GRP Innovation Challenge 2026
By Global Resilience Partnership
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Quick Answer
Global Resilience Partnership grants of up to US$50,000 (about ₹47.5 lakh) plus mentoring for locally led climate-resilience solutions in the Global South. The 2026 call closed 22 May.
- Funding amount
- Varies
- Funding type
- Grant
- Provider
- Global Resilience Partnership
- Application deadline
- Closed
- Location
- International
Results & next round
Applications for this round closed on 23 May 2026. The organiser has not published a selection list that we can verify yet.
Selections for this programme are announced by Global Resilience Partnership. Official links are listed under Sources below.
We update this page when results are published, and when the next round opens.
About this grant
The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) Innovation Challenge funds bold, locally led solutions that build resilience, protect ecosystems and create sustainable livelihoods in the Global South. The 2026 call is closed. The deadline was 22 May 2026 at 23:59 GMT. The page's headline still says "now open", but its application button says the window is closed. It announces no next call, so watch the GRP site.
India is in scope, since projects must be implemented in a country eligible for Official Development Assistance. This is not an India-only programme. Use this page to prepare for a future call.
What the program offers
About 20 winners receive a grant of up to US$50,000 (about ₹47.5 lakh) for 12 months of implementation, January to December 2027. The page says funds are awarded at the end of 2026, after a mentoring period and a virtual Leadership Academy. Winners also get tailored mentoring, communications and monitoring, evaluation and learning support, and links to potential partners and investors. The programme record says co-funding is not required. The 2026 call was supported by the Trafigura Foundation, Shockwave Foundation and Munich Re Foundation, with ICIMOD and the SEACAR alliance.
One application form covered three challenges. RAIN Rural Challenge looks for nature-positive agriculture solutions with ecological and livelihood benefits; funding is earmarked for East Africa, and the programme record notes interest in for-profit solutions in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region, including India. RISE Urban Challenge backs practical solutions from grassroots groups, urban start-ups and social enterprises for informal urban settings. TECH4Resilience looks for AI uses that improve humanitarian preparedness and response, with a special interest in South East Asia.
Who can apply
The call is open to non-profit and for-profit organisations, local entrepreneurs and innovators, from experienced implementers to emerging entrepreneurs. The programme record says applicants must be legally registered, so NGOs, social enterprises, companies, cooperatives, universities and research institutions fit, while individuals and unregistered groups do not. The project must be in an ODA-eligible Global South country. More than half the people the solution supports should be women or youth. Each organisation may submit only one proposal as lead applicant but may partner in others.
This suits an Indian NGO, social enterprise or start-up with a working local solution and a clear women-and-youth angle. It does not suit a project outside ODA-eligible countries or one with no registered organisation behind it.
How to apply
Read the Guidelines for Applicants and the FAQ webinar on the GRP page. Complete the single online form on Submittable in English. Emailed applications are not accepted. Include a 12-month workplan and budget for January to December 2027. A proposal can fit more than one challenge. A practical tip: write the proposal in your own words, since the programme record says generic AI-written applications are filtered out.
How applications are judged and what happens next
The programme record says applications are screened for eligibility and quality, about 200 are reviewed in depth and scored out of 100, and 30 to 40 finalists go on to mentoring and the Leadership Academy before about 20 winners are chosen, with due diligence before contracting. The page timeline: outcomes by end of June 2026, Leadership Academy 6 to 9 July, winners announced at COP31 in November 2026, and an induction workshop in early 2027.
About the Global Resilience Partnership
GRP works through a South African non-profit company based in Cape Town and the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University, Sweden.
Things to check before you apply
- Confirm your country is ODA-eligible under the OECD list.
- Plan for the women-and-youth share of beneficiaries and be ready to prove it.
- Indian organisations receiving foreign grants should check FCRA, FEMA and tax treatment with an adviser.
- Expect due diligence before contracting.
Eligibility
See if you're eligible
Full eligibility criteria — entity type, stage, sector, founder profile and registration requirements — plus your fit for this program. Sign up to view.
Grant providers
Benefits & Funding
- Fund type
- Grant
- Equity
- Equity-free
- Repayment
- Non-repayable
What You Get
About 20 winners each receive a grant of up to US$50,000 (about ₹47.5 lakh) to implement their solution over 12 months, from January to December 2027. Asking for less than the maximum does not count against a proposal. Co-funding is not required and there is no fixed cap on indirect costs. Winners also get tailored mentoring, communications and monitoring support, an in-person induction workshop in early 2027 and chances to join investor forums linked to COP31 and Climate Weeks. Roughly 30 to 40 finalists get mentoring and a place in the virtual Leadership Academy.
- Bootstrap friendly
- Yes
Timelines & Process
Selection Process
Applications are screened for eligibility and quality, about 200 shortlisted ones are reviewed in depth and scored out of 100, and 30 to 40 finalists receive mentoring and the Leadership Academy. About 20 winners receive grants after due diligence. Winners are announced at COP31 in November 2026.
Application Process
- 1
Submit proposal
Fill in the single Submittable form in English before the deadline.
You - 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
How to apply
Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.
- 1
Draft your application
Answer the form inside the grant tracker — AI drafts each response using your past answers, so you're not starting from a blank page.
- 2
Submit on the official portal
Use the official application link and verify all details before final submission.
- 3
Follow up
Reach out 5–7 days after submitting to confirm receipt and ask about the review timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an Indian organisation apply to the GRP Innovation Challenge?
Yes. Projects must be implemented in an ODA-eligible country, and India qualifies. The programme record also names India among the Hindu Kush Himalaya countries of interest for for-profit solutions.
Who can apply?
Legally registered non-profit and for-profit organisations, such as NGOs, social enterprises, companies and cooperatives. Each may submit one proposal as lead applicant.
Can individuals apply?
The page speaks of local entrepreneurs and innovators, but the programme record says only legally registered organisations can apply. Check the Guidelines for Applicants in the next call.
How much is the grant?
Up to US$50,000 (about ₹47.5 lakh) per winning project for 12 months of implementation. The programme record says co-funding is not required.
When is the money paid?
The page says funds are awarded at the end of 2026, after mentoring and the Leadership Academy, and used from January to December 2027. It does not give instalments.
What was the deadline, and what if it has passed?
22 May 2026 at 23:59 GMT. The call is closed and no next call is announced, so watch the GRP site.
Does the project have to be led by women or youth?
No. Any eligible organisation can apply, but more than half of the people supported should be women or youth.
How do I apply?
Through one online form on Submittable, in English. Emailed applications are not accepted.
Do I have to travel?
The Leadership Academy in July 2026 was virtual. The page does not mention required travel.
When are winners announced?
At COP31 in November 2026, with outcomes sent to applicants by the end of June 2026.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
