Last verified: 21 October 2026. Open application round.
Are you testing a different way to address the relationship between people and nature? Unearthodox’s Exploration Co-Lab may suit an early initiative that has moved beyond an idea but still needs space to learn, test and rethink.
Opportunity at a glance
| Programme | Unearthodox Edges of Possibility: Exploration Co-Lab 2027 |
|---|---|
| Opportunity type | Grant and collaborative development programme |
| Eligible geography | Worldwide, including African applicants |
| Funding or support | CHF 10,000 grant plus programme support |
| Deadline or application window | 16 November 2026; confirm closing time in the application portal |
Who should consider applying?
The global programme looks for initiatives addressing underlying social and environmental problems. Applicants should be testing, proving, deepening or reconsidering an approach. The ten-month programme runs March–December 2027, with English-language participation and collaboration across specified time zones.
Important limits: This is not a conventional scale-up investment or a general operating grant. Do not confuse the shared non-financial support pool with a cash award paid to every participant. Review the programme’s purpose and participation expectations carefully.
How to apply
Use the official YouNoodle application. Explain your initiative, its stage, the assumptions you want to explore and why collaborative learning would be useful.
Read the official programme guidance and follow its application link.
Africads application guidance
The following recommendations are Africads guidance, not additional donor requirements.
- Name the assumption you need to test. For example, an initiative might examine whether changing who controls a restoration budget changes local participation. Present that as a question, not an established impact claim.
- Show what you have already learned. A small experiment that changed your approach may be more informative than a long list of planned activities.
- Explain the system around the problem in plain language: who makes decisions, who bears costs, who benefits and which relationships might change.
- Design a manageable learning cycle with a decision at the end. Specify how observations will lead you to adapt, stop or deepen an approach rather than merely report that activities occurred.
A practical preparation worksheet
Draw a four-column learning plan: assumption, small test, evidence to gather and decision the evidence will inform. Add whose perspective is missing and how those people will influence the test. Keep the plan small enough to revise when the first findings challenge your expectations.
Copy these prompts into your working document and add an evidence reference, responsible person and completion date to each answer. Treat missing evidence as a task to resolve, rather than a claim to strengthen with more persuasive wording.
Five questions applicants ask
Can an African initiative apply?
The programme is global.
Is an untested idea enough?
The application describes initiatives beyond the idea stage.
Is the grant the whole offer?
No. Collaborative development and learning are central.
Should I present uncertainty?
Yes, where it is specific and paired with a credible way to learn.
What makes a useful test?
Africads recommends a test that can change a real decision.
Conclusion and next steps
Consider this programme if experimentation is genuinely useful to your initiative. Explain the change you seek, what remains uncertain and how you will learn with others.
For a structured decision on fit, evidence and preparation, use the Africads Grant Funding Toolkit. GrantsWriterAI can help organise a draft; check every statement and budget item against the official rules.
For an opportunity or application review, contact Kimanzi@africadslive.com. Subscribe free to Grant News for verified opportunities and practical funding intelligence. Africads is an independent information service; selection remains the provider’s decision.
