Deadline: December 12, 2025
The CCAC Challenge Programme: Accelerating the Uptake of eCooking in Africa is a new funding initiative by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) designed to promote the widespread adoption of electric cooking solutions (eCooking) across Africa. This call for proposals seeks innovative, scalable, and impactful projects that support cleaner air, improve health, reduce emissions, and empower communities through sustainable cooking practices.
This programme is a vital opportunity for organizations working to address air pollution, gender equality, and clean energy access to develop transformative eCooking solutions that can reshape the cooking landscape across the continent.
About the CCAC Challenge Programme
The CCAC Challenge Programme: Accelerating the Uptake of eCooking in Africa focuses on promoting the use of electric cooking technologies to replace traditional cooking fuels such as charcoal, wood, and kerosene. These conventional fuels significantly contribute to black carbon and other short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), worsening both air quality and climate change.
By accelerating eCooking adoption, this challenge programme aims to achieve:
- Reduction in indoor air pollution and related health risks
- Decrease in black carbon emissions and climate pollutants
- Enhanced gender equality and empowerment of women in clean energy solutions
- Greater access to sustainable, affordable, and reliable clean cooking energy
Key Programme Details
- Programme Title: CCAC Challenge Programme: Accelerating the Uptake of eCooking in Africa
- Funding Body: Climate & Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)
- Deadline: 12 December 2025
- Funding Amount: Up to USD 2,000,000 per project
- Project Duration: Maximum of 24 months
- Geographical Focus: Projects must take place in ODA-eligible African countries
This funding opportunity is open to initiatives that can drive measurable impact on air quality, climate, and public health while fostering gender inclusion and local innovation.
Eligibility Criteria
To apply for the CCAC Challenge Programme, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Lead Applicant: Must be a non-profit organization, intergovernmental organization (IGO), or public/government institution.
- Private Sector Participation: Private companies may take part as partners or collaborators, but cannot serve as lead applicants.
- Consortium Requirement: The proposal must include at least two organizations, with one local or national partner from the implementation country.
- Project Scope: Proposals must address at least three focus areas (outlined below).
- Duration and Budget: Projects must be completed in less than 24 months, with budgets aligned to the funding ceiling of USD 2 million.
Focus Areas (Applicants Must Address at Least Three)
To qualify, applicants must design projects that target at least three of the following thematic focus areas:
- Locally Appropriate eCooking Technologies
Develop electric cooking appliances that reflect local cooking traditions, food types, and cultural preferences in African households. - Energy Access Planning and Infrastructure Integration
Integrate eCooking within national or regional energy plans — including grid, mini-grid, or off-grid solutions — to ensure accessibility and reliability. - Financial Inclusion and Affordability Models
Design and implement sustainable financial mechanisms such as micro-loans, pay-as-you-go models, and subsidy schemes that make eCooking technologies affordable to low-income households. - Women’s Empowerment and Behaviour Change
Incorporate gender equality and behaviour change strategies that promote women’s leadership in clean energy, support female entrepreneurs, and foster social acceptance of eCooking.
Application Requirements
When preparing your proposal for the CCAC Challenge Programme: Accelerating the Uptake of eCooking in Africa, ensure that your application includes the following components:
- A multi-partner consortium with clear roles for local and international partners.
- Demonstration of innovation, scalability, and replication potential beyond the project timeline.
- A clear impact framework outlining how the project contributes to cleaner air, reduced emissions, and improved community health.
- Compliance with CCAC gender and inclusion criteria, ensuring meaningful participation of women and marginalized groups.
- A realistic timeline and comprehensive budget that aligns with project goals and the two-year duration limit.
Expected Outcomes
Successful projects under this call should aim to deliver:
- Significant reductions in black carbon and SLCP emissions
- Improved indoor air quality and health outcomes
- Increased access to affordable and sustainable eCooking technologies
- Stronger gender equality and community inclusion in the clean cooking value chain
- Scalable models that can be replicated across other African regions
Tips for a Strong Proposal
If you are preparing your proposal, consider the following strategies to make your application stand out:
- Highlight innovation: Show how your approach is unique and adaptable to diverse African contexts.
- Demonstrate impact: Provide measurable indicators such as households adopting eCooking or emissions reduced.
- Show scalability: Outline how your project can expand beyond the pilot phase.
- Incorporate communication: Plan how you will use storytelling, visual documentation, and awareness campaigns to support behaviour change — a key focus of this programme.
- Leverage partnerships: Collaborate with technical, gender, and media partners to strengthen your consortium.
How to Apply
Organizations interested in participating should carefully review the detailed guidelines before submitting their applications.
🔗 Read more about the Programme
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