Funding Programmes | Okhantu FundingOS

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Showing 12 of 42 programmes

Visa Shes Next South Africa

Women who own at least 51 percent of a South African business turning over R2 million to R25 million can compete for grants of R100,000 to R450,000 plus Absa-backed mentorship. The competition has run two annual editions (2024 and 2025, applications mid-year, winners in September); the official Visa SA page hosts the standing application form - check it around June or July for the 2026 round.

R100K - R450K

National

Anzisha Prize Venture Building Fellowship

Very young South African founders (15-22) with a real trading venture can apply for a 2-year fellowship with coaching, cash stipends and a shot at a share of US$50,000 in prizes. The 2026 intake closed 28 November 2025; applications reopen annually around October at anzisha.org/apply. Note the narrow age band - this is for teenage and early-twenties founders only.

Contact for amount

National

Cartier Womens Initiative

South African women founders running a for-profit business with US$50,000 to US$5 million in revenue and a social or environmental impact can win up to US$100,000 (about R1.8 million) in grant money plus world-class coaching. Applications for the 2027 edition are open right now and close on 16 June 2026 (2pm CEST) - apply online at cartierwomensinitiative.com. It reopens every year around April.

Contact for amount

National

Closes 2026/06/16

Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme

If you are a South African entrepreneur with a business idea or a business under 5 years old, you can apply for US$5,000 (roughly R90,000) in free seed money plus training and a mentor. Applications run annually on TEFConnect.com - the 2026 window was 1 January to 1 March 2026, so the next intake is expected in January 2027. Applying is free.

Contact for amount

National

SAB Foundation Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards

If you have built a product or service that tackles a social or disability-related problem (past the idea stage), this annual competition awards between R300,000 and R1.3 million in grant funding plus mentorship. You apply online on the SAB Foundation website; the 2026 round closed on 16 March 2026, so register for the next annual call. Open to SA citizens 18 and older.

R300K - R1.3M

National

SAB Foundation Tholoana Enterprise Programme

One of the most established corporate-foundation programmes in South Africa: you get grant and seed funding plus intensive mentorship over about two years, not a loan. Applications run once a year via an online form on the SAB Foundation website (the most recent round closed 8 September 2025); applications are currently closed, but you can register on their notify-me form to be alerted when the next intake opens.

Contact for amount

National

Eskom Development Foundation Business Investment Competition

If your business is black-owned, registered, and has been operating for at least two years in one of the four sectors, you can enter this annual Eskom competition for cash prizes rather than a loan. Entry is via an online application on the Eskom BIC page; entry windows vary by year (historically opening around May). Check the official Eskom competition page for the current round before relying on dates.

Contact for amount

National

Operation Vula Fund (KZN)

KZN-based small businesses and co-ops can apply for grant funding of up to R2 million through the Operation Vula tiered application forms (download from kznedtea.gov.za). Applications must be hand-delivered to the EDTEA Head Office at 270 Jabu Ndlovu Street, Pietermaritzburg or any EDTEA district office - email, fax and post are not accepted. Call 0800 333 667 to confirm the current intake before preparing documents.

Up to R2.0M

KwaZulu-Natal

develoPPP Ventures (BMZ/GIZ co-funding for SA startups)

There is no GIZ programme called Green Innovation - the real, currently open GIZ route for South African companies is develoPPP Ventures, a German BMZ programme: up to about EUR 100,000 (roughly R2 million) in non-dilutive funding for SDG-aligned start-ups with initial revenues, provided you raise a matching investment of at least the same amount. GIZ is the implementing partner for South Africa; the current application window closes 30 June 2026 via the developpp.de platform. Calls run twice yearly in six-week windows; the programme is impact-focused, not exclusively green.

Services SETA Discretionary Grant

The Services SETA funds employers and training providers to run learnerships, apprenticeships, skills programmes, recognition of prior learning and adult education for the services sector. Funding is per learner at SETA policy rates, not a lump-sum business grant. Applications open in annual windows via the Services SETA DG portal - the 2026/27 window closed on 29 May 2026, so watch for the next annual call (enquiries: dgenquiries@serviceseta.org.za).

Contact for amount

National

SETAservicessecurity

W&R SETA Discretionary Grant

The Wholesale and Retail SETA funds levy-paying retail and wholesale companies, learning institutions, associations and unions to run training that addresses the sector priority occupations - learnerships, bursaries and skills programmes funded per learner at SETA rates. Applications go through the W&RSETA MIS in annual windows; the 2026/27 window closed on 31 January 2026. Watch wrseta.org.za for the next call.

Contact for amount

National

SETAretailwholesale

CATHSSETA Discretionary Grant

CATHSSETA funds employers in tourism, hospitality, arts, culture, sport and conservation to run accredited training - learnerships, internships, bursaries, skills programmes and artisan development - with most funding reserved for PIVOTAL programmes. There is no fixed grant amount per business; allocations are discretionary under the CATHSSETA DG Policy. Applications are only accepted during an advertised annual window via the CIMS online system (cims.cathsseta.org.za) - the 2026/27 window ran 11 December 2025 to 31 January 2026 and is now closed; watch for the next advert toward year-end.

Contact for amount

National

SETACATHSSETAtourism