Commonwealth Foundation

Deadline of the call: 23.10.2025, 1PM BST
Location: Commonwealth Foundation Member State

Objective: Commonwealth Foundation open call grants 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. All applications are required to demonstrate how they will integrate gender considerations into their project design and implementation. The three priorities are the following: 

1. Health Justice (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); 
2. Freedom of Expression (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, promoting art and creativity as means of advocating for and raising awareness of freedom of expression;
3. Climate Justice (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)