Deadline: Wednesday, 12 August 2026 (30 working days)
Urgent Action Fund-Africa (UAF-Africa) is a feminist, pan-African rapid-response Fund committed to transforming power relations by resourcing African Women Human Rights Leaders and Women’s Rights Organisations (WROs), as an act of solidarity. We are part of the broader ecosystem of feminist and women’s rights movements across Africa and globally.
Recognising the need to move resources rapidly on a continent where opportunities and threats arise and decline quickly, UAF-Africa uses a rapid response grantmaking mechanism to support unanticipated, time-sensitive, innovative, and unique initiatives that promote women’s agency in democratic governance, economic, environmental and climate justice, natural resources governance, and conflict transformation while protecting their personhood, integrity, and rights.
Our work is grounded in trust-based philanthropy and a commitment to supporting organisations closest to communities experiencing injustice, recognising them as key drivers of transformative change.
About this Call for Proposals
This Call for Proposals (CfP) is designed to strengthen AWHRDs, (WROs), and their networks working to advance democracy, human rights, gender justice, and inclusive civic participation across Africa. Through this Call, UAF-Africa will provide strategic grant support to organisations operating in complex contexts characterised by multiple and interconnected crises that continue to shape the lives, safety, and organising spaces of women and marginalised communities.
| Information session | Wednesday, 8 July 2026 (online) |
| Submission deadline | Wednesday, 12 August 2026 (30 working days) |
| Grant range and Implementation period | USD 35,000 – USD 200,000 | 24 – 30 months |
Context
Across Africa, feminist organising is taking place within a complex and evolving social, political, economic, and environmental landscape. Women’s rights organisations (WROs) are navigating interconnected pressures, including regulatory changes, insecurity, economic strain, climate impacts, and shifting public discourse on gender equality. These dynamics often reinforce existing inequalities and disproportionately affect women, girls, and marginalised communities.
In many contexts, civil society operates within increasingly demanding legal and administrative environments that shape how organisations engage, mobilise resources, and work with communities. Women human rights leaders may face heightened risks, including online harassment, reputational pressure, and threats to their safety and well-being.
At the same time, public debates on gender equality and rights remain highly contested, influenced by a range of social, cultural, and political perspectives. Despite these challenges, women’s rights organisations continue to play a key role in supporting communities, advancing inclusive dialogue, and contributing to locally led solutions.
Ongoing conflict, humanitarian crises, and economic pressures further strain these efforts, with women and girls often bearing the greatest impact. Many organisations respond with community-based support, protection services, and advocacy, often with limited and short-term resources.
Despite these constraints, WROs in Africa continue to demonstrate resilience and leadership by strengthening community solidarity and advancing initiatives that promote inclusion, wellbeing, and long-term social change.
Purpose and Objectives
The call for proposals seeks to strengthen African WROs as essential actors in advancing democracy, protecting human rights, promoting gender equality, and transforming unequal power relations. Recognising that WHRDs and WROs operate within increasingly complex and rapidly changing political environments, the Fund aims to provide flexible and strategic support that enables organisations to respond to immediate crises while strengthening their long-term institutional resilience, collective power, and influence.
Rather than supporting isolated projects, the Fund invests in WROs as agents of structural change. It seeks to strengthen their ability to organise, protect communities, influence public policy, generate feminist knowledge, build alliances, and create sustainable pathways towards more inclusive, democratic, and gender-just societies.
Through flexible grantmaking and accompaniment, this call seeks to strengthen both the immediate responsiveness and the long-term sustainability of WHRDs and WROs across the 10 targeted countries in Africa.
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Eligibility Criteria
This call for proposals is designed to support AWHRDs, WROs, and networks advancing gender justice, human rights, and democratic participation across the 10 target countries listed in section 5. We will prioritise locally rooted AWHRDs and WROs working to challenge structural inequalities, transform discriminatory social norms, and advance the rights of women and marginalised communities through collective action and systems change.
8Who Can Apply (Eligible Applicants)
- Women’s rights organisations, women-led organisations, feminist associations, networks, alliances and cooperatives.
- Registered groups with the capacity to manage a grant, i.e. established governance structure, internal control mechanisms, and a bank account.
- Women’s rights organisations based in Africa and implementing activities in one or more of the ten focus countries listed in Section 5.
- Women’s rights organisations whose primary mission and activities directly relate to advancing women’s rights and gender justice in Africa.
- Women’s rights organisations with a proven track record of meaningful impact in one or more of the thematic areas: Democracy and Civic Engagement, Human Rights, GBV, SRHR, or Feminist Knowledge Documentation.
- Women’s rights organisations that work with and centre structurally excluded women, including young women and girls, women with disabilities, Indigenous women, women in conflict and crisis settings, and other structurally excluded women.
- Organisations that meet UAF-Africa’s requirements in terms of due diligence, reputation and integrity.
- Consortia of eligible organisations, applying through a designated lead applicant.
Who Cannot Apply (Ineligible Applicants)
- Individuals applying in a personal capacity (this call funds organisations, networks, alliances, cooperatives and consortia).
- Proposals falling outside the thematic areas or the focus countries set out in this call.
Application, Review, Evaluation and Selection
Eligible organisations that wish to apply for a grant are invited to submit a proposal under the funding window that best aligns with the objectives and scope of their proposed initiative.
To apply, applicants should complete and submit the following documents in English or French:
- Completed Grant Application Form
- Completed Budget Template
Additional supporting documentation may be requested during the due diligence process.
How to Apply
Completed application packages must be submitted electronically to grants@uaf-africa.org no later than 12 August 2026. The email subject line should clearly indicate: Moto Moto: Call for Proposals – [Name of Applicant Organisation]. Upon successful submission, applicants will receive an acknowledgement of receipt. Only complete applications received by the submission deadline will be considered for assessment.
Due Diligence
By applying, organisations agree to be subject to due diligence. Applicants, including the legal representative, managers, Board members and any private contributors, must not appear on UN, EU or other relevant sanctions lists and must be screened through the Fund’s Anti-Money Laundering (AML) system. Additional checks may include verification of registration and governance documents, media searches, financial consistency analysis and reference checks. No grant agreement will be signed until all due diligence checks are completed.
Online Webinar/Information Session
All CSOs that receive the Call for Proposals are encouraged to participate in the online webinar scheduled for 8 July 2026, which will provide information about the Call for Proposals and offer CSOs the opportunity to ask questions and seek clarification.
Practical Information
When: 8 July at 12pm EAT, 10am WAT and 9am GMT
Where: Zoom link (https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_AHYa8e9ISjCNO6tF2yBaQQ
Languages: English and French