Deadline: 15-Sep-2026
This Small Grant supports collaborative projects that address power imbalances in international development and humanitarian partnerships between Danish civil society organizations and global majority partners. It funds reflection, learning, and joint capacity development to improve equitable collaboration models. Grants of up to 50,000 DKK are available for projects lasting up to one year.
Program Overview: Equity and Power in Development Partnerships
The Small Grant program focuses on improving fairness, equity, and shared decision-making in international development cooperation.
It supports initiatives that critically examine how power is distributed between:
- Danish civil society organizations
- Global majority partner organizations
Key Objectives of the Program
- Address structural power imbalances in development partnerships
- Promote equitable collaboration models
- Strengthen joint learning and capacity development
- Support reflection before and during partnership engagement
- Develop shared frameworks for fair cooperation
- Encourage knowledge sharing across organizations
- Improve humanitarian and development effectiveness
Core Focus Areas
Power and Equity in Development
- Identifying and challenging unequal power structures
- Examining decision-making imbalances
- Improving fairness in partnerships
Collaboration and Learning
- Joint learning between Danish and global majority organizations
- Co-creation of development approaches
- Shared reflection on partnership dynamics
Capacity Development
- Mutual organizational strengthening
- Skills and knowledge exchange
- Collaborative institutional growth
Knowledge Sharing and Documentation
- Capturing lessons learned
- Producing outputs for broader sector learning
- Sharing findings with other organizations
Funding Structure
Grant Amount
- Up to 50,000 DKK
Project Duration
- Maximum: 1 year
Who is Eligible?
Required Applicant Structure
Applications must include:
- At least one Danish civil society organization
- Optionally at least one global majority partner organization
Eligibility Requirements for Danish Organizations
Danish applicants must:
- Be civil society organizations
- Meet requirements for collaborating organizations under fund rules
- Operate in an OECD-DAC country
Global Majority Partners
- Must be based in the same country as the collaboration context
- Must be directly involved in project design or implementation
Project Requirements
Eligible projects must:
- Be based on existing collaboration OR clearly identified joint needs
- Be co-developed by partners
- Focus on reflection and learning on power dynamics
- Include documented outputs and knowledge sharing
Expected Outputs
Projects must produce:
- Documentation of learning outcomes
- Reflections on power dynamics
- Frameworks or tools for improved collaboration
- Resources usable by other organizations
How the Program Works (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Identify Partnership Need
Partners define shared challenges related to power imbalances.
Step 2: Joint Project Design
Danish and global majority partners co-develop:
- Objectives
- Activities
- Learning outcomes
Step 3: Application Submission
Danish civil society organization submits the application.
Step 4: Review Process
Applications are assessed based on:
- Relevance to power imbalance themes
- Strength of partnership
- Learning and reflection design
- Potential sector-wide impact
Step 5: Funding Decision
Selected projects receive up to 50,000 DKK.
Step 6: Implementation
Partners conduct reflection, learning, and collaboration activities.
Step 7: Knowledge Sharing
Final outputs are documented and shared with the wider development sector.
Importance of the Program (Why It Matters)
This initiative strengthens international development practice by:
- Addressing unequal power structures in global partnerships
- Promoting fair and ethical collaboration models
- Improving trust between international organizations
- Enhancing shared decision-making processes
- Supporting decolonized development approaches
- Strengthening mutual accountability in partnerships
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying without a genuine partnership structure
- Lack of focus on power imbalance reflection
- Weak joint design between partners
- Missing documentation and learning outputs
- Treating the project as implementation-only (not reflective)
- Not clearly defining collaboration dynamics
Tips for a Strong Application
- Ensure true co-creation between partners
- Clearly define power dynamics to be examined
- Focus on learning, not just project delivery
- Include practical outputs for sector use
- Demonstrate long-term collaboration value
- Document baseline partnership challenges clearly
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What is the maximum funding amount?
Up to 50,000 DKK per project.
2. How long can projects run?
Up to one year.
3. Who can apply?
Danish civil society organizations in collaboration with global majority partners.
4. What is the main focus of the program?
Addressing and reflecting on power imbalances in development partnerships.
5. Are individual applications allowed?
No, applications must be organizational and partnership-based.
6. What kind of outputs are expected?
Learning documentation, reflection tools, and knowledge-sharing materials.
7. Is prior collaboration required?
Yes, projects must be based on existing or clearly identified partnerships.
Conclusion
The Small Grant program provides targeted support for reflection and learning on power dynamics in international development partnerships. By fostering collaboration between Danish civil society organizations and global majority partners, it promotes more equitable, transparent, and effective development cooperation practices while generating insights that benefit the wider sector.
For more information, visit Global Focus.