privileged Projects in India
📝 The German Consulate General in Bengaluru is accepting applications for projects aimed at improving the social and economic conditions of the least privileged members of society in India. The funding, provided by the German Federal Foreign Office, focuses on short-term projects that have a significant impact and are completed within six months. Eligible projects should promote gender equality and support disadvantaged communities.
🤔 Thought-Provoking Questions and Insights
Empowering Marginalized Communities: How can targeted funding programs contribute to meaningful change for underprivileged groups in India?
Sustainable Impact: What strategies can organizations use to ensure that short-term projects create long-lasting benefits?
Gender Equality in Development: How can funded initiatives effectively promote gender equality while addressing socio-economic challenges?
🔗 German Consulate General Bengaluru - Funding for Least Privileged Projects in India
🌸 Japan Foundation Small Grant Program
📝 The Japan Foundation offers various small grant programs to support cultural exchange and mutual understanding between Japan and other countries. These grants are designed to facilitate projects in arts and cultural exchange, Japanese-language education overseas, and Japanese studies and international dialogue.
🤔 Thought-Provoking Questions and Insights
Cultural Exchange: How can small grants enhance grassroots cultural exchange initiatives between Japan and other countries?
Language Education: In what ways can funding support the proliferation of Japanese-language education globally?
International Dialogue: How do small-scale projects contribute to deeper mutual understanding and collaboration in Japanese studies?
🔗 Japan Foundation Small Grant Program
🤝 9th Mekong-ROK Cooperation Fund (MKCF)
📝 The Mekong-ROK Cooperation Fund (MKCF) has announced its 9th Call for Proposals, inviting Expressions of Interest (EOI) from eligible entities to support sustainable development in the Mekong region. Established in 2013, the MKCF promotes collaboration between the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the five Mekong countries—Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam—across seven priority sectors.
🤔 Thought-Provoking Questions and Insights
Regional Collaboration: How can joint initiatives under the MKCF enhance sustainable development and regional integration among Mekong countries and the ROK?
Sectoral Synergies: In what ways can projects effectively integrate multiple priority sectors to address complex development challenges in the Mekong region?
Capacity Building: How can MKCF-funded projects strengthen institutional capacities and human resources to ensure long-term sustainability and impact?
🔗 9th Mekong-ROK Cooperation Fund (MKCF) Call for Proposals
Africa
🌿 Supporting Clean Energy Innovations
📝 The Energy and Environment Partnership Trust Fund (EEP Africa) has launched its 2025 Call for Proposals, offering early-stage grant financing to companies promoting clean energy solutions in Southern and Eastern Africa. This competitive funding opportunity aims to support innovative renewable energy projects, supplemented by technical assistance, investment facilitation, and knowledge sharing.
🤔 Thought-Provoking Questions and Insights
Local Impact: How can locally driven clean energy projects address specific energy challenges in Southern and Eastern Africa?
Innovation in Energy: What innovative business models can be developed to enhance energy access and efficiency in underserved communities?
Sustainable Development: How can clean energy initiatives contribute to broader socio-economic development goals in the region?
🔗 EEP Africa 2025 Call for Proposals: Supporting Clean Energy Innovations
📚 Overseas Funding Program- Malawi
📝 The Hilden Charitable Fund is accepting applications for its Overseas Funding Program, focusing exclusively on projects in Malawi for the 2025 cycle. This funding aims to support community-based initiatives that provide education for women and girls and enhance self-sufficiency in rural or displaced communities. The program prioritizes smaller organizations that are less likely to receive funding from larger institutions.
🤔 Thought-Provoking Questions and Insights
Women’s Education: How can targeted funding improve educational access and outcomes for women and girls in Malawi?
Community-Led Development: What role do locally-led initiatives play in fostering long-term self-sufficiency in rural communities?
Sustainable Impact: How can small grants be maximized to create lasting improvements in education and community development?
🔗 The Hilden Charitable Fund – Overseas Funding Program (Malawi)
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