Opportunity International UK

Registered charity 1107713 · since 2005opportunity.org.uk·Ghana, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda·Updated 30 October 2026

Key takeaways

Opportunity International UK's work fits best where a project supports enterprise, agriculture or education through a local organisation that delivers financial services to people in poverty, and its priority countries are Uganda, Malawi, Ghana and Rwanda.
Its annual giving and grant range are not stated, so no typical request size can be judged from the annual report, and any ask should be sized to your own project.
No application process is published, so a short enquiry through the contact shown is the sensible first step rather than a formal bid.
The charity says it partners only with carefully selected local organisations that meet a long list of tests on governance, leadership, financial self-sufficiency and business planning, so check first whether your organisation can meet that standard.
Nothing is published about timing or how competitive the giving is.

Overview

Opportunity International UK is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1107713).

Opportunity International UK is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales that aims to equip and empower people living in poverty to build sustainable, resilient livelihoods. Through its Implementing Partners, it provides microfinance services to the poor, mostly in Africa. Its three programme areas are Enterprise, Agriculture and Education. Donations it receives are passed on to those Implementing Partners.

What they fund

Priority Areas

Opportunity International UK supports local programme partners that provide financial services, loans, savings and training to people living in poverty, helping them build sustainable and resilient livelihoods. It works through microfinance organisations, NGOs and other relevant organisations, with partners responsible for delivering projects. Its work focuses on enterprise, agriculture and education: supporting micro and small businesses, rural agricultural businesses, and local community schools and parents. It works with carefully selected local partners that share its mission and values, prioritising organisations with a poverty-reduction objective, effective leadership, sound governance and sustainable operations. Its projects are concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa, with key partnerships based in Uganda, Malawi, Ghana and Rwanda.

Themes

Microfinance
Enterprise
Agriculture
Education

Geographic Focus

Priority: Uganda; Malawi; Ghana; Rwanda.

How to apply

No application process is published in the charity's annual report, its register entry or its website. The contact shown is for getting in touch.

Application success factors

What the charity says:

It partners only with capable local organisations that share its mission and values.
A partner's primary objective should be helping people out of poverty.
Wherever possible, partners should work in the poorest, largely unserved regions.
Partners should operate in a market with a relevant gap and favourable conditions for microfinance.
Partners should have clear strategies showing continued intent to help people out of poverty.
Partners should be committed to meeting people's needs and making an impact.
Partners should have excellent, inspiring leadership.
Partners should demonstrate strong risk management and governance.
Partners should have a solid operating platform and capable staff.
Partners should show good financial performance and be able to manage significant growth.
Partners should have comprehensive business plans and projections underpinning a sound future.
Partners should have a history of financial self-sufficiency or a forecast to achieve it within two years if they are start-ups.

Where they fund

Where it says it funds

Ghana
Malawi
Rwanda
Uganda

Similar funders

Funders supporting work similar to Opportunity International UK.

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Five years of accounts

Financial year	Income	Expenditure	Grants paid	Accounts document
year to 31 December 2021	£4,259,213	£2,982,557	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2021
year to 31 December 2022	£2,639,566	£4,098,398	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2022
year to 31 December 2023	£2,716,348	£2,757,657	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2023
year to 31 December 2024	£1,797,692	£3,337,191	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2024
year to 31 December 2025	£3,110,663	£2,742,731	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2025

— No grants figure for those years.

Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.