Opportunities
Grants, VC funds, accelerators, and competitions for African entrepreneurs.
Grants, VC funds, accelerators, and competitions for African entrepreneurs.
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$300,000–$5,000,000
ACBF provides grants, knowledge sharing, and technical assistance to strengthen institutional and human capacity across Africa. As a specialized agency of the African Union, it funds capacity development projects in governance, agribusiness, climate, trade, and economic policy. Grants range from $300K to $5M and are awarded on a rolling basis to governments, civil society, regional institutions, and universities.
Project/Program Grants
Grants ranging from $300,000 to $5,000,000 for capacity development projects
Technical Assistance
Expert support for project design and implementation
Knowledge Sharing
Access to ACBF's knowledge products and peer learning networks
UBORA Academy
Access to ACBF's learning platform for capacity development
Agribusiness and Food Sovereignty
Strengthening government capacity for agricultural investment and supporting SMEs in food production
Climate Change & Energy for Productive Use
Developing climate adaptation projects and expanding energy solutions
Trade as an Engine of Economic Development
Helping governments implement trade agreements (e.g. AfCFTA) and increase MSME participation in African trade
Economic and Social Governance
Improving policy formulation, domestic resource mobilization, and public financial management
Organizations and institutions building institutional capacity, strengthening governance, and supporting policy reform in Africa. ACBF favors projects with clear measurable outcomes, strong stakeholder partnerships, and demonstrable sustainability beyond the grant period.
Reporting support, capacity building guidance, access to UBORA Academy learning platform, peer learning network across ACBF's grantee portfolio, and knowledge-sharing resources.
Not a typical startup funder — primarily funds institutions, governments, and NGOs; Application process may be slow due to Executive Board review cycles; Reporting burden can be significant for smaller organizations
ACBF is best suited for think tanks, universities, and NGOs working on policy research and governance strengthening rather than tech startups. Projects aligned with AfCFTA implementation or climate adaptation have strong current strategic fit. Ensure your proposal explicitly maps to one of the four focus areas.
1991
Active Since
Yes
Deploying
Africa Think Tank Network (ATTN); Multiple governance strengthening projects across 39 member countries; Policy research grants to universities and think tanks continent-wide