Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) launches its 13th Annual Photos and Videos Contest 2018. The contest seeks striking photographs and short videos that tell the story of how financial services empower poor people and communities in Africa. The grand winner receives a US$ 2,000 gift certificate for photography or video equipment. The 2018 CGAP Photo Contest is open to all photographers and videographers. Photographs and short videos have to be submitted by 14 December 2018. Share your stories
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TWIGA — Hackathon for Environmental Sensors
TWIGA is a 4-year project under EU Horizon2020 aimed to transform weather water data into value-added information services. To foster involvement by young scientists and entrepreneurs, TWIGA will organize five hackathons to develop solutions for the agriculture, water, energy, disaster response and risk management sector. The first call is open to teams from Ghana. Similar hackathons will be organized in other parts of Africa later. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place will receive €1500, €1000, and €500. Applications should be submitted by 30 September 2018. Participate in the TWIGA Hackathon
Euromena Consulting — Awards for MENA Start-ups
Euromena Consulting launches the Euromena Awards – MENA Edition. The awards are intended for companies or innovative projects with social, economic, environmental and/or societal impact. Proposed projects should be related to MENA and/or be established in the region. The three winners will receive coaching and support for 6 months and the 1st place startup receives a €10 thousand financial reward. Applications must be sent before 29 October 2018. Find out more
UK Government — Transforming Energy Access in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia
The UK Government invests up to £10 million in technologies that will help countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia access secure, low cost and low carbon energy. (Note: £3 million of the funding is set aside for bioenergy projects.) International applicants must apply as part of a collaboration with a UK organisation. Eligibility extends to micro, small or medium-sized enterprises. Projects have to be registered by 14 November 2018. Find the competition
Global Social Venture Competition — Competition 2019
The Global Social Venture Competition (GSVC) is a partnership of business schools in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa to provide aspiring entrepreneurs with mentoring, exposure, and funding to support their social ventures. Past winners include plans for water supply, energy, micro-credit, agricultural technology, ecological building materials, and other environmental themes. The GSVC will award cash prizes up to US$40 thousand. The deadline for the first entry round in all regions is 03 December 2018. Find the competition
Africa Innovates for the SDGs — Award for African Social Innovators
Africa Innovates for the SDGs invites applications from early-stage social innovators in Africa who are solving pressing problems and key challenges linked to the Sustainable Development Goals. Selected innovators will receive funding to develop and scale their innovations to become financially sustainable. Applicants must be a citizen of any African country or a resident in any African countries. The deadline for applications is 07 September 2018. Find the guidelines
UN Women — Youth Led Social Entrepreneurship Solutions in Africa
UN Women partners with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to grant financing to African youth entrepreneurs to develop and implement their solutions to address gender specific development challenges in their communities. Winning entries will receive seed grants of US$ 5 thousand or scale grants of US$ 10 thousand to develop and test their innovations. Eligibility extends to Africans aged between 15 and 35 years with scalable ideas to transform their community or country. The applications deadline is 18 September 2018. About the open innovation challenge
Tata Group — Tata Social Enterprise Challenge, 7th Edition
The Tata Group, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIMC), seeks to identify promising social enterprises in India. Proposals are invited for social enterprises in agriculture, water and sanitation, energy, and other thematic areas. The proposed enterprises should create social impact in India, although applicants do not have to be Indian nationals. The top three winners of the competition will win cash grants up to 2 lakhs each, to be invested in their ventures. Selected social entrepreneurs will be offered mentorship and an opportunity to be incubated at IIMC. The deadline for submitting impact proposals (business plans) is 30 September 2018. Link
The Commonwealth — Commonwealth Young Person of the Year 2019
The Commonwealth awards exceptional young people, including entrepreneurs, inventors, environmentalists, women’s rights advocates, and others, who are making a difference in their communities. Entrants must be aged 15 to 29 years and can nominate themselves or be nominated by someone else. This year’s finalists will receive a trophy, a certificate and cash grants to help them continue their development work. All finalists will be awarded £1,000. Each selected regional winner will receive an additional £2,000, and the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year will also receive an additional cash grant of £2,000. Entries must be received by 31 October 2018. About the award
Australian Government — Australian Aid: Friendship Grants 2018/19
The Australian Aid: Friendship Grants program supports organisations from across Australia and provides funding for aid activities in the Indo-Pacific. Eligible Australian community organisations are encouraged to apply for funding of AUD30-60 thousand in three annual grant rounds. The grants will fund development activities that strengthen an overseas community’s capacity or socio-economic situation and improve the lives of poor and vulnerable people. The application form must be submitted by 27 August 2018. Friendship Grants