FemFocus 2026–2030

Description

1) Objective

The instruments under the grant policy framework FemFocus aim to advance women’s economic participation as entrepreneurs, combat violence against women and girls, and strengthen women’s leadership in conflict prevention, mediation, and peacebuilding. What FemFocus supports:

• Financing for in-country partners to carry out: (1) Service provision (e.g. healthcare, education and training, psychosocial support, protection, information). At least 30% of financing must be spent on service provision; (2) Dialogue with authorities, multilateral institutions, informal and religious leaders, and the private sector to promote policy change. Activities aimed at influencing policy within the Netherlands are not funded.
• Capacity strengthening for in-country partners that is demand-driven and context-appropriate, reinforcing organisational, financial and programme management, thematic expertise, and the ability to engage in critical dialogue.

The grant policy framework FemFocus contains 3 grant instruments, each tailored to a specific policy objective, with its own thematic focus, target group and geographical scope. The 3 instruments are: (1) Encouraging women’s entrepreneurship (with available funding of €54,835,000); (2) Combating violence against women and supporting women human rights defenders, (with available funding of €114,655,000); (3) Women, peace and security (with available funding of €39,880,000).

2) Eligibility

The applicant is a civil society organization submitting a grant application independently.

3) Location

Actions must take place in: (1) Encouraging women’s entrepreneurship: selected African countries where the Netherlands has trade and economic interests (applications should therefore target at least two of the following countries: Egypt, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Benin, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Uganda, Tunisia, Democratic Republic of Congo); (2) Combating violence against women & WHRDs and Women, peace and security: West Africa, the Horn of Africa and the Middle East and North Africa. Each application may cover one or two regions, with a minimum of two implementation countries per region.

4) Budget

The grant ceiling for this instrument is EUR 114,655,000 for the period 2026–2030 (five years). Each application within this instrument may cover one or two regions, with applications relating to two regions being considered as a single application consisting of two sub-applications. Per region, the size of each application/sub-application must be 33.3% of the total budget available for this instrument (CVAW-WHRDs) of €114,655,000. This means that a single application/sub-application must amount to EUR 38,180,115. Applications submitted for two regions must therefore be 66.66% of the total budget available for this instrument (CVAW-WHRDs) of €114,655,000, which amounts to €76,360,230.

5) Application

Application window is open from 16 October (12:00 CEST) to 7 January 2026 (23:59 CEST). You must submit all documents in English using the prescribed forms and budget model to DSO-MM@minbuza.nl, stating “application FemFocus (+ name of instrument).”