About the opportunity
The Colansa Fund for Healthy Food Environments in Latin America 2026 supports local civil society organisations, grassroots organisations, research centers, and academic institutions legally constituted in eligible countries. The fund is divided into two lines: Research, which finances applied research projects on food environment public policies, and Advocacy, which supports initiatives using existing evidence to adopt, implement, or enforce food policy measures. Projects must have a national scope and align with four priority areas: front-of-pack labeling, fiscal measures, food and beverage marketing regulation, and access to healthy foods. Each supported project runs for up to 18 months starting around March 2027.
Funding and benefits
- Research line: funding of up to USD 130,000 net per project for up to 2 selected projects.
- Advocacy line: funding of up to USD 100,000 net per project for up to 2 selected projects.
- Project execution period of up to 18 months.
Who can apply?
- Must be a local civil society organisation, grassroots organisation, research center, or academic institution legally constituted in one of the 14 eligible countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, or Venezuela.
- Must have a minimum of 6 months of seniority as a formalised legal entity demonstrating operations in the eligible country.
- Institutional mission must align with the promotion of healthy food systems and sustainable, equitable, and inclusive food environments.
- Must demonstrate proven experience in food environments or related areas.
- Advocacy line is for civil society and grassroots organisations with proven advocacy experience in healthy food environments.
- Research line is for research centers and academic institutions with experience in food environment and public health policy research.
- Individual applicants are not eligible.
- Organisations may submit at most one proposal per line.
Required documents
- Completed application form via the online platform
- Research or advocacy terms of reference documentation
- Budget annex spreadsheet
- Institutional declaration of conflict of interest
- Public documents demonstrating legal constitution and minimum 6 months of operation
When to apply
- Call launch and opening on October 5, 2026
- Question submission deadline on November 18, 2026
- Application deadline on November 20, 2026
- Evaluation period between November and December 2026
- Selection announcement starting January 29, 2027
- Agreement signing and project implementation beginning around March 2027
How to apply
- Review the specific terms of reference and application guides for either the research or advocacy line.
- Prepare the required proposal documentation, budget annex, and conflict of interest declaration.
- Submit the proposal through the official online application form by November 20, 2026.
Additional information
- Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico are excluded from this call as they are the focus of other investments.
- Proposals must be presented and executed by a single organisation in a single country; consortia are not accepted for this cycle.
- Inquiries can be sent to subgrants@colansa.org until November 18, 2026.
Our Take on This Opportunity
This section reflects Open Opportunities’ own analysis of the opportunity from an applicant’s perspective.
You may be a strong fit if…
- Well-suited for established civil society organisations, research centers, or academic institutions in the 14 eligible Latin American countries focusing on public health, nutrition, or food policy.
- Ideal for teams with proven capacity to execute national-level research or advocacy campaigns targeting front-of-pack labeling, fiscal measures, marketing regulations, or healthy food access.
What should you think carefully about?
- Projects are restricted to a national scope within one of the 14 eligible countries, and cross-country consortia are not permitted for this cycle.
- Applicants must have at least six months of formal legal existence and be able to manage a substantive 18-month project grant.
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This opportunity provides substantial financial backing for organizations seeking to advance concrete public policy changes or generate vital scientific evidence regarding food environments in Latin America over an 18-month implementation window.
Our take
Eligible research centers, academic institutions, and civil society organizations in the targeted countries with strong capabilities in food policy advocacy or research should strongly consider applying before the November 2026 deadline.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
Official-source verified
