Commonwealth Foundation: Open grants call

The Foundation’s grants programme supports civil society across the Commonwealth—including grassroots communities and creative actors—to advance meaningful social, cultural and political change.

Deadline: 1pm GMT on 26 October 2026

View application page with all information

We support projects that seek change through constructive engagement with governments and other decision-makers and/or through creative advocacy: the intentional use of creative practices to influence public discourse, policy, behaviours or decision-making.

This year, the Foundation is expanding its funding offer to create new opportunities for civil society networks, coalitions, alliances and collectives, building on several years of support for grassroots communities and creative organisations.

Applications must address one or more of our three funding priorities. All applicants are required to demonstrate how they intend to integrate considerations of gender and intersectionality into their project design and implementation.

Applicants must check our eligibility criteria thoroughly and read all of the guidance documentation on this page before applying. Please note that we receive a large number of applications each year and are therefore unable to provide individual feedback for applicants.

Two grants streams

We offer funding through two complementary grant streams:

Individual Organisation Grants

For eligible not-for-profit civil society organisations, including creative organisations, delivering standalone projects. Grants are available from £15,000 to £30,000 per year for up to two years.

Collective Action Grants

For eligible networks, coalitions, alliances and platforms of civil society actors, including creative collectives, working together to strengthen participation and collective action. Grants are available from £15,000 to £20,000 per year for up to two years.

Please see the guidance documents for full information about both grant streams. Our frequently asked questions provide further information on the new Collective Action Grants and changes to this year’s call, as well as answers to common questions about Individual Organisation Grants and the application process.
Funding priorities

Applications must address one or more of our three priority themes: climate and environmental justice, economic inclusion and freedom of expression. These areas often overlap, and we encourage applicants to explore the connections between them. These themes are set out below, alongside further considerations and exclusions.

Our strategy also identifies small states and gender and intersectionality as cross-cutting priorities. There should be demonstrable consideration of gender and intersectionality in project design and implementation. We strongly encourage applications from eligible organisations in Commonwealth small states. We welcome projects that meaningfully involve young people to strengthen their leadership.