Deadline: January 15, 2026
Are you passionate about social justice and ready to advance gender equity in South Africa? Applications are open for the Rise Up Together Leadership & Advocacy Program 2026.
Global nonprofit Rise Up Together will select a group of visionary local leaders in South Africa’s Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal Provinces to participate in their Leadership and Advocacy Accelerator training from April 13–18, 2026, to strengthen gender equity and justice. Through Rise Up Together’s program, these leaders will advance transformative change in their organizations and communities, and champion improved national and local laws, programs, and funding for women, girls, and gender-nonconforming people.
Benefits
- Rise Up Together will cover all costs related to program participation, including transportation, lodging, food, and materials.
- After completing the Accelerator, leaders are eligible to apply for up to $17,000 in seed funding to launch a systems-change gender equity advocacy project.
- Leaders also have the opportunity to apply for an additional round of funding to expand, strengthen, or build upon their initial project.
Eligibility
- Open to civil society leaders between the ages of 18-60 years old.
- Currently working in Gauteng and/or KwaZulu-Natal Provinces.
- Have a personal interest and current commitment to promoting gender equity broadly in the three priority areas of health, education, and economic opportunity for women, girls, and gender-nonconforming people.
- Represent or work closely with marginalized groups from socially or economically marginalized communities, women and girls with disabilities, ethnic and/or religious minorities, and/or other historically disadvantaged populations.
- Ability to participate in an in-person training from April 13-18, 2026, with some virtual sessions pre- and post-workshop.
- Currently work at a non-profit organization, civil society organization, media organization, or government organization at a level of coordination or management and have some level of decision-making power.
- Have the support of your organization’s leadership to participate in Rise Up Together’s Leadership and Advocacy Accelerator training.
- To be eligible for a grant, Rise Up Together requires organizations to be legally registered in-country and set up to receive international funds. Entities that are not registered can be sponsored by another financial entity or fiscal sponsor. Note: Government organizations are not eligible to receive grants through this program.
- Proficient in oral and written English.
Application
For more information, visit Rise Up Together Leadership & Advocacy Program.
