Power of Diversity Grants 2026 - Call for Proposals
4 May 2020
€2.2 Million in Power of Diversity Grants for Opportunity Crops
Opportunity crops are getting a boost in six countries thanks to the Power of Diversity Funding Facility. On <<DATE>>, the Facility issued a Call for Proposals, officially launching a EUR 2.2 million grant program in Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda and Colombia. The Power of Diversity Grants program is calling for proposals to support targeted action in those countries to improve production, processing and consumer awareness of opportunity crops.
The Power of Diversity Grants program will fund targeted projects that strengthen the value chains of selected opportunity crops – nutritious, climate-resilient crops that are well adapted to challenging environments but remain underutilized. Specific target crops for increased investments were identified through national stakeholder consultations in the six countries in 2025.
Each grant will fund a high-impact, scalable project that strengthens specific opportunity crop value chains. The project should address one or several of the intervention areas for each value chain and crop, as national stakeholders identified potential to:
- Increase productivity through seed system development and good agricultural practices
- Strengthen post-harvest and processing capacities
- Improve market access and enhance value chain efficiency
- Increase consumer awareness
Enhancing the value chains of opportunity crops holds great potential to provide better nutrition, open economic opportunities and improve lives and livelihoods for communities. The Power of Diversity Grants program marks a step forward for investment into these opportunity crops and for resilience and food security in these countries.
Apply for a Power of Diversity Grant
To apply for a Power of Diversity Grant 2026, please follow this step-by-step guide to see if your organization is eligible and instructions on how to submit a proposal.
- Check the countries, crops and activities – The Funding Facility is working with stakeholder-selected crops in specific countries. Value chain analyses have identified 24 intervention areas, with a specific scope of activity to strengthen the value chain identified by crop and country. See more details on the scope of activities in the Power of Diversity Grants online portal.
- Check your eligibility – Technical eligibility based on in-country experience and expertise is required, along with financial capacity. Check to ensure your organization has the required experience and capacity to manage the project.
- Propose a project – Eligible organizations are invited to propose a targeted project to enhance the value chain of a specific crop or crops as outlined in the identified intervention for that crop.
- Submit your proposal – Visit the Power of Diversity Grants online portal to review and download all application documents. Then, complete and upload the documents and answer all eligibility questions to submit your proposal.
The Crop Trust is looking to find the best fit to deliver positive impact, whether its for pigeon pea seed systems in Nigeria or consumer awareness of chayote in Colombia. All organizations are invited to explore the project interventions, find your fit and submit a proposal.
Countries, Crops and Activities
The Power of Diversity Grants 2026 will be awarded to promote specific opportunity crops selected by stakeholders in countries supported by the Power of Diversity Funding Facility. Project proposals should be relevant to the following countries and crops, with specific intervention scope of activities for each crop available below.
Click image to expand
Nigeria
- Fonio
- Pigeon pea
Zambia
- Sorghum
- Cowpea
Kenya
- Finger millet
- Amaranth
Colombia
- Chontaduro
- Chayote
Tanzania
- Sweetpotato leaves
- Bambara groundnut
Uganda
- Pumpkin
- Amaranth
Applicant Eligibility
Grant applicants should be organizations that demonstrate the experience, expertise and eligibility to perform all proposed activities. Technical eligibility must include in-country experience of at least three years. Applicants must be able to prove their annual average revenue turnover from 2023 to 2025 exceeds their proposed project budget, with the budget amounts specified in scope of activities and usually ranging from 100,000 to 200,000 USD. Proposals can be submitted for one or multiple project intervention areas.
Proposal Parameters
Proposals should present a clear and coherent project logic that demonstrates how the proposed activities will achieve the aims of the intervention outlined. Please note that a proposal may include one or more crops and activities in one or more countries, and each should include:
- Defined activities and expected results
- Timeline of project activities, milestones and deliverables
- A project pathway to scale and sustainability elements
- Integration of crop diversity conservation and use, including the role of national genebanks
- Strong linkages with existing initiatives and stakeholders
- A cost proposal that is well-justified and aligned with proposed activities
Submit the Proposal
Proposals must be completed using the provided templates and submitted through the Power of Diversity Grants online portal. All templates are available on the Portal.
To answer any questions about the project or process to apply, a virtual briefing session will be held on 29 May at 3:00 pm CEST. Registration is required, so please register today to attend. Questions for response at the briefing session must be submitted in advance by 25 May by email at powerofdiversitygrants@croptrust.org.
Submissions outside of the portal will not be accepted. Proposals, including all accompanying documentation, should be submitted in English. Questions should be addressed to powerofdiversitygrants@croptrust.org.
Proposal Timeline
- Application deadline – 3 July 2026
- Notification of successful grantees – 10 August 2026
- Project kick-off – 1 October 2026
- Project completion deadline – Before 31 March 2029
Selection Procedure
All applications will be reviewed by an expert panel established by the Crop Trust. Proposals will compete with other interventions in the value chain, as well as with similar types of interventions across value chains. The selection process aims to ensure a portfolio of interventions that covers all value chains and pilots a variety of approaches from seed systems to consumer awareness.
The selection panel may contact applicants to request any necessary clarifications regarding the received proposals. Approval of an application does not guarantee project funding. Crop Trust reserves the right to sustain or abandon the call for proposals at any time before the signing of the contract.
The Power of Diversity Funding Facility is a multi-donor initiative managed by the Crop Trust, dedicated to conserving, cultivating and promoting the consumption of relatively neglected opportunity crops across Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean. The Funding Facility was established in 2025 with initial contributions by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through KfW Development Bank, and the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Ireland.
Related Articles
