[September 2025]
In today’s competitive funding landscape, traditional grants aren’t the only way to secure financial support. Awards, prizes and innovation challenges offer powerful alternative pathways for individuals, startups, researchers and organizations to gain recognition and funding. This curated listing explores how to identify and leverage these competitive funding avenues to fuel your next big idea.
Call for Entries: Alexander Nderitu Prize for World Literature
Deadline: 15-Nov-2025
The African Griot Review is proud to announce the return of the Alexander Nderitu World Literature Prize to honour original, one-act stage plays from anywhere in the world…[more]
Submissions open for Pure Ocean Challenge
Deadline: 01-Oct-2025
Entries are now open for the Pure Ocean Challenge to support innovative applied research projects worldwide, contributing to the protection of fragile marine ecosystems and biodiversity…[more]
Henri Cartier-Bresson Self-Published PhotoBook Award
Deadline: 31-Oct-2025
The Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson has launched the Self-Published PhotoBook Award, which is annually awarded to a self-published photography book released during that calendar year…[more]
Morris Animal Foundation Feline Health Research Awards
Deadline: 08-Oct-2025
The Morris Animal Foundation invites proposals for hypothesis-driven, humane research projects with high scientific merit and the potential for significant impact to advance the health and welfare of domesticated cats…[more]
Entries open for the Wege Prize
Deadline: 05-Oct-2025
The Wege Prize invites student teams from across the globe to engage in a phased design process, moving from idea generation to actionable solutions…[more]
Request for Proposals: Feline Health Fellowship Training Award
Deadline: 08-Oct-2025
The Morris Animal Foundation’s Fellowship Training Award supports new investigators in launching a successful research career through hypothesis-driven, humane projects that advance the health and welfare of domesticated cats…[more]
Melvin Yahr Parkinson’s Disease Clinical Research Award
Deadline: 12-Jan-2026
Entries are now open for the Melvin Yahr Parkinson’s Disease Clinical Research Award to foster clinical research into any aspect of Parkinson’s disease conducted by young investigators who are under-represented in current research…[more]
Entries open for Parkinson’s Foundation Launch Award
Deadline: 29-Oct-2025
The Parkinson’s Foundation Launch Award provides vital support to talented postdoctoral researchers to help them transition into independent research careers dedicated to Parkinson’s disease…[more]
Nominations open for Impact Awards
Deadline: 10-Oct-2025
Entries are now open for the Impact Awards to provide funding opportunities for innovative research projects that aim to bring new light to the biology of Parkinson’s disease and advance the field with unconventional approaches…[more]
Apply for Water Council Fall 2025 Tech Challenge
Deadline: 10-Oct-2025
The Water Council presents its Fall 2025 Tech Challenge focused on technologies to better manage water quality within water systems and enable smarter, faster decision-making…[more]
Entries are Now Open for the 2026 Ockenden International Prizes
Deadline: 30-Nov-2025
The Ockenden International Prizes celebrate and uplift visionary projects that foster self-reliance among refugees, internally displaced persons, and asylum seekers across the globe…[more]
The Liveability Challenge 2026 – Decarbonisation Theme
Deadline: February 09, 2026
The Liveability Challenge 2026 invites innovators worldwide to submit groundbreaking decarbonisation solutions that can significantly reduce carbon emissions across diverse industries…[more]
9th Edition of The Liveability Challenge: Cool Earth Theme
Deadline: February 09, 2026
The ninth edition of The Liveability Challenge invites innovators worldwide to submit groundbreaking solutions that tackle climate-induced extreme weather conditions for a more liveable planet…[more]
Luxury Retail Challenge for Future Digital and Smart Experiences
Deadline: October 13, 2025
The Luxury Retail Challenge seeks high-potential startups with ready-to-market solutions focused on Future Digital & Smart Experiences to redefine luxury retail through cutting-edge digital innovation…[more]
Nominations open for ARVO Foundation Research Catalyst Awards
Deadline: 01-Oct-2025
Entries are now open for the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Foundation Research Catalyst Awards. These awards are designed to support investigators who are either starting their academic careers or returning to research after a significant break…[more]
Call for Entries: World Sustainability Award
Deadline: 15-Dec-2025
The World Sustainability Award (WSA) celebrates individuals who have made pioneering contributions to sustainability research. It recognizes excellence across diverse academic disciplines and highlights research that has had a transformative impact…[more]
Prince Talal International Prize for Affordable and Clean Energy
Deadline: 30-Jan-2026
The Prince Talal International Prize for Affordable and Clean Energy is awarded every year by the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND). Its goal is to spark innovation and encourage creative solutions that contribute to human development…[more]
Call for Nominations: Apila First Impression Award
Deadline: 15-Feb-2026
Apila Ediciones, in collaboration with the School of Design of Aragón and supported by the Zaragoza City Council, has announced the Apila’s First Impression Award 2026. This is the fourteenth edition of an international illustrated children’s book competition. The award aims to support illustrators who have not yet published a book and to encourage graphic and literary creativity…[more]
Nominations open for Dan David Prize
Deadline: 24-Sep-2025
Entries are now open for the Dan David Prize, the world’s largest history prize, which annually awards nine prizes to early and midcareer scholars and practitioners. The prize recognizes exceptional achievements in historical disciplines and supports the recipients’ future contributions to the field…[more]
Entries open for Global Teacher Prize
Deadline: 30-Sep-2025
Applications are now open for the Global Teacher Prize, a prestigious award that has been celebrating outstanding educators for a decade. The prize seeks visionary teachers who are transforming learning, solving local challenges, and making an impact far beyond the classroom…[more]
Call for Nominations: Metals Young Investigator Award
Deadline: 31-Jan-2026
The Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute is thrilled to invite nominations for its Metals Young Investigator Award to acknowledge the achievements of young investigators in the field of metallurgy and metallurgical engineering…[more]
Apply for the GCSP Prize for Innovation in Global Security
Deadline: 25-Sep-2025
The GCSP Prize for Innovation in Global Security recognises groundbreaking contributions that address the world’s most pressing security challenges…[more]
Call for Entries: Journal of Clinical Medicine Travel Award
Deadline: 31-Dec-25
Applications are now open for the Journal of Clinical Medicine Travel Award to two junior scientists for the year 2026…[more]
Nominations open for Young Women in Engineering Award
Deadline: 30-Nov-25
The Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute is pleased to announce that the Young Women in Engineering Award is open for nominations…[more]
John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award
Deadline: 1-Oct-25
Nominations are now open for the John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award to recognize the world’s leading researchers who have used rational, scientifically based research to improve the wellbeing of those facing health inequalities worldwide…[more]
Entries open for Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water
Deadline: 31 December 2025
Nominations are now open for the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water, an international award focusing on water-related scientific innovation and judged by leading scientists from around the world…[more]
Call for Nominations: Volvo Environment Prize
Deadline: 20 January 2026
Applicants are now invited to submit applications for the Volvo Environment Prize…[more]
Call for Nominations: William Mills Prize for Non-Fiction Polar Books
Deadline: 16 March 2026
The William Mills Prize for Non-Fiction Book prize honours the best Arctic and Antarctic nonfiction books published throughout the world…[more]
Call for Nominations: Junkosha Technology Innovator of the Year Award
Deadline: 31 October 2025
Nominations are now open for the Junkosha Technology Innovator of the Year Award, an international program dedicated to recognizing groundbreaking work in interventional medical procedures and Microwave/mmWave technologies…[more]
Nominations open for the Mental Health Award
Deadline: 11-Nov-2025
The Wellcome Trust is inviting applications for its Mental Health Award, which aims to fund projects that rigorously test real-world effectiveness and implementation strategies of scalable, transformative early interventions for anxiety, depression, and psychosis in young people…[more]
Nominations open for Whitley Award 2025
Deadline: 31-Oct-2025
Nominations are now open for the Whitley Award, which funds grassroots conservation leaders in the Global South and shines an international spotlight on their work. Winners receive £50,000 GBP in project funding over one year to support their conservation efforts…[more]
Call for Entries: Ithra Art Prize (7th Edition)
Deadline: 16-Oct-2025
Applications are now open for the Ithra Art Prize, one of the most prestigious awards dedicated to contemporary artists originating from or based in the 22 Arab countries…[more]
Call for Nominations: UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development
Deadline: 31-Oct-2025
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has launched the call for nominations for the 9th edition of the UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development. This international prize is awarded every two years to recognize outstanding efforts aimed at improving the quality of teaching and learning worldwide…[more]
CFPs: European Prize for Women Innovators 2025
Deadline: 25-Sep-25
The European Prize for Women Innovators is jointly awarded by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and the European Innovation Council (EIC)…[more]
Call for Entries: Live Your Dream Award
Deadline: 15-Nov-2025
Applications are now open for the Live Your Dream Award, designed to support women striving to overcome financial barriers and achieve their educational goals. This award can help cover tuition costs, purchase books, secure transportation, or access reliable childcare—allowing recipients to focus more on their studies and less on financial stress…[more]
Open Call: Ecosystem Partner for the IAU Enterprise and Innovation Challenge
Deadline: 31-Oct-2025
The British Council has launched the Innovation for African Universities (IAU) Enterprise and Innovation Challenge – Ecosystem Partner grant call to strengthen higher education and innovation ecosystems through a structured capacity-building programme…[more]
Call for Entries: Commonwealth Short Story Prize
Deadline: 01-Nov-2025
The search for some of the Commonwealth’s best short stories has begun again. Apply Now! The Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2026 is an annual award for unpublished short fiction administered and funded by the Commonwealth Foundation…[more]
Nominations open for IWRS Student Research Award in Sentience
Deadline: 31-Oct-2025
Applications are now open for the IWRS Student Research Award to encourage graduate student scholars engaging in evidence-based, theoretically-grounded research on any aspect of insect or understudied invertebrate sentience (defined broadly as subjective experiences, including pain)…[more]
Entries open for IWRS Student Research Award in Welfare
Deadline: 31-Oct-2025
Submissions are now open for the IWRS Student Research Award in Welfare to encourage graduate student scholars engaging in evidence-based, theoretically-grounded research on any aspect of insect or understudied invertebrate welfare…[more]
Entries open for Huawei France Tech Arena Challenge
Deadline: 24-Oct-2025
The Huawei France Tech Arena is an opportunity for individuals studying or recently graduated in the EU to showcase their skills in analytical modeling, optimization, and simulation…[more]
Submissions open for Maribor Photobook Award
Deadline: 30-Sep-2025
The Maribor Photobook Award returns in 2025, inviting publishers, photographers, artists, and designers to submit published or self-published books created in the past two years to celebrate excellence and innovation in contemporary photobook publishing…[more]
Request for Applications: POLREC Awards 2025
Deadline: 25 September 2025
POLREC will provide financial support to SMEs active in the polymer industry in the form of prizes to award the best-practices in advancing polymer recycling solutions…[more]
The MEST Africa Challenge 2025 for Early-Stage Tech Startups
Deadline: September 26, 2025
Applications are now open for the MEST Africa Challenge (MAC), a leading Pan-African pitch competition designed for early-stage technology startups ready to scale…[more]
Submissions open for Aurora Tech Award 2025
Deadline: November 12, 2025
The Aurora Tech Award is an annual global prize created and supported by inDrive to empower women entrepreneurs in IT by providing financial support, mentorship, and opportunities to expand their ventures…[more]
Applications open for Fraunhofer-Bessel Research Award
Deadline: Ongoing
Applications are now open for the Fraunhofer-Bessel Research award for internationally recognised academics working in applied research…[more]
Call for Entries: Digital Art Award (India)
Deadline: 30-Sep-2025
Applications are now open for the Digital Art Award to recognise and celebrate original, innovative and non-commercial art by young Indian creators in the Digital Illustration and Digital Art medium…[more]
Call for Nominations: Short Film Awards (India)
Deadline: 30-Sep-2025
Entries are now open for the Short Film Awards to celebrate originality, creativity, and storytelling skills among young Indian filmmakers…[more]
Call for Submissions: Toto Photography Award (India)
Deadline: 30-Sep-2025
Nominations are now open for the Toto Photography Award to celebrate original and compelling photographic work by young creators…[more]
Nominations open for Exploring and Thinking Bursary Award (Ireland)
Deadline: 01-Oct-2025
Entries are now open for the Exploring and Thinking Bursary Award to develop their practice in 2026…[more]
Submit Applications for Eastern Cape Innovation Challenge (South Africa)
Deadline: 25-Sep-2025
The EC Innovation Challenge seeks to combat unemployment and drive socio-economic growth by empowering participants to create innovative solutions to pressing societal issues…[more]
Nominations open for New Frontiers Research Award (South Africa)
Deadline: 30-Sep-2025
The Oppenheimer Memorial Trust New Frontiers Research Award recognizes the efforts of visionary early-to-mid-career researchers determined to build high-performance research teams and the South African academy…[more]
Nominations open for Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship Award (South Africa)
Deadline: 30-Nov-2025
Applications are now open for the Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship Award to focus unambiguously on excellence and exceptional scholarship…[more]
Entries open for Young Environmentalist Innovative Challenge (Kenya)
Deadline: 30-Sep-2025
The Young Environmentalist Innovative Challenge invites submissions of innovative solutions that inculcate the spirit of environmental conservation and sustainable management…[more]
Brandworks Concept to Commercialisation Challenge 2025 (India)
Deadline: November 25, 2025
Startup India, DPIIT and Brandworks Technologies Private Limited have launched a comprehensive program designed to support India’s electronics hardware founders in transitioning from minimum viable product to product-market fit while developing innovative and cost-effective Make in India products…[more]
UNDP Innovation Challenge for Georgian Manufacturing SMEs
Deadline: October 07, 2025
The UNDP Georgia Office invites proposals for the Innovation Challenge – Manufacturing Sector, aimed at supporting Georgian manufacturing sector SMEs in starting, continuing, or resuming exports to EU and European countries…[more]
Request for Applications: Avinya ’26 Energy Startup Challenge (India)
Deadline: September 30, 2025
Avinya’26 is an energy startup competition designed to promote Indian startups in the energy sector, anchored in the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat with a focus on innovation, socio-economic impact, sustainability, and diversity…[more]
UNDP-Generali Insurance Innovation Challenge for MSME Resilience (Thailand)
Deadline: September 30, 2025
The UNDP-Generali Insurance Innovation Challenge seeks to strengthen financial resilience for Thailand’s micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and their employees through innovative insurance solutions…[more]
Optimizing Cement Operations with Generative AI Challenge (India)
Deadline: October 31, 2025
The Optimizing Cement Operations with Generative AI initiative has been launched to create an AI-driven platform for autonomous plant operation and optimization with the aim of transforming the cement sector…[more]
Sustainable Solutions for Hilly Region Development and Livelihood Promotion Challenge (India)
Deadline: September 25, 2025
The Sustainable Solutions for Hilly Region Development & Livelihood Promotion Challenge invites innovative startups to address socio-economic and environmental challenges in hilly regions, with the goal of promoting sustainable development and enhancing livelihoods…[more]
Circular Solutions Innovation Challenge for Sustainable Development (Philippines)
Deadline: 26-Sep-2025
The Circular Solutions Innovation Challenge in the Philippines invites innovative solutions that advance sustainability, promote circular economy practices, and strengthen local community engagement…[more]
Applications open for TOTO Awards for Music (India)
Deadline: 30-Sep-2025
The 2026 TOTO Awards for Music invite young Indian artists to submit their original music for recognition, celebrating creativity, innovation, and excellence across all genres and languages…[more]
Fighting Blindness announces Career Development Awards (Ireland)
Deadline: 06-Oct-2025
Fighting Blindness is now accepting applications for the third round of its Career Development Awards. The program is designed to support early-career researchers and clinicians working in the field of vision loss by helping them access training, build networks, and form collaborations…[more]
Entries open for Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards (India)
Deadline: 30 September 2025
The Ministry of Home Affairs is pleased to invite nominations for its Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards to recognize a person for saving someone’s life…[more]
Entries open for Photography Awards in United States
Deadline: 01-Dec-2025
Submissions are now open for the Photography Awards to draw attention to the importance of Alaska’s marine ecosystems especially interested in photographs depicting coastal and offshore seascapes, marine life, marine science, and how people connect with Alaska’s waters…[more]
Call for Applications: AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award 2026 (Australia)
Deadline: November 07, 2025
The AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award is Australia’s leading award empowering and celebrating the inclusive and courageous leadership of women involved in Australia’s rural and emerging industries, businesses, and communities, now and into the future…[more]
Seamless Trade Across Borders Challenge with Leonardo UK
Deadline: September 24, 2025
The Seamless Trade Across Borders Challenge with Leonardo UK invites UK-based innovators and startups to test and validate advanced digital trade compliance solutions as part of the International Supply Chain Accelerator programme…[more]
Apply for Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board Excellence Award (New Zealand)
Deadline: 15-Jun-2026
The Auckland Council is pleased to invite applications for its Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board Excellence Award to support local residents and organisations to represent the area and demonstrate their outstanding achievements in their chosen field…[more]
Call for Nominations: Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering
Deadline: 28 November 2025
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada is inviting applications for its Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering…[more]
Entries open for Kickstarter Challenge 2025 (Australia)
Deadline: 1 October 2025
Are you the next aspiring female founder who will win? You are invited to submit your business idea across a range of categories. It’s more than a competition – it’s a launchpad for your entrepreneurial dreams…[more]