Commonwealth Foundation

Since 2021, we’ve funded 45 projects across Asia, supporting civil society organisations working to strengthen inclusion, accountability and community participation.

In India, Best Practices Foundation (BPF) helped LGBTQ+ communities and female s*x workers to access healthcare services disrupted during the pandemic. The project also supported participants in asserting their healthcare rights while training providers to address stigma and discrimination. This generated practical improvements, including better queue management and the establishment of a transgender ward.

In Bangladesh, Badabon Sangho-বাদাবন সংঘ supported women fisherfolk to strengthen their visibility and advocate for greater inclusion in climate decision-making. Through engagement with local officials, the project also helped improve access to registration and identification.

In Sri Lanka, Transparency International Sri Lanka trained local leaders to monitor corruption in health procurement and supported officials to adopt open contracting tools, helping strengthen public calls for greater transparency and reform.

Across Asia, these projects show how community-led action can strengthen civic participation, improve accountability and support more inclusive public systems.

We fund projects in eligible Commonwealth countries across Asia. Learn more here: commonwealthfoundation.com/grants/annual

We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and loved ones.

We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mohamed Nasser Mohamed, whose story was shortlisted for the 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and loved ones.

His gifted storytelling moved and impressed our judges, and we are honoured that he shared his work with the Prize this year.

Across the Caribbean, civil society organisations are driving real change.

Since 2021, we’ve supported 40 projects helping organisations influence policy and lead locally driven solutions.

From climate education in Guyana to health advocacy in Barbados and sustainable governance in the Bahamas, these projects are making a tangible impact.

In Guyana, Policy Forum Guyana's creative campaigns helped integrate environmental education into the national curriculum.

In Barbados, the Barbados Association of Endometriosis and PCOS.'s research strengthened national conversations on access to treatment.

In the Bahamas, ORG Bahamas's new systems are improving how organisations measure their impact.

Together, these efforts are helping civil society build resilience, strengthen its voice, and drive meaningful change.

What does it mean to come together across 56 nations?

As we look ahead to the Commonwealth People’s Forum in Antigua and Barbuda this November, Selina Tusitala Marsh’s poem ‘Uncommon Banyan II’ explores how connection, creativity and dialogue shape the Commonwealth.

She imagines it as a living, interconnected banyan tree, rooted in shared histories and growing through the stories and perspectives it holds.

Read the poem on our online magazine, adda: https://www.addastories.org/uncommon-banyan-ii-the-tenders-call/

Illustration: Ropate K**a