The Open Society Foundations (OSF) provide grants and fellowships throughout the year to organizations and individuals whose work aligns with Open Society values and has the potential to create lasting social change.
OSF says it awards thousands of grants every year to groups and individuals working on issues it focuses on, including the promotion of:
Justice, equity and human rights.
Funding opportunities can take different forms. Some are awarded directly to organizations identified by Open Society Foundations, while selected opportunities are publicly advertised for applications.
However, prospective applicants should understand an important feature of the organization’s funding model:
The vast majority of Open Society Foundations grants are awarded to organizations that OSF approaches directly.
This means there is not always a large catalogue of grants accepting unsolicited applications.
Open Society Foundations does publish selected open funding opportunities on its Grants and Fellowships page, and additional opportunities may also become available through its network of national and regional foundations.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Funder | Open Society Foundations |
| Funding Types | Grants and fellowships |
| Potential Recipients | Organizations and individuals |
| Funding Frequency | Opportunities throughout the year |
| Primary Focus | Lasting social change |
| Key Areas Mentioned | Justice, equity and human rights |
| Open Calls | Published when available |
| Most Grants | Awarded to organizations approached directly |
| Regional Opportunities | May be available through national and regional foundations |
| Current Opportunity Shown in Supplied Source | Open Society Fellowship |
| Current Fellowship Deadline | Passed |
| Universal Grant Amount | Not stated |
| Universal Deadline | No |
| Application Fee | Not stated |
| Worldwide Eligibility | Depends on individual opportunity |
What Are Open Society Foundations Grants?
Open Society Foundations provides financial support to organizations and individuals whose work is aligned with its values.
OSF says:
Every year, the Open Society Foundations give thousands of grants to groups and individuals that work on issues it focuses on.
Its funding is intended to support efforts connected with areas such as:
- Justice
- Equity
- Human rights
- Social change
The organization says it looks for grantees who have a vision and whose efforts can lead to:
Lasting social change.
Does Open Society Foundations Offer Grants in 2026?
Open Society Foundations states that it awards:
Grants and fellowships throughout the year.
However, this should not be interpreted as meaning that there is always a public grant application open.
The supplied official Grants and Fellowships page currently displays only one listed opportunity:
Open Society Fellowship
and its deadline is marked:
Passed.
Therefore, based strictly on the supplied source, there is no currently open public funding call that should be advertised as accepting applications.
Does Open Society Foundations Fund Organizations?
Yes.
Organizations are an important part of the Open Society Foundations funding model.
In fact, OSF states that:
The vast majority of its grants are awarded to organizations that it approaches directly.
This is a particularly important point for NGOs, nonprofits and civil-society organizations researching OSF funding.
Rather than assuming that every OSF grant has an open application form, organizations should understand that much of the foundation’s grantmaking is initiated directly by OSF.
Does Open Society Foundations Fund Individuals?
Yes.
Open Society Foundations states that grants and fellowships can be awarded to:
Organizations and individuals.
However, eligibility varies according to the specific funding opportunity.
Individuals should therefore wait for an appropriate open grant or fellowship and review its eligibility requirements before applying.
How Open Society Foundations Funding Works
Open Society Foundations uses more than one funding pathway.
The official source establishes three important routes.
Directly Approached Organizations
This represents the majority of OSF’s grantmaking.
Open Society Foundations states that most grants are awarded to organizations that it:
Approaches directly.
This means unsolicited applications are not necessarily the primary route to OSF funding.
Public Open Opportunities
OSF also lists selected opportunities publicly on its:
Grants and Fellowships
page.
When an opportunity is open, applicants can review its specific requirements and application process.
National and Regional Foundations
Open Society Foundations also states that other funding opportunities are available through its network of:
National and regional foundations.
Organizations and individuals should therefore consider relevant regional funding opportunities in addition to the central OSF funding page.
What Does Open Society Foundations Fund?
The supplied source says Open Society Foundations provides grants to groups and individuals working on issues it focuses on, including:
Justice
Equity
Human rights
The organization’s wider funding work is connected with its efforts to promote social change.
However, applicants should not assume that every project connected with these broad themes is automatically eligible for funding.
Each open opportunity can have its own:
- Geographic focus
- Thematic priorities
- Applicant requirements
- Funding amount
- Application procedure
- Deadline
Applicants should review the specific call before preparing a proposal.
Open Society Foundations and Social Change
A key phrase in OSF’s grantmaking description is:
Lasting social change.
The foundation says it looks for grantees who have a vision and whose efforts can produce enduring change.
For prospective grantees, this suggests that simply identifying a social problem may not be enough.
Organizations should be prepared to articulate the purpose and potential longer-term significance of their work when an appropriate funding opportunity becomes available.
Open Society Foundations Grants for NGOs
Open Society Foundations can be particularly relevant to organizations working on issues aligned with its funding priorities.
The supplied source confirms that organizations are major recipients of OSF grants.
However, NGOs should note that:
Most grants are not necessarily awarded through public applications.
The majority go to organizations approached directly by Open Society Foundations.
Organizations should therefore avoid websites or social-media posts claiming that there is a universal OSF NGO grant application available unless it can be verified through an official open call.
Open Society Foundations Grants for Individuals
Individuals may also receive funding through Open Society Foundations.
The organization specifically states that it awards grants and fellowships to:
Organizations and individuals.
Fellowships may provide one route for individuals, depending on the opportunity.
The eligibility conditions for each fellowship should be checked separately.
Open Society Fellowship
The only funding opportunity displayed in the supplied Grants and Fellowships listing is the:
Open Society Fellowship.
According to the official description, the fellowship supports:
Public intellectuals from seven global cities
that are home to dynamic communities of thinkers and cultural producers involved in high-level critical debate.
However, the listing currently marks its deadline as:
Passed.
It should therefore not be advertised as currently accepting applications based on this source.
Is the Open Society Fellowship Open Now?
No, not according to the supplied page.
The official listing marks the deadline as:
Passed.
Interested applicants can continue monitoring OSF for future fellowship rounds or other funding opportunities.
Are Open Society Foundations Grants Open Worldwide?
The supplied general funding page does not establish one universal worldwide eligibility rule.
Open Society Foundations works internationally and maintains national and regional funding networks, but individual grants and fellowships can have specific geographic eligibility requirements.
Therefore, it would be inaccurate to claim:
“Applicants from every country can apply.”
unless a particular grant explicitly confirms worldwide eligibility.
Are African Organizations Eligible?
The supplied general page does not provide a universal Africa-specific eligibility rule.
Organizations in Africa interested in OSF funding should monitor relevant open calls and funding opportunities available through Open Society’s national and regional network.
Eligibility must be established from the individual funding opportunity.
How Much Funding Can Applicants Receive?
There is no universal grant amount provided on the supplied Grants and Fellowships page.
Open Society Foundations provides many different grants, and funding levels can vary.
Applicants should therefore not rely on a generic figure such as:
- $10,000
- $50,000
- $100,000
- $500,000
- $1 million
unless that amount is stated in the relevant official funding call.
Is There a Universal Application Deadline?
No.
Open Society Foundations says grants and fellowships are awarded:
Throughout the year.
Specific public funding opportunities may have their own application deadlines.
There is therefore no single annual deadline covering all Open Society Foundations grants.
How to Find Open Society Foundations Funding Opportunities
Applicants interested in OSF funding should regularly check the official Grants and Fellowships page.
When opportunities become available, candidates should review:
- Applicant type
- Geographic eligibility
- Funding priorities
- Grant amount
- Project requirements
- Required documents
- Application procedure
- Deadline
OSF also allows interested users to subscribe to:
Updates about new grant opportunities.
This can help organizations and individuals learn when new public opportunities are announced.
Subscribe to New Grant Opportunities
The official funding page provides an option to subscribe to updates about:
New grant opportunities.
For applicants who do not currently see an appropriate open call, subscribing to updates can be more useful than submitting unsolicited funding requests.
How to Prepare for Future OSF Grants
Organizations interested in future Open Society Foundations funding can prepare in advance.
Useful organizational materials may include:
- Clear organizational mission
- Evidence of previous work
- Project concept
- Expected impact
- Organizational governance information
- Relevant partnerships
- Monitoring and evaluation approach
- Financial information
- Project budget
These are general grant-preparation recommendations, not a universal list of documents required by OSF.
Applicants must follow the requirements of the specific funding opportunity.
Avoid Fake Open Society Foundations Grant Offers
Because major foundations can attract fraudulent funding claims, applicants should verify any purported OSF grant through official Open Society Foundations channels.
Warning signs may include claims of:
- Guaranteed grant approval
- Unverified application fees
- Guaranteed individual cash awards
- Requests for payment to release funding
- Unofficial application portals
- Funding opportunities with no corresponding official announcement
Applicants should verify the opportunity before sharing sensitive information.
Are Applications Currently Open?
Based on the supplied official Grants and Fellowships page, there is no publicly open opportunity displayed at present.
The page shows:
1 grant/fellowship listing
and that listing—the Open Society Fellowship—is marked:
Deadline: Passed.
This does not mean Open Society Foundations has stopped awarding grants.
OSF explicitly states that it awards grants and fellowships throughout the year and that the vast majority of its grants go to organizations approached directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Open Society Foundations grants?
They are funding awards supporting organizations and individuals whose work aligns with Open Society values and aims to create lasting social change.
Does Open Society Foundations offer grants every year?
OSF states that it gives thousands of grants every year and awards grants and fellowships throughout the year.
Who can receive Open Society Foundations funding?
OSF states that funding is awarded to organizations and individuals, although eligibility depends on the particular opportunity.
Can NGOs receive Open Society Foundations grants?
Yes. Organizations are major recipients of OSF funding.
Can individuals receive funding?
Yes. OSF provides grants and fellowships to individuals as well as organizations.
Are all OSF grants open for public applications?
No. Open Society Foundations states that the vast majority of its grants are awarded to organizations it approaches directly.
Does OSF publish open calls?
Yes. Selected open opportunities are published on the Grants and Fellowships page.
Are there regional grants?
OSF states that additional funding opportunities are available through its network of national and regional foundations.
What issues does Open Society Foundations fund?
The supplied source specifically mentions work promoting justice, equity and human rights, within its broader goal of lasting social change.
Is the Open Society Fellowship currently open?
The supplied official page marks its deadline as passed.
How much are Open Society Foundations grants worth?
There is no universal grant amount stated on the supplied page.
Is there one annual OSF grant deadline?
No. OSF says grants and fellowships are awarded throughout the year, while individual open opportunities can have their own deadlines.
Can anyone submit an unsolicited application?
Applicants should not assume so. OSF says the vast majority of its grants go to organizations that it approaches directly.
How can I hear about new grants?
The official Grants and Fellowships page allows users to subscribe for updates about new grant opportunities.
Conclusion
The Open Society Foundations Grants and Fellowships programme provides funding to organizations and individuals working toward lasting social change.
Every year, Open Society Foundations says it awards thousands of grants to groups and individuals working on issues it focuses on, including the promotion of:
Justice, equity and human rights.
However, prospective applicants need to understand how OSF funding works.
The vast majority of grants are awarded to organizations approached directly by Open Society Foundations, while only selected opportunities are made available through public open calls.
Additional opportunities may also be available through Open Society’s network of national and regional foundations.
At present, the supplied official funding page displays the Open Society Fellowship, but its deadline is marked as passed. Therefore, it would be misleading to advertise “Open Society Foundation Grants 2026 – Applications Open” based on this source.
Organizations and individuals interested in future funding should monitor the official grants page and subscribe to grant updates so they can identify new opportunities when applications become available.
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Open Society Foundations Grants and Fellowships: Funding for Organizations and Individuals
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Open Society Foundations awards thousands of grants to organizations and individuals working on justice, equity, human rights and lasting social change. Learn how OSF funding works and where to find open calls.
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