Applications Invited for the Commonwealth Foundation Open Grants

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About the Organization

The Commonwealth Foundation is an intergovernmental organisation mandated by its Member States to advance the interests of Commonwealth civil society.

Upholding a firm commitment to the principles and ideals of the Commonwealth, the Foundation seeks to nurture the growth of vibrant and free societies: championing the active and constructive participation of people in all aspects of governance.

About the Grant

We offer grants of up to £30,000 for projects lasting up to two years to civil society organisations in the Commonwealth. We support projects that seek to facilitate constructive engagement between civil society and decision-makers, including civil society participation in policy development and implementation.

Applications must address one or more of our three priority themes and other funding considerations such as partnerships and exclusions. Suggested areas of focus under each theme and other important funding considerations are set out below:

Health Justice

Projects could support civil society to engage meaningfully with government on:

• Universal health coverage.
• Realising the right to health: better availability, accessibility, quality, participation and accountability in health services and delivery.
• Programmes and policies that focus on social determinants of health as part of the inclusive right to health.
• Challenging systemic discrimination in health systems and promoting equitable access to health services for marginalised groups and those with special needs.
• Promoting the participation of marginalised groups and those with special needs in decision-making processes.
• Promoting health and well-being by combating communicable and non-communicable diseases.
• Equitable access to essential medicines.

Freedom of Expression

Projects could support civil society to engage meaningfully with government on:

• Advancing a legal and regulatory environment that protects and upholds freedom of expression for all.
• Advancing a legal and regulatory environment that promotes the freedom, growth, and vibrancy of civil society.
• Promoting access to information and transparency in governance, including through a free and independent press, robust freedom of information laws and their practical application.
• Advancing civil society engagement in national, regional and/or international mechanisms and processes to promote freedom of expression (e.g., national human rights institutions; Universal Periodic Reviews).
• Promoting art and creativity as means of advocating for and raising awareness of freedom of expression.

Climate Justice

Projects could support civil society to engage meaningfully with government on:

• Ensuring representation, inclusion, and protecting the rights of those most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
• Addressing the social, political, and economic root causes of climate injustice.
• Strengthening the voices of those most affected by the climate crisis in multilateral and national spaces. 
• Ensuring that the voice, agency, and leadership of young women and men are at the centre of policy discussions and decision-making at all levels.
• Advocating for corrective justice for environmental harm, including compensation mechanisms, access to justice and effective remedy, and legal empowerment.
• Ensuring accountability and effective remedy for human rights harms caused by climate change. 
• Developing, reviewing, improving, and monitoring laws, policies and practices promoting climate justice. 
• Exposing and addressing the factors that contribute to the increased vulnerability of social groups to the consequences of climate change.
• Exposing and addressing negative social and distributional outcomes of climate change mitigation policies and/or encourage support for the development of pro-poor mitigation approaches.

Other important funding considerations

The Foundation’s three themes overlap and connect in myriad ways. For example, freedom of expression and protection of the free flow of information are critical to ensuring meaningful progress on health justice and climate justice.

Applicants are encouraged to explore the intersections between our three themes when developing their proposals and, where appropriate, to consider addressing more than one.

Eligibility

The applicant must be a not-for-profit civil society organisation (CSO) registered in an eligible Commonwealth Foundation Member State.

The applicant organisation must have a minimum of three years’ demonstrable experience working on participatory governance and advocacy within the area/theme(s) of the proposed project. Organisations that have been registered and operating for less than three years are not eligible.

Applicant organisations that are currently implementing, or that have recently completed, a Commonwealth Foundation Grant but have not received their final payment, are not eligible to apply to this grant call.

The project must seek to facilitate change through constructive engagement between civil society and decision-makers, including civil society participation in policy development and decision-making, within one or more of the Foundation’s priority themes (see above).

Proposals must relate to projects that are expected to begin after the 1 August 2025 and before the end of September 2025.

How to Apply

To apply, you will first need to log in to your SurveyMonkey Apply account and complete and submit an online application form on the website here.

The application and supporting documents cannot be emailed to the Foundation.

Deadline: 1pm BST on 24 October 2024.

For more information please check the Link

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Tags Governance Healthcare and Healthtech Advocacy Public Policy/ Policy Others