HomeAfricaAUDA-NEPAD Call for Proposals: Up to EUR 120,000 Grants for Creating Opportunities for Youth and Women in Africa (COYWA)

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AUDA-NEPAD Call for Proposals: Up to EUR 120,000 Grants for Creating Opportunities for Youth and Women in Africa (COYWA)

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Last updated: November 15th, 2025 at 06:30 pm

The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), in partnership with the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), has launched a Call for Proposals for the Creating Opportunities for Youth and Women in Africa (COYWA) Programme. This funding initiative aims to strengthen youth and women’s socio-economic empowerment, advance gender equality, and promote inclusive development across the African continent.

About AUDA-NEPAD
About the COYWA Programme
Objectives of the Call
Focus Areas
Expected Outputs
Anticipated Outcomes
Funding Available
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible and Ineligible Activities
Application Requirements
How to Apply
Request for Clarifications
Evaluation and Selection
Data Protection and Privacy
Conclusion and Key documents

This opportunity is open to civil society organizations, women-led and youth-led enterprises, and public institutions working to improve livelihoods, build leadership capacity, and support gender and youth-focused development.

About AUDA-NEPAD

The African Union Development Agency–NEPAD is the continental development agency of the African Union. Its mandate includes coordinating and implementing regional and continental development priorities, supporting member states with advisory services and capacity development, and advancing resource mobilization efforts. AUDA-NEPAD plays a key role in driving Agenda 2063, promoting regional integration, and strengthening Africa’s development institutions.

About the COYWA Programme

The COYWA Programme builds on the long-standing partnership between AUDA-NEPAD and the Government of Spain through AECID. The initiative directly supports the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (particularly SDG 5 on gender equality) and Agenda 2063 Goals 17 and 18, which focus on gender equality, youth empowerment, and children’s rights.

COYWA was established to tackle socio-economic and gender inequalities by providing targeted support to youth and women. The programme addresses challenges such as limited access to vocational training, financial resources, entrepreneurship opportunities, digital technologies, and sexual and reproductive health services.

Objectives of the Call

The Call for Proposals seeks to identify and support organizations working to:

• Advance socio-economic inclusion of youth and women
• Promote transformative leadership in politics, business, and community development
• Strengthen Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR)
• Expand opportunities for youth and women to participate in local and national development

Funded projects should contribute to long-term empowerment and improved gender equality outcomes.

Focus Areas

Projects submitted under this call should contribute to one or more of the following areas:

• Economic empowerment and financial inclusion, including vocational training, business incubation, and social protection
• Technology and digital inclusion for youth, women, and girls
• Health, nutrition, and SRHR services that improve well-being and bodily autonomy
• Prevention and response to Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), with emphasis on community engagement and legal protection
• Leadership development for youth, women, and girls at all levels of decision-making
• Strengthening human security in humanitarian action, migration, and climate-related interventions
• Capacity-building for institutions implementing gender equality commitments
• Improving voice and agency of youth, women, and girls in public and private spaces

Expected Outputs

Projects supported through COYWA are expected to deliver:

• Matching grants to strengthen women-led businesses and business incubation centers
• Increased access to market-oriented vocational training for youth and women
• Expanded digital access and funding for gender-responsive tech solutions
• Improved SRHR services and health outcomes for women and girls
• Reduced levels of gender-based violence and stronger community protection systems
• Stronger institutional mechanisms for gender governance
• Greater participation of women and youth in leadership and peace processes
• Increased voice, agency, and participation in community and public decision-making

Anticipated Outcomes

The COYWA Programme aims to improve the capacities, autonomy, and livelihoods of African women and youth, resulting in greater economic independence, stronger leadership, and enhanced contribution to community development.

Funding Available

• Total available funding: EUR 1,800,000
• Maximum amount per Regional Economic Community (REC): EUR 360,000
• Maximum grant per applicant: EUR 120,000
• Minimum grant: EUR 0 (concepts may propose smaller-scale interventions)
• Project duration: Up to 24 months
• Eligible RECs: EAC, COMESA, SADC, ECOWAS, ECCAS

Each applicant may receive only one grant under this call.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Be legally registered in an African Union Member State
• Be a civil society organization, youth-led enterprise, women-led enterprise, cooperative, or relevant public institution
• Have at least two years of operational experience
• Demonstrate relevant expertise in youth empowerment, women’s empowerment, SRHR, GBV, leadership, livelihoods, or related fields
• Have the financial and operational capacity to manage project funds
• Commit to gender equality and inclusive development
• Be directly responsible for project implementation

Applicants may apply individually or with partners. Associates may participate but cannot receive grant funding except for travel or per diem. Subcontractors must follow AUDA-NEPAD procurement rules.

Eligible and Ineligible Activities

Eligible activities include initiatives that support youth and women in socio-economic empowerment, leadership, digital inclusion, health and SRHR, GBV prevention, and community development.

Ineligible activities include:

• Debt repayments
• Interest payments
• Activities already funded by another donor
• Purchases of land or buildings
• Currency exchange losses
• Recoverable taxes such as VAT

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit the following documents:

• Official signed letter of interest
• Concept Note
• Completed Grant Application Form
• Detailed Workplan aligned with programme objectives
• Detailed Budget following AUDA-NEPAD’s templates
• Legal registration documents
• Audited financial statements for the last two years
• Optional: Letters of support from partners or local authorities

Documents must be submitted in PDF or another electronic format.

How to Apply

Applications must be sent by email to:

grants-subdelegation@nepad.org

Copied to:
kudzaiishem@nepad.org
angelm@nepad.org
vincentm@nepad.org

Deadline: 30 November 2025, 17:00 (South African Time)

Late or incomplete submissions risk being excluded from evaluation.

Request for Clarifications

Questions concerning the call may be submitted by email no later than 15 days before the application deadline. Responses will be made available no later than 10 days before the deadline to ensure equal treatment of all applicants.

Evaluation and Selection

Applications will be evaluated based on criteria outlined in the official Guidelines for Applicants. Evaluation will emphasize relevance, impact, feasibility, value for money, and alignment with programme objectives.

Data Protection and Privacy

AUDA-NEPAD follows strict data protection rules under continental and organizational policies. Personal data will only be used for proposal evaluation and programme implementation and will be kept confidential for the necessary period. False or misleading information will result in disqualification.