Applications are open for the PMNCH Advocating for Change for Adolescents Initiative AY Grants 2026–2027, offering national youth-led and youth-serving organizations, coalitions, and networks an opportunity to receive up to US$15,000 in grant funding to advance adolescent health and well-being and sexual and reproductive health and rights at the national level.
The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH) is inviting eligible organizations to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) for catalytic funding under its Advocating for Change for Adolescents initiative.
The new funding phase will run for 12 months, from 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2027, and is intended to strengthen youth-led advocacy, improve national coordination, build the capacities of adolescent and youth advocates, increase the visibility of adolescent health priorities, and strengthen accountability for government commitments.
Organizations interested in the funding opportunity must act quickly. The application deadline is 12:00 CEST on 21 August 2026.
About the Advocating for Change for Adolescents Initiative
The Advocating for Change for Adolescents initiative is an established PMNCH programme focused on strengthening the ability of young people and youth organizations to influence policies, commitments, and actions affecting adolescent health and well-being.
The programme has been supporting youth-led advocacy since 2017, particularly in the areas of adolescent health and well-being (AHWB) and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
Through previous phases of the AY Grants programme between 2017 and 2025, the initiative has worked to develop a stronger community of empowered young advocates while supporting efforts to improve national accountability for commitments made by governments.
The 2026–2027 funding round represents the next phase of this work.
Rather than supporting isolated advocacy activities, this phase seeks to strengthen national-level implementation and collaboration. Successful organizations will be expected to contribute to country priorities and, where applicable, work alongside existing national Collaborative Advocacy Action Plan (CAAP) structures instead of establishing parallel or duplicative initiatives.
The programme is also aligned with the PMNCH Strategy 2026–2030 and builds on achievements and lessons from earlier AY Grants phases.
What Will the PMNCH AY Grants 2026–2027 Support?
The next phase of the grants will support implementation of PMNCH adolescent health and well-being activities at the national level.
Funding is intended to help organizations undertake advocacy and related activities that contribute to stronger adolescent health and well-being outcomes, including issues connected with sexual and reproductive health and rights.
The grants are expected to support organizations in several interconnected areas.
1. Strengthening National Coordination and Collaboration
One of the major objectives is to improve coordination between partners working to advance adolescent health and well-being priorities within participating countries.
Organizations should not approach this work in isolation.
Where Collaborative Advocacy Action Plan initiatives already operate nationally, funded organizations will be expected to work jointly with the relevant structures rather than establish parallel initiatives that could duplicate existing efforts.
This approach is intended to strengthen collective advocacy and encourage organizations working toward similar adolescent health objectives to coordinate their activities and priorities.
2. Building the Capacity of Adolescents and Young People
The initiative seeks to increase awareness among adolescents and young people while strengthening their capacity to participate meaningfully in advocacy.
A major goal is to build a cadre of empowered adolescent and youth advocates who possess the knowledge and skills required to champion adolescent health and well-being priorities.
This includes advocacy relating to sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Capacity development is therefore an important part of the programme. Organizations should consider how their activities can equip adolescents and young people with practical advocacy capabilities rather than limiting youth participation to consultation alone.
3. Strengthening Accountability for Government Commitments
The grants will also support efforts to enhance accountability for national government commitments concerning adolescent health and well-being.
Successful organizations may therefore contribute to monitoring, advocacy, engagement, and follow-up activities designed to ensure that relevant national commitments translate into meaningful action.
The initiative recognizes that commitments alone are insufficient without mechanisms that encourage implementation, transparency, follow-up, and accountability.
4. Increasing the Visibility of Adolescent Health and Well-Being
Another important objective is to raise the visibility of adolescent health and well-being issues among influential national stakeholders.
These stakeholders may include:
- National governments and relevant public institutions;
- Civil society organizations;
- United Nations agencies;
- Philanthropic organizations;
- Youth organizations and networks;
- Advocacy coalitions; and
- Other actors capable of influencing adolescent health policies, financing, programmes, and accountability.
Through increased visibility and coordinated advocacy, the initiative aims to keep adolescent health and well-being priorities prominent within national policy and development discussions.
Countries Eligible for the AY Grants 2026–2027
The funding opportunity is available to eligible national organizations, coalitions, and networks operating in a defined group of countries.
The participating countries are divided between those currently identified as CAAP-focused countries and additional non-CAAP-focused countries.
CAAP-Focused Countries
Eligible organizations may apply from:
- Liberia
- Malawi
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- South Africa
- Tanzania
- Zambia
Non-CAAP-Focused Countries
Applications are also being accepted from:
- India
- Colombia
Organizations should be based in the country for which they are submitting an application and should meet the formal recognition or registration requirements described in the eligibility criteria.
Eligibility Requirements for PMNCH AY Grants 2026–2027
PMNCH has established several requirements that organizations should meet to be considered for funding.
Youth Leadership or Strong Youth Engagement
Applicant organizations should be youth-led, with young people approximately 15 to 29 years old holding meaningful leadership or governance positions.
This requirement emphasizes substantive youth leadership rather than participation in name only.
However, the opportunity is not restricted exclusively to organizations formally categorized as youth-led. A youth-serving organization may also qualify when it can demonstrate a strong track record of meaningfully engaging young people.
Legal Registration or Formal Recognition
Applicant organizations must be legally registered or otherwise formally recognized as being permitted to operate in the country from which they are applying.
Proof of this status is one of the documents that must accompany the Expression of Interest.
Relevant Advocacy or Community Engagement Experience
Organizations should demonstrate previous experience in relevant areas or present a credible plan for undertaking the proposed work.
Relevant areas include:
- Advocacy;
- Coalition-building;
- Community engagement;
- Adolescent health and well-being; and
- Sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Applicants should therefore be prepared to explain their organizational capacity, proposed activities, and ability to contribute meaningfully to the objectives of the initiative.
Willingness to Collaborate
In countries where national CAAP coalitions and Coordinating Partners already exist, organizations must be willing to work jointly with these existing structures.
Applicants should seek to complement existing work and avoid unnecessary duplication.
This collaborative approach is a significant feature of the 2026–2027 funding phase and reflects the programme’s objective of strengthening national coordination around adolescent health and well-being.
How Much Funding Is Available?
Successful organizations may receive a grant valued at up to US$15,000 per organization.
Applicants should note that US$15,000 represents the stated grant ceiling. Proposed budgets should therefore remain within this limit.
A detailed budget breakdown is required as part of the application.
Organizations should use the budget template provided by PMNCH and ensure that proposed expenditures correspond appropriately with the activities described in their proposal.
Grant Duration
The PMNCH AY Grants 2026–2027 will cover a 12-month implementation period.
The official grant period is:
1 September 2026 to 31 August 2027.
Organizations developing their proposed activities should therefore plan implementation around this timeframe.
How Will Grant Funding Be Disbursed?
Grant funding will not necessarily be provided as one lump-sum payment.
According to the call, funding will be disbursed in instalments tied to agreed deliverables.
Specific arrangements will be established through the grant agreement and Terms of Reference.
Disbursement will also depend on the submission of required reports.
Successful applicants should therefore be prepared to comply with reporting obligations and demonstrate progress against agreed activities and deliverables throughout the grant period.
Required Application Documents
Organizations interested in applying need to submit a complete Expression of Interest package.
Applications must include the following four major components:
1. Proposal
Applicants must submit a proposal using the template provided by PMNCH.
The proposal should describe the key activities the organization intends to implement under the relevant sub-deliverables outlined in the Terms of Reference.
Applicants should carefully review the Terms of Reference before developing their proposal so that proposed activities clearly correspond with the initiative’s objectives and expected deliverables.
2. Budget Breakdown
Organizations must prepare and submit a budget using the template provided by PMNCH.
The proposed budget must remain within the maximum indicative grant ceiling of US$15,000.
The budget should correspond with the activities proposed in the application and provide a clear picture of how the requested funding would support implementation.
3. Proof of Legal Registration or Formal Recognition
Applicants must provide evidence demonstrating that their organization is legally registered or otherwise formally recognized to operate within the country of application.
Organizations should ensure that the documentation submitted clearly establishes their formal status.
4. Brief Organizational Profile
A brief organizational profile must also accompany the application.
This provides applicants with an opportunity to present relevant information about their organization, including its background, work, experience, youth engagement, advocacy capacity, and other characteristics relevant to the proposed initiative.
Application Language
All applications must be submitted in English.
Organizations should therefore ensure that the proposal, budget information, organizational profile, and relevant application materials meet this requirement before submission.
How to Apply for the PMNCH AY Grants 2026–2027
Applications are submitted by email.
Eligible organizations should complete the required proposal and budget templates, assemble the necessary supporting documentation, and submit their complete Expression of Interest to:
Bhavya Nandini
Email: nandinib@who.int
The email must use the following subject-line format:
EOI – Advocating for Change for Adolescents – [Organization Name] – [Country]
Applicants should replace “[Organization Name]” and “[Country]” with their organization’s actual name and country of application.
Before submitting, organizations should ensure that the email contains all four required components:
- The completed proposal using the required template;
- The completed budget breakdown using the required template;
- Proof of legal registration or formal recognition; and
- A brief organizational profile.
Applicants should also consult the official Terms of Reference and use the templates supplied by PMNCH rather than creating alternative versions where an official template has been requested.
PMNCH AY Grants 2026–2027 Application Deadline
The deadline for submitting an Expression of Interest is:
12:00 CEST on 21 August 2026.
Applications need to be submitted by email no later than this deadline.
Because the deadline includes a specific time and uses Central European Summer Time (CEST), organizations applying from different time zones should carefully convert the deadline into their local time and plan to submit sufficiently early.
Waiting until the final minutes before the deadline may create unnecessary risks associated with internet connectivity, attachments, incorrect documents, or differences in time-zone calculations.
Important Dates to Remember
Applicants should keep the following dates in mind:
- Expression of Interest deadline: 12:00 CEST, 21 August 2026
- Grant implementation begins: 1 September 2026
- Grant implementation ends: 31 August 2027
- Total grant period: 12 months
The relatively short period between the application deadline and the beginning of the grant period means applicants should ensure that their proposed activities are realistic and that their organizations are prepared to begin implementation promptly if selected.
How Will Applications Be Selected?
Expressions of Interest will be reviewed by the PMNCH Secretariat.
The submission of an application does not automatically mean an organization will receive funding.
Following the initial review, shortlisted organizations may be contacted by PMNCH.
Shortlisted applicants could be invited to participate in a follow-up conversation or asked to provide clarification regarding information contained in their applications before final selections are made.
Organizations should therefore provide accurate and accessible contact information and remain available for potential follow-up communication during the selection process.
Important Conditions Applicants Should Know
Organizations considering this funding opportunity should understand that submitting an Expression of Interest does not guarantee funding.
PMNCH retains discretion over the selection process.
The organization reserves the right to:
- Accept an application;
- Reject an application;
- Request additional information from applicants; or
- Amend the terms of the call at its discretion.
Applicants should therefore carefully review the official call, Terms of Reference, proposal template, and budget template before making a submission.
Why This Funding Opportunity Matters for Youth-Led Organizations
The PMNCH Advocating for Change for Adolescents Initiative offers more than financial support.
For youth-led organizations and networks working at the national level, the programme provides an opportunity to strengthen advocacy around issues that directly affect adolescents and young people.
The initiative’s emphasis on coordination, capacity-building, government accountability, and national visibility means successful organizations can potentially contribute to broader policy and advocacy processes while strengthening their own organizational and advocacy capacities.
It also recognizes the importance of young people being active participants in decisions concerning adolescent health and well-being.
By supporting youth-led and youth-serving organizations, PMNCH aims to strengthen a generation of advocates capable of engaging governments, civil society, international organizations, philanthropies, and other national stakeholders.
The focus on government commitments is particularly significant because the initiative seeks to connect advocacy with accountability and implementation.
Tips for Preparing an Expression of Interest
Organizations preparing applications should pay close attention to the stated requirements and ensure their submissions demonstrate clear alignment with the initiative.
Applicants should consider the following before submitting:
- Review the Terms of Reference carefully. Proposed activities should respond directly to the sub-deliverables and expectations established by PMNCH.
- Demonstrate meaningful youth leadership or engagement. Organizations should clearly explain how young people participate in leadership, governance, decision-making, advocacy, or programme implementation.
- Show relevant experience. Where applicable, applicants should highlight credible experience in adolescent health, SRHR, advocacy, coalition-building, or community engagement.
- Present realistic activities. Proposed work should be achievable within the 12-month grant period.
- Keep the budget within the funding ceiling. The total proposed budget should not exceed the stated maximum of US$15,000.
- Connect activities with measurable results. Since grant disbursements will be linked to agreed deliverables and reporting, proposed activities should have clear outputs and achievable outcomes.
- Explain collaboration plans. Applicants from countries with existing CAAP structures should demonstrate willingness to coordinate with relevant coalitions and Coordinating Partners.
- Check supporting documentation. Proof of registration or formal recognition and the organizational profile should be included alongside the proposal and budget.
- Follow the required email subject format. Use “EOI – Advocating for Change for Adolescents – [Organization Name] – [Country]”.
- Submit before the deadline. The complete application must reach the specified email address by 12:00 CEST on 21 August 2026.
Conclusion
The PMNCH Advocating for Change for Adolescents AY Grants 2026–2027 provide an important funding opportunity for eligible youth-led and youth-serving organizations, coalitions, and networks seeking to strengthen adolescent health and well-being advocacy at the national level.
With grants of up to US$15,000 per organization, the programme will support 12 months of activities focused on stronger national coordination, youth advocacy capacity, accountability for government commitments, and increased visibility of adolescent health and well-being priorities, including sexual and reproductive health and rights.
The initiative builds on PMNCH’s previous AY Grants work from 2017 to 2025 while aligning the next phase with national priorities and the PMNCH Strategy 2026–2030.
Interested organizations should carefully study the Terms of Reference, prepare the required proposal and budget using the designated templates, provide evidence of legal registration or formal recognition, and include a brief organizational profile.
Most importantly, applicants should pay close attention to the submission deadline. Complete Expressions of Interest must be submitted by email no later than 12:00 CEST on 21 August 2026.
Organizations that meet the requirements should prepare their applications early, ensure that proposed activities clearly support the initiative’s objectives, and submit all required documents before the deadline.
Visit the OFY website for more Grant Opportunities.
