Kenyan youth-led organisations, civil society groups and community-based organisations can now apply for grants of up to US$175,000 (about KSh22.7 million) under a new World Bank-backed initiative supporting advocacy on women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health and nutrition.
The funding is part of the GFF × CIVIC VOICES programme, which has a total funding pool of up to US$3.35 million (about KSh434 million) for partnerships across up to 22 African countries, including Kenya.
The programme seeks to strengthen the role of civil society and youth organisations in influencing health financing, tracking government commitments and advocating for increased investment in health and nutrition.
Kenyan applicants must apply as a partnership of two to three local organisations, with at least one organisation required to be youth-led. The participating organisations must be legally registered and operational in Kenya.
The lead organisation must demonstrate at least five years of experience in health financing advocacy and accountability, particularly in areas related to reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition.
Partner organisations must have at least three years of relevant advocacy experience.
The programme is therefore targeted at established organisations with demonstrated experience in health advocacy rather than individuals applying in their personal capacity.
Successful partnerships will receive support for up to 18 months.
The programme will support activities including health budget analysis, monitoring government commitments, policy engagement, public participation and stronger coordination between civil society and youth organisations.
Successful applicants will also receive advocacy training, technical assistance on budget analysis and mentorship.
The funding is not intended to directly finance the delivery of healthcare services. Instead, it is designed to help organisations strengthen advocacy and accountability around health financing and government decisions.
Eligible organisations must first form a partnership of two to three local organisations that meets the programme’s requirements.
Applicants are required to prepare a technical proposal using the prescribed template and submit a high-level budget using the required Excel template.
They must also provide supporting documentation, including proof of legal registration for each organisation in the partnership. Additional organisational and financial documents are required under the application guidelines.
All application documents must be submitted in the prescribed formats, with the combined size of attachments not exceeding 150MB.
Applications should be submitted by email to [email protected]
The deadline is Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. East Africa Time. Applicants are expected to receive an automated confirmation after submitting their applications.
The programme is being implemented by VOICES, a consortium led by PATH together with the African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP) and the Organisation of African Youth (OAY).
Selected country partnerships are expected to be announced by November 30, 2026.
For Kenyan organisations working on health financing, accountability and youth engagement, the programme provides an opportunity to secure funding while strengthening their capacity to influence health policy and public spending.
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