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Power of Diversity Grants 2026 – Call for Proposals

Bonn, Germany, May 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Opportunity crops are getting a boost in six countries thanks to the Power of Diversity Funding Facility. On 12 May 2026, the Facility issued a Call for Proposals, officially launching a EUR 2.2 million grant program in Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda and Colombia. The Power of Diversity Grants program is calling for proposals to support targeted action in those countries to improve production, processing and consumer awareness of opportunity crops.
The Power of Diversity Grants program will fund targeted projects that strengthen the value chains of selected opportunity crops – nutritious, climate-resilient crops that are well adapted to challenging environments but remain underutilized. Specific target crops for increased investments were identified through national stakeholder consultations in the six countries in 2025.
Each grant will fund a high-impact, scalable project that strengthens specific opportunity crop value chains. The project should address one or several of the intervention areas for each value chain and crop, as national stakeholders identified potential to:

  • Increase productivity through seed system development and good agricultural practices
  • Strengthen post-harvest and processing capacities
  • Improve market access and enhance value chain efficiency 
  • Increase consumer awareness

Enhancing the value chains of opportunity crops holds great potential to provide better nutrition, open economic opportunities and improve lives and livelihoods for communities. The Power of Diversity Grants program marks a step forward for investment into these opportunity crops and for resilience and food security in these countries.

Apply for a Power of Diversity Grant

To apply for a Power of Diversity Grant 2026, please follow this step-by-step guide to see if your organization is eligible and instructions on how to submit a proposal.  

  1. Check the countries, crops and activities – The Funding Facility is working with stakeholder-selected crops in specific countries. Value chain analyses have identified 24 intervention areas, with a specific scope of activity to strengthen the value chain identified by crop and country. See more details on the scope of activities in the table below and at the Power of Diversity Grants online portal.
  2. Check your eligibility – Technical eligibility based on in-country experience and expertise is required, along with financial capacity. Check to ensure your organization has the required experience and capacity to manage the project. 
  3. Propose a project – Eligible organizations are invited to propose a targeted project to enhance the value chain of a specific crop or crops as outlined in the identified intervention for that crop.
  4. Submit your proposal – Visit the Power of Diversity Grants online portal to review and download all application documents. Then, complete and upload the documents and answer all eligibility questions to submit your proposal.

The Crop Trust is looking to find the best fit to deliver positive impact, whether its for pigeon pea seed systems in Nigeria or consumer awareness of chayote in Colombia. All organizations are invited to explore the project interventions, find your fit and submit a proposal.

Countries, Crops and Activities

The Power of Diversity Grants 2026 will be awarded to promote specific opportunity crops selected by stakeholders in countries supported by the Power of Diversity Funding Facility. Project proposals should be relevant to the following countries and crops, with specific intervention scope of activities for each crop available below.

Applicant Eligibility

Grant applicants should be organizations that demonstrate the experience, expertise and eligibility to perform all proposed activities. Technical eligibility must include in-country experience of at least three years. Applicants must be able to prove their annual average revenue turnover from 2023 to 2025 exceeds their proposed project budget, with the budget amounts specified in scope of activities and usually ranging from 100,000 to 200,000 USD. Proposals can be submitted for one or multiple project intervention areas. 

Proposal Parameters

Proposals should present a clear and coherent project logic that demonstrates how the proposed activities will achieve the aims of the intervention outlined. Please note that a proposal may include one or more crops and activities in one or more countries, and each should include:

  • Defined activities and expected results
  • Timeline of project activities, milestones and deliverables
  • A project pathway to scale and sustainability elements
  • Integration of crop diversity conservation and use, including the role of national genebanks 
  • Strong linkages with existing initiatives and stakeholders
  • A cost proposal that is well-justified and aligned with proposed activities

Submit the Proposal

Proposals must be completed using the provided templates and submitted through the Power of Diversity Grants online portal. All templates are available on the Portal. 
To answer any questions about the project or process to apply, a virtual briefing session will be held on 29 May at 3:00 pm CEST. Registration is required, so please register today to attend. Questions for response at the briefing session must be submitted in advance by 25 May by email at [email protected].   
Submissions outside of the portal will not be accepted. Proposals, including all accompanying documentation, should be submitted in English. Questions should be addressed to [email protected].

Proposal Timeline

  • Application deadline – 3 July 2026
  • Notification of successful grantees – 10 August 2026
  • Project kick-off – 1 October 2026
  • Project completion deadline – Before 31 March 2029 

Selection Procedure 

All applications will be reviewed by an expert panel established by the Crop Trust. Proposals will compete with other interventions in the value chain, as well as with similar types of interventions across value chains. The selection process aims to ensure a portfolio of interventions that covers all value chains and pilots a variety of approaches from seed systems to consumer awareness. 
The selection panel may contact applicants to request any necessary clarifications regarding the received proposals. Approval of an application does not guarantee project funding. Crop Trust reserves the right to sustain or abandon the call for proposals at any time before the signing of the contract.

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GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 9721157)

From Diversity to Impact: The Power of Diversity Funding Facility Identifies Priority Opportunity Crops for Investment

Bonn, Germany, Oct. 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Horse gram from India and Nigeria’s ancient grain fonio are among the dazzling variety of opportunity crops singled out for special attention in the coming years by over 250 farmers, scientists and policymakers across seven countries. This marks the successful completion of the crucial first step in the work of the Power of Diversity Funding Facility, an ambitious global initiative launched by the Crop Trust earlier this year.

Backed by €10 million from Germany through KfW Development Bank and €2 million from Ireland via its Department of Foreign Affairs, the Funding Facility will promote the conservation, production and consumption of high–potential opportunity crops. These plants are resilient, nutrient–rich and deeply tied to local traditions – yet overlooked by research and investment. Until now.

Across the participating countries, national partners convened inclusive dialogues that brought together farmers, researchers and policymakers to decide which crops should take center stage. This process was supported by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, which brought to bear decades of expertise on neglected and underutilized crops, particularly in Africa.

  • Colombia – Agrosavia, supported by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, guided discussions that highlighted peach palm and chayote for their strong nutritional value and untapped market potential.
  • Nigeria – The National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB) led a process that singled out fonio and pigeon pea, both recognized for their role in strengthening resilience and supporting food security in rural and urban diets alike.
  • Zambia – Experts and farmers convened by the Zambia Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI) chose cowpea and sorghum – crops able to withstand harsh conditions while still providing reliable nutrition.
  • Kenya – The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) coordinated a dialogue that elevated amaranth, valued for both its leaves and grains, and finger millet, praised for its versatility and cultural importance.
  • India – The M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) brought together diverse voices that emphasized horse gram and yams – traditional staples now in need of renewed research attention.
  • Tanzania – The Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), working with the Crop Trust’s BOLDER initiative, facilitated a broad consultation that identified finger millet, Bambara groundnut, moringa, sweetpotato (especially its leaves) and jute mallow as priority crops for both nutrition and resilience.
  • Uganda – Also in partnership with BOLDER, the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) led a process that selected jackfruit, pearl millet, pumpkin, cowpea and amaranth for their contribution to diets today and their potential to expand economic opportunities for smallholders.

The next phase of the Power of Diversity Funding Facility will build on this momentum, says Nico Wilms–Posen, who coordinates the Funding Facility. Project activities will focus on securing the diversity of the selected crops in genebanks and ensuring it is available to breeders and farmers.

At the same time, the project will strengthen value chains by improving seed availability, conducting nutritional studies and engaging with consumers to promote these crops. Knowledge will also be shared with national policymakers to help give opportunity crops the recognition they deserve, within the partner countries and beyond.

“These crops were selected by those who know their farming and food systems best,” said Dr Stefan Schmitz, Executive Director of the Crop Trust. “By focusing on opportunity crops, we can meet the challenges facing tomorrow’s food systems. These crops can open economic opportunities for farmers and deliver benefits to communities now, while safeguarding the future of food.”

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About the Crop Trust
The Crop Trust is an international organization working to conserve crop diversity and thus protect global food and nutrition security. At the core of Crop Trust is an endowment fund dedicated to providing guaranteed long–term financial support to key genebanks worldwide. The Crop Trust supports the Svalbard Global Seed Vault and coordinates large–scale projects worldwide to secure crop diversity and make it available for use, globally forever and for the benefit of everyone. The Crop Trust is recognized as an essential element of the funding strategy of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Learn more at www.croptrust.org 

About the Power of Diversity Funding Facility
The Power of Diversity Funding Facility is a multi–donor initiative managed by the Crop Trust, dedicated to conserving, cultivating and promoting the consumption of relatively neglected opportunity crops across Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Learn more: https://www.croptrust.org/what–we–do/projects/power–of–diversity–funding–facility/

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GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 9545040)