Applications are open for grants of $35,000–$50,000 in flexible funding over two years to support organizations empowering women and girls in low-income and marginalized communities in the Global South. Are you a nonprofit with an annual budget over $100K and committed to gender equity and social change?
Visit the African CSO Platform for details on the application process here.
Karibu Foundation is looking to support groups of change-agents in Africa who have bold, innovative, forward-thinking, and “constructive troublemaking” ideas that disrupt the status quo of injustices that the continent and our world are currently facing.
They specifically seek to support groups of change agents — social movements and/or networks, organizations, cooperatives, collectives, and associations in social movement eco-systems— who are undertaking imaginative initiatives that strengthen and add new dimensions to the collective struggle for systemic justice. This is specifically related to the economic, socio-cultural, political, and ecological crises we face.
You can find the information packet, FAQs and application here.
We encountered Ashanti Kunene through a poem she delivered recently. She eloquently challenges power in the four minutes of that poem, and in many ways does more to provoke our thinking than a conventional written piece. She has agreed to its inclusion in the Reflection Section as a contribution to a deeper, more critical practice of solidarity.
You can access the poem here.
The Reflection Section is a space for anyone to honestly share their critical thoughts on social justice practice. You can contact ashley@actubumbano.org to find out more about contributing to this platform.
We were able to allocate ZAR1,120,000 to 56 organisations in 8 countries. We’re grateful to the Social Justice Initiative that made a financial contribution for 9 grants to South African organisations. Each grant has a financial value of ZAR20,000. 14% of the 396 applications received were supported, a factor determined largely by available budget. Grants to countries experiencing political tensions were higher than the average – 40% and 50% of applications were supported in Mozambique and Swaziland respectively. 12% of applications from South Africa were approved
ACT Ubumbano has been recognised as an innovator and change-maker. We celebrate receiving the Brave Philanthropy Award as part of the 2024/25 Nelson Mandela-Graça Machel Innovation Awards. The award includes $7,500 and a place in the dynamic CIVICUS Innovation community—fuelling our continued efforts to foster justice, dignity, and solidarity in our work.
We acknowledge the amazing people we have encountered in our journey of solidarity, their courage in resisting their dehumanisation, and their creativity to thrive in the face of adversity. The team extends a heartfelt thank you to our partners, collaborators, and the communities they serve.
The ACT Alliance South Africa Forum invites you to a Critical Conversation, a space to provoke our imagination about how the Church can claim it’s prophetic role in a world beset by injustice, conflict, and the exclusion and suffering of so many.
The panel will comprise Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, General Secretary of the global ACT Alliance; Rev Mzwandile Molo, General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches, and Rev. Pumla Nzimande, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa.
You are also invited to connect with people at a reception afterwards. Confirmation of attendance is required by email to hub@actubumbano.org before Tuesday 10th June.
Venue: Garden Court OR Tambo Hotel, 2 Hulley Road, Isando
Date: Monday 16th June 2025
Time: 14h00 to 16h00 – Reception afterwards
As the Director of ACT Ubumbano, I wish to apologise for not meeting the deadline we had set of 30 April for finalising the grant applications. I completely underestimated the time it would take to review all the proposals, compounded by the many public holidays that take place during this time. We will be making final decisions on the grant applications on 16 May, and will communicate with everyone very soon after that.
Find out more about the work of partner organisations here.
Applications are now open for The Tekano Fellowship for Health Equity, a platform for changemakers committed to bold ideas and transformative actions that address health injustice. This fellowship is designed for critical thinkers, courageous doers, and determined individuals who aim to sharpen their strategies, build power, and collectively forge a just future. Tekano is an organization dedicated to creating health equity and addressing injustice in South Africa, and it is one of seven Atlantic Fellows programmes globally
To find out more and to apply, click here.
ACT Ubumbano supports local struggle by facilitating critical reflection on our social justice practice, listening to the voices of those most affected by injustice, and supporting innovative and collaborative solidarity initiatives that address unjust power relations globally.
This role will help enable, develop, support, and consolidate solidarity actions and programmes within the ACT Ubumbano network of South(ern) African and Northern NGOs working to confront social justice issues including Economic, Environment/Climate and Gender Justice. The purpose is to facilitate space for critical reflection, advocacy, and innovative solidarity initiatives that address unjust power relations in Southern Africa and globally. The Programme Manager will work closely with the Director with stakeholders involved in ACT Ubumbano processes.
To read full job profile and to apply, click here.
