csrreporters 
Community-led organizations working to improve maternal and child health outcomes now have an opportunity to secure funding through the SAFEStart+ Project Small Grants Scheme 2026.
The initiative, launched in partnership with international health organizations, seeks to strengthen community responses aimed at eliminating the vertical transmission of HIV, Hepatitis B, and Syphilis. Selected organizations will receive grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 to implement projects over a one-year period.
The funding programme recognizes the critical role communities play in addressing public health challenges and improving access to healthcare services. By supporting grassroots organizations, the initiative aims to enhance awareness, strengthen community structures, promote advocacy, and improve the uptake of essential health services among vulnerable populations.
Focus Areas
Applicants are required to design interventions that address at least three of the programme’s priority workstreams. These include strengthening community structures, capacity development, demand generation for health services, advocacy and accountability, community-led monitoring, and amplifying community voices in policy and decision-making processes.
Projects may involve training community members and peer advocates, conducting awareness campaigns, supporting community monitoring systems, promoting antenatal care and testing services, addressing stigma and misinformation, and engaging policymakers to improve service delivery.
According to programme organizers, the grants are designed to ensure that communities are not merely beneficiaries of health interventions but active participants in shaping policies, improving accountability, and strengthening healthcare systems.
Who Can Apply?
The call is open to community-led organizations operating at national or sub-national levels in Uganda. Eligible organizations should have experience working in areas such as maternal and child health, HIV, Hepatitis B, Syphilis programming, community-led monitoring, or related public health initiatives.
Applicants must demonstrate a proven track record in community engagement, advocacy, and implementation of community-driven interventions. Priority will be given to organizations led by women, young people, and affected communities, as well as those operating in priority regions and districts.
Organizations are also expected to show how they will strengthen community ownership of their interventions, build local capacity, and establish sustainable linkages between communities and formal health systems.
Funding and Project Duration
Successful applicants will receive grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 to support activities implemented over a one-year period. The funding is intended to support practical, community-focused solutions that contribute to the elimination of vertical transmission of HIV, Hepatitis B, and Syphilis while strengthening broader health systems and community engagement mechanisms.
The programme also emphasizes evidence generation, community-led monitoring, and policy engagement as key components of sustainable health interventions. Grant recipients will work closely with the programme secretariat to develop monitoring and evaluation frameworks, implementation plans, and project budgets aligned with programme objectives.
Application Deadline
Interested organizations must submit their applications by June 30, 2026. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. Successful applicants will undergo a due diligence process before grant agreements are finalized.
The SAFEStart+ Project Small Grants Scheme represents a significant opportunity for community-led organizations to secure funding, strengthen local health systems, and contribute to the elimination of preventable infections passed from mothers to children.
Organizations interested in applying are encouraged to review the eligibility requirements and prepare strong proposals that demonstrate measurable impact, community engagement, and sustainable outcomes.
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