Overseas Grant Programme Supporting Community Livelihoods (United Kingdom)

Deadline: 18-Sep-2026

The Overseas Grant Programme supports community-led livelihood improvement projects in disadvantaged communities across selected Commonwealth countries in Africa. UK-registered charities with annual income between £150,000 and £4,000,000 may apply for one-year grants of up to £15,000. The programme focuses on clean water and sanitation, sustainable livelihoods, conservation-linked development, farming skills, and income-generating activities.

Overview

The Overseas Grant Programme is designed to support grassroots projects that improve livelihoods and living conditions in disadvantaged communities.

The programme funds one-year projects delivered through established and proven local partners that are already working with communities.

It prioritises practical, community-led interventions that build long-term resilience, self-sustainability, and local ownership.

Purpose of the Grant

The purpose of the grant is to support projects that help disadvantaged communities improve their quality of life and strengthen their long-term economic security.

The programme focuses on practical development activities that create sustainable benefits beyond the grant period.

Projects should be locally relevant, well-managed, and designed with a clear plan for community participation, training, monitoring, and sustainability.

Key Focus Areas

The programme focuses on clean water and sanitation, sustainable livelihoods, environmental conservation, wildlife conservation, farming skills, self-sustainability, income-generating activities, grassroots development, community training, livelihood resilience, disadvantaged communities, local ownership, and long-term project sustainability.

What the Programme Supports

The Overseas Grant Programme supports community-led livelihood projects that directly improve living conditions and economic resilience.

Supported project areas may include:

• Clean water access
• Sanitation improvements
• Sustainable livelihood development
• Farming skills training
• Income-generating activities
• Community self-sustainability
• Conservation-linked livelihoods
• Environmental and wildlife conservation activities
• Training and education for local communities
• Grassroots development through trusted local delivery partners

Projects should provide clear benefits to disadvantaged communities and include a realistic plan for sustaining outcomes after funding ends.

Funding Amount

The programme provides one-year grants of up to £15,000.

Funding should be used for practical project activities that directly support community development, livelihood improvement, and sustainability.

Applicants should ensure that their budgets are realistic, clear, and aligned with the project’s objectives.

Project Duration

The grant supports projects for one year.

Applicants should design activities that can be implemented within a 12-month period while also creating benefits that continue after the funding ends.

Who Is Eligible?

Eligible applicants must be UK-registered charities.

Applicants must also have an annual income between £150,000 and £4,000,000.

The applicant charity should work through established and proven delivery partners that are already engaged with local communities in eligible countries.

Eligible Countries

Funding is limited to projects delivered in selected Commonwealth countries of Africa.

Eligible countries include:

• Botswana
• Cameroon
• Eswatini
• Gabon
• The Gambia
• Ghana
• Kenya
• Lesotho
• Malawi
• Mauritius
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• Nigeria
• Rwanda
• Seychelles
• Sierra Leone
• South Africa
• Tanzania
• Togo
• Uganda
• Zambia

Projects outside these countries are not eligible under this programme.

Who Is Not Eligible?

The programme does not support:

• Non-UK registered charities
• Charities with annual income below £150,000
• Charities with annual income above £4,000,000
• Projects outside the listed Commonwealth countries of Africa
• Projects without strong local community involvement
• Projects without a clear sustainability or exit strategy

Applicants should confirm that both the organisation and project location meet the eligibility rules before applying.

Activities Not Supported

Funding is not available for:

• Disaster appeals
• Education-related initiatives
• Gap years
• Elective overseas placements
• Project visits abroad
• Overseas disability awareness activities

Applicants should avoid proposing activities that fall under these exclusions.

Why It Matters

Disadvantaged communities often face limited access to clean water, sanitation, income opportunities, farming skills, and sustainable livelihood options.

This grant matters because it supports practical projects that help communities improve daily living conditions while building long-term resilience.

By focusing on community participation, training, and self-sustainability, the programme helps ensure that local people can continue benefiting from project outcomes after external funding ends.

Community Participation Requirement

Local community involvement is a key requirement of the programme.

Projects should actively involve communities throughout the project cycle, including:

• Planning
• Implementation
• Training
• Monitoring
• Decision-making
• Sustainability planning

The programme expects communities to receive appropriate training and education so that they can maintain project outcomes independently over time.

Sustainability and Exit Strategy

Applicants must include a clear exit strategy.

An exit strategy explains how the project will continue to deliver benefits after the grant period ends.

A strong sustainability plan may include:

• Community training
• Local leadership development
• Income-generating models
• Maintenance plans
• Local partner ownership
• Skills transfer
• Clear roles for community members
• Ongoing monitoring after project completion

The programme prioritises projects that do not depend permanently on external funding.

Governance and Monitoring Requirements

The programme places strong importance on good governance and robust monitoring systems.

Applicants should show how the project will be managed, supervised, and evaluated.

Strong proposals should include:

• Clear management structure
• Defined roles and responsibilities
• Financial accountability
• Risk management
• Monitoring indicators
• Community feedback mechanisms
• Regular progress tracking
• Evidence of local partner capacity

These systems help ensure that projects are accountable, effective, and well-managed.

How to Apply

Applicants should prepare a clear project proposal that explains the need, activities, delivery model, budget, community role, and sustainability plan.

Step 1: Confirm Organisational Eligibility

The applicant must be a UK-registered charity with annual income between £150,000 and £4,000,000.

The charity should also have the capacity to manage overseas grants and work through reliable local delivery partners.

Step 2: Confirm the Project Country

The proposed project must be delivered in one of the eligible Commonwealth countries of Africa listed in the programme guidelines.

Applications for projects outside the eligible country list should not be submitted.

Step 3: Identify a Proven Local Delivery Partner

Projects should be implemented through established delivery partners already engaged with local communities.

Applicants should explain:

• Who the local partner is
• Their experience in the target community
• Their role in implementation
• Their capacity to manage activities
• Their relationship with beneficiaries

Step 4: Define the Community Need

The proposal should clearly describe the problem the project will address.

This may include lack of clean water, poor sanitation, limited livelihood options, weak farming skills, low income, or challenges linked to environmental and wildlife conservation.

Step 5: Design a Holistic Project Approach

Applicants should design projects that cover all stages of implementation.

The project plan should include:

• Objectives
• Activities
• Target beneficiaries
• Implementation timeline
• Training components
• Community participation methods
• Monitoring plan
• Sustainability strategy
• Exit strategy

Step 6: Prepare a Realistic Budget

The budget should not exceed £15,000.

It should clearly show how funds will be used and how each cost supports the project’s objectives.

Applicants should avoid including ineligible costs or unclear budget lines.

Step 7: Explain the Sustainability Plan

The application should show how the project will continue after the one-year grant period.

This section should explain how communities will maintain activities, use new skills, manage resources, and continue income-generating or livelihood activities independently.

Step 8: Submit the Application

Applicants should submit the complete application with all required organisational, project, budget, governance, and partner information.

A strong application should be clear, practical, community-focused, and aligned with the programme’s focus areas.

Tips for a Strong Application

A strong proposal should clearly show how the project will improve livelihoods and create long-term benefits.

Applicants should:

• Focus on one or more eligible programme areas
• Show direct benefits for disadvantaged communities
• Work with a credible local delivery partner
• Include strong community participation
• Provide practical training and skills development
• Present a clear one-year implementation plan
• Include a realistic budget within £15,000
• Demonstrate strong governance and accountability
• Explain how outcomes will be monitored
• Include a clear exit strategy and sustainability plan

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid submitting proposals that are unclear, ineligible, or weak on sustainability.

Common mistakes include:

• Applying without being a UK-registered charity
• Having annual income outside the eligible range
• Proposing work in a non-eligible country
• Submitting disaster appeal or education-focused projects
• Not involving local communities actively
• Failing to include a clear exit strategy
• Providing a weak monitoring plan
• Using an unproven local delivery partner
• Submitting an unrealistic budget
• Designing activities that cannot be completed in one year
• Not explaining how the project will continue after funding ends

FAQ

1. What is the Overseas Grant Programme?

The Overseas Grant Programme supports community-led livelihood improvement projects in disadvantaged communities, especially projects focused on clean water, sanitation, sustainable livelihoods, conservation-linked development, farming skills, and income generation.

2. Who can apply?

UK-registered charities with annual income between £150,000 and £4,000,000 can apply.

3. How much funding is available?

The programme provides one-year grants of up to £15,000.

4. Which countries are eligible?

Projects must be delivered in selected Commonwealth countries of Africa, including Botswana, Cameroon, Eswatini, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.

5. What types of projects are supported?

Supported projects may focus on clean water and sanitation, sustainable livelihoods, farming skills, income-generating activities, conservation-linked livelihoods, and community self-sustainability.

6. What activities are not funded?

The programme does not fund disaster appeals, education-related initiatives, gap years, elective overseas placements, project visits abroad, or overseas disability awareness activities.

7. What makes a strong proposal?

A strong proposal has a clear community need, a proven local delivery partner, active community involvement, a realistic budget, strong governance, measurable outcomes, and a clear exit strategy for long-term sustainability.

Conclusion

The Overseas Grant Programme provides targeted support for UK-registered charities working with disadvantaged communities in selected Commonwealth countries of Africa. With one-year grants of up to £15,000, the programme helps fund practical, community-led projects that improve livelihoods, clean water access, sanitation, conservation-linked development, and income generation. Applicants should present a clear, locally grounded project with strong community participation, reliable delivery partners, robust monitoring, and a realistic sustainability plan.

For more information, visit Charles Hayward Foundation.