About this opportunity
Funding that reaches the groups doing the work on the ground, without demanding paperwork walls they can never climb, is rarer than it should be. ISDAO, the African regional fund for LGBTQI+ development, has launched its 9th Regional Call for Proposals for West Africa, with a launch date of October 1, 2026 and a printed close:
Application timeline
for submitting your grant application October 31, 2026. The page is equally clear that proposals will not be accepted after that date.
What is on offer is core money, the kind that keeps a small organisation standing rather than chasing one project at a time. The call page prints the type of funding as Core Funding only or Core and Project Funding, sets the range of grants at a budget between $5,000 and $30,000 per year, and puts the grant timeline at 6 months minimum to 36 months maximum.
One practical warning from the page itself: the review and disbursement process can take up to five months from the date of submission, so plan your cash runway with that in mind.
Eligibility
is a four-question check, and the page says plainly that if you answered YES to all questions above, you are eligible to submit a grant application. It asks whether you are a group or organization working in any of ISDAO's focal countries in West Africa (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo), whether your group is LGBTQI-led, whether your proposal benefits LGBTQI people, and whether the group has been in operation for at least 2 years.
Nigeria is a focal country, which puts this call squarely in reach for Nigerian groups. Here is the part that opens the door widest: ISDAO states that it makes grants to both unregistered groups and registered groups, and that your registration status is not a requirement for funding.
On paperwork, the checklist begins with your governing texts, including vision and mission, plus a detailed grant budget on ISDAO's own template, and proposals go to proposals@isdao. org in English or French.
A month is not long when a budget template is involved, so start your draft this week.
What you receive
- Budgets between $5,000 and $30,000 per year
- Core Funding only or Core and Project Funding
- Grant timelines from 6 months minimum to 36 months maximum
- Open to registered and unregistered groups alike, since registration status is not a funding requirement
Who can apply
- A group or organization working in any of ISDAO's focal countries in West Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal or Togo
- The group or organization must be LGBTQI-led
- The proposal or project must benefit LGBTQI people
- The group or organization must have been in operation for at least 2 years
Who should not apply
- Proposals will not be accepted after the October 31, 2026 close
- Groups outside the nine printed focal countries cannot lead under this regional call
Documents to prepare
- Governing texts for your group or organization, including your vision and mission
- Detailed grant budget using ISDAO's provided template
- Supporting items listed on the call page's checklist of supporting documents
How to apply
- Answer the four eligibility questions on the call page and confirm all are YES
- Download and complete the budget template the page provides
- Assemble your governing texts and the documents on the checklist
- Submit your proposal to proposals@isdao.org in English or French before October 31, 2026
Selection process
- ISDAO reviews submissions after the close and notes that the process up to disbursement can take up to five months from the date of submission, with applicants kept informed of progress
Sources and verification
Related opportunities
- Girl Up Project Awards 2026
Girl Up Project Awards are trust-based grants of up to US$500 on the Leader of Self tier and up to US$1,000 on the Leader of Peers tier, for youth leaders aged 13 to 25 with an idea to advance gender justice in their community. The 2026 window runs from 15 to 31 October and Nigeria is clear of the listed funding restrictions.
Questions applicants ask
Does our group need to be registered?
No. The call page states that ISDAO makes grants to both unregistered and registered groups and organizations, and that registration status is not a requirement for funding.
How much can we ask for?
The printed range of grants is a budget between $5,000 and $30,000 per year, with grant timelines from 6 months minimum to 36 months maximum.
Which countries qualify?
The nine printed West African focal countries are Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo.
Important disclaimer
Nextali researches and curates useful opportunities to make discovery easier. Before applying, verify every timeline, requirement, fee and application link on the official provider website. Do your own research into the organisation, its background and the authenticity of the offer. Nextali does not guarantee selection, funding or the conduct of third party providers.
