Supporting initiatives to boost gender equity and equality on campus.
Applications open: 21 January 2027
Applications close: 31 March 2027, 15:00 UTC
ACU Gender Grants are awarded annually to member universities to support initiatives that will boost gender equity and equality on campus.
For the purposes of this call, ACU understands gender equity through an intersectional lens, recognising how gender interacts with other identities and structural factors including indigeneity, disability (including albinism), sexual orientation, and gender identity (LGBTIQ+), social class, geography (rural/urban), caring responsibilities, and socio-economic context.
Applicants are expected to demonstrate how their proposed activities will advance equity for women, men, and gender-diverse people, particularly those experiencing multiple and overlapping forms of disadvantage.
The grants can be used for a diverse range of projects, workshops, and events that advance inclusive, intersectional gender equity in areas such as:
- Research and knowledge exchange
- Teaching, learning and pedagogy (e.g. mainstreaming gender equity into the curriculum)
- Institutional tools and resources (e.g. creating effective gender equality institutional policies)
- Capacity strengthening (e.g. supporting women in leadership positions)
- University exchange or collaboration (e.g. supporting gender diversity in science and research through academic exchange)
- Engaging Indigenous and local communities to co-design gender-equitable policies, research, teaching, or institutional practices
- Raising awareness of sexual harassment and developing anti-sexual harassment initiatives
Partnership with the Martha Farrell Foundation
The ACU is working in partnership with the Martha Farrell Foundation (MFF) to support initiatives focused on creating effective anti‑sexual harassment policies and strategies, drawing on the Foundation’s expertise in this area.
Up to three of the five Gender Grants may be awarded under this partnership. In addition to funding, the grants awarded in partnership with the MFF include online training and support provided by the Foundation. These partnership grants are open to staff members of ACU member universities in Africa and Asia and are awarded depending on the number of successful applications focused on anti‑sexual harassment initiatives (a maximum of three)
The remaining Gender Grants are open to staff at ACU member universities in all regions and support a broader range of gender‑related initiatives.
What does the grant include?
Five grants of up to GBP 2,000 are available.
How to apply?
- Be a staff member at an ACU member university.
- Review the FAQs and Application Guidance.
- Submit an application through the online application form.
- If you already have a MyACU account, you can access the grant application form through the platform when applications open.
- If you do not already have a MyACU account, please ensure that you first register for an account and then follow the instructions in the registration email to log in to the system before accessing the application form.
- Please note that proposed initiatives should take place between July 2027 and July 2028 to be funded.
‘The ACU-funded workshop was an excellent opportunity for me to disseminate knowledge on gender equality among various stakeholders. The workshop has resulted in more attention from the university administration to the issue of gender equity and equality. University leadership, as well as other members of the university community, are now seeking my advice and support for initiating similar initiatives on SGBV prevention and other topics supporting gender equity and equality.’
‘As a result of the workshop, gender-related terminology was introduced to policy documents, and gender-related issues included in teaching and curriculum. Jinnah Sindh Medical University has also established a gender just committee that has been functioning actively.’
‘The leadership development workshop motivated the participant female academics to upgrade their qualifications to PhD, a major achievement considering the university need for more staff with PhD qualifications.’