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POWER OF DIVERSITY GRANTS 2026 – CALL FOR PROPOSALS

Application Deadline:  3 July 2026

LOCATION: Germany

Opportunity crops are getting a boost in six countries thanks to the Power of Diversity Funding Facility. On 12 May 2026, the Facility issued a Call for Proposals, officially launching a EUR 2.2 million grant program in Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda and Colombia. The Power of Diversity Grants program is calling for proposals to support targeted action in those countries to improve production, processing and consumer awareness of opportunity crops.

The Power of Diversity Grants program will fund targeted projects that strengthen the value chains of selected opportunity crops – nutritious, climate-resilient crops that are well adapted to challenging environments but remain underutilized.

ELIGIBILITY:

Grant applicants should be organizations that demonstrate the experience, expertise, and eligibility to perform all proposed activities. Technical eligibility must include in-country experience of at least three years. Applicants must be able to prove their annual average revenue turnover from 2023 to 2025 exceeds their proposed project budget, with the budget amounts specified in scope of activities and usually ranging from 100,000 to 200,000 USD. Proposals can be submitted for one or multiple project intervention areas.

Proposals should present a clear and coherent project logic that demonstrates how the proposed activities will achieve the aims of the intervention outlined. Please note that a proposal may include one or more crops and activities in one or more countries, and each should include:

Defined activities and expected results

Timeline of project activities, milestones and deliverables

A project pathway to scale and sustainability elements

Integration of crop diversity conservation and use, including the role of national genebanks 

Strong linkages with existing initiatives and stakeholders

A cost proposal that is well-justified and aligned with proposed activities

Proposals must be completed using the provided templates and submitted through the Power of Diversity Grants online portal. All templates are available on the Portal. 

To answer any questions about the project or process to apply, a virtual briefing session will be held on 29 May at 3:00 pm CEST. Registration is required, so please register today to attend. Questions for response at the briefing session must be submitted in advance by 25 May by email at powerofdiversitygrants@croptrust.org.   

Submissions outside of the portal will not be accepted. Proposals, including all accompanying documentation, should be submitted in English. Questions should be addressed to powerofdiversitygrants@croptrust.org.

To apply for a Power of Diversity Grant 2026, please follow this step-by-step guide to see if your organization is eligible and for instructions on how to submit a proposal.  

Check the countries, crops, and activities—The Funding Facility is working with stakeholder-selected crops in specific countries. Value chain analyses have identified 24 intervention areas, with a specific scope of activity to strengthen the value chain identified by crop and country. See more details on the scope of activities in the table below and at the Power of Diversity Grants online portal.

Check your eligibility – Technical eligibility based on in-country experience and expertise is required, along with financial capacity. Check to ensure your organization has the required experience and capacity to manage the project. 

Propose a project—Eligible organizations are invited to propose a targeted project to enhance the value chain of a specific crop or crops as outlined in the identified intervention for that crop.

Submit your proposal—Visit the Power of Diversity Grants online portal to review and download all application documents. Then, complete and upload the documents and answer all eligibility questions to submit your proposal.

The Crop Trust is looking to find the best fit to deliver positive impact, whether it’s for pigeon pea seed systems in Nigeria or consumer awareness of chayote in Colombia. All organizations are invited to explore the project interventions, find your fit, and submit a proposal.

BENEFIT:

A EUR 2.2 million grant program

APPLY

SIMMONS UNIVERSITY DISTINGUISHED UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLAR AWARD

Application Deadline: December 1, 2026

LOCATION: USA

This is a prestigious and competitive Simmons scholarship offered to students with exceptional academic achievements, a strong commitment to their community, and a passion for creating positive change in society. Scholars become part of a dynamic campus community that offers a multitude of opportunities for personal and intellectual growth, cultural exploration, and social engagement.

ELIGIBILITY:

Students applying for the Simmons Distinguished Scholar Award must meet the following criteria:

Apply as a first-year student for the fall semester

A minimum GPA of 3.50

A record of taking college prep, AP, honors, or IB Courses

English proficiency is required for non-native English speakers.

Standardized test scores (optional) of 28+ ACT or 1300+ SAT

Community Involvement: Applicants should showcase a history of active engagement in their community through volunteer work, leadership roles, or other forms.

Passion for the Field: Applicants should demonstrate a passion for their chosen field of study. This passion should be evident in their academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and resume.

Students who meet the criteria above are often also interested in the Honors Program at Simmons.

The application consists of a formal essay in response to the essay prompt. Students should submit their essay through the Common Application or in PDF or Word Doc via email with the subject line “Simmons Distinguished Scholar Award application” by December 1. Each page of the document should include the student’s full name and date of birth.

Essay Prompt: Formal Essay (of no more than 300-500 words): Write an essay in which you describe your leadership style, giving specific examples to show what kinds of experiences have crafted you as a leader and what kind of leader you think you will become at Simmons.

Finalists for scholarship consideration will be notified by the end of January and will be required to complete an interview in February. Recipients will be notified by March 1.

BENEFIT:

This scholarship covers full tuition, mandatory fees (except health insurance), room & board for four years, and supersedes any previous merit scholarship.

APPLY