Overview
The Innovation Fund for Citizen Participation in Electoral Processes in Africa: Election Civic Tech Fund is a grant mechanism designed to strengthen citizen participation, transparency and the integrity of electoral processes in Africa.
With a total budget of €175,000, this fund will provide grants ranging from €10,000 to €25,000 to selected projects, helping them implement their activities and achieve lasting impact.
Managed by Africtivistes, the Fund aims to encourage the emergence of civic tech and support the rise of new communities committed to electoral transparency, specifically by strengthening citizen participation, particularly among youth and women, and enhancing the transparency and integrity of electoral processes in Africa.
This call is launched within the framework of two projects:
- Digitalise Youth, powered by the Digital Democracy Initiative, which aims to strengthen digital democracy, youth participation and influence in democratic processes through digital means in 14 African countries.
- AHEAD Africa which aims to improve transparency, integrity and citizen participation in electoral processes through strategic and technical support to African civil society.
Who can apply?
The Fund targets young people who meet the following criteria:
- Young people aged 18 to 35
- Nationals, or residents, of one of the following 14 countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Togo.
- Be part of a legally registered group, movement, association, or startup or part of a consortium that includes an entity registered in one of the Fund’s target countries.
- Their operations must be located within the Fund’s target countries (listed above).
- Demonstrate strong commitment to continuing their project beyond the grant period.
- Have the capacity to provide narrative and financial progress reports throughout the project’s implementation.
- Their initiatives should be directly aligned with the Fund’s priority areas (listed below)
- They should propose open-source solutions to foster openness and reusability.
Priority areas
Proposals should align with one or more of the following priority areas:
- Electoral Civic Technologies: Innovative technological solutions applied to electoral processes.
- Citizen Engagement and Electoral Processes: Initiatives that strengthen citizen participation in democratic processes.
- Media and Information: Projects focused on improving the quality and integrity of electoral information.
- Legal Framework: Addressing legal and regulatory aspects of electoral processes.
How to apply
All the information regarding the application process, eligibility criteria and required supporting documents can be found on the dedicated platform. The project proposal can be submitted in either French or English.
Application deadline
The call for proposals is open until 10 July 2025 at 23:59 (Dakar time), exclusively via the dedicated platform.
For any questions, please write to [email protected] by 9 July 2025. Any incomplete application or submission sent after 10 July 2025 at 23:59 GMT, or submitted by email, will be considered ineligible.
Don’t miss this opportunity!
The Digitalise Youth project, aims to address the shrinking civic space and rampant disinformation in the Sahel and neighbouring regions by empowering local youth activists and civil society organisations. It focuses on enhancing digital skills, promoting civic tech solutions, and raising awareness about online political engagement. The project is powered by the Digital Democracy Initiative, led by the European Partnership for Democracy and implemented by AfricTivistes, Code for Africa (CfA), CFI Media Development, Kofi Annan Foundation (KAF) and the World Scout Bureau Africa Regional Office.