Grants underwrite specific projects: a documentary, a piece of original research, a community pilot, a thesis. They are competitive but flexible, and the application is normally lighter than a fellowship. FellowshipDesk currently tracks 21 active grants, organised below by host country, region, and career stage.
Grants underwrite specific projects: a documentary, a piece of original research, a community pilot, a thesis. They are competitive but flexible, and the application is normally lighter than a fellowship. Whether you are an undergraduate weighing your first international experience, a master's student looking for funded research, or a mid-career professional seeking a sponsored cohort, the programs in this category are reviewed by FellowshipDesk editors for credibility and accessibility. We list the official program website for every entry — applications must always be submitted to the sponsoring organisation directly, never through this directory.
European Research Council
The European Research Council's flagship grant for outstanding researchers 2–7 years post-PhD to start their own independent research team in Europe.…
European Research Council
ERC grants for established research leaders to pursue ground-breaking, high-risk projects of their own design in Europe.…
European Research Council
ERC grants for excellent researchers 7–12 years post-PhD to consolidate their independent research team in Europe.…
Open Society Foundations
Short-term grants for doctoral students and university faculty actively engaged with their academic communities to undertake international research.…
Wellcome Trust
Wellcome's flagship discovery research grant funding ambitious basic and applied research with the potential to drive a step change in understanding of life, he…
Berggruen Institute
An annual million-dollar prize awarded to a thinker whose ideas have profoundly shaped human self-understanding.…
Echoing Green
A fellowship for emerging social entrepreneurs that provides seed funding, leadership development, and a global community of social innovators.…
Tony Elumelu Foundation
A flagship pan-African entrepreneurship programme providing training, mentorship, and seed funding to thousands of African entrepreneurs each year.…
MacArthur Foundation
A competition for a single $100 million grant to fund a proposal that promises real and measurable progress in solving a critical problem.…
Mellon Foundation
Mellon Foundation grants supporting comparative, interdisciplinary research seminars on a single intellectual theme over an academic year.…
Mastercard Foundation
A pan-African initiative to build skills and create dignified work for 30 million young Africans by 2030.…
Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
Reporting grants for journalists working on underreported global stories of importance.…
MacArthur Foundation
Research grants from the MacArthur Foundation supporting policy-relevant research on international peace and security.…
Spencer Foundation
Research grants supporting rigorous, intellectually ambitious, technically sound, and field-changing education research.…
Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
Project-based grants for journalists working on under-reported global stories on conflict, crisis, and global issues.…
BirdLife / FFI / WCS
Capacity-building grants and mentoring for early-career conservationists working on biodiversity projects in their home countries.…
Whitley Fund for Nature
Annual conservation awards for grassroots leaders driving change in their home countries to protect wildlife and habitat.…
Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation
Multi-year unrestricted funding and a board seat for early-stage social impact organisations led by exceptional founders.…
International Women's Media Foundation
Reporting grants for women journalists in any country to undertake significant or in-depth journalism projects.…
Anzisha Prize / Mastercard Foundation
Africa's biggest award for very young entrepreneurs aged 15 to 22 building businesses that solve local problems.…
Global Investigative Journalism Network
Various grant opportunities for investigative journalists working on cross-border stories and underreported global issues.…
Not every prestigious program is the right one for you. When FellowshipDesk evaluates a program for inclusion, we look at four signals you can use yourself: (1) funding adequacy — does the stipend actually cover the cost of living in the host city; (2) cohort design — are you joining a structured group with shared seminars or are you alone in a host office; (3) alumni outcomes — what are graduates doing two and five years out; and (4) application transparency — does the program publish its selection criteria and timeline. Use the linked official site on every program page to verify all four before you invest weeks in a long application.