The African Cities Innovation Fund is a new grant funding opportunity designed to support African innovators who are advancing innovative, equitable, and resilient urban solutions across cities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Launched through a collaboration between The Million Lives Collective and the Judith Neilson Foundation, the African Cities Innovation Fund (ACIF) aims to catalyze impactful partnerships that address urgent urban challenges while improving the lives of people living on less than $5.50 per day.

As African cities continue to grow rapidly, the African Cities Innovation Fund responds to the increasing need for collaborative innovation that promotes smart, healthy, and inclusive urban futures. The fund will officially open for applications in early 2026, offering flexible grants of up to $75,000 to pairs of African innovators working together to design and pilot solutions to pressing urban issues.

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Background and Overview of the African Cities Innovation Fund

The African Cities Innovation Fund was created to accelerate thriving urban futures in Africa by supporting collaborations between African innovators who are developing scale-ready solutions to complex urban challenges. This initiative brings together the strategic vision of The Million Lives Collective and the philanthropic support of the Judith Neilson Foundation, both of which are committed to improving social, economic, and environmental outcomes in underserved communities.

The fund focuses on pilot-stage innovation, enabling selected teams to test new ideas, strengthen partnerships, and generate learning that can inform long-term urban transformation. By emphasizing collaboration, ACIF recognizes that sustainable urban change requires cross-sector expertise, shared learning, and locally grounded leadership.

The African Cities Innovation Fund is particularly focused on innovations that directly benefit low-income urban populations in Sub-Saharan Africa, especially individuals and communities living on less than $5.50 per day.

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Eligibility Criteria: Who Can Apply for the African Cities Innovation Fund

The African Cities Innovation Fund is open to African innovators who are actively working to address urban challenges within Sub-Saharan Africa. While the fund does not specify academic degree requirements, it emphasizes practical, impact-driven innovation and collaborative problem-solving.

Eligible Applicants

To be eligible for the African Cities Innovation Fund, applicants must meet the following conditions:

1. Applicants must be African innovators.

2. Applications must be submitted by pairs of innovators, reflecting a collaborative approach.

3. Proposed innovations must address urban challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa.

4. Innovations should demonstrate potential for impact and scalability.

5. Solutions must focus on improving outcomes for people living on less than $5.50 per day.

The fund does not restrict eligibility by profession or sector, allowing innovators from civil society, technology, urban planning, social enterprise, environmental sustainability, and related fields to apply, provided their work aligns with the fund’s thematic priorities.

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Focus Areas and Priority Themes

The African Cities Innovation Fund supports innovations across five key thematic areas, all of which contribute to more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable African cities.

1. Circular Production

This theme supports innovations that promote economic development and sustainable livelihoods while restoring natural systems. Eligible solutions may focus on:

• Repurposing waste

• Reducing environmental degradation

• Supporting circular economies that create jobs and income opportunities

2. Climate-Resilient Services and Infrastructure

This focus area targets innovations that:

• Reduce emissions

• Support adaptation to climate challenges such as heat stress, flooding, food insecurity, and water scarcity

• Strengthen resilience in vulnerable urban communities

3. Youth Employment and Mobility

Innovations under this theme aim to improve:

• Access to decent work

• Skills development

• Transport and urban mobility
  Special attention is given to young people, women, girls, refugees, and persons with disabilities.

4. Digital Equity

This area supports solutions that expand inclusive access to digital technologies, including:

• Urban digital services

• Digital platforms

• Entry into global digital markets
  The goal is to reduce inequality in access to digital infrastructure and opportunities.

5. Safe and Healthy Spaces

This theme focuses on innovations that create:

• Socially secure and healthy urban environments

• Improved wellbeing and community cohesion

• Joyful and inclusive public spaces that strengthen belonging

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Program Details: Funding Amount, Duration, and Structure

The African Cities Innovation Fund provides flexible grant funding of up to $75,000 per selected collaboration.

Key Program Details

• Funding Amount: Up to $75,000

• Funding Type: Grant funding

• Program Focus: Design and pilot collaborative urban innovations

• Geographic Focus: Sub-Saharan Africa

• Application Opening: Early 2026

• Target Beneficiaries: Urban residents living on less than $5.50 per day

The funding is intended to support the design, testing, and piloting of innovative solutions rather than large-scale implementation, allowing teams to validate ideas and generate evidence for future growth.

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How to Apply: Application Process

Applications to the African Cities Innovation Fund will open in early 2026. Interested innovators must apply as pairs, demonstrating a clear collaborative approach to addressing urban challenges.

Applicants are encouraged to:

1. Clearly define the urban challenge they are addressing.

2. Demonstrate how their innovation aligns with one or more of the fund’s priority themes.

3. Show how their solution benefits low-income urban populations.

4. Explain the collaborative nature of the partnership.

5. Outline how the grant funding will be used to design and pilot the solution.

All applications must be submitted through the official application portal.

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Important Dates

• Applications Open: Early 2026

• Funding Amount: Up to $75,000

Applicants are advised to monitor the official website closely for the exact opening date and any additional guidance.

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Why the African Cities Innovation Fund Matters

The African Cities Innovation Fund represents a significant opportunity for African innovators to access flexible funding while working collaboratively to tackle some of the most urgent urban challenges facing the continent. By prioritizing equity, resilience, and sustainability, the fund supports solutions that can improve quality of life for millions of urban residents.

Through its focus on collaboration and pilot-stage innovation, the African Cities Innovation Fund contributes to building inclusive urban systems that are better equipped to respond to climate change, economic inequality, and rapid urbanization.

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Click here to apply

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The African Cities Innovation Fund by The Million Lives Collective and the Judith Neilson Foundation offers African innovators a powerful opportunity to design and pilot innovative urban solutions that advance smart, healthy, equitable, and resilient cities across Sub-Saharan Africa. With grants of up to $75,000, a strong focus on collaboration, and a commitment to improving lives for low-income urban residents, the African Cities Innovation Fund stands out as a key funding opportunity for those shaping Africa’s urban future.

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