Nalafem Fund Grants 2026: Apply for US$1,500 to Support Young Feminist Initiatives Across Africa

Young feminist advocates and organisations across Africa have an opportunity to access funding through the Nalafem Fund, which is offering three grants of US$1,500 each to support initiatives advancing the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.

The funding opportunity is intended to help young women and feminist groups turn their advocacy priorities into practical action. Eligible applicants may include young women’s groups, feminist collectives, networks, and individual young women advocates under the age of 40 who have an initiative that advances at least one demand of the Manifesto.

Applications are open to applicants across all African countries, and the deadline is 23 October 2026.

Overview of the Nalafem Fund Grants 2026

The Nalafem Fund is inviting applications from young feminist advocates and groups seeking to advance priorities outlined in the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto. Through this funding call, the Fund will award three grants, each valued at US$1,500, to support initiatives connected to the Manifesto’s demands.

The opportunity places emphasis on turning young feminists’ priorities and demands into action. Rather than simply expressing concerns or raising awareness, applicants are encouraged to bring forward initiatives that can advance at least one of the Manifesto’s demands during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.

The grants may be relevant to young women who are already organising within their communities, feminist collectives working collaboratively, networks advocating for change, or individual advocates who have developed an initiative they want to implement.

With applications open across all African countries, the opportunity provides a continent-wide call for eligible young women and feminist groups to seek support for their work.

What Is the Nalafem Fund Grant Opportunity?

The Nalafem Fund grant call is a funding opportunity designed to support young feminist initiatives. Three successful applicants or initiatives will receive US$1,500 each, providing financial resources to help translate advocacy priorities into action.

The central focus of the call is the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto. Applicants should therefore identify how their proposed initiative connects to at least one demand in the Manifesto and explain how their work will contribute to advancing that demand.

The opportunity is particularly relevant to young women and feminist advocates who want to move from identifying challenges to implementing activities that address them. The announcement highlights the need for resources that allow young feminists to act on their demands, especially in connection with the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.

The grant is not described as a general-purpose funding opportunity for every type of project. Applicants should ensure that their proposed initiative has a clear connection to the Manifesto and its demands.

Grant Amount and Funding Available

The Nalafem Fund will provide three grants of US$1,500 each.

The funding structure is as follows:

• Number of grants: Three.
• Amount per grant: US$1,500.
• Total funding across the three grants: US$4,500.
• Purpose: To support young feminist initiatives advancing at least one demand of the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto.
• Campaign context: The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.

The grant amount offers financial support for selected initiatives, but the announcement does not specify a detailed list of eligible expenses, whether the funding can cover organisational overheads, or whether recipients must provide matching funds. Applicants should consult the official application information for any additional funding conditions.

Focus of the Grant: The Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto

A key requirement of this opportunity is that an initiative must advance at least one demand of the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto.

The Manifesto is the reference point for the funding call, making it important for applicants to understand the demands and identify the connection between those demands and their proposed activities.

Applicants should consider the following when developing their proposals:

1. Identify a relevant Manifesto demand

Start by identifying at least one demand from the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto that the initiative intends to advance. The proposed work should have a clear and direct relationship to the selected demand.

2. Explain the proposed initiative

Describe what the initiative intends to do, who it is intended to reach, and how its activities will contribute to advancing the selected demand. A clear explanation can help demonstrate the relationship between the proposed work and the purpose of the grant.

3. Connect the initiative to the 16 Days of Activism

The funding call specifically highlights the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. Applicants should explain how their initiatives relate to this campaign context and how the activities will support the relevant Manifesto demand.

4. Show how funding would support action

Applicants should explain how the requested support would help move the initiative forward. The announcement frames the grant as a resource for turning young feminists’ demands into action, so the proposed use of funding should be connected to the initiative’s activities.

These points are practical considerations for preparing an application, not a confirmed list of formal scoring criteria. Applicants should follow the official application instructions for any required proposal format or additional assessment requirements.

Why the 16 Days of Activism Matters to This Opportunity

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is the campaign context highlighted in the Nalafem Fund announcement. By linking the grants to this period, the funding call invites young feminists to advance relevant demands through initiatives that move beyond statements of concern and support practical action.

For young women’s groups, feminist collectives, networks, and individual advocates, the campaign provides a context in which their work can be connected to efforts addressing gender-based violence and advancing women’s rights.

The grant call also recognises that advocacy requires resources. Young people may have ideas, community connections, and priorities they want to advance, but financial limitations can make it difficult to put initiatives into practice. By offering three grants, the Nalafem Fund is creating an opportunity for selected initiatives to receive financial support.

Applicants should still ensure that their proposed initiatives meet the central requirement of advancing at least one demand of the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto.

Who Can Apply for the Nalafem Fund Grants?

The announcement identifies four categories of potential applicants:

• Young women’s groups: Groups of young women seeking to implement an initiative that advances at least one Manifesto demand.
• Feminist collectives: Collectives working on feminist priorities and seeking support for a relevant initiative.
• Networks: Networks that want to advance a Manifesto demand through coordinated activities.
• Individual young women advocates: Young women advocating for change who have an initiative connected to at least one Manifesto demand.

Applicants must be under 40 years of age, according to the announcement, and applications are open to all African countries.

Being part of one of these applicant categories does not, by itself, establish eligibility. The proposed initiative must also meet the central thematic requirement of advancing at least one demand of the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto.

The announcement does not provide further details about registration requirements for organisations, the minimum or maximum size of groups, required years of experience, or whether applicants must demonstrate previous grant-management experience. Prospective applicants should check the official application page for any additional conditions.

How to Prepare a Strong Application

Although the announcement does not publish a detailed application checklist or selection rubric, applicants can use the following steps to prepare their initiative for submission.

Step 1: Read the Manifesto

Review the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and identify the demand that most closely aligns with the initiative. Applicants should be able to explain the connection clearly rather than relying on a general statement about supporting young women.

Step 2: Define the initiative

Prepare a clear description of the proposed activities. Explain what the initiative seeks to accomplish, who it intends to reach, and how the planned work will advance the selected Manifesto demand.

Step 3: Establish the campaign connection

Explain how the initiative relates to the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. Make the relationship between the campaign context, the Manifesto demand, and the proposed activities easy to understand.

Step 4: Outline the use of the grant

Consider how US$1,500 would support the proposed work. Develop a realistic outline of the resources needed to implement the initiative, while checking the official guidance for any restrictions on eligible costs.

Step 5: Explain the intended results

Describe what the initiative hopes to achieve and how progress might be observed. For example, an applicant could identify the activities they intend to complete and the people or communities they aim to engage, provided these plans are appropriate to the proposed initiative.

These are suggested preparation steps rather than official application requirements. Applicants should use the instructions provided through the application link to confirm which documents, details, and submission procedures are required.

Application Deadline

The deadline for the Nalafem Fund Grants 2026 is 23 October 2026.

Applicants interested in this funding opportunity should review the application information and prepare their submissions before the closing date. Since the deadline is close, prospective applicants should avoid leaving their application preparation until the final day.

The announcement does not specify the deadline time or time zone. Applicants should consult the official application page to confirm any submission timing requirements.

How to Apply for the Nalafem Fund Grants 2026

Interested applicants can access the opportunity through the application link shared in the original announcement.

Application link: https://lnkd.in/dkMwjv4h

Before submitting, applicants should review the official information carefully to confirm the application process, any required supporting documents, and any additional eligibility conditions.

Applicants should ensure that their initiative:

• Is proposed by an eligible young women’s group, feminist collective, network, or individual young women advocate under 40.
• Is based in an African country or otherwise meets the opportunity’s stated geographic eligibility.
• Advances at least one demand of the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto.
• Is relevant to the funding call’s focus on action during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.
• Is submitted in accordance with the official instructions before 23 October 2026.

The original announcement does not state the required application format, the selection timeline, or when successful applicants will be notified. These details should be verified through the official application information.

For more grants opportunities visit:https://opportunitiesforyouth.org/?s=grants

Conclusion

The Nalafem Fund Grants 2026 offer a funding opportunity for young women’s groups, feminist collectives, networks, and individual young women advocates under 40 across Africa. With three grants of US$1,500 each, the call aims to provide resources for initiatives that advance at least one demand of the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.

For eligible applicants, the key task is to identify a relevant Manifesto demand and develop an initiative that clearly connects that demand to practical action. A focused proposal can help communicate what the initiative intends to do and how the grant would support its implementation.