Call for Proposals: SARD Stories of Adversity, Resilience and Determination

Through English language and related life skills development, our Empowerment global programme builds resilience, broadens horizons and provides agency and voice for young people who may have been displaced, affected by conflict, crisis or misunderstanding, or are from disadvantaged backgrounds or isolated communities. Empowerment is seen as a spectrum, and while language skills alone can’t overcome structural obstacles, they are vital for advocating for rights and change by marginalised communities.

SARD is a programme designed specifically to encourage Palestinians to share their story and the stories of their culture and heritage with each other and with the world.  More information about recent projects, can be found here. 

For 2026-2027, the British Council is seeking to partner with individuals or organisations to deliver creative projects that use English as a skill and tool for developing and telling stories about the Palestinian experience. These projects should aim to empower the most disadvantaged groups and communities in Palestine.

Up to 6 grants will be awarded with values between £10,000 and £12,000.

To read the full call click on the document at the bottom of this page. 

Who can apply?

The grant scheme is open to individuals, groups or organisations based in Palestine or in the UK with the ability to conduct work in Palestine. Joint proposals are welcomed.

Applicants must have experience working with Palestinian communities on English education projects and be able to demonstrate this. Organisations or individuals with experience providing psychosocial support are also strongly encouraged to apply.

We are looking to award grants to a diverse group of applicants, and this will be considered in the selection process. Overall diversity of projects and target audiences will also inform the final selection. 

If planning to work with children only registered organisations with a child protection policy in place are eligible to apply.

Essential Criteria

• The applicant must have experience working with Palestinian communities on English education projects.
• The proposal must target a vulnerable community in Palestine that the applicant is familiar with and able to work with.
• The proposal must focus on empowerment through English language and stories and/or personal narratives.  
• The proposals must include the development of English language skills; the development of other life skills is also encouraged. 
• The proposal should include some type of final creative output that can be shared publicly. This can be in the form of a publication, recording, event etc. A selection of these will be included in a British Council publication and/or a public showcase. and/or a public showcase..
• Equality, diversity and inclusion principles should be mainstreamed in the proposal.

Timeline

• Launch of call for proposals: 15 January 2026
• Proposal submission deadline: midnight on 16 February 2026
• Selection: successful applicants will be notified by 24 February 2026(tentative)
• Final agreements signed by last week of March 2026
• 75% of funds disbursed by middle of May 2026
• Project activities to be completed by end of September 2026
• Final impact report and all project outputs to be submitted by end of October 2026
• Remaining funds will be disbursed after receipt of final report and project outputs

To apply, please send the items listed below in an email to this address, no later than 16 February 2026.

• Proposal covering the below. The proposal should be a maximum of 10 pages.

1. A general narrative of the project explaining how it responds to the needs of Palestinians, how it will be delivered and its expected impact
2. Project outputs and outcomes
3. Target audience (number of beneficiaries, age group, location etc.)

• Timeline with key milestones. Project activities must be completed by the end of September 2026.
• Dissemination plan covering various stages of the project (for example how are you going to promote the project’s creative outputs, engage with communities, reach different audiences, share the project opportunity and activities with potential participants, etc.)
• Risk management plan – this should include identification of risks and mitigations (related to safeguarding, security, budget, timeline etc.)
• Budget – this should include enough detail to demonstrate feasibility and value for money; a more detailed itemised budget will be requested at a later stage if successful. 
• Project team – a list of roles and people who will work on the project; the project lead must be stated clearly
• Evidence of relevant knowledge, skills and experience: This should include an organisational profile (where applicable) and CVs of the project team. Other evidence could include case studies or past project reports.

Child protection policy if planning to work with individuals under the age of 18.

Selection criteria

All received applications will be reviewed against the following criteria:

• Eligibility – does the application meet all the essential criteria?
• Feasibility – is the proposal clear and well developed with a risk mitigation plan in place? Are the timeline and budget reasonable?  
• Creativity – does the project respond creatively to the needs of Palestinians?
• Potential for impact – does the project have clear outputs and outcomes that will have a lasting impact (on the participants and beyond)?
• English skills development – does the project have a clear plan for how it will develop the English language skills of participants?
• Expertise & experience – does the applicant have a proven track record in English education? Does the applicant have the needed skills, experience and capacity to implement the project?

Closing date: 16 February 2026