New sustainability opportunities in Africa: Grants, Fellowships, Jobs, & Scholarships for Environmental Impact & Green Growth

Africa continues to present key opportunities for individuals, startups, and organizations focused on sustainability, climate change, and conservation. Below is a curated list of open calls that could help elevate your work in these areas:

Getty Conservation Guest Scholars Program 2026/2027 for Scholars and Professionals: The Getty Conservation Institute offers a three-month residency program for established scholars and professionals in the field of cultural heritage conservation.

• Eligibility: Applicants must have at least seven years of professional experience in conservation or related fields.
• Deadline: October 1, 2025
• Benefit: $21,500 stipend, housing, and research support.

For more information on how to apply, visit here.

Whitley Awards 2026 for Mid-Career Conservationists in the Global South (£40,000): The Whitley Awards fund dynamic, mid-career conservationists leading grassroots conservation projects in the Global South, offering funding to scale proven conservation work.

• Eligibility: Applicants must be nationals of the country where they are working and leading community-based wildlife conservation projects.
• Deadline: October 31, 2025
• Benefit: £50,000 in project funding and international recognition.

For more information on how to apply, visit here.

Ye! Youth Ecopreneurs Programme 2025 ($100,000 Prize & International Conference): This program supports young entrepreneurs (under 35) with scalable green business solutions. Participants will receive seed funding, mentorship, and an international conference opportunity.

• Eligibility: Must be the founder, co-founder, or CEO of a legally registered green business.
• Deadline: September 14, 2025
• Benefit: $100,000 in seed funding, mentorship, and an all-expenses-paid trip to an international conference.

For more information on how to apply, visit here.

Google’s startups for sustainable development program: This program supports startups working on solutions addressing one or more of the UN’s SDGs. It offers mentorship, funding, and access to Google’s technology platforms to help scale sustainable solutions.

• Eligibility: Startups must have a technology-based product with measurable social or environmental impact.
• Deadline: Ongoing
• Benefit: Mentorship, funding opportunities, and access to Google’s platforms.

For more information on how to apply, visit here.

Africa-Europe Foundation Youth Awards 2025: This award highlights youth-led initiatives in Africa and Europe that foster cooperation and innovation. It provides grants and visibility for impactful projects.

• Eligibility: Open to youth organizations and platforms in Africa or the EU.
• Deadline: September 1, 2025
• Benefit: €5,000 grant and an exclusive €10,000 award for high-impact initiatives.

For more information on how to apply, visit here.

L’Oréal Groupe Sustainable Innovation Accelerator Programme 2025 for SMEs Worldwide: L’Oréal is looking for SMEs with pioneering solutions in sustainability to join its accelerator program. The focus is on technology addressing environmental challenges like plastic waste, water resilience, and circularity.

• Eligibility: Applicants must have technology-based solutions at TRL 7 or higher.
• Deadline: September 30, 2025
• Benefit: Mentorship, coaching, and potential collaboration with L’Oréal.

For more information on how to apply, visit here.

Reckitt Catalyst Call for Health & WASH Innovators (Up to $30K): Reckitt Catalyst seeks social innovators working on solutions to improve health and WASH access in selected African countries. The program includes funding and mentorship.

• Eligibility: Must be a revenue-generating organization operating in one of the selected countries (Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, etc.).
• Deadline: August 10, 2025
• Benefit: Up to $30K in funding and participation in a 6-month accelerator.

For more information on how to apply, visit here.

British Council’s Research Environments 2025/2026 Collaboration Grants: The British Council supports collaborative research between UK and partner countries (Brazil, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru) with grants to strengthen long-term research links.

• Eligibility: Proposals must come from a UK institution and a partner institution from a listed country.
• Deadline: September 9, 2025
• Benefit: £25,000 to £40,000 in funding for collaboration projects.

For more information on how to apply, visit here.

UN FAO Data for Farm Value Global Challenge 2025 (€5,000 Prize): The FAO Data for Farm Value Global Challenge invites startups to use farm-level data to create scalable solutions that include smallholder farmers in the agri-food economy.

• Eligibility: Startups must be developing data-driven solutions that benefit farmers.
• Deadline: August 25, 2025
• Benefit: €5,000 prize and the opportunity to pitch at international events.

For more information on how to apply, visit here.

United Nations – The Nippon Foundation Fellowship Programme 2026 on Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (Fully Funded): This fellowship provides mid-level government officials and professionals from developing countries with advanced training in ocean affairs and the law of the sea.

• Eligibility: Applicants must be between the ages of 25 and 45 and have experience in ocean affairs or related fields.
• Deadline: September 14, 2025
• Benefit: Fully funded fellowship with a nine-month program (three-month training in New York, six-month research stay).

For more information on how to apply, visit here.

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Manager, Climate Change and Sustainability Services at Ernst & Young (EY): EY seeks a Manager for its Climate Change and Sustainability Services team. This role involves advising clients on sustainability, ESG reporting, and climate risk.

• Eligibility: A degree in environmental science, sustainable development, or related fields with at least 5 years of experience in ESG.
• Deadline: Ongoing
• Benefit: Competitive salary, career development, and the opportunity to work with a leading global consultancy.

For more information on how to apply, visit here.

CIF Project Sourcing Consultant (United Nations): This role involves sourcing and developing waste-to-energy urban infrastructure projects for the Cities Investment Facility in Arab States.

• • • Eligibility: A minimum of 4 years of experience in waste-to-energy or urban development, with expertise in sustainable urban planning or energy.
    • Deadline: Ongoing
    • Benefit: Opportunity to work with UN-Habitat and contribute to urban sustainability in the Arab region.

  For more information on how to apply, visit here

Restoration Returns Grants (US$17,000): This grant supports community-led ecosystem restoration projects with a high return for local communities and ecosystems.

• Eligibility: Open to organizations of all sizes focused on community-driven restoration efforts.
• Deadline: September 15, 2025
• Benefit: Grants of up to US$17,000 to support restoration projects on the ground.

For more information on how to apply, visit here.

Training Programme Manager & Lead Instructor at Natural State (Kenya): Natural State is seeking a Training Programme Manager & Lead Instructor to oversee vocational training programs for nature restoration professionals in Kenya.

• Eligibility: Must have at least 10 years of experience in training program design and delivery, preferably in nature restoration.
• Deadline: August 22, 2025
• Benefit: Competitive salary, a chance to shape vocational education for Africa’s restoration movement, and regional influence.

For more information on how to apply, visit here.

Bow Seat’s True Blue Fellowship 2026: This fellowship provides peer guidance, capacity building, and funding to young people addressing ocean and climate change challenges through creative arts.

• Eligibility: Open to youth developing projects focused on the ocean or climate change.
• Deadline: September 1, 2025
• Benefit: Up to $2,500 in funding and peer guidance.

For more information on how to apply, visit here.

International Conference on Nuclear and Radiological Emergencies: Infographic Design Contest: A contest for early career professionals to design an infographic related to emergency preparedness and response for nuclear and radiological emergencies.

• Eligibility: Open to individuals aged 18–35 who are nationals of IAEA Member States.

• Deadline: August 17, 2025

• Benefit: All-expenses-paid trip to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and recognition at the IAEA Conference.

For more information on how to apply, visit here.

Climate Finance Academy 2025: The Climate Finance Academy is a capacity-building initiative that trains youth interested in climate finance and UNFCCC engagement.

• Eligibility: Aged 18–35 by December 2025 with demonstrated interest in climate finance.

• Deadline: August 13, 2025

• Program Duration: September – November 2025

• Benefit: Expert-led sessions, simulations, and collaborative learning spaces.

For more information on how to apply, visit here.

Global Center on Adaptation’s In Country YouthADAPT 2025: Young entrepreneurs from Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, and Nigeria can apply for grants and tailored business development support for their climate impact businesses. Benefit: Grants, business development skills, and youth engagement opportunities. Deadline is August 18, 2025
For more information on how to apply, visit here.

These opportunities offer a range of support, from grants to fellowships, to help drive sustainable projects across Africa and beyond. Be sure to check the eligibility criteria and deadlines to apply!

More grant opportunities: 2025 sustainable grant opportunities