AVFund Grant Cycle 3 is Now Open!

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What an exciting time it is for the African Visionary Fund. Notably, our team is growing in size and capability. As a result, we have an even stronger pull of energy and alignment as we gear up to welcome new partners in our third round of funding.

As we move into our next quarter, we are pleased to announce that Grant Cycle 3 is officially open! We are now accepting open applications through September 21, 2022. We’ve set the table and pulled out seats for our next cohort of vibrant, high-impact partners. 

Why We Fund 

In a world where African social changemakers face sharp funding inequity, we seek to help them access resources to accelerate their impact. We strongly believe that they should be recognized by funders as critical drivers of systems change on the continent. 

To date, we have committed $2.5 million in multi-year general operating support to 15 African visionaries across nine different countries and sectors such as health, education, livelihoods, human rights, and more. We are exceptionally proud of our resilient partners and the locally-embedded impact & systemic change they are creating in their communities. Their incredible work reinforces our mission to accelerate their impact through unrestricted funding. 

Our Application System 

Our new inclusive application system focuses on equity, ease of use, and overall reach. Our design efforts foregrounded African Visionaries’ input, desires, and experiences.

• Equity: The AVFund is committed to contributing to the equity-centered transformation of how African organizations are funded.
• Ease of Use: We are constantly evolving and re-designing our selection process to make it more efficient, seamless, and less cumbersome for applicants. 
• Reach: Our online application system makes our grantmaking process more open and inclusive by reaching a broader pipeline of organizations outside our immediate networks.

Eligibility Requirements

We invite you to apply to receive funding from the African Visionary Fund if your organization meets the following requirements:

• African-founded, African-based and African-led 
• Serves communities in Sub-Saharan Africa only
• Registered in its country of operations
• Growing Board: Transitioning from founding to governing board
• Paid staff 
• Performs external audits every year for the past two years
• Basic financial management systems and processes in place

Other factors for consideration:

• Early-stage and growth-stage: 
• Annual budget between $200,000 - $1.2 M 
• Minimum 3 years of operation
• Clear and defined model and articulation of the “why”
• Able to communicate and measure the impact of their work

• Organizational resilience 
• Systems change focus and understanding of the ecosystem
• Leadership has lived experience of the problem the organization is trying to solve
• Evidence of clear strategic direction
• Community-driven: Deeply rooted and invested in served communities
• Learning orientation: Leadership displays self-awareness and humility
• Commitment to gender equity 

Click here to read the complete and detailed grantmaking criteria. If you know of an organization that meets the above-listed criteria, please encourage them to apply. 

Ready to Become an African Visionary Partner? 

Start your application today!

If you have questions, email us at grants@africanvisionary.org.