International Funding Opportunities

Provides small grants (€500 to €10,000) to projects initiated by persons with disabilities. Focuses on empowerment, education and independent living.

Visit the Funds for NGOs website for more information.

Funds evidence-based research in criminal justice, education, health and public finance. Emphasizes transparency, open data and reproducibility. Open to international collaborations.

Visit the Arnold Ventures website for more information.

Funds arts-related research in Canada, including Indigenous arts, environmental sustainability in the arts, equity and resilience in the cultural sector.

Visit the Azrieli Foundation website for more information.

Focuses on education, democracy and international peace. Grants are typically by invitation, but Canadian institutions may be eligible through partnerships or strategic alignment.

Visit the Carnegie Corporation of New York website for more information.

Funds global initiatives addressing inequality, including human rights, creativity, technology and civic engagement. While most grants are by invitation, Canadian organizations aligned with their mission may be considered.

Visit the Ford Foundation website for more information.

Funds global health, development and education research. Canadian researchers have received funding, especially in global health, through partnerships like Grand Challenges.

Visit the Gates Foundation website for more information.

Funds international assistance projects in areas such as health, education, gender equality, climate resilience and governance. Open to Canadian and international organizations working in Official Development Assistance eligible countries.

Visit the Global Affairs Canada website for more information.

A research and practice center that funds and supports inclusive innovation, assistive technology and accessibility policy development. Works globally with academic and community partners.

Visit the GDI Hub website for more information.

Funds bold innovations that improve lives in low- and middle-income countries. Focus areas include global health, mental health, gender equality, early childhood development and Indigenous innovation. Open to Canadian and international researchers with emphasis on measurable impact and scalability.

Visit the Grand Challenges Canada website for more information.

Funds research on Great Lakes fisheries and sea lamprey control. Offers grants for pilot projects, technical assistance and science transfer programs. Typical awards range from $30,000 to $100,000 per year for 3 to 4 years. Also offers student travel awards.

Visit the GLFC website for more information.

Supports ecological and biological research to inform fishery management, habitat restoration, access for tribal and recreational fishing, and stewardship education. Offers multiple grant cycles annually.

Visit the GLFT website for more information.

A bi-national network of foundations supporting environmental and community health in the Great Lakes region. While not a direct grantmaker, it connects funders and researchers for collaborative opportunities.

Visit the GLF website for more information.

Supports doctoral students enrolled at Canadian universities to conduct field research in the Global South. Awards are valued at up to $20,000 for up to one year. Research must align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and IDRC’s priority areas: climate-resilient food systems, inclusive governance, education and science, global health and inclusive economies.

Visit the Universities Canada website for more information.

Funds global projects on climate action, sustainable livelihoods, refugee support and regenerative agriculture. Open to international NGOs and research institutions.

Visit the IKEA Foundation website for more information.

Funds international research on gambling disorders, public health frameworks, behavioral addictions and emerging trends. Canadian researchers may apply or collaborate on eligible projects.

Visit the ICRG website for more information.

Supports applied research in areas such as climate resilience, global health, education, artificial intelligence and inclusive economies. Canadian researchers can apply, especially in partnership with institutions in the Global South.

Visit the IDRC website for more information.

Supports innovation-driven research through programs like CREST, PRESTO and ERATO. These fund interdisciplinary and high-impact science and technology projects, often with international collaboration components.

Visit the JST website for more information.

Offers fellowships for international researchers (including Canadians) to conduct collaborative research in Japan. Programs include short- and long-term postdoctoral fellowships, summer programs and invitational fellowships for senior researchers.

Visit the JSPS website for more information.

Maintains a curated list of funding sources and databases for researchers in genomics, public health and innovation. Includes both South African and international opportunities.

Visit the KRISP website for more information.

Promotes learning through play. While not a traditional research funder, it supports educational innovation and child development research through partnerships and initiatives.

Visit the LEGO Foundation website for more information.

Supports creative individuals and institutions working on human rights, climate solutions, criminal justice and technology’s impact on society. Offers unrestricted fellowships and project-based grants, open to international applicants.

Visit the MacArthur Foundation website for more information.

Supports collaborative humanities research between U.S. and international scholars, including partnerships with Canada’s SSHRC, UK’s AHRC, Israel’s BSF, Japan’s JUSFC and Greece’s HFRI. Focus areas include cultural exchange, Indigenous research and technology in the humanities.

Visit the NEH website for more information.

Offers grants to individuals working in science, conservation, storytelling, education and technology. Focus areas include ocean, land, wildlife, human histories and cultures, planetary health and space. Grants are available at two levels: up to $20,000 for early-career researchers and larger grants for experienced Explorers.

Visit the National Geographic Society website for more information.

Funds a wide range of health and medical research through schemes like Investigator Grants, Ideas Grants, Clinical Trials, Synergy Grants and Centres of Research Excellence. Open to international collaboration, especially in multidisciplinary and translational health research.

Visit the NHMRC website for more information.

Supports international collaboration in industrial and energy technologies. Invites foreign researchers to participate in Japanese research and development projects in advanced manufacturing, energy and sustainability.

Visit the NEDO website for more information.

Supports global justice, human rights and democratic governance. Offers fellowships and project grants. Canadian researchers can apply if their work aligns with Open Society values.

Visit the Open Society Foundations website for more information.

Supports original, competitively selected research in engineering, technology, physical and life sciences, medicine, humanities, social sciences and the arts. Open to international collaboration, including with Canadian institutions.

Visit the QNRF website for more information.

Focuses on health equity, public health and systems change. While primarily U.S.-focused, Canadian researchers may collaborate on cross-border health initiatives or apply through partnerships.

Visit the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation website for more information.

Supports projects in democratic practice, sustainable development, peacebuilding, and arts and culture. While primarily U.S.-focused, international projects aligned with their mission may be considered.

Visit the Rockefeller Brothers Fund website for more information.

UAE’s national research funding platform. Offers grants through the Fellowship Programme, SWARD and Grants Programme. Focuses on applied science, innovation and youth research. Primarily for UAE nationals, but international collaboration is encouraged.

Visit the Sandooq Al Watan — Researcher Platform website for more information.

Supports education, public policy and social development research. Offers doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships, open to international researchers including Canadians.

Visit the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research website for more information.

Supports rigorous, field-initiated research in education. Open to international scholars, including Canadians, focusing on foundational knowledge and policy-relevant educational research.

Visit the Spencer Foundation website for more information.

Funds research partnerships in low- and middle-income countries. Supports AI, health, education and gender equality research, often in collaboration with IDRC.

Visit the Sida website for more information.

Sweden’s largest public research funder. Offers grants across disciplines, including medicine, humanities and technology. Open to international collaboration.

Visit the Swedish Research Council website for more information.

Offers funding for international collaborations in science, engineering, social sciences and humanities. Canadian researchers can participate as co-leads or partners in joint projects, especially through lead agency agreements and programs like the Canada-Inuit Nunangat-UK Arctic research initiative.

Visit the UKRI website for more information.

Offers internal and external research grants. Collaborates with national and regional funders like the Emirates Foundation, ICT Fund and Sharjah Academy for Scientific Research.

Read the UAEU Funding Opportunities PDF for more information.

Lists international funding opportunities available to South African researchers, including calls from the Spencer Foundation, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and Global Innovation Fund.

Visit the University of the Free State website for more information.

Funds research to improve health and well-being globally. Key areas include discovery research, climate and health, infectious diseases and mental health. Open to international researchers, including Canadians, across career stages and disciplines.

Visit the Wellcome Trust website for more information.

Offers access to global health research funding databases. Supports biomedical, public health and pandemic-related research through international partnerships.

Visit the WHO website for more information.

Through the Russell E. Train Education for Nature (EFN) Program, WWF funds capacity-building projects focused on environmental and social impact assessments, inclusive conservation and sustainable development. Grants up to $15,000 are available with a focus on local communities and practitioners.

Visit the WWF website for more information.

In partnership with the UPS Foundation, WWF supports local organizations addressing deforestation and forest degradation across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Visit the WWF website for more information.