Last updated on: 20 October 2025
Aidsfonds is pleased to pre-announce the launch for the first Call for Proposals (mid-November) as part of The EmpowHER Fund.
The EmpowHER Fund
Girls and young women in Southern Africa continue to face the highest burden of HIV, accounting for nearly 63% of new infections in the region. Adolescent girls and young women (ages 15–24) are particularly vulnerable, with infection rates three times higher than their male peers. This heightened risk is shaped not only by gender but also by intersecting factors such as income inequality, stigma, criminalisation, and social norms, which further limit access to HIV prevention and healthcare.
Despite the availability of new and effective HIV prevention options – such as daily oral PrEP, the monthly Dapivirine vaginal ring, injectable cabotegravir, and upcoming long-acting groundbreaking methods, such as Lenacapavir (twice a year), Apretude (every two months) and the dual prevention pill (DPP) available early 2026 – many girls and young women in all their diversity are unable to access or consistently use them due to barriers including supply shortages, high costs, untrained providers, and restrictive policies. This still causes a lack of choice in HIV prevention, which is a major problem because it limits the ability of girls and women to find and stick to methods that fit their individual needs and circumstances. Recent funding cuts and a conservative political climate further threaten this progress, making urgent action to expand access, choice, and leadership for girls and women, critical.
The EmpowHER Fund seeks to address this gap by supporting organisations to accelerate the roll out and access of HIV prevention options through advocacy, awareness-raising, and community-driven initiatives. By fostering female leadership and collaboration across governments, health systems, and communities, the fund ultimately seeks to ensure that all women and girls in all their diversity can use and choose the HIV prevention method of their choice.
Below is an introduction to the Call for Proposals. Please note that the full call will include the complete framework, eligibility criteria and detailed requirements.
Introduction to the Call for Proposals
Objective
The EmpowHER Fund aims to accelerate the rollout of current and new HIV prevention options and increase access to them for (young) women and girls in all their diversity.
The fund will support by funding organisations to carry out activities in three key areas:
1. Advocacy for improved accessibility and availability of HIV-prevention options
2. Raise awareness, create demand and promote the use of HIV- prevention options
3. Build collective leadership to help reach the Fund’s goals
Budget & focus
- Total funding available for the first call: €4,000,000 (covering 2026–2028)
- Implementation countries: South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique
- Up to 20 applications will be awarded
- Sub-granting under this call is allowed only when it clearly strengthens the movement and collective impact
Who can apply?
- Registered local community organisations, movements or networks led by women-, girls or gender non-conforming individuals, with proven substantial experience in national or regional (health/ HIV) advocacy, engaging with governments and health systems, and able to strengthen the (co-)leadership of girls and young women in these processes. Their mission and vision need to be rooted in feminist principles.
- To maximize impact and coverage we welcome (national or regional) consortia that demonstrate a well-thought-through (cross-country) collaboration
- Collaboration in consortia with organisations that are not community- or women/ girls-led are only permitted with a clear demonstration that their role is needed to strengthen the Funds goal. Such organisations cannot serve as the lead applicant, or hold the majority of the budget. In a consortium non-registered organisations are allowed when they are fiscally hosted.
Out of scope
- Large scale health system improvements such as setting up health information technology, clinical software, digital databases, laboratory systems, exclusive focus on community led monitoring, managing or building supply chains, facilitating task shifting
- Procurement of product
- General advocacy that addresses structural barriers on its own (e.g., broad gender equality initiatives, SRHR services or products, women’s rights activities, or health system reform), unless these efforts are directly linked to improving access, availability, or demand for HIV prevention options
Decision making
Aidsfonds ensures communities play a central part in decision-making processes and investments. They know best what is needed and what works. The Fund decisions, including final grant decisions, are made jointly by the EmpowHer Fund Advisory Committee and Aidsfonds. The aim is to create a well-balanced portfolio in terms of grant types, countries, populations, and budgets.
Timeline
- Full Call for Proposals: mid- November 2025
- Expression of Interest deadline: December 1st 2025
- Invitation for full proposal: mid-December 2025
- Full proposal submission deadline: first week of February 2026
- Funding decision: early March 2026
- Start implementation: April 2026
Q&A
Please note that a Q&A session will only be available once the full Call for Proposals is published.
