Explore a World of Funding Opportunities: Grants, Prizes, and Cash Awards Open Now
For individuals and organizations seeking financial support for their projects, staying informed about available grants, funding opportunities, and cash prizes is essential. Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur, a dedicated researcher, a passionate artist, or a non-profit working to make a difference, there are numerous avenues to explore. This article highlights a selection of current opportunities, offering financial backing and recognition for diverse initiatives. Understanding the landscape of these grants and funding options can be the first step toward bringing your vision to life.
Environmental and Sustainability Initiatives
Many organizations are dedicated to supporting projects that address pressing environmental concerns and promote sustainability. These grants often focus on areas like clean water, sanitation, ocean health, and the transition to sustainable food systems.
RELX Environmental Challenge
This challenge supports projects aimed at improving access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene, as well as ocean sustainability. It is open to practical environmental solutions that demonstrate clear community benefits, with awards of up to $75,000. The application deadline is July 12.
Thrive Grant
The Thrive Grant funds initiatives outside the USA that accelerate alternatives to industrial animal agriculture. It supports plant-rich food systems, work that increases access to nutritious plant-based foods, and awareness-building around plant-based nutrition. Grants of up to $30,000 are available, with a deadline of June 1.
UNIDO ONE World Sustainability Awards
These awards recognize market-ready sustainability solutions and offer finalists international visibility and access to influential networks. The 2026 ceremony will take place in Vienna, Austria, and is particularly beneficial for solutions in sustainable industry, supply chains, and women in industry. The application deadline is June 30.
ECZF Growth, Engagement and Resources (GEAR) Grant
Offered by the East Coast Zoological Foundation, this small grant supports the growth and development of conservation-based organizations. It focuses on operational costs essential for in-situ fieldwork, making it useful for needs that fall outside large-scale project-based funding. Applications are due by June 30.
National Geographic Society Request for Proposal: The Climate Pledge
This initiative supports storytelling, research, and action connected to climate solutions. It is relevant for practitioners, storytellers, and researchers working on environmental impact, especially for climate work that connects evidence with public engagement. The deadline for applications is May 26.
Education and Research Funding
Opportunities in education and research span from supporting groundbreaking academic work to fostering educational initiatives that impact communities. These grants often provide substantial funding for career development and project execution.
WISE Prize for Education
This global award program recognizes outstanding education initiatives that address important learning challenges. It is open to innovators and organizations working to improve education, with a prize pool of $1,000,000 USD. The deadline to apply is June 27.
UNESCO International Literacy Prizes
These prizes recognize outstanding programs that advance literacy and learning, making them relevant for organizations working on literacy, education, and inclusion. They offer global visibility to proven literacy work, with a $30,000 prize. The application deadline is May 18.
UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for ICT in Education
This prize recognizes innovative uses of information and communication technologies in education, focusing on strengthening learning, inclusion, and education systems. It is open to initiatives that use ICT to improve education and offers a $25,000 prize. Applications are due by May 29.
William T. Grant Scholars Program
This program supports the career development of promising early-career researchers by funding five-year research and mentoring plans. It helps researchers expand their expertise in new disciplines, methods, and content areas, with awards of up to $425,000. The deadline for applications is June 30.
IOC Olympic Studies Centre Research Grant Programme
This program is for PhD students and early-career academics engaged in scholarly research on the Olympic Movement, covering its history, ideals, athletes, and impact. Since 1999, over 148 researchers have benefited from this $6,000 grant. Applications are due by September 22.
Centre for Budget and Policy Studies Research Fellowship
This fellowship supports young scholars interested in public policy research, with focus areas including education, gender, governance, budgets, health, livelihoods, and social security. It is a strong fit for policy and social-sector research careers. The deadline is May 31.
Urban Studies Foundation International Fellowships
These fellowships support early to mid-career urban scholars from eligible countries, helping them develop international research collaborations and publications. They are ideal for academics working on cities, urban inequality, planning, and development. Applications are due by July 6.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation Awards
For entrepreneurs and innovators, various awards and grants offer financial backing, mentorship, and platforms to showcase groundbreaking ideas and solutions. These opportunities often target specific sectors or regions.
Pierre Castel Prize
Organized by the Pierre Castel Fund, this prize supports entrepreneurs in African countries working in agriculture and food systems. The 2026 edition covers several countries, offering a EUR 25,000 prize. The deadline for applications is May 30.
Allstate Main Street Grants Program
Presented in partnership with Hello Alice and the Global Entrepreneurship Network, this program supports small businesses that are vital to their communities across the United States. The program aims to invest in local businesses, with grants of $20,000 and a total available funding of $2 million. Applications are due by June 23.
D-Prize
The D-Prize supports early-stage entrepreneurs who can distribute proven poverty interventions. It is designed for new ventures that can help more people access existing solutions. Applicants can submit through the global competition timeline, with awards of up to $20,000. The regular deadline is June 7, with a late deadline of June 28.
Interledger on Campus Mini-Grant Program
Launched by the Interledger Foundation, this program supports student-led innovation, learning, and community engagement with a focus on open payments and digital financial inclusion. Grants of up to $5,000 are available, with applications due by July 31.
Future of Energy Conference Innovation Challenge
This challenge invites innovators to present energy solutions that respond to Africa’s energy transition, focusing on sustainability and energy access needs. It offers a platform for practical energy ideas and solutions for clean-energy founders, innovators, and entrepreneurs. The deadline is May 31.
Digital Energy Challenge Call for Projects
This initiative supports digital innovation projects that aim to improve energy access, service delivery, and strengthen energy systems. It is beneficial for startups, utilities, businesses, and innovators in the energy sector, particularly those with off-grid energy, clean energy, and digital infrastructure ideas. Applications are due by June 17.
Ernest Solvay Fund
This fund supports initiatives in Belgium and countries where Solvay is active, with focus areas including STEM education, planet progress, and improving life through science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and digital education. Grants of up to EUR 10,000 are available, with a deadline of September 30.
Media, Journalism, and Storytelling Grants
For journalists and storytellers, numerous grants and fellowships provide support for in-depth reporting on underreported global issues, investigative journalism, and creative storytelling projects.
Pulitzer Center Global Reporting Grants
These grants support journalists producing in-depth reporting on underreported global stories with strong public-interest value. They focus on areas like climate, health, inequality, governance, and human rights. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Kurt Schork Awards in International Journalism
These awards recognize courageous international journalism and are open to freelance journalists, local reporters, and news fixers. They are suitable for journalists reporting from difficult, underreported, or risky contexts, particularly in accountability, conflict, human rights, and public interest reporting. The deadline is June 14.
Rainforest Investigation Network Fellowship
This fellowship supports journalists investigating rainforest destruction, focusing on environmental crime, climate issues, and accountability. It is ideal for reporters working on conservation, land rights, and corruption, supporting long-form investigative journalism. Applications are due by May 22.
Art4Change Storytelling Fellowship
This fellowship supports storytellers producing digital stories, case studies, and multimedia content focused on youth innovation and social change. It is a good fit for creatives, communicators, nonprofit storytellers, and media professionals, with a stipend available. The deadline is May 29.
PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival
This festival invites young people to submit original creative videos on themes including migration, diversity, social inclusion, and the prevention of xenophobia. It is suitable for young creatives, storytellers, and media groups, promoting rights-based storytelling and youth voice. The deadline is June 30.
Special Opportunities for Specific Groups
Several opportunities are tailored to specific demographics or professional groups, recognizing their unique contributions and needs.
Visegrad+ Grants
These grants support projects contributing to democratization and transformation processes in selected countries of the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership regions. Grants can fund up to 100% of the project budget, with typical grants ranging from EUR 25,000 to EUR 35,000. The application deadline is June 1.
Women in Ag Award
This award recognizes women working across agriculture and agribusiness, including farming, research, agritech, and food systems. It provides visibility for women contributing to the sector and is a strong opportunity for women-led work. Applications are due by July 10.
APNI African Plant Nutrition Phosphorus Fellowship
This fellowship supports African scientists working on phosphorus management in African crop systems, aiming to improve soil fertility and crop productivity. It is open to scientists in African universities or national agricultural research and extension systems, offering up to $5,000. The deadline is July 7.
CANEX Shorts
This program for African filmmakers offers cash prizes to winners, whose films will be screened at CANEX WKND 2026. Winners are invited to the event with flights and accommodation covered, and each receives a $2,000 cash prize. The application deadline is June 30.
Canon Oceania Grants Program
This program offers community, education, environment, and First Nations grants to eligible groups and organizations in Oceania. Winners receive cash and Canon product support for projects benefiting the Australian community, with grants including AU $5,000 (AU $2,500 cash and Canon product). The deadline is June 14.
AWS Imagine Grant
This grant empowers nonprofit organizations to use technology as a mission-critical part of their projects. It seeks proposals for pilot projects, proofs of concept, or existing programs using technology in new or expanded ways, best for nonprofits with clear digital or technology needs. Applications are due by June 5.
TWAS Awards for Scientists
Several TWAS awards recognize scientific excellence, including the TWAS-Samira Omar Innovation for Sustainability Award for scientists from least developed countries, the TWAS-Abdool Karim Award in Biological Sciences for women scientists from least developed African countries, and the TWAS-Fayzah M. Al-Kharafi Award in Agricultural Sciences and Biology for women scientists. The TWAS-Mohammad A. Hamdan Award recognizes scientific excellence connected to the Arab region and developing countries. Most of these awards have a deadline of June 30.
LEAP Africa Social Innovators Programme
This program supports young African changemakers building practical, community-rooted solutions, offering mentoring, leadership development, and growth support. It is a strong fit for early-stage social impact organizations and nonprofit founders. Applications are due by June 12.
Young Professionals Bootcamp
This bootcamp supports Nigerian young professionals with leadership and enterprise development, including mentorship and access to a seed grant pool of N150 million. It is open to young professionals seeking to strengthen business and leadership capacity. The deadline is May 24.
Scholars at Risk Academic Freedom Fellowships
This fellowship supports early-career researchers working on academic freedom, higher education values, and the protection of scholars at risk. It is good for researchers in human rights, education, and civic space, supporting research, writing, and professional development. Applications are due by May 29.
Afreximbank-Edordu Research Competition
This competition invites original postgraduate research on African trade, finance, integration, and development, as well as economic transformation and continental policy work. It is a strong fit for postgraduate researchers and professionals working on Africa’s development. The deadline is September 30.
Other Notable Opportunities
Beyond these categories, a variety of other grants and prizes are available for diverse projects and individuals.
Visegrad+ Grants
These grants support projects that contribute to democratisation and transformation processes in selected countries of the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership regions. Grants can fund up to 100% of the project budget, with typical grants ranging from EUR 25,000 to EUR 35,000. The application deadline is June 1.
The World Around Young Climate Prize
This prize supports young climate designers and innovators focusing on creative solutions for climate challenges. It offers young people visibility, support, and a global platform, making it good for climate, design, architecture, and community innovation work. The deadline is June 30.
Global Youth Innovation Challenge
This challenge invites young innovators to present ideas and solutions addressing development and community problems across sectors. It is useful for early-stage ideas and good for youth-led nonprofits, businesses, and social impact projects, offering a $1,000 prize. The deadline is May 31.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of funding opportunities are currently available?
Currently, there are various grants, prizes, and cash awards open for environmental initiatives, education and research, entrepreneurship, media and journalism, and specific demographic groups.
Who can apply for these grants and awards?
Applications are open to individuals, organizations, entrepreneurs, researchers, artists, and non-profits, depending on the specific criteria of each opportunity.
What is the typical range of funding amounts?
Funding amounts vary significantly, from smaller grants of a few thousand dollars to larger prizes and awards reaching up to $1,000,000 USD or EUR 75,000.
Where can I find more information about these opportunities?
More details about each specific grant, prize, or award, including application deadlines and eligibility, can be found by referring to the descriptions provided in the article.
