We prefer to fund grassroots projects founded or run by Indian Ocean nationals to benefit their community or country as a whole, and projects which align with one or more elements of our Theory of Change.

We are open to discussion on a wide variety of projects and organisations. However, we will not fund religious activities, for-profit organisations, political parties or projects which are in conflict with our Theory of Change.

1. As an initial step please submit a short concept note (max 1-2 pages) which briefly covers the following general themes, though a specific format is not required: 

• Summary of the proposed action 
• Relevance (link your project concept to our Theory of Change)
• Methodology and Sustainability
• Expertise and operational capacity 
• Approximate financial need

2. If it is clear that your proposed action aligns with the vision of the foundation then you will be contacted for an introductory conversation. If this conversation is positive then you will be asked to submit a proposal, which describes your project in a little more detail than previously submitted. The SFACT team will advise you which areas of your work are most of interest and which should be highlighted in your proposal.

3. Your proposal should include the same/similar outline to the concept note but should be more detailed per section. It should be a maximum of 5 pages.

If you are interested in pursuing postgraduate education with an SFACT grant, please head to our Contact Form https://sfact.org/get-involved/#contact. Please state your area of interest and where you are based. We will then take the conversation further by asking for a CV and more information about you and your desired area of study.

If you do not already have a link to a university or institution, we can work with you to find a suitable institution and supervisor through our existing relationships with universities. You will then work with your supervisor to produce a project proposal, which will be reviewed by the Trustees and a decision will be made on whether we can offer you a scholarship.

We appreciate this can be a lengthy and stressful process. SFACT offers support throughout this process and we can also cover costs involved with relocation, visas, and university applications.

If you would like to find out the projects, organisations, and scholars we have already funded, you can visit the Our Programmes page https://sfact.org/programmes/

SFACT will consider requests for unrestricted funding, with a preference for projects that can evidence how the funding will allow them to leverage further grants from other sources. We believe that unrestricted funding may be important for new or relatively new organisations to strengthen and build their structures and test their own theory of change. Please make it clear in your proposal how unrestricted funding will help support your organisation.

We do not specify a range, each project is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

10-15%

Not for profits, grassroots organisations, international organisations, and universities. Please visit the Our Programmes page for more information on organisations we have awarded grants to: https://sfact.org/programmes/

Yes

Yes, we like to see different skill sets coming together so partnerships are a great way to combine expertise between organisations. If you are applying for funding as part of a partnership, we will need to see a written agreement between your organisation and those you are partnered with so that we can assess the nature of the partnership and how our funding will be used.

There is no prescribed format, please follow the guidelines under the ‘How do I apply for general funding?’ FAQ.

There is no prescribed format, please follow the guidelines under the ‘How do I apply for general funding?’ FAQ.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, please follow the instructions to apply and the Trustees will assess your project against our Theory of Change.

We aim to respond as soon as possible but it can take up to 3 weeks for you to receive a response to your initial submission of a concept note.

We have a preference for projects that already have co-funds in place, however we will not rule out a project if this is not the case, and we have been sole funders of projects in the past. We are keen to see our funding leveraged by organisations to raise additional funds.

We aim to process funds promptly after an agreement has been reached between SFACT and the grantee, keeping within one calendar month. This means it can take between 1-4 months to complete the application process from receipt of a concept note to awarding the grant.

Scholarships take longer to process, as there are multiple elements to consider such as visa applications to work overseas, how frequently universities accept applicants, and how quickly the scholar can relocate.

In some instances, we prefer to award grants in instalments, for example 50% granted at the start of the project and 50% at the halfway point. This can be discussed during the funding agreement process, and will depend on the nature of the project.

Yes, on occasion we will consider requests for further funding from projects that have received an SFACT grant. We would need to see evidence of how the previous grant benefitted the project, and how further support from SFACT can progress the project.

Please use our Contact Form below to enquire about the funding process at SFACT.