Funding for international students wishing to study in the UK

• Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP)
  Awards for post-graduate study and occasional undergraduate study covering some Commonwealth countries.
• Shared Scholarship Scheme
  Awards for Commonwealth postgraduate students to study in the UK.

Further information

The above schemes are aimed primarily at students from developing Commonwealth countries. For other funding opportunities, please visit the British Council website -

• Scholarship search
• Study in the UK

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Funding for not-for-profit organisations

• Civil Society Challenge Fund
  Aimed at UK-based not-for-profit organisations working to provide lasting benefits to poor communities and under-represented people in the developing world.
• Development Awareness Fund and the Mini Grants Scheme
  UK-based not-for-profit organisations or networks which share our commitment to raising awareness and understanding of development issues.
• Partnership Programme Agreements
  Agreements between DFID and influential civil society organisations in the UK which set out at a strategic level how the partners will work together to meet the Millennium Development Goals. Strategic Funding is provided, and is linked to jointly agreed outcomes.
• Governance and Transparency Fund
  Targeted principally at not-for-profit organisations. It will also consider proposals which involve local/regional government bodies and certain for-profit groups (particularly those in the media), where their involvement can show to be an integral part of the project/programme. proposal.  If you would like to know more about the Fund please e-mail gtf@dfid.gov.uk

Further information

• BOND (British Overseas NGOs for Development)
• Foreign and Commonwealth Office Global Opportunities Fund
• Research opportunities

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Conflict and humanitarian funding

• Conflict and Humanitarian Fund
  DFID Conflict and Humanitarian Fund Open for Applications. DFID’s Conflict and Humanitarian Fund (CHF) is now open to receive applications from not-for-profit organisations for project funding for work on conflict and humanitarian issues. Funding for successful applications from this (2008) Competition will be available from the UK Government 2008/09 financial year, which starts in April 2008, onwards. Successful applications will be announced in early June 2008.
  Deadline for initial applications: 15 February 2008
• Humanitarian response funding
  Allocated in response to specific emergencies and disasters to not-for-profit organisations, United Nations agencies and the Red Cross Movement.
• Disaster Risk Reduction
  After a major rapid-onset disaster, up to 10% of DFID's response funding may be available for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) activities including prevention, mitigation and preparedness for future disasters, where this can be done effectively. This is likely to be relevant for sudden onset disasters and will only apply to responses above £500,000. The funding is often managed by the DFID country or regional office. For further information read our Disaster Risk Reduction Policy Paper(657 kb) or contact (+44) (0)20 7023 1476.
• The Africa Conflict Prevention Pool (ACPP) and Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP)
  managed jointly by DFID, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence. More information on the GCPP is also available.
• Mine action
  DFID funds a programme of global mine action through the United Nations and selected NGO partners. For further information please contact the Security and Justice Team in Conflict, Humanitarian and Security Department (CHASE) on (+44) (0)20 7023 0599.

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Funding for the private sector

• Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund
  A 7-Year DFID led initiative to stimulate pro-poor growth and create employment in Africa.
• Business Sector Advocacy Challenge Fund (BUSAC)
  Aims to broaden the engagement of the Private Sector in Policy formulation and implementation in Ghana.
• Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund
  A Public Private Partnership providing long-term debt finance on commercial terms to finance the construction and development of private infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Investment Climate Facility for Africa
  Helps lower the cost of doing business in Africa and promote a better investment climate across the continent.
• Food and Retail Challenge Fund
  Expected to open for applications in June 2008

Further information

• Procurement opportunities
• Research opportunities
• Strategic Business Partnerships for Growth in Africa
• CDC Group plc
  Wholly owned by DFID, CDC Group plc invests in poor developing countries and aims to attract private capital by showing that such investments are worthwhile.
• Public Private Partnerships in Infrastructure(88 kb)
• Working with the private sector to eliminate poverty(393 kb)
• Foreign and Commonwealth Office Global Opportunities Fund

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Funding for educational institutions

• DELPHE
  The DELPHE (Development Partnerships in Higher Education) programme provides funding for partnerships between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) working on collaborative activity linked to the Millennium Development Goals.
• DFID Global Schools Partnerships
  Provides grants to schools in the UK and Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean to help build partnerships through teacher exchanges and for projects to build development issues into the curriculum.

Further information

• EDULINK
• England-Africa Partnerships in Higher Education
• Research opportunities

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Funding for the media

• Commonwealth Broadcasting Association DFID Travel Bursary Fund
  Established UK based network and regional media producers/journalists who want to spend up to three months in a Commonwealth developing country.
• Commonwealth Broadcasting Association DFID Programme Development Fund
  Established UK Producers/Production companies.

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Funding for Local Authorities

• Commonwealth Local Government Good Practice Scheme
  Commonwealth local authorities, local authority associations.

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Funding for specific countries or regions

Please note that this list is not exhaustive and there will be more schemes run directly from country offices.

Africa

• Rapid Funding Envelope for HIV/AIDS
  Provides grants to Tanzanian non-profit civil society organisations, academic institutions, and civil society partnerships for essential, short-term projects aligned with the National Policy on HIV/AIDS and the National Multi-Sectoral Strategic Framework.
• Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund - due for launch summer 2007.
• Business Sector Advocacy Challenge Fund (BUSAC)
  Aims to broaden the engagement of the Private Sector in Policy formulation and implementation in Ghana.
• Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund
  A Public Private Partnership providing long-term debt finance on commercial terms to finance the construction and development of private infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Foundation for Civil Society: Tanzania
  Provides grants and other capacity building support to civil society organisations to establish a support mechanism for civil society organisations in Tanzania. 
• Ghana Research Advocacy Programme
  Aims to support the institutional development of Research and Advocacy Organisations (RAOs) in Ghana.
• Investment Climate Facility for Africa
  Helps lower the cost of doing business in Africa and promote a better investment climate across the continent.
• Rapid Funding Envelope for HIV/AIDS
  Provides grants to Tanzanian non-profit civil society organisations, academic institutions, and civil society partnerships for essential, short-term projects aligned with the National Policy on HIV/AIDS and the National Multi-Sectoral Strategic Framework.
• Regional Trade Facilitation Programme
  Aims to expand the regional and international trade of Southern Africa as a way of reducing poverty.
• Rights and Voice Initiative
  Aims to strengthen capacity of vulnerable groups to exercise voice and demand their rights in Ghana.
• Southern Africa Trust
  Supports processes to deepen and widen participation in policy dialogue with a regional impact on poverty.

Further information

• Strategic Business Partnerships for Growth in Africa

Asia

• DFID Community Support Programme aims to provide funding support to poor, marginalized, excluded, and conflict-affected communities in Nepal to address their immediate livelihood issues.
• Iraqi Civil Society Challenge Fund
  Aims to strengthen capacity of Iraqi civil society organisations, contribute to local/community initiatives, increase access to information, and support organisations in the non-government sector to work better with government to develop and improve social policy across Iraq.
• Iraq Political Participation Fund
  Organisations that work to support the development of legitimate and inclusive political institutions in Iraq.
• Orissa Civil Society and Poverty Programme  
  NGOs that have been in existence for a minimum of five years, and are based in Orissa, India.
• India Poorest Areas Civil Society Programme
  Seeks to support civil society organisations working in identified thematic areas in India.

Worldwide

• Community Led Infrastructure Finance Facility (CLIFF)
  Provides loan finance for slum development projects that are implemented by the urban poor in India and Kenya.

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Closed funds

• Business Links Asia
• Business Linkages Challenge Fund
• Financial Deepening Challenge Fund 
• Ghana Business Linkages Challenge Fund  
• Higher Education Links Scheme - this scheme has now been superceded by DELPHE (Development Partnerships in Higher Education)
• Know How Fund
• Strategic Grant Agreements