Rural Smiles Foundation is pleased to announce its first call for proposals under our climate action programme, offering flexible seed grants to youth-led groups implementing practical climate and environmental initiatives in Western Uganda.

The funding responds to urgent environmental challenges affecting communities across the region. Uganda’s National State of the Environment Report 2024 indicates that approximately 46 percent of the country’s soils are degraded, with soil loss exceeding 30 tonnes per hectare annually in some hotspots. The report further estimates that 13 percent of wetlands in Western Uganda are degraded. These challenges affect agricultural production, water security, livelihoods, biodiversity, and the ability of rural communities to respond to climate shocks.

Young people are already developing local solutions to these challenges, but many groups lack access to small and flexible grants. Informal groups are particularly disadvantaged because many funding opportunities require formal registration, extensive financial records, or complex administrative systems.

Through this funding opportunity, Rural Smiles Foundation will support practical, locally led climate action while learning from the experiences of participating youth groups. This first funding cycle will provide a baseline for improving and expanding the initiative in the coming year.

About the funding opportunity

Rural Smiles Foundation has established a total funding pool of USD 5,000 to provide ten flexible seed grants of USD 500 each. Four youth groups will be selected for the first cohort. The remaining six grants will be awarded through later cohorts at three-month intervals. Eligible applications submitted during this call will be retained in the applicant pool and may be considered for subsequent cohorts. Applicants will therefore not be required to submit a new application for every cohort, although Rural Smiles Foundation may request updated information and reconfirm eligibility before making a later award.

The grants are intended to support tangible climate and environmental activities. Appropriate initiatives may include ecosystem restoration, tree growing and aftercare, soil and water conservation, climate-smart agriculture, waste recovery and reuse, clean energy solutions, wetland protection, environmental education linked to practical action, and other locally relevant responses.

All selected groups will also receive capacity building from Rural Smiles Foundation. Applicants should not include capacity-building costs in their proposed budgets because this support will be financed separately. The full USD 500 grant should be directed towards implementing the proposed project and achieving measurable community-level results.

Who can apply?

The opportunity is open to youth-led groups operating in Western Uganda. Groups do not need to be formally registered, but they must demonstrate a basic level of organization, accountability, and collective decision-making.

An eligible group should have at least five active members, be led primarily by young people aged 18 to 35, and demonstrate at least six months of previous or ongoing climate or environmental work. Applicants should also be able to identify responsible representatives, explain how decisions are made, describe how grant funds will be managed, and provide evidence of their community presence and activities.

Rural Smiles Foundation particularly encourages applications from groups involving young women, persons with disabilities, refugees, and young people from underserved rural communities.

Application period and important dates

Applications will open on 1 October 2026 and close on 31 October 2026.

An applicant information session will be held on 15 October 2026 to explain the funding opportunity, eligibility requirements, application process, assessment criteria, and grant-management expectations. Participation is encouraged but is not mandatory and will not influence the assessment outcome.

Applicants may submit clarification questions until 23 October 2026. Information about the session and the channel for submitting questions will be communicated through the Grants Portal.

The first four successful groups are expected to be notified by 25 November 2026, with grant agreements, orientation, and initial disbursement planned for late November and early December 2026.

How to apply

Applicants must create an account and complete the application through the Rural Smiles Foundation Grants Portal:

Access the Grants Portal

Creating an account or saving a draft does not constitute an application. Applicants must complete all required sections and successfully submit the application before the portal closes. Applications submitted through email, WhatsApp, social media, physical delivery, or any other channel will not be considered.

There is no application fee, and no person is authorized to request payment in exchange for application support, shortlisting, verification, or selection. Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the complete Call for Proposals before beginning their applications:

Download the full Call for Proposals

This funding opportunity reflects the commitment of Rural Smiles Foundation to reducing barriers faced by grassroots youth groups and supporting practical, inclusive, community-led climate action across Western Uganda.