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United Kingdom Short Course Fully Funded

Commonwealth Blue Charter Incubator 2026–2027 | Ocean Action Grants

The Commonwealth Blue Charter Incubator Round II offers government-led grants of £20,000–£50,000 for projects addressing marine pollution, ecosystem restoration, and sustainable blue economies. All 56 Commonwealth member countries, including Zimbabwe and SADC nations, are eligible to apply.

October 22, 2026 ⏰ Deadline: Dec 11, 2026

Quick Overview

Host CountryUnited Kingdom
Degree LevelShort Course
Funding TypeFully Funded
Fields of StudyClimate Change, Environmental Science, Fisheries Management, Marine Biology, Public Policy
DeadlineDecember 11, 2026

Scholarship Overview

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Overview

The Commonwealth Blue Charter Incubator Round II is a competitive grant programme supporting country-led ocean action projects. Launched at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in June 2022, the Incubator provides catalytic funding to help governments test solutions, build capacity, and attract future investment for sustainable blue economies.

Round II expands funding from 8 to 10–15 projects through new partnerships with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, alongside continued Commonwealth Secretariat support.

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Grant Amount and Duration

  • Grant size: £20,000 to £50,000 per project
  • Project duration: Minimum 6 months, maximum 18 months
  • Number of awards: 10–15 projects expected for Round II

Who Can Apply

The lead applicant must be a legally established national or sub-national government entity—such as a ministry, department, agency, or other public body with formal government status. This requirement means Zimbabwean and SADC applicants must secure government sponsorship through relevant ministries (Environment, Fisheries, or similar).

Non-governmental organisations, academic institutions, research bodies, community organisations, and private sector partners are strongly encouraged as technical and implementation partners, but cannot serve as lead applicants.

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Eligible Countries

All 56 Commonwealth member countries may apply. Each country may submit up to 2 project applications per funding round.

Dedicated funding windows exist for:

  • South Asia (Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation)
  • Pacific Small Island Developing States (Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation)
  • Caribbean (CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean)

Countries outside these regions—including Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, and other SADC members—are equally welcome to apply and will compete for funding through the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation.

Priority Areas

Projects must contribute to implementing the Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration. Proposals may address one or more of:

  • Reduce marine pollution: Prevent and reduce pollution from land- and sea-based sources
  • Restore marine ecosystems: Protect and restore mangroves, coral reefs, seagrasses, and other coastal and marine ecosystems
  • Advance sustainable blue economy: Develop inclusive, climate-resilient, and investable blue economy approaches
  • Strengthen sustainable fisheries: Improve fisheries governance, management, value chains, and livelihoods
  • Address ocean–climate nexus: Support adaptation, mitigation, resilience, blue carbon, and ocean-climate action

Application Process

Applications are submitted through an online Grant Application Form. The process involves:

  1. Download and review guidance: Access the Application Guidelines & Assessment Criteria and Frequently Asked Questions documents
  2. Draft your proposal: Use the Word version of the Grant Application Form to prepare responses before online submission
  3. Secure government endorsement: Confirm your lead government entity and partnerships
  4. Submit online: Complete and submit the online Grant Application Form before the deadline

Supporting Documents

  • Application Guidelines & Assessment Criteria (296.12 KB)
  • Frequently Asked Questions (307.49 KB)
  • Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration (2.87 MB)
  • Grant Application Form (Word version for drafting)

Timeline

  • Application opens: Now live
  • Application deadline: 11 December 2026, 23:59 GMT (UTC+0)
  • Selection notification: Q2 2027

Support for Applicants

The Commonwealth Blue Charter team hosts application clinics and FAQ sessions to support proposal development. Applicants are encouraged to:

  • Sign up for the Commonwealth Blue Charter Newsletter for updates
  • Review published Round I case studies for reference (Canada, Barbados, Nigeria, Seychelles)
  • Contact [email protected] with subject line ‘Blue Charter Incubator – Application Query’ after consulting the guidance documents

Strategic Value for Zimbabwe and SADC Applicants

For Zimbabwean and regional applicants, this programme offers particular value for:

  • Lake Kariba and Zambezi Basin fisheries governance initiatives
  • Mangrove restoration projects (Mozambique, Tanzania)
  • Inland water pollution monitoring and plastic waste reduction
  • Climate adaptation for freshwater and coastal communities
  • Blue carbon research and policy development

The requirement for government leadership aligns with SADC protocols on shared watercourses and regional ocean governance, potentially enabling cross-border project proposals with appropriate ministerial coordination.

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Official scholarship page: https://thecommonwealth.org/commonwealth-blue-charter-incubator-round-2

Apply on the official site →

You apply directly with the provider. We never charge for applications or ask for payment details. How we verify scholarships

Funding Coverage

£20,000–£50,000 grant per project for 6–18 month government-led ocean action initiatives

Eligibility Criteria

Lead applicant must be a legally established national or sub-national government entity (ministry, department, agency, or public body). All 56 Commonwealth member countries eligible. Each country may submit up to 2 applications. NGOs, academic institutions, and private sector partners encouraged as implementation partners but cannot lead.

Required Documents

Application Guidelines & Assessment Criteria; Frequently Asked Questions; Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration; Grant Application Form (Word version for drafting); Online submission required

Application Process

1) Download and review all guidance documents, 2) Draft proposal using Word application form, 3) Secure government entity as lead applicant and establish partnerships, 4) Submit completed online Grant Application Form before deadline
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Frequently Asked Questions

No. The lead applicant must be a legally established national or sub-national government entity such as a ministry, department, or agency. Universities and NGOs can participate as technical and implementation partners, which is strongly encouraged, but cannot serve as the lead applicant.
No. There is no application fee. The grant covers project implementation costs of £20,000–£50,000. However, applicants must secure government endorsement and partnership arrangements, which may involve internal coordination costs.
Countries outside South Asia, Pacific SIDS, and the Caribbean—including all SADC members—compete for funding through the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation. While dedicated windows exist for priority regions, your application will be assessed equally on merit. Round I selected projects from diverse regions including Barbados, Canada, Fiji, Kiribati, Nigeria, Seychelles, and Sri Lanka.
Download and review: (1) Application Guidelines & Assessment Criteria, (2) Frequently Asked Questions, (3) Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration, and (4) the Word version of the Grant Application Form to draft your responses. You will need confirmed government entity partnership before submission.
Projects will be selected by Q2 2027. The application deadline is 11 December 2026 at 23:59 GMT (UTC+0).
Yes. Each Commonwealth member country may submit up to 2 project applications per funding round. These can come from different government entities or address different priority areas.

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