Grant Guidance
With this call, the C3 Grantmaking program seeks to support practical, action-oriented solutions that address persistent, field-wide challenges in both the supply and deployment of catalytic capital across sectors and geographies. The goal is to strengthen the conditions under which catalytic capital can be mobilized and deployed more effectively, with a focus on unlocking new sources of capital to expand its reach and impact at scale.
This effort builds on earlier grantmaking, including work supported under the C3 Fostering Solutions and Infrastructure (FSI) workstream, which focused on reducing barriers to accessing and using catalytic capital through shared tools, platforms, and approaches. Lessons from that work and observations in the field all point towards the importance of broadening and sustaining the pool of available catalytic capital.
Building on this knowledge, this call seeks proposals that address persistent barriers in deployment, expand the pool of catalytic capital providers, or integrate both in ways that enhance the catalytic capital ecosystem. C3 is particularly interested in market-level solutions that can accelerate capital flow, reduce transaction friction, and create infrastructure that is replicable and scalable across geographies, sectors, and investor types.
Areas of Focus
C3 is particularly interested in proposals aligned with one or more of the following areas.
● Facilitating deployment of catalytic capital – Pathways and on-ramps for catalytic capital
Proposals in this area should focus on strengthening the mechanisms and pathways by which catalytic capital reaches investable opportunities. This work is essential to connect suitable capital to under-served impact needs and to enable investors to deploy faster, at lower cost, and at greater scale.
Applicants are invited to explore concrete, action-oriented approaches that lower barriers, simplify structuring, reduce transaction costs, or strengthen advisory, legal, or market infrastructure for catalytic capital transactions. Examples of ideas that have come up in discussions to date include modular fund templates, platforms that shorten time-to-launch, or pooled advisory/diligence services—however, these are only illustrative and should not be regarded as a set of recommendations for applicants.
Applicants are encouraged to propose other mechanisms with similar technical, replicable and deployable impact. Proposals focused primarily on convening, workshops, or research without a clear mechanism for capital deployment are not likely to be prioritized.
● Boosting the supply of catalytic capital – Unlocking new resources
Proposals in this area should focus on expanding the pool of catalytic capital by engaging new providers or untapped sources of funding. This work is critical to ensure that innovative vehicles and pathways for deployment have sufficient capital to operate at scale.
Applicants are invited to explore approaches that actively bring new investors into the catalytic capital ecosystem, including donor-advised funds (DAFs), local investors, government bodies, or other non-traditional investors, as well as initiatives that integrate catalytic capital into public policy frameworks or investment mandates. Examples include structured partnerships with DFIs, advisory efforts to engage wealth advisors, or platforms that aggregate new sources of capital—however, these are only illustrative and should not be regarded as a set of recommendations for applicants.
Applicants are encouraged to propose other strategies that clearly increase the pool of deployable catalytic capital. Proposals focused primarily on workshops or convening without a pathway for capital engagement may not be as competitive.
● Intersection of supply and deployment
C3 also welcomes proposals that bridge both of the above focus areas, linking efforts to expand catalytic capital supply with initiatives that improve deployment pathways. Examples could include platforms or vehicles designed to aggregate catalytic and other capital from new sources while simultaneously channeling it into catalytic investable opportunities.
Proposals in this area should demonstrate a clear, replicable mechanism or vehicle that both expands the pool of capital and channels it efficiently into deployable deals.
Process and Evaluation Criteria
The C3 Grantmaking team is inviting proposals for this workstream through a two-step process, beginning with submission of basic information and a short project description via the following portal. (Applicants will need to register at the portal to access and submit an application.) We encourage prospective grantees to identify the problems and potential solutions they believe to be most important and opportune for action. Detailed proposals will be requested from a selection of initial applicants.
Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Addresses specific barriers and gaps that impede the supply and/or deployment of catalytic capital for which current solutions are inadequate, and provides value to investor audiences (Note: Audiences that are the focus of C3 Grantmaking’s work are indicated below in the paragraph following these criteria).
- Focuses on actionable, field-ready solutions and mechanisms rather than primarily generating research or theoretical knowledge.
- Demonstrates the potential to mobilize additional catalytic capital and/or materially improve its deployment, with cross-cutting or large-scale relevance beyond a single transaction.
- Aligns with and complements other C3 activities with investors and other field actors such as networks, amplifying synergies across the ecosystem.
- Articulates intended impact with clear and well-substantiated logic, which may encompass (as appropriate) both more direct and measurable outcomes (e.g., deals supported, capital directly mobilized) where at least 2-3 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) should be defined and targets set, and more indirect, systemic effects which may be more difficult to measure and attribute with precision. Includes plans to signal and amplify this impact, e.g., through adoption/replication by additional investors or intermediaries.
Funding Considerations: Depending on the eventual number of awards, C3 may partially fund projects or support only initial stages of larger initiatives. Applications that are evidence-based, have a robust thesis or proposition, or already have some funding in place are likely to be most competitive. Projects should clearly articulate how the proposed work will generate meaningful, field-level impact, and how the team plans for the work to feed into broader adoption or scaling by other actors in the ecosystem.
Grantee Eligibility and Preferences
The C3 Grantmaking program invites applications from any organization or organizational collaboration with an interest in and commitment to the deployment of catalytic capital, and the requisite expertise and capabilities.
The C3 Grantmaking program strongly prefers that work focusing on emerging markets be conducted by organizations or personnel based in the focus geographies.
Intended Outputs and Implementation Timeline
The work funded through each grant should result in outputs and deliverables that can be disseminated and utilized widely, enabled by the use of an appropriate Creative Commons license wherever possible. The C3 Grantmaking program encourages proposals that also include an approach to engaging key stakeholders in the development of the project (e.g., the organization may propose a series of inclusive virtual convenings or workshops throughout the project in order to inform, test and refine the key outputs and gather diverse perspectives).
Work within the project should be completed within 12 months of the grant award.
Phase 1 of Proposal Process: Expression of Interest
Interested organizations are invited to submit a 1-2-page summary of the proposed project that briefly describes the following elements:
- Focus of the proposed work, specifically the barriers your project seeks to overcome
- Your proposed solution, including why it is needed, and how it builds on or goes beyond efforts or resources that currently exist
- High level summary of proposed activities and anticipated results
- High-level timeline for work and summary budget
- Relevant experience and capabilities of individuals and organization(s) applying for funding, as well as a list of any key partnerships (Note – links to online bios are preferred here, so that the majority of the summary can focus on project specifics.)
Note: apart from the links encouraged for individual/organizational bios, only text will be reviewed in Phase 1.
The C3 team will review these submissions and request a subset of applicants to submit full proposals for further consideration.
Budget Guidance
- Grant requests for up to $150,000 will be considered, with an expectation that grant sizes will be right-sized to project design.
Intended Timeframe
| Date and Time | Required Action or Deadline |
| Midnight Central, Wednesday March 4th, 2026 | Deadline for submission of Expression of Interest (1-2-page summary submission). |
| Friday April 3rd, 2026 | C3 Grantmaking will notify applicants of requests to submit a full proposal. |
| Midnight Central, Friday, May 1, 2026 | Full proposals due via the New Venture Fund grant portal. |
| Q3 2026 | C3 Grantmaking to finalize grant awards and share announcement. |
*Please note that the review timeline after submission of EOI applications may be updated as needs shift over time.
For inquiries and queries, please contact the team at C3grantmaking@nvf.org