Global Education Grant 2026

If you’re a student passionate about protecting West Africa’s rainforests, there’s a funding opportunity worth putting on your radar. The Guinean Forests of West Africa Small Grants Program is now open for applications, offering support to projects that advance biodiversity conservation and sustainable community development across the Guinean Forests biodiversity hotspot — one of the most ecologically rich, and most threatened, regions on the continent.

The program is funded through the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) and implemented by the Regional Implementation Team, which coordinates grantmaking on the ground across the hotspot’s member countries.

Here’s the catch worth understanding upfront: grants go primarily to civil society organizations, universities, research institutions, and community groups — not to individual applicants. That doesn’t shut students out, though. If you’re enrolled at a university or connected to a conservation-focused NGO, you can still get involved by teaming up with an eligible organization and contributing to a project from the ground up, whether that’s field research, community outreach, or proposal writing.

How Much Funding Is Available?

Small grants of up to US$50,000 are on offer. The funding is meant to support projects that:

• Protect biodiversity in the region’s forests and surrounding ecosystems.
• Strengthen community-led conservation efforts.
• Promote sustainable management of natural resources.

Think of it less as a one-size-fits-all fund and more as seed money for locally driven solutions — the kind that come from people who understand the land and the communities living on it.

Which Countries Are Eligible?

Applicants must be based in one of the following countries:

• Guinea
• Sierra Leone
• Liberia
• Côte d’Ivoire
• Ghana
• Togo
• Benin
• Nigeria
• Cameroon
• Equatorial Guinea
• São Tomé and Príncipe

If your organization operates in any of these countries, you’re in the eligible zone — worth confirming before you invest time drafting a proposal.

How to Apply

The application process is fairly straightforward, but details matter, so read carefully before you dive in:

1. Start at the source. Visit the official CEPF call for proposals page: Guinean Forests Small Grants Call for Proposals
2. Read the fine print. Go through the application guidelines and eligibility requirements closely — this is where you’ll confirm your project fits the program’s priorities.
3. Download the LOI template. The Letter of Inquiry (LOI) template is available directly on the application page.
4. Fill it out in Word. Complete the LOI in Microsoft Word (.docx) format. This is a firm requirement — do not convert the main application form to PDF.
5. Gather your supporting documents. Attach whatever additional materials the call for proposals requires.
6. Submit by email, on time. Send the completed LOI and supporting documents by email before the deadline, following the exact instructions laid out on the official call page.

Tips for Students

Applying as a student takes a bit of strategy, since you likely won’t be submitting solo. A few things worth keeping in mind:

• Find the right partner. If you’re not eligible to apply independently, team up with your university, an NGO, or a conservation organization already working in the space. A biology student, for instance, might partner with a local NGO running a reforestation initiative and contribute survey data or field monitoring — giving the proposal real scientific weight while gaining hands-on experience.
• Pick a focus that fits. Strong projects tend to center on biodiversity conservation, habitat restoration, environmental education, or community engagement. A campus-led tree-planting and awareness campaign in a nearby forest reserve is exactly the kind of grounded, community-facing idea reviewers respond to.
• Tell a clear story. Spell out the environmental problem you’re tackling, your proposed solution, the impact you expect to see, and precisely how the grant funds will be used. Vague proposals rarely make the cut — specificity does.
• Stay aligned with the program’s priorities. Cross-check your proposal against the investment priorities in the official call for proposals before you submit. A great idea that doesn’t match the program’s focus areas is still a hard sell.

For complete eligibility requirements, downloadable application forms, and submission instructions, visit the official application page: CEPF Guinean Forests Small Grants Program