The Business Partnership Challenge 2026 is a funding initiative of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) under its Business Partnership Programme. It aims to promote sustainable and inclusive private-sector partnerships that contribute to local economic development and improved living conditions in emerging and developing countries, in line with the United Nations’ Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This call invites eligible enterprises and organisations to submit proposals for projects that are socially and environmentally sound, support systemic change in partner countries, and align with ADA’s development objectives of combating poverty, promoting peace, and protecting the environment.
Who Can Apply
Eligible applicants must:
- Be enterprises, chambers, voluntary associations, or non-profit foundations with their head office in Austria, the European Economic Area (EU, Norway, Liechtenstein, or Iceland) or Switzerland (“Austria/EEA+”)
- Have been in operation for at least three years
- Demonstrate administrative, technical, and financial capacity to implement development partnership projects
- Provide a local partner in one or more eligible developing countries (ODA recipient countries) for project implementation
Consortia are permitted if at least one partner meets the applicant requirements. Local institutions, civil society organisations or research partners may join projects but are not recognised as core applicants for funding calculation.
Project Requirements and Focus
Projects must:
- Contribute to the SDGs, particularly SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth) and SDG 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure)
- Be inclusive, engaging multiple local stakeholders
- Be socially and environmentally sustainable
- Demonstrate a clear pathway to systemic change, such as strengthening local market systems, building capacity and promoting innovation
- Respect internationally recognised norms and legal standards including human rights and environmental protections
The project duration must be between three and five years, with measurable indicators for monitoring and evaluation.
Funding and Support
A total fund of EUR 5,000,000 is available under this call. ADA will provide:
- Grants between EUR 500,000 and EUR 1,000,000 per project
- Co-financing up to 50% of eligible project costs, with the applicant contributing at least 50% of total project costs
Funding decisions are based on the quality and viability of the project proposal, the applicant’s experience and capacity, and the anticipated development impact.
Selection Process
The call includes a two-stage selection process:
- Short application form and formal criteria review
- Full proposal submission (for shortlisted applicants) including detailed plans and budgets
Projects are assessed on formal compliance, development impact, sustainability, risk management, and contribution to the SDGs.
The Business Partnership Challenge 2026 by the Austrian Development Agency offers competitive grant funding of up to EUR 1,000,000 per project to enterprises and organisations in Austria, the EEA+, and Switzerland. The initiative supports development partnerships that foster inclusive economic growth, job creation, and sustainable local development in emerging and developing countries. Proposals must contribute meaningfully to SDGs, particularly SDG 8 and SDG 9, and demonstrate long-term sustainability and impact. The call closes on 12 April 2026 at 23:59 CET.
How to Apply
- Project proposals and all required documents must be prepared in English
- Applications must be submitted by email to wirtschaft@ada.gv.at
- The submission deadline is 12 April 2026, 23:59 CET
- Only complete proposals received by this deadline will be considered
Formal templates for application (short form, budget form, etc.) and guidance documents are available on the ADA website.
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