The Government of the Netherlands has launched a major funding opportunity under its FemFocus programme to support women’s economic empowerment and entrepreneurship in Africa. This multi-year initiative provides substantial financial resources to civil society organisations working to advance women-led businesses and to dismantle systemic barriers that limit women’s participation in formal economies.
FemFocus is administered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and aims to boost women’s entrepreneurship through both capacity strengthening and structural change. The programme operates through a dual-track approach: improving women’s direct access to markets, networks, financial services, and skills, while simultaneously working to shift socio-cultural and policy environments that constrain economic participation.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Maximum Grant Amount | Up to EUR 27,417,500 |
| Minimum Grant Amount | EUR 18,260,055 |
| Total Available Budget | EUR 54,835,000 |
| Funding Body | Government of the Netherlands |
| Implementing Agency | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands |
| Submission Deadline | 7 January 2026 (23:59 CEST) |
| Project Duration | 60 months |
| Envisioned Start Date | 1 January 2026 |
| Geographic Scope | Minimum two countries from: Egypt, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Benin, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Uganda, Tunisia, Democratic Republic of Congo |
The FemFocus programme pursues two core policy objectives:
Strengthening women’s entrepreneurship at the individual level, through financial support, skills development, and improved access to markets and business ecosystems.
Addressing socio-cultural and institutional barriers that inhibit women’s economic participation, ensuring long-term inclusion and structural change.
Applicants must meet the following conditions:
Only one applicant is permitted per proposal; consortia are not allowed. Local partners will be selected during the inception phase.
The applicant must be a civil society organisation established either in the Netherlands or in a low- or middle-income country listed on the OECD-DAC.
At least 25 percent of the organisation’s average annual income (2022–2024) must come from non-Dutch MFA sources (not applicable to specialist or small southern organisations).
Applicants must demonstrate five years of experience in:
Strengthening capacity of in-country partners and
Financing in-country partners in LMICs within the past ten years.
Applicants must also have proven experience working within the programme’s policy themes in the target countries.
A partner selection and monitoring system must have been operational within the past five years.
Senior leadership remuneration must not exceed EUR 226,000 annually (for EU-based entities).
Only one grant can be awarded per applicant across the overall framework.
Applications must target a minimum of two eligible African countries where the Netherlands has trade and economic interests. These include:
Egypt, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Benin, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Uganda, Tunisia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The FemFocus call is expected to be highly competitive due to:
Only two to three successful grantees anticipated.
High grant ceiling and multi-country geographic coverage requirements.
Restriction to single applicants rather than consortia.
Partner onboarding only during the inception phase, which narrows pre-award collaboration.
Policy Framework:
https://www.government.nl/topics/grant-programmes/documents/policynotes/2022/10/15/grant-policy-framework-femfocus-2026-2030
Full Guidelines (PDF):
https://www.government.nl/binaries/government/documenten/policynotes/2022/10/15/grant-policy-framework-femfocus-2026-2030/Grant+policy+framework+FemFocus+%282026+-+2030%29.pdf
Applicants are strongly advised to refer to the original call documents before submission.
Further guidance and advisory support can be obtained through HVFC International:
Han Valk – Founder | han@hvfc-international.com
Kenneth Van Toll – Senior Consultant | kenneth@hvfc-international.com
This funding window presents one of the largest women’s economic empowerment grants currently available to civil society organisations in Africa. With a strong emphasis on both individual entrepreneurial growth and systemic transformation, the programme has the potential to generate large-scale, sustainable impact across priority countries. Due to the size of available awards and the limited number of grantees, strategic positioning and evidence-based proposal development will be key to success.
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