The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate, in partnership with the Economic Development Partnership (EDP), has opened applications for the second round of grant funding to support community-driven water and sanitation initiatives across Cape Town.
This latest call follows the success of the first round of grants implemented earlier this year. It saw community partners help drive practical improvements on the ground and work closely with residents and City teams to improve the quality of rivers, raise awareness about illegal dumping into the sewer system and strengthen relationships between the City and communities.
Building on this momentum, the new round of funding aims to deepen partnerships that help protect waterways, improve neighbourhood conditions and support the City’s Water Sensitive City 2040 vision.
‘The first round of grants demonstrated the power of active citizenry. We are excited to expand this work and encourage more organisations to step forward with solutions rooted in local knowledge,’ said Councillor Zahid Badroodien, Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation.
Focus for 2025/26
The City is seeking practical, short-term interventions that can be implemented between February and June 2026. Projects should focus on:
- Preventing water pollution in priority catchments
- Addressing everyday behaviours and conditions that impact sewer networks, including blockages, vandalism and misuse
- Strengthening active citizenry through community-led education, awareness and behaviour-change initiatives
Organisations are also encouraged to include school-based water education sessions, community waterway clean-ups and co-design workshops with residents and City staff.
‘We’ve seen how local organisations bring energy, insight and trust into this work. This next round of grants will enable more community-level initiatives that not only address immediate challenges, but build long-term capability within communities. We look forward to supporting a new group of partners in this next phase,’ said Nishendra Moodley, Chief Executive Officer at the Western Cape Economic Development Partnership.
Funding available
Projects may apply for between R10 000 and R250 000, with funding allocated jointly by the EDP and the City. Applicants must submit realistic budgets and ensure projects can be completed by 30 June 2026.
How to apply
- All application documents, including the Project Plan template, guidelines, and instructions — are available at: https://wcedp.co.za/coct-water-grants/
- Completed applications must be submitted as per the instructions on the EDP website.
- Closing date: Friday, 19 December 2025, at 12:00