At a Glance

Program Name: Vigdís Prize for Women’s Empowerment.
Funding Type: Annual prize awarded through an open call for nominations.
Funding Amount: 60,000 euros plus a trophy, awarded to one laureate each year.
Application Deadline: 27 March 2026 for the 2026 edition.
Program Focus: Recognising outstanding individuals, organisations, or initiatives that significantly empower women and girls and advance gender equality.

About the Program

The Vigdís Prize for Women’s Empowerment is an annual international prize named after Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, the first woman elected as a Head of State, and was launched in 2023. It honours impactful work that promotes women’s rights, equal participation in decision-making, and inclusive policies enabling women’s full participation in political, social, and economic life. The prize highlights achievements at a time when gender equality faces mounting challenges in Europe and beyond.?

Program Benefits

• Financial Recognition: 60,000-euro award that can strengthen and sustain the laureate’s empowerment and advocacy work.?

• Global Visibility: Official recognition by PACE and Iceland, including a high-profile award ceremony during the Parliamentary Assembly’s summer part-session in Strasbourg.?

• Advocacy Platform: Prize-winners gain a stronger platform to influence policy debates and public perception on women’s rights and gender equality.?

Eligibility Criteria

• Who can be nominated: Individuals or civil society groups, including national or international NGOs, associations, and private companies working on women’s empowerment.?

• Geographic scope: Open to nominees from any country, with no restriction to Council of Europe member states.?

• Nomination support: Each nomination must be backed by at least five sponsors who sign a dedicated sponsors’ form.?

Application Timeline

• Call for Candidates: 21 November 2025.?

• Applications Close: 27 March 2026 (all documents and five sponsors’ signatures submitted as one PDF via the online upload link).?

• Selection Steps: Shortlisting and panel meetings in May and June 2026, followed by the award ceremony on 22 June 2026 during the PACE summer part-session in Strasbourg.
  
  Apply
  
  

  Need Help Finding and Winning Grants?

  Here’s how we can support you; pick what works best for you:

  Option 1 – Free WhatsApp Funding Forum: Join our free WhatsApp group where we share grant updates tailored to your needs. Whether you're running a business, nonprofit, or personal project. You’ll never miss out on opportunities again.

  Option 2 – Grant Guide: Get our step-by-step guide with 120+ ready-made answers, an AI tool to help you write faster, and monthly grant alerts.

  Option 3 – Guide + Community Support: Everything in Option 2 plus one-year access to our Exclusive WhatsApp Support Group, where you can ask questions, get expert feedback, and receive real-time help on your grant applications.

  Option 4 – Guide + Community Support + Submission: Everything in Option 3 plus a limited done-for-you funding support offer whereby our team sources, prepares, and submit 1 grant application for you. This shows you exactly how your story should be told to funders, giving you live examples you can reuse as your personal blueprint once this slot has been used.

  Option 5 – Done-for-You Grant Writing or Accelerator/early-stage funding support: Let our expert team handle the full process for you—from writing to submission. We’ve helped others win over $50 million in funding. Starts at NGN150,000 or CA$299/year, and it comes with a Success Guarantee—if you don’t get shortlisted, we’ll keep applying for you until you do.

  Option 6 - Monthly Done-with-You Funding Support: A guided, low-commitment monthly plan for founders who want to test the waters before going all-in. You get basic ongoing support so you’re never stuck or alone, but without the big upfront fees of our annual or DFY tiers.

  If this sounds potentially interesting to you, these are some of the things to do:

  • Join our free WhatsApp community with funding updates
    • Africa - Join Community
    • Canada X USA - Join Community
  • Access our range of DIY alternative funding support offers here - DIY Alternative Funding
  • Grab your Grant guide at NGN 10,000/$10 here - Ultimate Grant Guide
  • Select our done-by-you grant funding support at NGN50000/$50 here - Done-By-You Funding Support
  • Access our done-for-you accelerator funding support at NGN80000/$80 here - Accelerator Funding Support
  • Access our monthly done-with-you funding support at NGN 50,000/$50 here - Done-with-you
  • Access our group funding support here - Community Funding Support
  • Join Teamgranted’s paid funding community here - Community Funding Support
  • Schedule a FREE Virtual Coffee with a grant advisor here - Virtual Coffee