Award-winning grant-making nonprofit organisation established in 2016 by Access Bank/Access Holdings (Nigeria) to support local, national and regional non-profit organisations and social enterprises addressing challenges and vulnerabilities across the African Continent. Adopts a responsive approach to grant-making by funding focused interventions across developmental issues. Provides not only funding but also capacity strengthening, strategic project delivery, guidance through the grant process, impact measurement support, monitoring and evaluation, board governance support, and organisational development. Headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria. Vision is to leverage relationships to create effective social impact solutions across Africa.
Funding Amount
Not publicly disclosed – varies by project. Organisations are invited to submit detailed budgets after initial application approval. Funding based on project scope and organisational capacity.
Program maximum life cycle: 12 months (6-12 months execution period).
Target
- Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)
- Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs)
- Community-Based Organisations (CBOs)
- Charitable organizations
- Faith-based organisations/foundations
- Social Enterprises (only non-profit initiatives funded)
- Local, national, and regional organisations across Africa
- Special focus on organisations serving vulnerable and marginalised groups
- Low-income families and Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs)
Closing Date
Typically annual cycle opens in October/November
Fucus Areas
Health (SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being):
- Malaria interventions
- Cancer (breast cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer)
- Maternal and child health
- Infant and young child feeding
- Childhood cancer
- Health services for vulnerable and marginalised groups
- Non-communicable diseases
Entrepreneurship (SDG 1 & 8 – Poverty Reduction, Economic Growth):
- Income generation and economic empowerment
- Vocational education and skills acquisition
- Financial literacy and financial inclusion
- Business training and technical assistance
- Support for MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises)
- Job creation initiatives
- Digital skills development
Environment (SDG 6, 11, 13 – Clean Water, Sustainable Cities, Climate Action):
- Integrated waste management (especially plastic recycling)
- Access to safe drinking water
- Water and sanitation
- Climate change action
- Air and water pollution reduction
- Soil erosion prevention
- Land and forest degradation mitigation
- Sustainable environmental management
Leadership (SDG 16 – Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions):
- Youth leadership development
- Thought leadership
- Good governance initiatives
- National development programs
- Building credible, accountable and ethical leaders
- Effective and sustainable economic development
Eligibility Criteria
MUST MEET ALL:
- Work within ACT Foundation’s focus areas (Health, Entrepreneurship, Environment, Leadership)
- Registered with an appropriate legal entity for at least 2 years (24 months) in the respective African countries
- Nigeria: Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration or equivalent legal registration body in other African countries
- Must be legally registered as a nonprofit organisation (GTE/LTD format)
- Social enterprises are eligible, but foundations only fund non-profit initiatives
- Strong governance structure with Board of Directors/Trustees reflected in registration documents
- Minimum 3 paid staff members (part-time or full-time)
- Bank account name must match the organisation’s legal name exactly
- Evidence of other funding sources required
- Audited financial reports (not older than 2 years)
- Track record of work within ACT Foundation focus areas
- Directly responsible for project implementation (not acting as intermediary)
- The program/initiative must be implemented within Africa
- Projects must be innovative and impact-driven
- Project duration: Maximum 12 months (6-12 months execution)
- Open to an independent audit by the foundation
- Communication must be in English only
NOT ELIGIBLE:
- Individuals seeking financial assistance
- Organisations without a legal Board of Directors/Trustees
- Organisations with a history of fund mismanagement
- Organisations with bank account names different from their legal registration name
- Political parties, campaigns, groupings, institutions or their subsidiaries/affiliates
- Organisations advocating illegal activities, terrorism, or inhumane policies
