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25+ International Grants for Nonprofits: Complete 2026 Directory
June 15, 2026
⚡TL;DR — The Short Answer
Verdict: Most international grants go to large, established organizations by invitation. Small nonprofits have a real shot, but only with the right funders.
What works: Cause-specific smaller funds (women's funds, climate justice funds, grassroots intermediaries) run open calls and fund organizations with modest budgets.
What doesn't: Chasing Gates, Ford, Bloomberg, or Skoll without an existing relationship. Those programs are nearly all invitation-only and oriented toward institutional grantees.
Best for: Nonprofits with under $250K annual budget who identify the right tier of funder before spending time on a proposal.
Worth considering if: Your programs cross borders or specifically serve regions prioritized by international funders, and you can manage a 6-to-12-month decision timeline.
Most "international grants for nonprofits" lists are a setup for disappointment. They parade Gates, Ford, and the big multilaterals as if a 2-person grassroots org has a real shot. For the average small US nonprofit, those mega-funders are a research black hole.
5 international grants the big lists never mention
Before the usual names, start here. These are smaller, genuinely accessible international funders that recycled "top 25" lists almost never include, and several fund exactly the cross-border work small organizations do. Each links to the funder's own page so you can confirm the current call before applying.
Stray Dog Institute: $2,500 to $25,000 in unrestricted, trust-based grants for farmed-animal advocacy, prioritizing organizations in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Small orgs start with a short "introduce yourself" form, not a 20-page proposal.
L'Aiglon Foundation: $500 to $7,500 for education, environment, and cultural-arts work, with no geographic restrictions and a simple rolling letter of inquiry. The sizes are realistic for a one or two-person org.
Mite Partnership Program: project funding for education, child development, health, and disaster relief abroad, with active work in Uganda, South Africa, and Guatemala.
Fender Family Foundation: funds health and well-being work at home and around the world, including healthcare for under-served populations abroad. Open application, organizations only.
GlobalGiving: connects grassroots, internationally active nonprofits to donor and corporate funding, with a median grant around $20,000 and an open application.
None of these show up on a "top international grants" listicle, which is exactly why they are worth your time. For a live list matched to your cause and country, search Zeffy's free grant finder (100% free, no signup).
Which international grants can a small nonprofit actually win?
If your work crosses borders (programs abroad, a diaspora or refugee community, a global cause), international grants are real money worth pursuing. The question is not whether you qualify. It is that almost every "international grants" list points you at the wrong funders.
Gates, Ford, Bloomberg, and Skoll top every list, but they are invitation-only and built for large institutions. A small or mid-sized organization, even one doing serious international work, can burn months on proposals to funders that never accepted unsolicited applications in the first place. One organization we heard from applied to 15 grants in three years and won zero; another spends her research time just confirming whether a funder is "open to new grantees" before she will start.
Where a small international-serving nonprofit actually wins is one tier down: cause-specific funds, women's and girls' funds, climate-justice funds, and grassroots intermediaries that run open calls and exist to move money to small, local organizations in the regions they serve.
So this guide tags every funder with a clear fit verdict for a small international-serving org (✅ you can realistically apply, or ❌ skip unless you are invited) plus an accessibility tier: open application, LOI-first (a letter of inquiry before any full proposal), or invitation-only. Start with the ✅ funders and the by-size table, and treat the big names as context, not targets.
A note on accuracy: international grant programs change. Foundations restructure, agencies pause programs, and ranges shift year to year. Every entry links to the funder's official program page. Always confirm the current call, deadline, and eligibility there before you invest a week in a proposal.
International grants for health and medical nonprofits
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, founded in 2000, focuses on global health, poverty reduction, and education. It invests heavily in healthcare in developing countries and in educational programs.
Geographic focus: Primarily Africa, Asia, and Latin America
Type of organizations: NGOs, academic institutions, and government agencies addressing poverty and healthcare challenges
Specific requirements: Organizations must align with the foundation's goals in health, education, or poverty alleviation
Funding details: Grant amounts vary by program; the foundation does not publish a standard range. Multi-year commitments are common, and funds support research, project execution, and capacity building.
Accessibility tier: Invitation-only for most programs. The foundation generally invites proposals directly rather than running open calls.
Impact: The Gates Foundation has made major investments in global health programs targeting malaria, polio, and infectious disease. For specifics on outcomes, see the foundation's annual reports at gatesfoundation.org.
❌ Skip unless you are invited: Invitation-only and built for large institutions; unsolicited proposals are not read.
Wellcome Trust
A UK-based independent foundation funding science to solve health challenges. Focus areas include infectious disease, mental health, and climate and health.
Geographic focus: Global, with significant funding for low- and middle-income country research
Type of organizations: Research institutions, universities, and nonprofits with research capacity
Funding details: Varies by program; see Wellcome's funding page for current schemes and ranges
Accessibility tier: Open application by scheme, with set deadlines per call
❌ Skip unless you are invited: Largely invitation-only; hard to enter without a relationship.
International grants for education and youth development
Mastercard Foundation
The Mastercard Foundation works to advance equitable and inclusive economic growth, with a strong focus on education, skills, and employment for young people in Africa.
Geographic focus: Primarily Africa, with some programming in Canada and other regions
Type of organizations: NGOs, educational institutions, and implementing partners with a track record in youth education and workforce development
Funding details: Varies by program; the foundation does not publish a standard grant range
Accessibility tier: Mix of open calls and invitation-only partnerships, depending on the program. Check the foundation's grants page for current opportunities.
❌ Skip unless you are invited: Large partnership grants to established orgs, not small applicants.
Dubai Cares
UAE-based foundation funding access to quality education in developing countries, with emphasis on early childhood, primary, secondary, and youth education.
Geographic focus: Africa, Asia, and the Middle East
Type of organizations: NGOs and implementing partners
Funding details: Varies by program
Accessibility tier: Mostly invitation-only and partnership-based
❌ Skip unless you are invited: Invitation-only; you cannot apply without being sourced.
International grants for human rights and social justice
The Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation, founded in 1936 by Edsel Ford, is a leading global grant provider dedicated to advancing human welfare and promoting social justice. Its mission focuses on creating a fairer world and supporting democratic initiatives.
The foundation funds projects that address critical human needs, reduce poverty, ensure equality, and protect the environment for future generations.
Geographic focus: Global, with regional offices in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East
Type of organizations: Registered nonprofits, NGOs, and academic institutions working with underserved communities
Specific requirements: Demonstrated commitment to social justice and a track record of successful projects
Funding details: Grant amounts vary widely. The foundation's BUILD initiative supports general operating support for institutional grantees. See the funder's grants page for current ranges and opportunities.
Accessibility tier: Mostly invitation-only; some open RFPs by program
Impact: Ford has supported campaigns like Land Rights Now, which helped secure land rights for indigenous communities in Africa and Latin America, leading to policy reforms.
❌ Skip unless you are invited: Mostly invitation-only; built for institutional grantees.
Open Society Foundations
Founded by George Soros in 1979, the Open Society Foundations (OSF) support human rights, education, public health, and independent media. OSF restructured in 2023-2024 and shifted toward more strategic, invitation-based grantmaking in many regions.
Geographic focus: Operates in dozens of countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas
Type of organizations: NGOs, advocacy groups, academic institutions, and media organizations
Funding details: Varies by program; some current open opportunities listed on the OSF grants page
Accessibility tier: Mostly invitation-only since the 2023 restructuring; check the OSF grants page for the small number of current open calls
❌ Skip unless you are invited: Identifies grantees through field research, not applications.
International grants for women and girls
The Global Fund for Women
Founded in 1987, the Global Fund for Women champions gender justice by supporting women's rights organizations around the world. Its key areas of focus include economic empowerment, access to healthcare, and political participation for women.
Geographic focus: Operates in over 170 countries, with a focus on developing countries
Type of organizations: Grassroots women's rights organizations and advocacy groups
Specific requirements: Must focus on gender equality and the empowerment of marginalized women
Funding details: Three grant types: General Support and Innovation grants for programs, projects, and operations; Emergency grants for climate, health, and political violence crises; and Travel and Events grants (status varies, check current page). Specific amounts vary by program.
Accessibility tier: Open application for some programs; LOI-first for others
✅ Fit for a small international nonprofit: Runs open calls and LOIs specifically to fund grassroots women's organizations.
Impact: The fund has supported grassroots organizations in South Asia working on reproductive health, contributing to policy changes and increased healthcare access for women in remote areas.
Mama Cash
The oldest international women's fund, supporting feminist activism led by women, girls, trans, and intersex people.
Geographic focus: Global, outside Western Europe and North America
Type of organizations: Feminist groups, collectives, and movements led by their constituencies
Funding details: Multi-year general support; specific amounts vary by call
Accessibility tier: Open application during specific calls; LOI-first
✅ Fit for a small international nonprofit: Open calls that fund small African women's organizations.
NoVo Foundation
The NoVo Foundation focuses on ending violence against girls and women and advancing a care economy that values the contributions of women and girls globally.
Geographic focus: Global, with significant work in the United States and Sub-Saharan Africa
Type of organizations: Nonprofits and movements working on gender justice, girls' rights, and care economy issues
Funding details: Varies by program; check NoVo's grants page for current opportunities
Accessibility tier: Mostly invitation-only; the foundation proactively identifies grantees aligned with its strategy
❌ Skip unless you are invited: Sources grantees through scouts and intermediaries, not open applications.
International grants for environment and climate
Global Greengrants Fund
Makes small grants to grassroots environmental and human rights groups in the Global South. Built specifically to reach community-led groups that big funders miss.
Geographic focus: Global South
Type of organizations: Grassroots environmental and indigenous groups
Funding details: Small grants; specific amounts vary by program and region
Accessibility tier: Invitation-only via regional advisors, but advisors actively scout new groups
Note on Climate Justice Alliance: The brief named this organization as a potential inclusion. Climate Justice Alliance is primarily an advocacy network rather than an external grantmaker. If it has launched a direct grants program, confirm at climatejusticealliance.org before applying.
International grants for community development and poverty alleviation
Skoll Foundation
Funds social entrepreneurs driving large-scale change. The Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship is the foundation's flagship program.
Geographic focus: Global
Type of organizations: Social enterprises and nonprofits led by social entrepreneurs with proven models
Funding details: Varies by award; the Skoll Award provides multi-year general operating support
Accessibility tier: Invitation-only; nominations come through Skoll's network
❌ Skip unless you are invited: Mostly invitation-only with rare open RFPs.
Government and multilateral international grants
Government and multilateral grants are structurally different from private foundations: more rigorous compliance, longer application cycles, often higher dollar values, and frequently delivered through implementing partners rather than direct grants to small NGOs.
US government international development funding
US government international development funding underwent significant restructuring in 2025. USAID's prior open-grant pipeline was paused and the agency was folded into the State Department. As of mid-2026, US government international grant pathways are materially different from their pre-2025 form. Confirm the current call landscape on grants.gov and the State Department's foreign assistance page before planning around US government funding.
Accessibility tier: Varies by program; many programs operate through implementing partners
❌ Skip unless you are invited: Flows through large implementing partners; a small org is a sub-grantee at best.
European Commission funding
The EU funds international development through multiple instruments, listed on the Funding and Tenders Portal. Programs include humanitarian aid, development cooperation, and research.
Geographic focus: Global
Type of organizations: NGOs, research institutions, and consortia
Funding details: Varies widely by call; specific funding levels listed per call
Accessibility tier: Open calls with specific deadlines per instrument
❌ Skip unless you are invited: Open tender, but contracts go to institutional implementers.
Global Affairs Canada
Canada's department for foreign affairs and international development. Funds Canadian and international partner organizations on development, humanitarian assistance, and peace and security.
Geographic focus: Priority countries per Canada's international assistance policy
Type of organizations: NGOs and implementing partners
✅ Fit for a small international nonprofit: Runs open calls with set deadlines (best fit for Canadian orgs doing international work).
International grants by grant size
This table is the most useful section if you have a small to mid-size organization. Use it to rule out the wrong size range before you spend any time on a proposal. For a live, searchable view that filters by your specific cause and location, search Zeffy's free grant database at zeffy.com/home/grants-for-nonprofits.
Grant size
Good for
Examples in this guide
Typical accessibility
Under $50K
Small grassroots nonprofits; pilot projects
Global Fund for Women (starting tier), Mama Cash, AWDF, Global Greengrants, Climate Justice Resilience Fund
Open application or LOI-first during active cycles
$50K to $250K
Mid-size projects; established small nonprofits
Global Fund for Women (upper tier), Fund for Global Human Rights, Climate Justice Resilience Fund, Echidna Giving
Mostly LOI-first; some invitation-only
$250K to $1M
Major initiatives; established nonprofits with track record
Open Society (current open calls), Packard, MacArthur, Rockefeller, FCDO, Global Affairs Canada
Mostly invitation-only; some open RFPs and tenders
$1M+
Large-scale programs; institutional grantees
Gates, Ford, Skoll, Bloomberg, Hilton, EU instruments
Mostly invitation-only; multi-year
International grants vs. domestic grants: key differences
Aspect
International grants
Domestic grants
Scope
Global or multi-country focus
Local or national focus
Funding amount
Often larger, supporting more extensive projects
Generally smaller, suited for local initiatives
Application complexity
More complex; requires cross-cultural understanding
Typically simpler, with familiar local context
Reporting requirements
Often more rigorous, with international standards
Usually aligned with local regulations
Project duration
Frequently support long-term, multi-year projects
Often shorter-term or annual funding cycles
Compliance
Must adhere to multiple countries' regulations
Primarily follow local and national laws
Language requirements
May require multilingual proficiency
Usually in the local language
Competition
High, with a global applicant pool
Varies, but generally less competitive
When to pursue international vs. domestic funding
If your work happens entirely inside the US, stick with domestic funders. International grants are designed for work that crosses borders, so applying for one to fund a local US program is wasted effort. If your programs operate in multiple countries or specifically in a region prioritized by an international funder, international grants become a real fit.
The other thing to plan around is timing. International grant cycles often run 6 to 12 months from application to decision, and large programs can be multi-year before a single dollar lands. That gap is dangerous if it's your only revenue plan. Set up recurring donations to bridge grant cycles so program operations aren't held hostage to one foundation decision.
6 best practices for securing international funding
1. Build relationships with global funders
Most international funders fund people they already know. Identify funders aligned with your mission and goals. Meet them at networking events, conferences, or through direct contact. Keep in touch with updates on your progress. Send personalized notes and invite them to your events. Showing genuine interest in their work, and finding ways to collaborate, builds the kind of relationship that turns into an invited proposal a year later.
2. Highlight the global impact of your work
Show how your projects make a difference beyond a single community. Explain how your work supports international goals like the Sustainable Development Goals. Use clear examples and data to show scope and reach. Share short stories from people you've helped and partners who have worked with you. Concrete results carry a proposal further than ambitious language.
3. Comply with international grant requirements
Read each grant's requirements line by line and meet them. Watch for eligibility criteria, reporting needs, and deadlines. Make sure your documents are complete and accurate. International grants often add rules around financial management and data protection that domestic grants don't. Missing one of those rules can knock out an otherwise strong application.
4. Demonstrate cross-cultural competence
Highlight past experience or partnerships that show cultural sensitivity. Explain how you adapt to local customs and overcome language barriers. Include team members with relevant regional experience or language skills. Cross-cultural competence is what tells a funder your project will actually work on the ground, not just on paper.
5. Develop a clear monitoring and evaluation plan
Write an M&E plan with clear, measurable objectives and key performance indicators tied to the funder's goals. Describe how you'll collect and analyze data, and how you'll use that data to adjust the project. Detail how you'll share results with stakeholders and the broader community. Use grant management software to keep applications, reports, and deliverables organized.
Show the tools you'll use to address the challenges unique to international work. That can include digital platforms for remote collaboration, mobile apps for data collection in the field, or secure systems for financial management across countries. Emerging technologies should serve the work, not decorate the proposal.
Common reasons international grant applications get rejected
If you only have time to fix one thing, fix the fit. Most rejections come down to a small set of avoidable issues.
Poor fit with funder priorities. The project is solid but doesn't match the funder's current strategy or geographic focus. Before applying, read the funder's last two years of grants list. If you don't see anything that looks like your work, the fit isn't there.
Incomplete or non-compliant application. Missing documents, blown word counts, wrong file formats, or skipped sections. These knock out otherwise strong proposals at the screening stage.
Vague or unrealistic objectives. Goals that aren't measurable, timelines that don't make sense, or impact claims that don't match the budget.
Insufficient capacity signals. No audited financials, no track record on similar work, no clear M&E plan. International funders need to see that you can manage a grant, not just spend it.
Wrong size. Your organization is too small (or too big) for the funder's typical grantee. Use the by-size table earlier in this article to rule out wrong-size funders before you start writing.
Compliance gaps. Missing 501(c)(3) status or equivalency determination paperwork when the funder requires it. Currency or financial-management concerns that the funder can't get past.
The most efficient fix is upstream: find better-fit grants before you apply. Search Zeffy's free grant database at zeffy.com/home/grants-for-nonprofits to filter by your cause, location, and minimum amount so you only spend application time on funders that actually match.
Final thoughts on international grants for nonprofits
International grants can meaningfully expand a nonprofit's reach, but they are one piece of a funding mix, not a replacement for the rest of it. The application cycle is long, the win rate is low, and a single grant is rarely enough to sustain a program.
While you're building relationships with international funders and writing proposals, make sure the money you're already raising goes to your mission instead of to payment processors. Keep 100% of every donation with Zeffy's free fundraising platform. No platform fee, no transaction fee, no credit card fee. Ever.
No. Smaller nonprofits can and do win international grants, particularly from women's funds, climate justice funds, and grassroots-focused intermediaries (Global Fund for Women, Mama Cash, AWDF, Global Greengrants, Climate Justice Resilience Fund). The named mega-funders (Gates, Ford, Bloomberg, Hilton, Skoll) are mostly invitation-only and orient toward institutional grantees. The realistic path for a small nonprofit is the smaller cause-specific funds, not the famous names.
Most international grant cycles run 6 to 12 months from application to decision. Government and multilateral programs can run longer. Plan your cash flow accordingly. Don't bet the program year on one foundation's timeline.
Yes. Many international grants are open to US-based nonprofits, particularly when the work happens outside the US or in cross-border programs. Some international funders require US 501(c)(3) status; others fund non-US organizations directly or through equivalency determination. Check eligibility on each funder's official page before applying.
It depends on the funder. US-based funders usually require either US 501(c)(3) status, an equivalency determination, or a fiscal sponsor. Non-US funders may not require 501(c)(3) status but will have their own legal-recognition requirements in their home country. Always check the funder's official requirements.
If your grant is denominated in a currency different from your operating currency, exchange-rate movement between the award date and the spend date can shrink (or expand) your real budget. Build a foreign-exchange buffer into your budget where the funder allows it, and use bank or treasury services that minimize conversion costs.
Four key steps: (1) Understand the laws in both your home country and the funder's country governing cross-border transfers and grant compliance. (2) Confirm your organization's legal status meets the funder's eligibility requirements. (3) Set up financial management systems that can track and report grant spending to international standards. (4) Consult an attorney familiar with international nonprofit law for your specific situation before accepting a large grant with complex compliance requirements.
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