Supporting Somali Arts and Culture for Civic Engagement across Somalia
About CEF
The Civic Engagement Facility (CEF), supported by Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden, aims to expand civic space, amplify Somali civic voices, and catalyze collective action. CEF brings together civic actors, communities, public institutions and the private sector to collaborate around issues that matter to Somali communities.
Opportunity Description
For generations, Somali art has shaped public life. Today, this tradition continues through film, photography, radio, podcasts and digital storytelling. This opportunity invites Somali creatives and civic actors to build on that legacy. We are looking for ideas that use arts and culture to engage with issues that matter to Somali communities.
Objectives of the Opportunity
The funding will support initiatives that:
Position creatives as important civic actors and amplify their voices for civic expression.
Build stronger connections among artists, communities, civic actors and public institutions.
Strengthen creative organisations and networks through local partnerships and community support.
Mobilize resources so creative civic initiatives can continue beyond CEF funding.
The Process
Step One: Concept Note and Assessment
CEF will review and score all eligible Concept Notes.
The four highest-ranked applicants will be invited to present their ideas. CEF may request additional information or clarification.
The two highest-ranked applicants will then complete a Due Diligence and Capacity Assessment.
Step Two: Full Proposal and Co-design
Applicants who pass the assessment will be invited to submit a full proposal and budget.
CEF will review each proposal. CEF and the applicant will then refine the approach, results and budget together.
The process will conclude with donor approval, contracting and the grant award.
Minimum Requirements:
The applicant or consortium lead must be legally registered with the Federal Government of Somalia or a relevant Federal Member State.
All partners must meet applicable tax requirements.
All partners must not be listed on any UN or EU sanctions lists.
Applicants must have relevant experience using arts, culture or creativity for civic engagement.
Who Can Apply:
Somali arts and cultural organisations, media organisations, community-based organisations, educational and cultural institutions, networks and other civic actors with relevant experience.
Other civic organisations may apply where they have experience using arts, culture or creativity to strengthen civic engagement.
Independent artists, collectives and informal creative groups may partner with an eligible registered organisation and play a meaningful role in the design, decision-making and delivery.
Applications may be submitted by one organisation or a consortium. International organisations may join as supporting partners, but the lead applicant must be an eligible registered Somali organisation.
Duration & Award Type
Grant duration: Two years
Performance period: November 2026 to October 2028
Total funding available: USD 1.4 million
Number of awards: Up to two
Maximum award: Up to USD 700,000 per grant
Anticipated award type: Milestone-based grant agreement
CEF will complete a Due Diligence and Capacity Assessment. This will help determine the most suitable grant arrangement for each selected applicant.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted through the CEF Grants portal.
Each application must include:
A Concept Note of no more than eight PowerPoint slides
CVs for up to two key personnel
Teaming agreement letters, if applicable
Each CV must not exceed four pages. A detailed budget is not required at this stage. A work plan and monitoring framework are also not required. Late applications will not be accepted.
Key Dates:
Virtual Pre-bid session - An optional online session to learn more about the opportunity and how to prepare your Concept Note : 3 September 2026 at 14:00 EAT - Register Below
In case you experience any trouble registering, kindly use this link to join the call
Submit clarification questions by: 6 September 2026 at 17:00 EAT
Answers to clarification questions plus pre-bid presentation deck will be posted on our clarification hub by 9th September 2026. Click here to access them.
Application Submission Deadline: 23 September 2026 at 17:00 EAT
Click Here to Download the Concept Note Template for this Opportunity
Submit your application via the CEF Submission Portal using the available templates before the deadline. Click here to watch the tutorial video on how to submit your application.
Please note, all templates necessary for your submission are also present on the CEF Submission Portal
Support for Technical Challenges
If you experience technical challenges during submission, or need to update a submitted proposal before the deadline, please email:
procurement@somalicef.org
and copy:
Please ensure requests are submitted at least 4 hours before the submission deadline, as reopening requests will not be accepted during the final 4 hours before the deadline.
If you have clarification questions about this specific opportunity, please contact CEF via:
Please note:
Check deadline for submitting clarification questions above before you proceed. CEF does NOT accept submissions by email. All proposals must be submitted through our portal.