About

The Government of the Netherlands has launched the FemFocus 2026–2030 policy framework, offering major grant opportunities for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) for the MENA region aimed at advancing women’s rights and gender equality.

This framework is designed to empower local ownership and provide support to CSOs in delivering impactful services and leading transformative social change.

Three Grant Opportunities:

Women’s Entrepreneurship (€54.8M): projects must target at least two African countries, focusing on entrepreneurship and removing barriers for women

Combating Violence Against Women (€114.6M): supports survivors, prevention, and women human rights defenders.

Women, Peace and Security (€39.9M): aims to strengthen women’s leadership and participation in peacebuilding and address conflict-related sexual violence.

At least 30% of funds must go towards service provision, and funding also supports policy dialogue and organizational capacity building.

Organizational Requirements

Must be a non-profit organization.

Must have a track record of at least 5 years in relevant fields such as:

Women’s rights, gender equality, entrepreneurship, or peacebuilding.

Strengthening local CSOs and partners.

Managing international or multi-country projects.

Must demonstrate financial independence — i.e., not more than a certain percentage (often under 60%) of annual income from the Dutch MFA.

The organization must show capacity for policy dialogue and advocacy, not just service delivery.

Partnerships and Consortia

Applications can be individual or consortium-based, depending on the grant theme:

Women’s Entrepreneurship: must be a single lead applicant, not a consortium.

Combating Violence Against Women and Women, Peace & Security: consortia are allowed, but must be locally led — meaning local CSOs should have significant decision-making power.

Geographical Requirements

Projects must take place in eligible countries (listed previously).

At least two countries per region for regional grants.

Applicants must demonstrate existing partnerships or presence in target countries.

Financial Conditions

The total funding per theme:

Women’s Entrepreneurship – €54.8M

Combating Violence Against Women – €114.6M

Women, Peace & Security – €39.9M

The maximum grant per organization varies (usually €10–27 million depending on the proposal scale).

At least 30% of the total budget must be used for direct service delivery (support for women, survivors, or entrepreneurs).

The rest can go to policy work, advocacy, and institutional capacity building.

Other Important Rules

All applications must be submitted in English.

Must comply with Dutch government’s integrity and accountability standards.

Must align with principles of:

Local ownership

Gender-transformative approaches

Conflict sensitivity ("Do No Harm")

Projects should run for five years (2026–2030).

Eligibility

Eligibility Criteria for FemFocus 2026–2030 Grants

Who Can Apply

Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) — either:

Legally registered in the Netherlands, or

Legally registered in a Low- or Middle-Income Country (LMIC) listed on the OECD DAC list.

Note: International NGOs can apply, but preference is given to locally rooted organizations with strong regional partnerships.