A major new grant initiative aimed at tackling urban challenges across Africa has been launched by the Million Lives Collective (MLC) and the Judith Neilson Foundation. The African Cities Innovation Fund (ACIF), unveiled at the International Development Innovation Alliance’s Global Summit in Nairobi, will open for applications in Spring 2026 and provide grants of up to $75,000 to pairs of innovators working collaboratively on transformative urban solutions.
The fund will support initiatives focused on mobility, service access, climate resilience and community wellbeing, while also offering technical assistance, coaching and partnership-building support to accelerate impact. Announcing the initiative, Abi Taylor, Innovation Lead at the Judith Neilson Foundation, highlighted the urgency of reimagining African cities amid rapid population growth. She noted that thriving cities require imagination, ambition and collaboration, and emphasised that the partnership with MLC will help innovators test and scale impactful solutions more rapidly.
MLC will also launch a call for new African urban innovations in January 2026 to expand its pipeline of scale-ready initiatives. Jite Phido, Senior Program Manager at the MLC and Results for Development, said innovators across the continent are already driving meaningful change by improving mobility, expanding essential services and building economic resilience. The fund aims to amplify these efforts and unlock pathways for exponential impact.
The initiative builds on MLC’s successful collaboration grants in health and women’s economic empowerment, supported by partners including the Bayer Foundation and the Gates Foundation. Edwin Muroki of 4Life Solutions Kenya, an alumnus of MLC’s earlier program, described the new fund as a vital step toward scaling solutions that depend on strong community partnerships, trust and real-time learning.
Innovators working in areas such as circular production, climate-resilient infrastructure, youth mobility, digital equity and community wellbeing are encouraged to register their interest via the MLC website ahead of the formal application phase.
