Switzerland Embassy Launches Small Grants for Civil Society (Sri Lanka and Maldives)

Deadline: 20-Jan-2026

The Embassy of Switzerland in Sri Lanka and the Maldives is offering Small Action Fund grants to support civil society projects that promote democracy, human development, gender equality, and human rights. Grants ranging from LKR 3 million to LKR 5 million are available for one-year projects benefiting vulnerable groups in Sri Lanka or the Maldives.

Programme Overview

The Embassy of Switzerland in Sri Lanka and in the Maldives invites applications for small development projects under its Small Action Fund.

The fund supports civil society initiatives that address key social, economic, and human rights challenges, with a strong focus on inclusion, empowerment, and sustainable impact at the community level.

Thematic Focus Areas

Funded projects must align with at least one of the following priority areas:

Democracy, governance, and reconciliation
Human development, including SDG-related initiatives and culture for development
Gender equality and social inclusion

Projects are expected to contribute to strengthening rights, participation, and opportunities for marginalized communities.

Funding Amount and Duration

Grant size: LKR 3 million to LKR 5 million
Project duration: Maximum one calendar year
All activities must be completed no later than 1 November 2026

Administrative costs must not exceed 15% of the total project budget.

Who Can Apply?

Eligible Applicants

Applications may be submitted by:

Civil society organizations
Non-governmental and non-profit organizations
Organizations legally registered in Sri Lanka or the Maldives

Applicants must demonstrate adequate organizational structures and implementation capacity.

Geographic Scope

Projects must be implemented in Sri Lanka or the Maldives

Target Groups and Expected Impact

Proposals must directly benefit at least one vulnerable or marginalized group, including:

Minority communities
Women and girls
Youth and children
War victims
LGBTQI individuals
Persons with disabilities

Projects should focus on empowerment, social integration, and the fulfilment of human rights, rather than short-term or purely service-delivery approaches.

What the Fund Supports

The Small Action Fund supports specific activities and well-defined projects that:

Address pressing social, economic, or human rights challenges
Strengthen civil society engagement and accountability
Promote inclusion, participation, and equality
Deliver measurable outcomes within a one-year timeframe

Ineligible Applicants and Activities

The following are not eligible for funding:

Organizations affiliated with political parties, religious institutions, or the military
Individual applicants
Public institutions or government bodies
Purely commercial activities
Scholarships, stipends, tuition fees, or study tours abroad
Planning-only or evaluation-only activities
Projects requesting funding exclusively for staff salaries
Projects requesting funding only for purchasing supplies or equipment

Key Conditions and Restrictions

Administrative costs must remain below 15% of the total budget
Projects must deliver concrete activities and outcomes
Proposals focused solely on staffing or procurement will be rejected
Activities must be realistic, achievable, and completed within the approved timeline

Why This Opportunity Matters

This funding opportunity encourages dynamic and locally rooted civil society actors to:

Advance democracy and inclusive governance
Promote social justice and human rights
Strengthen gender equality and inclusion
Support sustainable, community-driven development

The Small Action Fund is particularly valuable for organizations seeking flexible yet impactful funding to implement focused interventions with tangible results.