The Global Grand Challenge Awards invite applications from startup enterprises that are attacking the world’s most difficult problems. Three teams in each of 12 tracks will be invited to California in August 2017 to present their work at the Singularity University Global Summit EXPO. One winner will be selected from each track to be assisted with recognition and exposure. The tracks include disaster resilience, energy, environment, food, water, and others. The application deadline is 31 July 2017. Link
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Earth Journalism Network — InfoCongo
The Earth Journalism Network (EJN) is offering grants of up to US$1,500 for stories about pressing issues in the Congo Basin. The main focus is to show the impacts of environmental change on human lives and ecosystems. For this reason, EJN prioritizes stories about forests, water, climate change, wildlife, extractive industries, conflicts, and crimes. Proposals should focus on the production of one or more story, map, or data visualization element. The deadline for applications (English, French) is 20 May 2017. Link
Social Entrepreneurship Impact & Finance — Awards for Social Enterprise 2017
Social Entrepreneurship Impact & Finance (seif) supports individuals and teams that apply innovative business ideas to address current social and/or environmental problems. Categories include agriculture; food and nutrition; environment; energy; water and sanitation; and others. The competition is open to social enterprises from all over Europe. The program will make four awards of CHF 10 thousand each. The application deadline is 30 June 2017. Link
Rockefeller Foundation — Sustainable Development
The Rockefeller Foundation defines several initiatives and topics that guide its grant making. Those of principal relevance in the Terra Viva Grants Directory are food security in Africa; resilience to climate change; energy production and consumption; water and fisheries; and ecosystem services. Requests for support must fit Rockefeller’s issue areas, current initiatives, and geographical regions. Inquiries can be submitted at any time. Link
Australian Aid and Tata Group — XPrize for Water Abundance
Sponsored by the Tata Group jointly with Australian Aid, the Water Abundance XPRIZE invites teams to revolutionize access to water by creating a device that uses renewable energy to extract a minimum of 2,000 liters of water per day from the atmosphere at a combined operating and capital cost of no more than two cents per liter. Eligibility to compete for the prize extends to teams of scientists, engineers, academics, entrepreneurs, and innovators from all over the world. The grand prize is US$1.5 million, and the competition will award additional (milestone) prizes of US$250 thousand. The registration deadline is 28 April 2017. Link
Waterloo Foundation — WASH Grants
The World Development program at the Waterloo Foundation offers grants in subject areas that include water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). The Foundation gives funding priority to UK-based charities, many of whom work in close partnership with NGOs based in the countries in which they operate. Waterloo will also accept applications from organizations in developing countries if they can supply acceptable references in the UK. Grants are usually between 1-3 years for a total of over £50 thousand, although very occasionally the Foundation will provide grants of over £100 thousand per year. The deadlines for the WASH grants are 14 May 2017 (Round 1) and 19 November 2017 (Round 2). Link
UK Natural Environment Research Council — Research on Water Quality, UK and India
The UK’s Natural Environment Research Council, in partnership with the UK’s Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council and India’s Department of Science and Technology, invite proposals on research to improve water quality. The programme aims to provide a better understanding of the sources and fate of different pollutants, and to support the development of management strategies and technologies to reduce pollution levels. Proposals are sought for collaborative projects involving researchers from both the UK and India. The deadline for notifications of intent to submit is 30 March 2017. Link
U.S. Agency for International Development — Smart Solutions for Adaptable Cities in Asia
The USAID Private Financing Advisory Network-Asia calls for proposal to advance “Smart Solutions for Adaptable Communities and Cities.” Examples of these solutions include apps on clean transport and pilot projects on climate-adaptable housing and buildings, water management, and waste management. Selected project developers, technology providers, innovators, and inventors will receive mentoring support from USAID PFAN-Asia with an aim to secure funding to up-scale their operations. Applications are invited from the private sector, and from public- private partnerships, in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. The deadline for applications is 31 March 2017. Link
European Commission — Black Sea Cross-Border Cooperation
The EC announces the first call for proposals of the ENI CBC “Black Sea Basin Joint Operational Programme 2014-2020.” The program aims to promote business and entrepreneurship (including in agriculture), and to promote coordination of environmental protection and reduction of river and marine litter. Participating countries are Armenia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Turkey, and Ukraine. The deadline for applications is 31 May 2017. Link
Swiss Re — Leadership Prize in Water Management 2018
The International ReSource Award is a prize acknowledging social entrepreneurial thinking and leadership in addressing social and/or ecological issues related to sustainable water management practices in developing and emerging countries. Each of three finalists will receive US$20 thousand and expert assistance to further develop their proposals in order to compete for a first prize of US$75 thousand. Eligibility for the ReSource Award extends to charities, non-profit organizations, and revenue-generating social enterprises working in the areas of water, sanitation, and hygiene in the developing world. The application deadline for short proposals (Step I) is 22 March 2017. Link