Ockenden International Prizes 2026

The 2026 Ockenden International Prizes are closed. Entries closed at midnight GMT on 30 November 2025, with postal entries accepted until 1 December 2025, and the entry rules said the winners would be announced by the end of March 2026. The pages we could read do not announce a 2027 call, but the prizes are run each year, so watch the Ockenden site for the next one.

Ockenden International, a London-based charity that has worked with refugees and displaced people for almost 75 years, awards five prizes of £25,000 each (about ₹30 lakh) to not-for-profit organisations. The prizes reward projects that advance self-reliance among refugees, internally displaced people and asylum-seekers. This is open to organisations in any country, so an Indian NGO working with displaced communities can enter. Nothing in the rules requires travel or a live event.

What the program offers

Each of the five winning organisations receives £25,000 (about ₹30 lakh). The money is paid only to a bank account held in the winning organisation's name, never a personal account, and Ockenden does not cover bank fees. The rules expect the prize to be used to continue, extend or support the entered project or a similar future project, and it may also pay for core costs such as administration. Fifteen months after winning, prize-winners must send Ockenden information about the project, which Ockenden may share on its website and social media. One of the five is the UK Prize, for projects working on the ground in the United Kingdom to help refugees and asylum-seekers living there.

Who can apply

The prizes are open to not-for-profit organisations, registered if possible with the relevant national, regional, local, NGO or international body. The whole entry must focus on refugees, internally displaced people and/or asylum-seekers. The project must already be running: for the 2026 prizes it had to be operational before 1 March 2025, meaning at least six months of work. Ockenden does not fund start-ups or project ideas, however good, and entries seeking that funding are disqualified. An organisation may submit one entry per prize year, and winners cannot enter again for three years. Unsuccessful organisations are welcome to reapply in later years.

For an Indian NGO this fits an established project with a track record. It does not suit a new idea or a for-profit startup. You may enter a project your own organisation runs, or nominate a project run by a not-for-profit partner, in which case the prize goes to the organisation that manages the project.

How to apply

The entry is made on the online Entry Form, in English, with financial figures given in USD or GBP only. Supporting documents, including financials and accounts, must also be in English. Include the latest audited accounts of the organisation that manages the project, where available. Every entrant names two referees, who must be independent third-party observers. Organisations without stable internet access can use the PDF form and send it by post. A practical tip: gather your outcome data, accounts and referees before you start, because the judges look for measurable evidence.

How applications are judged and what happens next

Ockenden's independent Advisory Panel judges the entries and its decision is final. The judges look mainly for projects from small-to-medium-scale organisations that promote self-reliance. These may be led by or involve displaced people themselves, or offer education, legal help or livelihood support. They want projects that are highly effective, have led to real change in people's lives and show measurable evidence of outcomes. During shortlisting, entrants may be asked for more information about the project and about the organisation's financial and administrative governance, and referees are asked for references.

About Ockenden International

Ockenden International is a registered charity in England and Wales that has helped refugees and displaced people across the globe for almost 75 years. Its prizes are one of its main activities, and the site lists winners from past years.

Things to check before you apply

• Your project must be at least six months old on the cut-off date the rules set for that year, and the whole entry must be about displaced people.
• You need accounts in English, figures in USD or GBP, and two independent referees.
• The prize can only go to an organisation bank account, so check that your organisation can receive an international payment in its own name.
• Indian recipients of foreign money should check FCRA, FEMA and tax treatment with an adviser before applying.
• Rules and dates can change each year, so read the new entry rules once the next call opens.