Funding Programmes | Okhantu FundingOS

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Showing 12 of 18 programmes

Orange Corners Innovation Fund (OCIF) GROW South Africa

Young South African business owners (35 or under) with real revenue can get up to R1 million - half free grant, half interest-free loan - plus investor-readiness training. The 2026 round closed on 31 December 2025; the programme runs in annual cycles via CDI Capital, so watch cdicapital.co.za/ocif for the next intake.

R200K - R1.0M

National

SAB KickStart (Boost and Ignite)

If you are 18-35 and your business has been trading for at least two years with turnover under R5 million, KickStart Boost combines business coaching with loan funding; Ignite is the track for earlier-stage ideas. You apply through the application form on sabentrepreneurship.co.za when the annual intake opens - applications were marked closed as of June 2026, so watch the site for the next cycle.

Contact for amount

National

SAB Foundation Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards

If you have built a product or service that tackles a social or disability-related problem (past the idea stage), this annual competition awards between R300,000 and R1.3 million in grant funding plus mentorship. You apply online on the SAB Foundation website; the 2026 round closed on 16 March 2026, so register for the next annual call. Open to SA citizens 18 and older.

R300K - R1.3M

National

SAB Foundation Tholoana Enterprise Programme

One of the most established corporate-foundation programmes in South Africa: you get grant and seed funding plus intensive mentorship over about two years, not a loan. Applications run once a year via an online form on the SAB Foundation website (the most recent round closed 8 September 2025); applications are currently closed, but you can register on their notify-me form to be alerted when the next intake opens.

Contact for amount

National

Old Mutual Masisizane Fund

The Masisizane Fund is the Old Mutual enterprise-development financier, offering developmental and commercial loan financing from R250,000 to R20 million plus business support to SMEs that are at least 51 percent black-owned, with priority for women, youth and entrepreneurs with disabilities. It is active - it passed R1 billion disbursed since 2007 in late 2024 - and applications are taken on a rolling basis (MasisizaneEnquiries@oldmutual.com). This is loan funding paired with mentorship, not a grant.

R250K - R20.0M

National

ESDjob creationtransformation

Employment Tax Incentive (ETI)

Cut your monthly PAYE bill by hiring young workers aged 18 to 29 who earn less than R7,500 a month. You can claim up to R1,500 per month per qualifying employee in their first 12 months, and up to R750 per month in the second 12 months - up to R27,000 per employee over two years. No application needed: registered employers claim it on their monthly EMP201 PAYE return. The incentive runs until 28 February 2029.

Up to R27K

National

ETItax incentiveyouth employment

MICT SETA Discretionary Grant (Learnerships and Skills Programmes)

MICT SETA pays media and ICT-sector employers - levy-paying companies and constituent SMMEs - discretionary grant funding to host learnerships, internships, skills programmes, bursaries and work-integrated learning for employed and unemployed learners. Funding is allocated per learner during annual application windows on the MICT SETA Learner Management System; it does not cover start-up costs, capital expenditure or existing salaries. The 2026/27 window closed on 30 November 2025 - the next window typically opens around October or November.

Contact for amount

National

SETAlearnershipstipend

eThekwini Economic Development Incentive (Investment Rates Rebate)

The eThekwini Economic Development Incentive Policy (running since 2015) gives new greenfield and brownfield commercial, industrial and mixed-use investments in Durban a property-rates rebate of between 10 and 100 percent for up to 3 years. The rebate level is scored case by case on investment value, jobs created, targeted sector and spatial priority - for example a R17.3 million warehouse got 30 percent and a R1 billion industrial development creating about 330 permanent jobs got 100 percent. Applicants need an approved building plan, a contractual completion deadline, and municipal accounts in good standing; the Invest Durban one-stop-shop assists (invest@durban.gov.za).

Contact for amount

KwaZulu-Natal

eThekwiniDurbaninvestment incentive

YouthStartCT Entrepreneurial Challenge (City of Cape Town)

The City of Cape Town annual #YouthStartCT Entrepreneurial Challenge gives selected young Capetonian entrepreneurs (aged 18-35) a R56,000 business enabler grant paid over 6-9 months, a prototyping grant of up to R32,000, plus 10 weeks of training and mentorship; top performers can access loans of up to R1 million through the Orange Corners Innovation Fund. The 2026 entry window closed on 24 February 2026 with winners announced in May - watch the City page for the next annual round.

R56K - R1.0M

Western Cape

Cape Townstartupyouth

NDA Civil Society Organisation Grant Funding

The National Development Agency funds registered non-profit civil society organisations - NGOs, CBOs and co-operatives doing community development work on poverty eradication. It does not fund commercial businesses. Grants are awarded through periodic Requests for Proposals, not an always-open window; no RFP currently appears open, so watch the NDA site for the next call.

Contact for amount

National

NDANPOcommunity

SEDFA Youth Challenge Fund

Blended loan and grant funding for young entrepreneurs aged 18-35: up to R2 million for start-ups and up to R15 million for growth enterprises. Includes mandatory business development support and mentorship.

Up to R15.0M

National

SEDFAyouth18-35

IDC Gro-E Youth Scheme

Concessionary IDC funding of R1 million to R50 million per transaction for businesses owned by young people aged up to and including 35 at final approval, with a minimum 26 percent youth shareholding. Loans are priced at prime less 2 percent (over 26 percent youth-owned) or prime less 3 percent (over 50 percent youth-owned); cost per job is capped at R800,000 and B-BBEE level 4 compliance is required. Covers start-ups and expansions in IDC-mandated sectors, not only manufacturing.

R1.0M - R50.0M

National

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