Commonwealth Foundation Grants Programme

The Commonwealth Foundation awards grants for projects that contribute to effective, responsive and accountable governance with civil society participation. In addition to awarding grants to civil society organisations (CSOs),the grants programme will broker knowledge and ideas. It will support innovation, share replicable and sustainable models, and promote good practices across the participatory governance sector.

• Open to civil society organisations (CSOs)
• Up to £30,000 per year
• Multi-year funding available (up to three years)

Delivered in Commonwealth Foundation

eligible member countries

Focus areas

Grant projects must focus on one or more of the following:

1. Creative expression
2. Capacity development
3. Constructive engagement
4. Learning and sharing
5. The SAMOA Pathway

• The applicant is a registered national or regional civil society organisation (CSO).
• The applicant is seeking £30,000 per year or less.
• The applicant is applying for funding for one to three years
• The average of the applicant’s total income over the last two years is less than £3m
• The project must address one of the five focus areas
• The project will take place in an eligible Commonwealth Foundation member country
• The project has not yet started
• The application includes counterpart resourcing of a minimum of 10% of the total project budget. Applicants will be required to provide a detailed budget at full application stage where counterpart resourcing must be clearly reflected.
• The applicant does not have an existing grant from the Commonwealth Foundation at the time the application window is opened. Please note that in order for a recent grantee
  to be eligible they must have submitted all reports on existing grants and received notification that the existing grant is closed.

Documentation:

• The applicant will provide the following documents as part of the application:
  1. a completed logic model using the Commonwealth Foundation template
  2. a copy of the organisation’s registration certificate (the official registration document provided by the relevant authorities in the country concerned)
  3. a copy of the organisation’s most recent audited accounts (it must include both the accounts and the opinion of the external auditor who has certified them)
  4. a copy of the registration certificate for all partner organisations

Timeline: