LIFSA+ Call for proposals 2026 (4th edition)
Launch of the Fourth Edition of LIFSA+ for South Africa and Lesotho
The Government of the Principality of Monaco (Department of International Cooperation) and its partner, the ILLIS Monaco association, with the support of the Monaco Aide et Présence (MAP) association, are launching today the fourth edition of the LIFSA+ (Local Initiatives Fund Southern Africa) call for projects.
The first three editions of the LIFSA initiative have supported more than 40 projects and reached more than 30,000 beneficiaries in the province of Gauteng in South Africa. Following the success of this initial phase, the program is expanding in 2026 to include a new country in Southern Africa: Lesotho.
LIFSA+ aims to support projects with a strong local impact led by civil society organizations (CSOs), particularly in the Gauteng province of South Africa and in Lesotho. It also aims to support and strengthen the capacities of the selected local organizations.
Eligible CSOs may submit project proposals in the following areas: the empowerment of girls and women; local agriculture and livestock farming; education and vocational training; culture and sports; child protection; entrepreneurship and employability; inclusion of vulnerable and/or marginalized groups; climate adaptation and environmental protection; peace, social cohesion, and violence prevention.
Selected projects will receive a grant of up to R160,000/LSL160,000 for a maximum implementation period of 12 months.
To be eligible under this call for proposals, applicant organisations must meet the following criteria:
• Have their headquarters in one of the two target countries: South Africa (in Gauteng province) or Lesotho
• Be locally registered legal entities and comply with the legal requirements and regulations applicable in their country of establishment
• Conduct their activities in accordance with relevant national policies and sectoral frameworks in their areas of intervention
• Be local non-governmental and non-profit organisations, including associations, cooperatives, community-based organisations, community centres and similar local structures
• Be local private sector actors (legal entities only) engaged in projects of collective interest with a strong socio-economic dimension and benefiting vulnerable populations
• Be local universities, research institutes or training centres implementing concrete and measurable community-based projects.
LIFSA+ supports projects in one or more of the following priority sectors:
• Empowerment of women and girls
• Local agriculture and livestock
• Education and vocational training
• Culture and sport
• Child protection
• Entrepreneurship and employability
• Inclusion of vulnerable and marginalized groups
• Climate adaptation and environmental protection
• Peacebuilding, social cohesion and violence prevention.
Applications for this call for projects are open from August 1 to September 13, 2026.