Is your LGBTQI-led grassroots group active in one of ISDAO’s nine eligible West African countries and has it operated for two years or longer?
Initiative Sankofa d’Afrique de l’Ouest (ISDAO) is accepting applications connected to core organisational support and/or programme work for lgbtqi-led grassroots organising and community rights. The crucial first decision is whether your applicant type, location and delivery experience match this particular call.
Funding snapshot and closing date
- Funder: Initiative Sankofa d’Afrique de l’Ouest (ISDAO)
- Funding: US$5,000, US$20,000 or US$30,000 maximum annually depending on tier; up to 36 months
- Deadline: 31 October 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Eligible region: Nine eligible West African countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo
- Who may apply: Community-based LGBTQI-led groups/organisations working in an eligible country, benefiting LGBTQI communities and operating for at least two years; unregistered groups are explicitly eligible
Who is eligible — and where?
The programme is expressly regional to Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo. Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda do not qualify for this ISDAO regional call.
Community-based LGBTQI-led groups/organisations working in an eligible country, benefiting LGBTQI communities and operating for at least two years; unregistered groups are explicitly eligible
It is important not to interpret the programme’s national or regional reach as automatic eligibility for every nonprofit in that region. Check the legal applicant, relevant work history, specific community or location and any capacity requirement before preparing a bid.
What the programme supports
Tier 1 up to US$5,000 a year for grassroots groups with at least two years of work; Tier 2 up to US$20,000 annually for more established groups (normally four years); Tier 3 up to US$30,000 annually for mature organisations (normally six years). Funding may include core costs, project work or both. Each group can submit one proposal.
Appropriate project ideas should come from the needs and relationships the applicant can genuinely demonstrate. The following examples are illustrative Africads interpretations of the stated focus areas, not preapproved project designs:
- Covering coordination, member meetings and essential organisational systems for community-led groups.
- Providing locally identified rights support and safe community organising activities.
- Improving governance, financial oversight and organisational sustainability without displacing community leadership.
How to prepare and apply
- Complete ISDAO’s eligibility questions, noting that formal registration is not mandatory.
- Choose the correct core-only or combined core/project form and use its budget template.
- Secure two signed, dated reference letters specific to the grant request.
- Submit the full application, budget and required attachments in English or French in one email to proposals@isdao.org.
Start with the exact form, call and instructions, not a generic grant-writing template. Compare every requested activity to the funder’s outcomes and decision criteria. Where the grant is highly localised, obtain authentic permission, participation or endorsement before making claims in the proposal.
Practical restrictions and common mistakes
- Use the right 9th-cycle application format; a page refers inconsistently to a 2025 template, so use the document linked on the current 2026 call page and ask ISDAO if unclear.
- Do not list all West African NGOs as eligible; the group must be LGBTQI-led and community based.
- Handle sensitive participant information and confidential documents with strong privacy controls.
For a stronger application, identify what is already evidenced and what remains uncertain. Separate baseline data from estimates; ensure requested funding matches the duration and activity plan; assign oversight for procurement, safeguarding and monitoring. These are preparation suggestions, not donor-imposed additional conditions.
Official source and application route
Read the funder’s official call, supporting documents and eligibility rules. Submission requirements are defined by the funder. Never pay an intermediary promising an award or replace official templates with a generic form.
Frequently asked questions
Can unregistered groups apply?
Yes. ISDAO explicitly accommodates registered and unregistered groups, including those with fiscal hosts.
What is the maximum yearly grant?
US$30,000 per year in the highest tier; the tier depends on experience and capacity.
Is a Kenyan NGO eligible?
No. The specified programme covers nine West African countries.
Are references needed?
Yes, two grant-specific signed and dated reference letters.
How should applications be sent?
By email to proposals@isdao.org before 23:59 GMT on 31 October 2026.
What applicants should do next
Conduct a quick go/no-go check of legal eligibility, geographic fit, evidence, staffing, budget and the deadline before spending proposal-writing time. A strong project outside the donor’s applicant rules is still ineligible.
Use the Africads Funding Readiness Toolkit to organise eligibility and evidence. For proposal structure when permitted, explore GrantsWriterAI and review drafts against the donor’s own requirements. Subscribe to Africads Grant News for other funding windows.
