Currently 8 active paid grants, fellowships and residencies open to applicants in Africa, across AI, arts, film, research, tech and cross-disciplinary practice. Hand-curated and updated weekly. Almost every entry is funded; a few notable unpaid open calls and festival submissions are included as clearly flagged exceptions. Browse the list below, or use the interactive desk for filtering and shortlisting.
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The inaugural Heart2World Book Prize, from Heart2World Publishing, is a poetry prize for a full-length collection by a Nigerian writer. AWARD: NGN 250,000 cash prize, a full publishing and marketing package (valued at approximately NGN 5 million), and 100 percent net royalties on the published collection. ELIGIBILITY: Nigerian citizens currently residing in Nigeria; submit an unpublished poetry collection of 30 to 35 poems written in English. There is no entry or reading fee (verified on the funder page). DEADLINE: 5 August 2026. Apply via the prize page.
The Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund competitively awards grants to pairs of researchers, one from an African university or research institution and one from the University of Cambridge or an allied research institute, across all disciplines, to initiate and/or strengthen research collaborations. ELIGIBILITY: both applicants must be at post-doctoral level or above, with employment contracts extending beyond the award end date, and apply with the support of their Head of Department or equivalent; the Cambridge applicant must work at the University of Cambridge or an affiliated institute (Wellcome Sanger Institute, NIAB, British Antarctic Survey); the African applicant must be based at an African university or equivalent. Limited student support is considered where it enhances the Cambridge-Africa relationship. FUNDING: GBP 1,000 to 25,000, covering research costs including reagents, fieldwork, equipment and research-training activities in Africa. APPLY: the Cambridge-based applicant registers using an institutional email (cam.ac.uk, sanger.ac.uk, babraham.ac.uk, bas.ac.uk or niab.com) and invites the Africa-based applicant via the online form. Deadline: 3 September 2026. Queries: alboradafund@cambridge-africa.cam.ac.uk.
Sub-Saharan Component (Connect & Create) of the Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture programme, an EUR 8 million 42-month initiative (2025-2028) implemented by the Goethe-Institut in partnership with Expertise France and Institut francais. PRIMARY FOCUS: transcontinental Africa-Africa short-term mobility for artists and culture professionals. European artists and organisations may also apply, provided they have an existing partnership with an African artist, institution or organisation. ACTIVITIES: artistic and professional development (research, co-creation/co-development, non-formal learning, building international professional relationships); cultural exchange and networking (residencies, exhibitions, conferences, workshops, training, collaborative international projects). Mobility may be physical, digital/virtual or hybrid. ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES: all Sub-Saharan Africa countries and all EU Member States. DISCIPLINES: visual arts, performing arts, music, literature, film, media arts, cultural heritage, design, architecture, fashion design. SCHEME TOTALS: up to 195 grants across the programme period; rolling intake with quarterly cut-offs. DEADLINE: this card is for the 15 September 2026 cut-off (other cut-offs each have their own card). APPLY via the Goethe-Institut Africa-Europe Partnerships page.
Annual writing scholarship from the Miles Morland Foundation for African-born writers working in English on a full-length book project (80,000+ words for fiction; equivalent for nonfiction). One of the largest single-author African writing grants. Application window opens 1 July 2026 and closes 22 September 2026; applications outside that window are not read. ELIGIBILITY: writers born in Africa, or with both parents born in Africa, writing in English; nationality is not the criterion. Existing publication record is helpful but not strictly required.
Sub-Saharan Component (Connect & Create) of the Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture programme, an EUR 8 million 42-month initiative (2025-2028) implemented by the Goethe-Institut in partnership with Expertise France and Institut francais. PRIMARY FOCUS: transcontinental Africa-Africa short-term mobility for artists and culture professionals. European artists and organisations may also apply, provided they have an existing partnership with an African artist, institution or organisation. ACTIVITIES: artistic and professional development (research, co-creation/co-development, non-formal learning, building international professional relationships); cultural exchange and networking (residencies, exhibitions, conferences, workshops, training, collaborative international projects). Mobility may be physical, digital/virtual or hybrid. ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES: all Sub-Saharan Africa countries and all EU Member States. DISCIPLINES: visual arts, performing arts, music, literature, film, media arts, cultural heritage, design, architecture, fashion design. SCHEME TOTALS: up to 195 grants across the programme period; rolling intake with quarterly cut-offs. DEADLINE: this card is for the 15 December 2026 cut-off (other cut-offs each have their own card). APPLY via the Goethe-Institut Africa-Europe Partnerships page.
Sub-Saharan Component (Connect & Create) of the Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture programme, an EUR 8 million 42-month initiative (2025-2028) implemented by the Goethe-Institut in partnership with Expertise France and Institut francais. PRIMARY FOCUS: transcontinental Africa-Africa short-term mobility for artists and culture professionals. European artists and organisations may also apply, provided they have an existing partnership with an African artist, institution or organisation. ACTIVITIES: artistic and professional development (research, co-creation/co-development, non-formal learning, building international professional relationships); cultural exchange and networking (residencies, exhibitions, conferences, workshops, training, collaborative international projects). Mobility may be physical, digital/virtual or hybrid. ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES: all Sub-Saharan Africa countries and all EU Member States. DISCIPLINES: visual arts, performing arts, music, literature, film, media arts, cultural heritage, design, architecture, fashion design. SCHEME TOTALS: up to 195 grants across the programme period; rolling intake with quarterly cut-offs. DEADLINE: this card is for the 15 March 2027 cut-off (other cut-offs each have their own card). APPLY via the Goethe-Institut Africa-Europe Partnerships page.
Sub-Saharan Component (Connect & Create) of the Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture programme, an EUR 8 million 42-month initiative (2025-2028) implemented by the Goethe-Institut in partnership with Expertise France and Institut francais. PRIMARY FOCUS: transcontinental Africa-Africa short-term mobility for artists and culture professionals. European artists and organisations may also apply, provided they have an existing partnership with an African artist, institution or organisation. ACTIVITIES: artistic and professional development (research, co-creation/co-development, non-formal learning, building international professional relationships); cultural exchange and networking (residencies, exhibitions, conferences, workshops, training, collaborative international projects). Mobility may be physical, digital/virtual or hybrid. ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES: all Sub-Saharan Africa countries and all EU Member States. DISCIPLINES: visual arts, performing arts, music, literature, film, media arts, cultural heritage, design, architecture, fashion design. SCHEME TOTALS: up to 195 grants across the programme period; rolling intake with quarterly cut-offs. DEADLINE: this card is for the 15 June 2027 cut-off (final cut-off for this programme). APPLY via the Goethe-Institut Africa-Europe Partnerships page.
The Ripples Centre for Data and Investigative Journalism (RCDIJ) Africa Fund is a rolling grant program supporting data-driven and investigative journalism projects by journalists across Africa. SUPPORT: grants ranging from under USD 1,000 up to USD 10,000, alongside editorial support and publication. ELIGIBILITY: journalists based in Africa, whether staff or freelance, working in print, online, broadcast, photo, or multimedia. APPLICATIONS are accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed on roughly a two-month cycle. Apply via the RCDIJ Africa Fund page.