Civil Society Fund

Enriched – · Found: 2026-03-13 15:31

Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs-financed support modality for partnerships between Danish civil society organizations and local partners in developing countries. Open to non-CISU members. Supports Small Projects (up to DKK 150,000), Large Projects (up to DKK 700,000), Small Programmes (up to DKK 4 million), Medium Programmes (up to DKK 15 million), and Large Programmes (up to DKK 27 million). Deadlines in January, March, and September 2026. Multiple modalities including co-financing support, application process support, and capacity analyses. Suitable for circular economy value chain initiatives in Africa and Southeast Asia.

Source: https://cisu.dk/en/funding/civil-society-fund/

Funding Details

Funder

CISU - Civil Society in Development

Funding Goal

Support partnerships between Danish civil society organisations and local partners in developing countries. Aims to increase citizen participation in governance and development processes, give voice to marginalised groups, hold governments accountable, and address pressing social issues including poverty, inequality, and lack of access to services. Supports a wide range of interventions from small projects to large programmes.

Funding Amount

Small Project: up to DKK 150,000; Large Project: up to DKK 700,000; Small Programme: up to DKK 4,000,000; Medium Programme: up to DKK 15,000,000; Large Programme: up to DKK 27,000,000; Co-financing support: up to DKK 1,000,000; Application process support: up to DKK 50,000; Capacity Analysis: up to DKK 100,000 (up to 27.000.000 €)

Deadline

Small/Large Project: January 28, 2026 and August 26, 2026; Small Programme: March 4, 2026 and September 9, 2026; Co-financing: Ongoing/rolling (periodic)

How to Apply

Applications submitted electronically via Vores CISU online system (vores.cisu.dk). Upload application format, budget, and signed cover page. All formats available at the Civil Society Fund material page on cisu.dk.

Target Region

Developing countries globally; Denmark's priority partners include Indonesia, Vietnam, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and others in Africa and Southeast Asia

Contact

CISU - Civil Society in Development, cisu.dk

Last Checked

2026-05-07 02:26

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Applicant must be a Danish-registered civil society organisation (private, not commercial)
• At least 25 paying contributors for grants under DKK 500,000; 50+ for larger grants
• Must partner with one or more local organisations in a developing country
• Not open to organisations with existing MFA framework/fund agreements

Required Documents

• Organisation must have approved statutes and audited accounts
• Submit via Vores CISU online portal with application format, budget, and signed cover page

Constraints

• Co-financing support has rolling applications; check current fund status before applying
• Emergency relief and commercial activities cannot be supported

Summary

The Civil Society Fund (CSF) is administered by CISU (Civil Society in Development) and financed by Denmark's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The programme supports development interventions implemented in partnerships between Danish civil society organisations (CSOs) and their local partners in developing countries. The programme's thematic scope is broad: it supports interventions that increase citizen participation in governance and development processes, give voice to marginalised groups, strengthen civil society diversity, and address pressing social issues including poverty, inequality, and lack of access to services. There is no explicit restriction to environmental or waste-related topics, making it accessible to organisations working on circular economy and plastic waste value chains as long as the development focus is clear. Five main support modalities are available: Small Project (up to DKK 150,000), Large Project (up to DKK 700,000), Small Programme (up to DKK 4 million), Medium and Large Programmes (up to DKK 15M and DKK 27M respectively), and Co-financing Support (up to DKK 1 million). Additional modalities include support for application processes (up to DKK 50,000) and capacity analyses (up to DKK 100,000). Geographically, funds flow to developing countries, with Denmark's focus countries including Indonesia, Vietnam, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda among others - overlapping significantly with Ocean Plastic Forum's international project regions. The Danish applicant is required to partner with one or more local implementing organisations in the target country. Eligibility is restricted to Danish-registered civil society organisations (not commercial firms, consulting companies, educational institutions, or organisations with existing Ministry framework agreements). The applicant must have approved statutes, audited accounts, and a minimum membership base (25-50 paying contributors depending on grant size). Deadlines are biannual for Small and Large Projects (January and August) and Small Programmes (March and September). Medium and Large Programmes have 2027 deadlines. Co-financing support applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Historical Context

The Civil Society Fund (CSF) is financed by Denmark's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is an independent support modality. CISU administers the fund on behalf of the Ministry. The fund has operated across multiple years with biannual and annual deadlines.

Sources

• https://cisu.dk/en/funding/civil-society-fund/

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