The Agency Fund Grants | OpenGrants
Private Funder
The Agency Fund Grant Funding
The Agency Fund mobilizes a collective of 19+ funders to advance human agency — the ability of individuals to make intentional choices and exercise control over their futures — through R&D, fellowships, and scalable grant programs.
$47M
Total deployed across initiatives
41
Active grantees (2025)
19+
Funding partners in collective
$200K
Median grant size
What Is The Agency Fund?
The Agency Fund, founded in 2022, is a philanthropic collective that conducts and enables R&D at the intersection of human agency, development, and social mobility. The fund believes all people deserve to live with dignity and agency — the capacity to make intentional choices and act meaningfully on them. With $47 million deployed and 19+ funding partners including OpenAI and the Laidir Foundation, The Agency Fund supports organizations building scalable, evidence-driven interventions across low- and middle-income countries.
Unlike traditional grant-makers, The Agency Fund operates as both a funder and a research organization — testing hypotheses about what builds human agency and scaling the interventions that work. Their portfolio spans mental health, education, parenting, youth leadership, and livelihood programs across Brazil, India, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and beyond.
Who is eligible?
Eligible applicants include NGOs, nonprofits, academic institutions, and research-technology organizations (RTOs). The fund actively encourages applications from organizations based in low- and middle-income countries. Projects should demonstrate potential for socioeconomic impact across health, education, or livelihoods and aim to serve 1+ million users directly or through partners.
Key funding programs
The Agency Fund offers four funding pathways. Fellowships provide $70,000 over 7 months for social entrepreneurs developing scalable agency-focused innovations (open 1–2x per year). Project Grants fund time-limited implementations testing specific ideas (quarterly cycles). Capacity Support provides unrestricted and in-kind support for research-implementation organizations (invitation-only). Ecosystem Initiatives fund public goods and shared assets advancing agency approaches (invitation-only).
Funding Landscape Insights
Human Agency at Scale
The Agency Fund’s core thesis is that building human agency — people’s capacity for intentional choice — is the most effective lever for development. Their portfolio includes mental health, education quality, parenting programs, and youth leadership across Global South countries.
Fellowships: $70K for Entrepreneurs
The Agency Fund Fellowship provides $70,000 over 7 months for social entrepreneurs building scalable agency-focused innovations. Fellows receive mentorship, network access, and potential pathways to larger grants. Applications open 1–2 times per year.
Global South Focus
The fund prioritizes organizations working in low- and middle-income countries including Brazil, India, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Indonesia. Notable portfolio organizations include Rocket Learning, Shamiri Institute, StrongMinds, and the Friendship Bench Zimbabwe.
R&D-Driven Grantmaking
Unlike traditional foundations, The Agency Fund functions as both funder and research organization. They test hypotheses about what builds agency, measure impact rigorously, and scale interventions that demonstrate evidence of effectiveness — a venture-style approach to philanthropy.
Essential Resources
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ORG
The Agency Fund — Official Site Mission, portfolio, and funding information
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TOOL
Apply for Funding Fellowship and project grant applications
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DATA
What We Fund Focus areas, portfolio, and funding criteria
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FAQ
Agency Fund FAQ Frequently asked questions about funding
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ORG
Global Development Incubator Partner organization and fiscal sponsor
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EDU
OpenGrants Find and apply to grant opportunities
Frequently Asked Questions
What is human agency in the context of The Agency Fund?
Human agency refers to an individual’s capacity to make intentional choices and act meaningfully on them — to navigate life with dignity and autonomy. The Agency Fund invests in programs that build this capacity through mental health support, education, parenting, and youth leadership initiatives.
What is the typical grant size from The Agency Fund?
Most grants range from $75,000 to $500,000, with a median around $200,000. Fellowships provide $70,000 over 7 months. Total grants can reach up to $1 million for capacity support and ecosystem initiatives. The fund has deployed $47 million total since its founding in 2022.
How often can I apply for Agency Fund grants?
Fellowships open 1–2 times per year. Project grants are reviewed on a quarterly basis. Capacity support and ecosystem initiatives are invitation-only. Check agency.fund/apply for current deadlines and open applications.
Does my organization need to be in a specific country?
No. The fund welcomes global applications and actively encourages submissions from organizations based in low- and middle-income countries. Current portfolio spans Brazil, India, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Indonesia, and more.
How does OpenGrants help with Agency Fund applications?
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Sources & Further Reading