DG Murray Trust is a South African strategic funder that backs projects with the potential to help people escape the inequality trap, especially those improving early childhood development, youth outcomes, education, nutrition, and community support. Rather than funding only direct service delivery, it also invests in public innovation, systems change, and organisational strengthening through fellowships and accelerator-style support. Its grantees suggest a strong preference for scalable, evidence-informed models and partners that can influence policy or practice at national or provincial level.
Focus Areas
Early Childhood DevelopmentYouth Development and LeadershipFoundational Literacy and LearningNutrition and Food SecurityCommunity Care and Household SupportCivil Society Innovation and Capacity Strengthening
Giving Approach
Strategic, program-aligned grantmaking in South Africa through periodic application windows, plus some short-term care grants and an invite-only fellowship. DGMT appears to fund both implementation and innovation, with support ranging from project grants to leadership development and accelerator participation rather than open-ended general support.
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How to approach this funder
Applicants should align clearly to one or more of DGMT’s priority opportunities and submit a strong project proposal, budget, and organisational details through the implementing partner portal during open windows. The trust appears selective and strategy-driven, so proposals should emphasize measurable impact, scalability, and fit with South Africa’s inequality-reduction goals; the Innovation Fellowship is invite-only and follows an annual Oct–Jan cycle.
Notable grantees:
• Nal'ibali
• Grow Great
• SmartStart
• Ilifa Labantwana
• ACTIVATE! Change Drivers
Open Grant Opportunities
Current and upcoming funding from DG Murray Trust that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Opening soonCloses Nov 30, 2026Award: Varies
Apply for funding
civil society and public innovationearly childhood developmentyouth+3 more
Who can apply: Project must address one or more of DGMT's 10 opportunities and have clear goals, a viable implementation plan, and a fresh or novel approach. Applicants must submit a project proposal, project budget, and organisation documents. DGMT can only consider for-profit entities if the project meets Public Benefit Activities listed in the Ninth Schedule to the Income Tax Act. DGMT does not fund organisations not carrying out public benefit activities, projects outside South Africa, bursaries for individuals, infrastructure and vehicle expenses, conferences, or the operations of individual schools.
Deadline: 2026 application windows: 02 February–29 May 2026; 31 August–30 November 2026.
Civil society and public innovationEarly childhood developmentYouth+4 more
Who can apply: Project must address one or more of DGMT’s 10 opportunities; project should have clear goals, a viable implementation plan, and a novel or fresh approach; applicants must submit required project proposal, budget, and organisational documents. DGMT can only consider for-profit entities if the project meets one or more Public Benefit Activities in the Ninth Schedule to the Income Tax Act. Not funded: organisations not carrying out public benefit activities, projects outside South Africa, bursaries for individuals, infrastructure and vehicle expenses, conferences, or the operations of individual schools.
Deadline: 2026 application windows: 02 February–29 May 2026 (open); 01 June–28 August 2026 (closed); 31 August–30 November 2026 (open).
Civil society and public innovationEarly childhood developmentChild nutrition and stunting prevention+8 more
Who can apply: Projects should address one or more of DGMT’s 10 opportunities, have clear goals and strategies, a viable implementation plan, and a fresh or novel approach. Applicants must provide a project proposal, budget, organisational documents, and financial statements or annual reports. Funding is generally for South African projects. For-profit entities are considered only if they demonstrate that the project carries out a public benefit activity under the Ninth Schedule to the Income Tax Act. DGMT does not fund organisations that do not carry out public benefit activities, projects outside South Africa, individual bursaries, infrastructure and vehicle expenses, conferences, or the operations of individual schools.
Deadline: 2026 application windows: 2 February–29 May 2026 (open); 1 June–28 August 2026 (closed); 31 August–30 November 2026 (open). Applications are accepted year-round during published open windows.
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Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.