UNESCO is accepting nominations for the 2026 cohort of the Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education. Specifically, this global award program helps educational NGOs and institutions scale their impact through massive grant recognition. Consequently, selected organizations work directly with UN bodies to deploy inclusive educational frameworks.
Program Overview
This is an educational impact and grant program. Therefore, it is ideal for established non-profits who need significant funding to serve marginalized female students. By joining, you get access to a $50,000 USD prize and the UNESCO global advocacy network.
Key Benefits
Participants receive high-value financial and institutional support. Specifically, the benefits include:
- Capital: A $50,000 USD unrestricted cash prize to expand the winning project.
- Platform: Global recognition at an official UNESCO award ceremony.
- Network: Integration into a worldwide network of education policymakers and philanthropists.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify, an applicant must be an individual, institution, or non-governmental organization. Crucially, you must have a project that significantly advances the educational prospects of girls and women.
- Impact: The project must have been running for at least two years and show measurable success.
- Scalability: The initiative must be highly replicable in other regions or contexts.
- Nomination: Must be officially nominated by a UNESCO Member State or an NGO in official partnership with UNESCO.
Application Process
- Deadline: May 12, 2026.
- Submission: Apply via the official UNESCO national commissions.
- Requirements: Comprehensive project data, impact reports, and an official nomination letter.
