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Programme Overview

The Power of Diversity Funding Facility, managed by the Crop Trust, has launched a EUR 2.2 million grant programme to strengthen the value chains of underutilised, nutritious, and climate-resilient opportunity crops in six countries:

• Kenya
• Nigeria
• Zambia
• Tanzania
• Uganda
• Colombia

The programme supports targeted, scalable projects that improve the production, processing, marketing, and consumption of stakeholder-selected opportunity crops identified through national consultations conducted in 2025.

Objectives

The programme seeks to strengthen selected crop value chains through interventions that:

• Increase productivity through improved seed systems and good agricultural practices.
• Strengthen post-harvest handling and processing capacities.
• Improve market access and value chain efficiency.
• Increase consumer awareness and demand for opportunity crops.
• Promote nutrition, climate resilience, livelihoods, and food security.

Geographic Scope

Projects must focus on specific crops and intervention areas identified under the Power of Diversity Funding Facility in:

• Kenya
• Nigeria
• Zambia
• Tanzania
• Uganda
• Colombia

Applicants may submit proposals covering one or multiple countries, crops, and intervention areas, provided they align with the defined scope of activities for each crop and country.

Eligible Applicants

Applicants must demonstrate:

• At least three years of in-country technical experience relevant to the proposed intervention.
• Proven expertise in the selected crop value chain or intervention area.
• Sufficient financial and operational capacity to implement the proposed activities.
• An average annual revenue turnover (2023–2025) exceeding the proposed project budget.
• Ability to manage grants typically ranging from USD 100,000 to USD 200,000, depending on the intervention.

Both national and international organisations may apply, provided they meet the eligibility requirements.

Project Requirements

Proposals should demonstrate a clear pathway toward measurable impact and sustainability and include:

• Defined activities and expected results.
• Detailed implementation timeline, milestones, and deliverables.
• Strategy for scaling and sustaining outcomes beyond project completion.
• Integration of crop diversity conservation and utilisation.
• Consideration of the role of national genebanks.
• Strong collaboration with relevant stakeholders and ongoing initiatives.
• A realistic and justified budget aligned with proposed activities.

Projects may address:

• One or multiple crops.
• One or multiple intervention areas.
• One or multiple eligible countries.

Funding Information

• Total programme budget: EUR 2.2 million
• Typical project budgets: USD 100,000–200,000 (depending on intervention scope)
• Multiple grants are expected to be awarded across the six participating countries.

Application Process

Applicants must:

1. Review the eligible countries, crops, and intervention areas.
2. Verify organisational eligibility and financial capacity.
3. Develop a project proposal using the official templates.
4. Submit all required documents through the online application portal.

Applications submitted outside the designated portal will not be accepted.

All proposals and supporting documentation must be submitted in English.

Information Session

A virtual briefing session will be held to support prospective applicants:

• Date: 29 May 2026
• Time: 15:00 CEST
• Registration required.

Questions for consideration during the session had to be submitted by 25 May 2026 via email.

Timeline

Milestone	Date
Call for Proposals launched	12 May 2026
Virtual briefing session	29 May 2026
Application deadline	3 July 2026
Notification of successful applicants	10 August 2026
Project kick-off	1 October 2026
Project completion deadline	Before 31 March 2029

Selection Process

Applications will be assessed by an expert panel appointed by the Crop Trust.

Evaluation will consider:

• Technical quality and feasibility.
• Potential impact on target crop value chains.
• Scalability and sustainability.
• Organisational capacity and experience.
• Budget realism and value for money.
• Contribution to a balanced portfolio of interventions across countries and value chains.

The review committee may request clarifications during the evaluation process