Funding news

We endeavour to update this page with information about funding opportunities relevant to those working with Malawi. However, we cannot guarantee we will always have the latest information here, so strongly recommend you follow the below links to the funders' webpages directly. We recognise that the UK Government's decision to cut UK aid, including in Malawi, is significantly limiting the number of funding opportunities which, in turn, is having a disastrous human impact in Malawi. We continue to actively lobby against this. Similarly, while we applaud the Scottish Government's decision to increase its international development funding from £10m to £15m a year, we recognise that there seems to be less transparency or accountability than ever before. We actively lobby for the Scottish Government to return to having regular, reliable public calls for applications, with clear due process and external scrutiny, which civic society needs to engage a government programme.

UK Aid

UK Government Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCDO) - formerly known as DFID

The UK Government has previously had a number of major programmes with funds available for work in and with Malawi, including the Small Charities Challenge Fund and UK Aid Match. We do not know of any live calls at the moment but strongly encourage you to click the below link which should have details of all their programmes which relate to Malawi.

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Scottish Government

The Scottish Government has pledged to increase its annual international development budget from £10m to £15m, which we strongly welcome. However, we publicly express concern at what seems to be a reduction in the transparency, accountability and due process in how the grant decision-making is made. We do not know of any Malawi Development Programme or Climate Justice Fund call for applications but we recommend you click the below link to visit the Scottish Government's website for the latest information. We understand the Scottish Government will publish an 'Invitation to Tender' for their updated Climate Justice work in late spring 2022, this will be for a single organisation to receive the entire budget and manage the programme (albeit then working with other organisations to deliver). We regret that the Scottish Government has cancelled its excellent and impactful Small Grants Programme and we see this as a major step backwards in engaging and working through civic society. The SMP has been publicly critical of this decision, including in its evidence to the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Parliament has called on the Scottish Government to report back on "what support the Scottish Government can provide for the growth of such grass-roots initiatives" in the absence of the Small Grants Programme. The Scottish Government updated its International Development policy in 2021.

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British Council grants

Update: Applications are now closed. In 2019 the British Council announced up to nine grants of £2,500 each for research into a chosen artistic sector and travel in the Sub-Saharan Africa.

Research could take the form of meeting with potential artists and partners; finding out more about your chosen art forms’ ecosystem in a country or countries; gaining an understanding of art trends in Sub-Saharan Africa; meeting arts organisations and/or attending events and festivals with a view to programming or curating work in the UK.

Malawi is one of the countries covered under the programme. The grant was open for applications until 8th March 2019.

We do not believe this programme is continuing but find out more on the British Council's website.

Comic Relief

Comic Relief funding

Check on the Comic Relief website here for funding announcements.

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People's Postcode Lottery

The People's Postcode Lottery is based in Scotland and they fund a number of really excellent programmes in Malawi. They are a supportive, engaging and strategic funder.

Wellcome

Wellcome Trust International Funding

The Wellcome Trust offer a wide variety of funding schemes to support individual researchers, teams, resources, seed ideas and places.

They also fund major initiatives in areas which are strategically important, by invitation, but we welcome the opportunity to discuss ideas which might fit with our strategic priorities.

Click here for full details >>

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Friends of Malawi Association Funding

Friends of Malawi Association make small grants, normally up to £1,000 to any one organisation in any one year, for a variety of projects in Malawi where they believe their contribution can make a difference.

Grants are usually oriented toward social, educational and healthcare projects but they will consider any project that will improve the welfare of Malawians or further the objectives of the Association.

Click here for full details >>

Seeds of opportunity

Job Creation Revolving Loan Fund (JCRLF) in Malawi

Seeds of Opportunity and Northern Alliance Finance Corporation Ltd are pleased to announce the launch of the Job Creation Revolving Loan Fund (JCRLF).

The JCRLF is a credit facility open to individuals and institutions that require loans and funding for new or existing activities that can simultaneously create jobs and improve community or national climate change mitigation and adaptation in Malawi. Applicants to the JCRLF will receive concessionary credit in the form of repayable grants or low interest loans. Applications can be made at any time and the selection of loans will be made on an on-going basis.

For more information and application forms, please email Dumisani Chirambo.

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The Joffe Charitable Trust

The Joffe Charitable Trust (set up by Joel and Vanetta Joffe in 1968) supports development in the developing world, primarily in anglophone sub Saharan Africa.

Click here for full details >>

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Global Innovation Fund

GIF welcomes applicants to propose innovative, cost-effective solutions that address any major development challenge in any country (or in multiple countries) in the developing world.

Click here for full details

The fore

The Fore

The Fore fund small registered charities registered in the UK.

What they offer:

  • Unrestricted grants of up to £30,000 spread over one to three years
  • Funding can be used for whatever you need for your organisation to grow, strengthen, become more efficient or resilient
  • Applicants set their own targets for the grant term with the support of our consultants
  • There are no long application or monitoring forms and they guarantee feedback for every applicant.

Click here for full details