Get your work backed

Hey,

Welcome to Green Jobs Rising!

As we near the end of the year, we are taking a short break at the end of this week. We will be back next year. Phew, time to cool off. 😮‍💨

Before we pause, we have put together a list of funding opportunities you can explore.

While researching this newsletter, I came across a LinkedIn post on why funding proposals sometimes get rejected. 

Here are some of the most common reasons.

• Misalignment with the funder’s mission - Many applications read like research proposals, rather than solutions to clearly defined industry or societal challenges.

• Unclear impact - Reviewers cannot see how the work leads to practical outcomes, whether clinical, commercial, regulatory, environmental, or community-level.

• Weak narrative structure - If the proposal lacks a clear flow or buries key points, it makes the reviewer’s job harder. Proposals that are difficult to read rarely get funded.

• Unrealistic scope or milestones - Overpromising on timelines, or failing to define measurable outputs, can signal inexperience.

• Inexperienced or unsuitable team - Reviewers may doubt the team’s ability to deliver if roles are unclear, relevant expertise is missing, or key capabilities are outsourced without explanation.

• Unjustified or unrealistic budget - Budgets that are inflated, vague, or poorly linked to the work plan raise red flags.

• Mismatch with the grant’s expectations - Submitting a project at the wrong Technology Readiness Level (TRL), or not clearly explaining TRL progression, can undermine an otherwise strong idea.

• Unfocused or fragmented work plan - Plans that try to do too much, lack prioritisation, or do not show a clear progression weaken overall credibility.

And now, onto the funding opportunities!

• Erasmus Mundus Joint Master on Climate Change and Diversity: Sustainable Territorial Development
  CCD-STeDe is a 2-year international and multilingual master, organised in 4 different academic paths that allows you to deepen the topic of climate change in different cultural and geographical contexts.

• UK government funding
  The UK government offers hundreds of scholarships, bursaries and additional financial support to students from a large number of countries. Availability depends on university and programme.

• InnoEnergy Masters
  Sustainable energy master’s programmes with applications in rounds; they offer full or partial fee-waiver scholarships - varies by intake/programme. 

• Hertie School Climate Action Scholarship
  This scholarship is aimed at students who wish to explore climate action, sustainability and energy policy issues.

• Swedish Institute Scholarships for Global Professionals 
  Do you want to contribute to the sustainable development of your home country? Are you seeking new academic perspectives to strengthen your ability to lead societal change? The Swedish Institute awards academic scholarships for master’s studies in Sweden, to global professionals from a selection of countries.

• World Bank Scholarship Programme
  The programme is open to citizens of certain developing countries with relevant professional experience and a history of supporting their countries’ development efforts who are applying to a master's degree program in a development-related topic.

• University of Glasgow African Excellence Award
  The University of Glasgow African Excellence Award aims to support high achieving students from across Africa in their journey to become Future World Changers.  We are looking for students who wish to undertake Masters level study, to further develop their knowledge and skills, in order to positively contribute to their community in the future.

• UN decade youth task force microgrant call for applications

  The UN Decade Youth Task Force is pleased to announce the 2026 Call for Micro-Grant applications towards ecosystem restoration efforts. This call is a strategic partnership supported by the UNEP & FAO, designed by the Youth Task Force to empower youth-led organisations that aim to advance the UN DECADE goals with young people at the forefront.

• Rufford Small Grants
  The Rufford Foundation funds nature conservation projects in emerging or developing economy countries. It is for early-career conservationists; prioritises MSc or PhD candidates or recent graduates, and funds fieldwork costs for conservation projects.

• Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF)
  The AECF (Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund), is the leading African-based development organization that supports innovative commercial businesses in the agribusiness and renewable energy sectors with the aim of reducing rural poverty, promoting resilient communities and creating jobs. The AECF has provided catalytic funding to enterprises in 27 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa by investing in businesses that struggle to meet traditional risk-return standards for commercial investors. There are four programmes:

1. REACT 2.0 Ethiopia - AECF programme supporting private enterprises delivering climate-resilient energy access and inclusive finance for agricultural transformation in Ethiopia.

2. Energy for Green Growth and Sustainability in Kenya Round II - AECF programme supporting enterprises improving energy access and green growth in Kenya; funding rounds and requirements are posted by AECF.

3. Energy Transition Challenge Fund (ETCF) Nigeria - AECF Nigeria programme with multiple windows, including household energy access and commercial and industrial support.

4. IFEV Benin and Burkina Faso Window 1 Round 4 PME - AECF funding window supporting eligible SMEs and financial institutions in Benin and Burkina Faso; applications run via the AECF application manager.

• Conservation Leadership Programme 2026 Team Awards
  CLP provides Team Awards to support the work and professional development of aspiring conservationists. Each year, CLP calls for applications to support projects in biodiverse yet under-resourced countries worldwide. Funding is awarded to teams of at least three early career conservationists to conduct scientific research, encourage and promote pro-conservation attitudes and deliver tangible results to better conserve and manage the natural world.

• Global Cleantech Innovation Programme 
  The programme champions the next generations of cleantech innovators to deliver sustainable solutions for climate challenges, just energy transition and low-carbon sustainable development.

And as usual here are a few tips to help you ace that grant application.