Organizations working to improve the lives of refugees and host communities in Uganda now have an important opportunity to secure significant funding through the Uganda Refugee Support, Empowerment and Transformation (ReSET) Project. The British High Commission in Kampala, through the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), has officially launched a call for proposals seeking experienced partners to help address humanitarian needs while building long-term resilience and self-reliance among refugee populations and host communities.

With a total funding envelope of up to £20 million over a period of two and a half years, this initiative represents one of the most significant refugee-focused development funding opportunities currently available in Uganda. The programme is designed to support vulnerable refugee populations, strengthen host communities, and contribute to Uganda’s globally recognized refugee policy framework.

Organizations interested in participating must submit their concept notes by 16 June 2026 at 11:59 PM East Africa Time (EAT).

About the Uganda ReSET Programme

The Uganda Refugee Support, Empowerment and Transformation (ReSET) Programme is a bilateral partnership between the United Kingdom and the Government of Uganda. The initiative seeks to support Uganda’s transition from a predominantly humanitarian refugee response model toward a more sustainable approach centered on resilience, empowerment, and self-reliance.

Uganda is internationally recognized for its progressive refugee policies, which provide refugees with rights and opportunities that are often unavailable in many other refugee-hosting countries. However, increasing refugee numbers and growing resource constraints have created significant challenges that require innovative and sustainable solutions.

To address these challenges, the ReSET Programme focuses on helping refugees become more self-reliant while ensuring that urgent humanitarian needs continue to be met.

The programme’s business case was approved in March 2026, and activities funded through this call for proposals will run from August 2026 through March 2029.

Funding Overview

Key details of the funding opportunity include:

Funding Organization: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) through the British High Commission Kampala
Programme Name: Refugee Support, Empowerment and Transformation (ReSET)
Total Available Funding: Up to £20 million
Implementation Period: August 2026 – March 2029
Duration: Approximately 2.5 years
Geographic Focus: Uganda
Eligible Applicants: NGOs registered under the Uganda NGO Bureau
Deadline: 16 June 2026 at 11:59 PM EAT

Objectives of the ReSET Programme

The ReSET Programme aims to create lasting positive change by supporting both immediate humanitarian assistance and long-term development outcomes.

The initiative is built around two major pillars that organizations may choose to address individually or jointly.

Pillar 1: Meeting Core Humanitarian Needs

The first pillar focuses on ensuring that the most vulnerable refugees and affected host communities receive critical humanitarian support.

This includes:

Food Security Support

Organizations may propose interventions that:

Improve access to food for vulnerable populations
Reduce food insecurity among refugee households
Support nutrition-sensitive programming
Address emergency food needs among newly arrived refugees

Protection Services

Projects may focus on:

Child protection
Gender-based violence prevention and response
Legal protection services
Community-based protection mechanisms
Protection of vulnerable groups

Multisectoral Humanitarian Assistance

Applicants are encouraged to design integrated responses that combine multiple services to effectively address urgent humanitarian needs.

Special attention should be given to:

Newly arrived refugees
Vulnerable women and girls
Persons with disabilities
Youth
Host communities affected by humanitarian shocks

Pillar 2: Building Self-Reliance and Resilience

The second pillar focuses on helping refugees and host communities move beyond dependence on humanitarian assistance.

The objective is to enable economically vulnerable households to build sustainable livelihoods and increase resilience against future shocks.

Areas of intervention may include:

Economic Empowerment

Projects could support:

Income generation
Entrepreneurship
Vocational training
Financial inclusion
Skills development

Livelihood Strengthening

Potential interventions include:

Agricultural development
Market access initiatives
Value chain development
Business incubation
Employment creation

Resilience Building

Organizations may propose activities aimed at:

Improving household resilience
Strengthening community coping mechanisms
Enhancing disaster preparedness
Reducing vulnerability to economic and environmental shocks

Cross-Cutting Themes and Priorities

The British High Commission and FCDO emphasize that all projects should align with several important cross-cutting priorities.

Gender Equality and Social Inclusion

Applicants should demonstrate how their interventions will:

Promote gender equality
Empower women and girls
Increase opportunities for marginalized groups
Ensure inclusive participation

Climate Resilience

Projects should integrate climate-smart approaches and support communities in adapting to environmental challenges.

Social Cohesion

Successful proposals should strengthen positive relationships between refugees and host communities.

Localization

Organizations are encouraged to incorporate local leadership and community-driven solutions into project design and implementation.

Alignment with Government Priorities

Proposals should demonstrate alignment with:

Government of Uganda policies
National refugee frameworks
International Financial Institution (IFI) priorities
Existing development strategies

Who Can Apply?

The ReSET call for proposals is open to organizations that meet the following requirements:

Eligible Organizations

International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs)
National Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs)

Registration Requirement

All applicants must possess valid registration under the Uganda NGO Bureau.

Consortium Applications Encouraged

The British High Commission welcomes applications from:

Individual organizations
Partnerships
Consortia

Consortium approaches may provide opportunities to combine expertise across multiple sectors and improve the overall impact of proposed interventions.

How to Apply

Organizations must submit an Expression of Interest through a concept note.

Concept Note Requirements

Applicants are required to submit:

A concept note not exceeding seven pages
A clear implementation strategy
Expected outcomes and impacts
Alignment with ReSET objectives
Budget considerations
Organizational capacity information

Applicants May Propose Activities Under:

Pillar 1 only – Core Humanitarian Needs
Pillar 2 only – Self-Reliance and Resilience
Both Pillar 1 and Pillar 2

Organizations should clearly indicate which pillar(s) their proposal addresses.

Why This Funding Opportunity Matters

Uganda hosts one of the largest refugee populations in Africa and continues to demonstrate leadership through its inclusive refugee policies.

However, increasing humanitarian demands require innovative approaches that not only address immediate needs but also create sustainable pathways toward independence and resilience.

Through the ReSET Programme, the UK Government aims to:

Improve humanitarian outcomes
Strengthen economic opportunities
Enhance social cohesion
Promote gender equality
Build climate resilience
Support long-term development solutions

The programme represents a major investment in creating durable solutions for refugees and host communities while strengthening Uganda’s refugee response system.

Key Benefits of the ReSET Funding Opportunity

Organizations selected under this initiative may benefit from:

Access to a funding pool worth up to £20 million
Long-term implementation period of approximately 2.5 years
Opportunity to influence refugee policy and development outcomes
Support for both humanitarian and development programming
Increased visibility through partnership with the UK Government
Potential for large-scale impact among refugee and host populations
Opportunities for collaboration through consortium approaches

Important Deadline

Organizations must submit their concept notes no later than:

16 June 2026 at 11:59 PM East Africa Time (EAT)

Late submissions may not be considered.

Contact Information

For questions and clarifications regarding the ReSET call for proposals, applicants may contact:

bhckampala.submissions@fcdo.gov.uk

Interested organizations are encouraged to begin preparing their concept notes immediately to ensure sufficient time for proposal development and submission before the deadline.

Apply here

Learn More

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Funding Opportunity for NGOs Supporting Refugees @British High Commission in Kampala