By the NGOs.ke Editorial Team.
How do you write a concept note that a donor actually reads to the end? Keep it short, lead with the problem and the result you will deliver, and answer the donor’s own questions in the donor’s own order. A concept note is a two-to-three page pitch that earns you an invitation to submit a full proposal, so it has one job: make the reviewer say yes to the next step. Below is a Kenya-specific structure, a section-by-section checklist, and what two real 2026 calls aimed at Kenyan organisations show about what reviewers screen for first.
What is a concept note, and when do donors ask for one?
A concept note is a short summary of a project idea: the problem, the approach, the expected results, who does the work, and roughly what it costs. Many donors run a two-stage process. You submit the concept note first, and only shortlisted applicants are asked for the full proposal and budget. Some funders skip stage one and ask for the full application straight away, so always read the call before you write anything.
If you have not yet built a full proposal, our guide on how to write a grant proposal for your Kenyan NGO covers the longer document. This article is about the front door.
What do real Kenyan calls ask for? Two 2026 examples
Both calls below have now closed, so treat them as templates for what to expect, not as live opportunities. For open deadlines, see our running list of grant deadlines for Kenyan NGOs.
| Item | UNDP GEF Small Grants Programme (ICCA GSI Phase 2) | UN Women Kenya civic engagement call |
|---|---|---|
| Deadline | 21 June 2026 | 10 August 2026 |
| Grant size | Up to USD 30,000 (CBOs, youth, women and PWD groups); up to USD 50,000 (NGOs) | USD 50,000 to USD 60,000 |
| Who could apply | Kenyan-registered local organisations working in or near an ICCA; one application per organisation | Young women-led civil society organisations with at least three years of relevant experience |
| Money rules | Cash and in-kind co-financing stated in the proposal | Budget in Kenya shillings; support costs capped at 8% or the donor limit if lower |
| Documents | Proposal form, budget, registration certificate, letter of support from a government office or development partner | Registration, governance and financial documents, personnel information, capacity assessment documentation |
| Submission | Email, Word, Excel or PDF, files under 5MB; late or incomplete applications rejected | Complete application before the deadline, using the donor’s templates |
Look at what they have in common. Eligibility is screened before anyone reads your idea: registration status, years of experience, geography, who leads the organisation. A brilliant concept from an ineligible applicant goes in the reject pile. Check eligibility against your own paperwork first, and if your documents are not in order, our PADOR registration guide shows what a donor-ready profile looks like.
Sources: UNDP Kenya call page and the UN Women Africa call page.
How should a concept note be structured?
Use the donor’s template if there is one. If there is not, this order works for most funders, and it fits on two to three pages.
- Title and summary box. Project name, organisation, county or counties, duration, total amount requested, and a two-sentence summary. A reviewer skimming forty notes should grasp yours in ten seconds.
- The problem. One tight paragraph with one or two current, sourced figures for the specific place you work. Say Turkana or Kisumu, not “marginalised communities.”
- Your response. What you will do, for whom, and why this approach over the obvious alternatives. Name the target group and the number you will reach.
- Results. Two or three outcomes a reviewer can measure by the end date, phrased as changes in people’s lives or practice rather than activities completed.
- Why you. Registration, track record, relevant experience, and any partners. This is where the eligibility documents above come in.
- Budget overview. A single line or small table by main cost category, in the currency the donor asks for, with your overheads inside the donor’s cap.
- Risks and sustainability. Two real risks and what you would do about each, plus what continues after the money stops.
What mistakes get concept notes rejected?
Reviewers describe the same few problems again and again, and most are avoidable.
- Ignoring the call’s language. If the call says “youth-led,” “locally led” or “gender-responsive,” the reviewer is scoring against those words. Show them in your design, not just in a sentence.
- Activities without results. “We will hold 20 trainings” is not an outcome. What will participants do differently afterwards?
- A budget that does not match the story. If you promise county-wide reach on a budget that cannot pay for transport, the mismatch is obvious.
- Missing the format rules. The GEF call rejected incomplete applications and any file over 5MB. Page limits, file types and subject lines are pass-or-fail.
- Writing for yourselves. Strip acronyms and in-house jargon. The first reader may be a generalist programme officer.
How do you prove you can deliver?
A concept note is thin on space, so evidence has to be compact. A single sentence such as “We have run this model in two wards since 2023 and reached a stated number of households” beats three paragraphs of mission statement, provided the figure is real and you can back it up. Pair it with a monitoring approach the donor can picture. Our M&E plan guide for small Kenyan NGOs shows how to describe one in a few lines without a consultant.
A quick pre-submission checklist
- Have you confirmed you meet every eligibility condition, in writing?
- Is the request within the donor’s minimum and maximum, in the right currency?
- Does every outcome have a way to be measured by the end date?
- Are overheads within the stated cap?
- Did someone outside your team read it cold and summarise it back correctly?
- Are all required documents attached, in the permitted file type and size?
Frequently asked questions
How long should a concept note be?
Follow the donor’s limit. When none is given, aim for two to three pages. A note that respects the reviewer’s time signals that your full proposal will be disciplined too.
Is a concept note the same as a proposal?
No. The concept note is the short first-stage pitch. The proposal adds the full logframe, detailed budget, work plan and supporting documents, and is usually requested only if your note is shortlisted.
Can I reuse one concept note for several donors?
You can reuse the core idea, but rewrite the framing, results and budget for each call. A recycled note that ignores a funder’s priorities is easy to spot and easy to reject.
Do I need a government letter of support?
Some calls require one. The UNDP GEF call above asked for a letter from a government office or development partner confirming they had reviewed the technical and budget details. Ask early, because letters take time to obtain.
What if my organisation is too new to meet the experience requirement?
Do not stretch the facts. Look for calls without a minimum track record, or partner with an established organisation that can apply as lead while you deliver on the ground.
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