Deadline: 02-Jul-2026
ActionAid International Uganda (AAIU) is inviting eligible organizations and institutions in Uganda to submit Expressions of Interest for strategic partnership opportunities under its Country Strategy Paper VI 2025–2029. The call seeks competent, values-driven partners working on social justice, gender equality, poverty eradication, climate justice, governance, refugee programming, research, innovation, and inclusive development.
Overview
The AAIU Strategic Partnership EOI aims to build a network of partners that can support programme implementation, advocacy, research, humanitarian response, policy engagement, evidence generation, and resource mobilization in Uganda.
The opportunity is open to organizations and institutions that share ActionAid’s commitment to people-led social justice, human rights, gender equality, inclusion, and poverty eradication.
Key Details
- Organization: ActionAid International Uganda
- Opportunity type: Expression of Interest for strategic partnership
- Country: Uganda
- Strategy framework: Country Strategy Paper VI 2025–2029
- Eligible applicants: Legally registered organizations operating in Uganda
- Main focus: Social justice, gender equality, poverty eradication, and inclusive development
- Required experience: Generally five years for CSOs and CBOs
- Partnership type: Strategic collaboration, not a standard grant call
Priority Thematic Areas
AAIU is seeking partners across five broad thematic areas.
1. Climate Justice and Humanitarian Response
This area focuses on climate resilience, sustainable livelihoods, and emergency preparedness.
Priority themes include:
- Climate change adaptation
- Resilience building
- Agroecology
- Sustainable food systems
- Renewable energy
- Energy justice
- Natural resource governance
- Disaster risk reduction
- Humanitarian preparedness
- Humanitarian response and recovery
- Community-led climate solutions
- Climate finance advocacy
- Loss and damage advocacy
2. Governance, Accountability and Social Justice
This area focuses on strengthening democratic participation, public accountability, and justice systems.
Priority themes include:
- Citizen participation
- Civic engagement
- Social accountability
- Anti-corruption initiatives
- Access to justice
- Media and development programming
- Transparency
- Public service delivery monitoring
3. Women’s Rights, Youth Empowerment and Decent Work
This area focuses on gender equality, livelihoods, leadership, and protection.
Priority themes include:
- Women’s economic empowerment
- Youth livelihoods
- Youth employment
- Gender equality
- Feminist programming
- Prevention and response to gender-based violence
- Leadership development for women and youth
- Women, Peace and Security
4. Refugee and Humanitarian Programming
This area focuses on protection, resilience, and durable solutions for displaced communities.
Priority themes include:
- Refugee livelihoods
- Refugee self-reliance
- Social cohesion
- Protection and safeguarding
- Durable solutions
- Resilience programming
- Refugee-led development
- Community systems strengthening
5. Research, Learning and Innovation
This area focuses on knowledge generation, policy influence, monitoring, and digital innovation.
Priority themes include:
- Participatory action research
- Evidence generation
- Policy analysis
- Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning
- Digital innovations
- Knowledge management
- Documentation
- Strategic communications
Key Concepts Explained
What is a Strategic Partnership EOI?
A strategic partnership Expression of Interest is a process through which organizations show their capacity, experience, values, and interest in collaborating with AAIU. It is not only about funding; it is about identifying partners for long-term programme, advocacy, research, and humanitarian collaboration.
What is People-Led Social Justice?
People-led social justice means communities, especially marginalized groups, are central in identifying problems, shaping solutions, claiming rights, and influencing decisions that affect their lives.
What is a Human Rights-Based Approach?
A human rights-based approach ensures that programmes are designed around dignity, equality, accountability, participation, and non-discrimination.
What is MEAL?
MEAL stands for Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning. It helps organizations track progress, measure impact, remain accountable to communities, and improve programming.
Who is Eligible?
Eligible applicants include organizations and institutions legally registered and operating in Uganda.
Eligible applicants may include:
- Civil society organizations
- Community-based organizations
- Refugee-led organizations
- Women-led organizations
- Youth-led organizations
- Social movements
- Academic institutions
- Research institutions
- Private sector actors
- Social enterprises
- Other development partners
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants should demonstrate:
- Legal registration in Uganda
- Relevant experience in at least one priority thematic area
- Strong governance systems
- Financial accountability
- Donor project management experience
- Commitment to safeguarding
- Commitment to gender equality
- Commitment to inclusion
- Human rights-based programming approaches
Civil society organizations and community-based organizations should generally have at least five years of relevant operational experience.
Refugee-led and grassroots organizations should demonstrate:
- Community legitimacy
- Recognized governance structures
- Experience delivering community-based initiatives
Academic and research institutions should demonstrate expertise in:
- Research
- Evidence generation
- Policy analysis
- Knowledge products
Private sector actors and social enterprises should demonstrate:
- Social impact approaches
- Innovative solutions
- Ethical standards
- Legal compliance
Required Documents
Applicants must submit:
- Organizational profile
- Registration certificate
- Governance structure
- Board composition
- Strategic plan
- Audited financial statements for the last two years
- Safeguarding policy
- Anti-fraud and anti-corruption policy
- Gender policy
- Evidence of relevant projects
- At least three references from previous or current donors or partners
How to Apply
Step 1: Confirm Eligibility
Check that your organization is legally registered and operating in Uganda.
Step 2: Select the Relevant Thematic Area
Identify the priority area that best matches your organization’s experience and technical capacity.
Step 3: Prepare Organizational Information
Compile your organizational profile, governance structure, Board composition, and strategic plan.
Step 4: Gather Compliance Documents
Prepare registration documents, audited financial statements, safeguarding policy, anti-fraud and anti-corruption policy, and gender policy.
Step 5: Show Relevant Experience
Include evidence of previous or ongoing projects that demonstrate expertise in the selected thematic area.
Step 6: Add References
Provide at least three references from previous or current donors or partners.
Step 7: Submit the EOI
Submit the complete Expression of Interest according to AAIU’s application instructions.
Why It Matters
This partnership call helps AAIU identify capable organizations that can advance people-led development and social justice in Uganda.
It matters because it supports:
- Stronger local and national partnerships
- Community-led climate action
- Gender equality and women’s rights
- Youth empowerment and decent work
- Refugee protection and resilience
- Accountability and public service monitoring
- Evidence-based advocacy
- Humanitarian preparedness and response
- Inclusive development under CSP 6
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid:
- Applying without legal registration in Uganda
- Submitting incomplete organizational documents
- Failing to show experience in a priority area
- Providing weak governance information
- Missing audited financial statements
- Omitting safeguarding, gender, or anti-corruption policies
- Providing fewer than three references
- Submitting generic information without clear thematic alignment
- Failing to demonstrate community legitimacy where required
- Ignoring human rights, inclusion, and gender equality commitments
Tips for a Strong EOI
Applicants should:
- Clearly connect their experience to one or more priority areas.
- Provide strong evidence of past project delivery.
- Highlight community reach and legitimacy.
- Show strong governance and financial systems.
- Demonstrate safeguarding and accountability practices.
- Include measurable results from previous work.
- Emphasize commitment to gender equality, inclusion, and human rights.
- Provide credible donor or partner references.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the AAIU Strategic Partnership EOI?
It is a call for eligible organizations and institutions in Uganda to express interest in partnering with ActionAid International Uganda under its Country Strategy Paper VI 2025–2029.
Who can apply?
Civil society organizations, community-based organizations, refugee-led organizations, women-led organizations, youth-led organizations, social movements, academic institutions, private sector actors, social enterprises, and other development partners may apply.
Must applicants be registered in Uganda?
Yes. Eligible organizations must be legally registered and operating in Uganda.
What thematic areas are covered?
The call covers climate justice and humanitarian response, governance and accountability, women’s rights and youth empowerment, refugee and humanitarian programming, and research, learning and innovation.
What experience is required?
CSOs and CBOs should generally have at least five years of relevant operational experience. Refugee-led and grassroots groups should show community legitimacy and experience delivering community-based initiatives.
What documents are required?
Applicants must submit an organizational profile, registration certificate, governance and Board details, strategic plan, two years of audited financial statements, safeguarding policy, anti-fraud policy, gender policy, project evidence, and three references.
Is this a grant application?
This is an Expression of Interest for strategic partnership opportunities. It is primarily designed to identify partners for collaboration under AAIU’s programme priorities.
Conclusion
The ActionAid International Uganda Strategic Partnership EOI offers Ugandan organizations and institutions an opportunity to collaborate on social justice, gender equality, climate action, governance, refugee programming, research, and inclusive development. By selecting values-driven partners with strong governance, technical expertise, and community legitimacy, AAIU aims to advance people-led development under its Country Strategy Paper VI 2025–2029.
For more information, visit AAIU.