Call For Proposals

Al Basma Foundation is seeking Expressions of Interest from charities delivering women’s economic empowerment projects in Sierra Leone or Malawi.

Organisations must

be registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales or the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator
be working in one of the focus countries (Sierra Leone or Malawi)
focus on women’s economic empowerment; and
be working with women who are living in poverty, have no reliable independent income, and face significant barriers to entering economic activity.

Call details:

Budget available: $75,000 per project
Project length: Between one and three years.
Application deadline: End of the day on 9th October 2026.

Please complete the form below to receive the guidelines and details on how to apply.

You can find Q and As at the bottom of this page.

Questions and Answers

We have had some questions from potential applicants. We are sharing the answers here and will keep adding if more questions arise. Don’t forget to complete the form above to receive the guidelines.

What do you mean when you say you won’t fund ‘generic vocational training without a clear pathway to income’?

By this we mean, we won’t fund training in soft skills e.g. communication, team work, problem solving, that do not link to specific income generating activities. Whilst we recognise that these sorts of employability skills are important, for this grant round we want to see training in specific vocational skills that are in demand and therefore lead to employment/ income generating outcomes.

Are you looking for innovation?

We’re not actively looking for innovation, and track record is one of things we score on at second stage. We’re not opposed to innovative ideas but would want to see that they are rooted in evidence and have been trialled before.

Is match funding required?

Will you part-fund a project?

Yes. Having said that, the project needs to start within the next year so the additional funding would either need to be secured already, guaranteed to be secured within the year, or have the option of running at a reduced scale if the additional funding is not secured.

Can you apply in partnership with local organisations?

Yes. The lead applicant must be registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales or the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. Partnerships with organisations registered in Malawi or Sierra Leone are welcome and grant funds can be transferred to an implementing partner/ local specialist organisation by the lead partner.

Can you submit more than one application?

Yes

Al Basma Foundation is a nonprofit organisation that aims to improve the lives of women and children in the Middle East, South East Asia and Africa. Our organisation focuses on responding to humanitarian disasters and providing education, health care, and economic opportunities to empower these communities.

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