In line with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, we aspire to ensure health and well-being, especially for the vulnerable and marginalized groups in society. We believe that if individuals live healthy lives, they can be empowered to lift themselves out of poverty and be productive members of society. We support an array of programs and initiatives that provide innovative and sustainable solutions in the areas of Maternal and Child Health, and Non-communicable Diseases

Climate change, air and water pollution, soil erosion, land and forest degradation are areas of global concern as these hinder efforts to achieve sustainable development. ACT Foundation is committed to supporting human activities that ensure access, availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all, make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable and take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts on vulnerable communities in line with SDG Goals 6 (Clean water and sanitation), 11 (Sustainable cities and communities) and 13 (Climate Action). We support programs and initiatives in Integrated Waste Management, Access to Safe Drinking water, and Climate Action.

At ACT Foundation, our aim is to raise a new generation of credible, accountable and ethical leaders who will drive initiatives that promote effective and sustainable, economic and human development. Our focus is on the development of individuals (particularly young people and women) towards good governance, economic development, and organizational and professional development. Thus, we support initiatives aimed at Youth Leadership, Thought leadership, and National Development

Sustainable Development Goal 8 reaffirms the need to promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. Research shows that entrepreneurship contributes to building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization and fostering innovation. As one of the fastest growing continents in the world, Africa must support entrepreneurship in order to provide access to goods and services, promote its economic growth, thus making a positive impact on communities and improving the well-being of the underserved populace.
Our entrepreneurship intervention seeks to support initiatives that improve the livelihood of individuals and families through income generation and economic empowerment thus reducing poverty. Our focus is hinged on Acquisition of Vocational and Digital Skills and Financial Literacy and Inclusion.

Grant Eligibility Criteria

Organizations applying for ACT grant must meet the following criteria:

• Work within the ACT Foundation's focus areas of Health, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, and Environment.

• Be registered with the appropriate legal entity within their respective (African) countries for not less than two years (24 months).

• Be legally registered as a non-profit organization (GTE/LTD). However, if applying as a social enterprise, the Foundation will only fund initiatives that are not for profit.

• Show a strong governance structure. Details of the board of directors should reflect in the company’s registration documents. If not, please update.

• Show evidence of other sources of funding.

• Have a minimum staff strength of 3 part-time/full-time paid Individuals.

• Be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the project, i.e. not acting as an intermediary.

• Program/Initiative must be implemented within Africa.

Ineligibility

ACT Foundation grants WILL NOT be extended to the following:

• Individuals.

• Non-profit without a legal Board of Directors or Trustee (as stated in your registration documents).

• Any entity that has mismanaged other foundation’s funds in the past.

• Political parties, campaigns groupings, institutions or their subsidiaries and affiliates.

• Organizations that advocate, promote, or espouse inhumane policies, illegal activities or terrorism.

1. I am an individual seeking financial assistance. Am I eligible for the grant?
No. The Foundation does not provide support in the form of funds to individuals.

2. I am raising money for a cause. Am I eligible for the grant?
The Foundation gives grants to organizations directly, not through individual fundraising activities; therefore, we are unable to fund your cause.

3.What organizations are eligible to receive funding?
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Nonprofit Organizations (NPOs), Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and Social Enterprises duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in Nigeria and/or with the appropriate bodies outside Nigeria and within Africa.

4. Does the Foundation fund organizations outside Nigeria?
Yes. The Foundation funds NGOs/NPOs/ CBOs across the African continent.

5. Does the Foundation have specific funding areas?
Yes. ACT Foundation only considers projects/initiatives in the following areas:

• Health: malaria, cancer (breast, cervical and prostate cancer), maternal and child health.
• Entrepreneurship: Vocational education and skills acquisition; financial literacy and inclusion.
• Environment: Waste management, water and sanitation.
• Leadership: Youth leadership development and thought leadership.

6. Are there any restrictions to receiving funds?
Yes, there are restrictions put in place by ACT Foundation. The Foundation WILL NOT consider the following entities for funding:

• Individuals
• Any organization that is discovered to have mismanaged other grants or funds received in the past
• Political parties, campaign groupings, institutions or their subsidiaries and affiliates
• Organizations that advocate, promote, or espouse inhumane policies, illegal activities and/or terrorism.

7. My funding request does not fall under any of your focus areas. How do I submit it?
The Foundation will only consider funding projects that fall within its four focus areas.

8. How do I apply for a grant from the Foundation? Visit the website and complete the online application form before the stated deadline.

9. I sent an email containing the details of my application to the Foundation’s email address and I haven’t received a reply.
Only applications submitted via the designated portal on the Foundation’s website will be considered for the grant. Please fill in an online grant application through the provided website portal.

10. I am unable to open the application form on my web browser, what do I do?
The application portal is compatible on all android and Windows devices. To access the portal on all computers, we would advise that you use either Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox as they are more reliable.

11. I am unable to upload my pdf, jpeg, .doc documents onto the platform, what do I do? The application/proposal portal has a maximum document size of 500kb. We would advise that you encrypt or resize your documents to fit the required size.

12. I submitted my organization’s application after the stated deadline. Will the organization still be considered liable to receive funds? No. Only applications submitted ON or BEFORE the deadline will be considered.

13. Can my organization submit more than one application to the same grant cycle?
No. Organizations are only allowed to send in ONE application that shows an initiative/project that goes in line with our Foundation’s focus areas.

14. I submitted an online application and did not receive any feedback after a few weeks. What do I do?
Only successful organizations will be duly notified to move onto the next stage of the grant process.

15. Can the application be completed and sent in any indigenous language(s)?
No. The Foundation only recognizes communication in English. All applications and further correspondences must be communicated only in English.

16. Is my organization required to show other sources of funding?
Yes. This is an important requirement.

17. I have materials I want to submit along with my call for application. How do I send them?
Please submit only the requested information when filling your application. We are not able to accept samples, prototypes, or other supplementary materials that may accompany your application.

18. Can two organizations apply for the grant together?
Yes, two or more organizations can apply to receive funding on a project. The application will be regarded as a single application and considered on that merit. However, if selected for the grant award, both parties must sign the grant agreement.

19. Does my organization need to submit a proof of office space ownership or rental in the online application?
No. However, if selected to receive funding, the location of your office would be required. Verification of the office location by the Foundation is mandatory.

20. Is my project staff list required in the online application?
Yes. There is an allocated space for this in the form. However, it is required that you MUST have a minimum of THREE (3) full time or part time paid staff on your payroll.

21. My organization began operations after getting registered six months ago. Am I eligible to apply? ACT Foundation will only consider organizations who have been legally registered and been in operation for a minimum of two (2) years before applying for the grant.

22. I have challenges completing/submitting my application form online. What do I do?
Please confirm that you have adequate internet connection to fill in the application online. Ensure that you answer all compulsory questions, ensure that you are using the required browser (Firefox and Chrome). If challenges persist, kindly send a concise email stating your specific challenge to the contact information provided on the website and expect our feedback within 24hours.

23. Should I contact or visit the Foundation to discuss my project?
No. You cannot visit the Foundation to discuss an ongoing application/project. We strongly recommend that all unsolicited inquiries be submitted through the contact information provided on our website. Visits to the Foundation’s office are to be made only upon our request.

24. Can I submit a hard copy application to your office?
All our grant applications are submitted online. Applicants will be required to fill out an online application form. To ensure you receive notifications when application for our grant is open, be sure to subscribe to our mailing list, or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for updates.

25. Our grant request last year was turned down. Why?
In each cycle, we receive an enormous number of applications, which we sort through to select applications that best fit organization focus areas. To increase your chances of being considered to receive funding, kindly read the guidelines carefully before filling the application.

26. Should we have a professional grant writer prepare our application?
We have a simple application process. Our team of reviewers are more interested in the reality of the need and the quality of the plan to address it, than the elegance of the grant request language. It is alright to use a grant writer; however, it is not a necessity.

27. Can I revise my application after I submit it?
No. You will not be allowed to revise your application after submitting it. Ensure that you review your information carefully as required before submitting the form. The Foundation reserves the right to disqualify applications that lack the required information and/or supporting documentation without review.

28. I submitted my online application but did not receive a confirmation e-mail stating that you received my application? After you click the ‘Submit’ button, you will receive an e-mail confirming that we received your application. If after checking your inbox and the “Confirmation response” is not found, kindly check you “Junk mail” or “Spam mail” to be double sure before contacting ACT Foundation. Please note that only successful applications will be contacted in view of moving to the next stage.

29. What do I do when the form is not LOADING well on my browser? Applicants are advised to use Google Chrome as first choice browser or Mozilla Firefox as another alternative.

30. I am having a challenge loading the form/link on my browser. What do I do? i). Kindly clear the cache (The browser cache is a temporary storage location on your computer for files downloaded by your browser to display websites) on your browser. ii). Ensure that the time and date on your computer are set correctly according to your time zone.