Mastercard Foundation Fund for Alumni Start-ups in Transition (FAST) Program 2026 (up to USD $15,000 Grant Funding)

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Applications are open for Mastercard Foundation Fund for Alumni Start-ups in Transition (FAST) Program 2026. The Mastercard Foundation FAST Program is designed to support the entrepreneurial efforts of young people who have graduated from one of the following programs:

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
African Leadership Academy (ALA)
Anzisha Prize
Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI)

The FAST program helps young entrepreneurs establish or grow their business by providing access to funding and structured support, including mentorship by experts, business advisory and workshops, and networking opportunities.

Mastercard Foundation FAST Program Benefits

If your application is successful, you will receive a combination of grant funding and various business supports based on the implementing partner’s assessment of your needs.
Selected young entrepreneurs may receive funding tailored to their enterprise needs. In the Build Stream, participants can receive an average of USD $12,500 (up to USD $15,000), while in the Idea Stream, participants can receive an average of USD $3,000 (up to USD $5,000).
Final amounts will be determined by the implementing partner based on specific business needs.

Funding Details

Original:
- Idea Phase: Up to $5,000 to help develop and refine initial ideas.
- Build Phase: $10,000 to $15,000 to transform the ideas into viable business models.
New:
- Based on various factors such as stage of enterprise development, disbursement amounts range to meet the needs of the entrepreneur and their enterprise. While specific funding amounts will be determined on a case by case basis, all participants will receive funding to support their enterprise
Idea Phase: An average of USD $3000 (Up to $5,000) to help develop and refine initial ideas.
Build Phase: An average of USD $12,500 (Up to $15,000) to transform the ideas into viable
business models.

Eligibility Criteria for Mastercard Foundation FAST Program

To be eligible for the FAST program, the (proposed or established) business must be:

A for-profit business (Not-for-profit entities do not qualify for FAST)
Majority owned by Alumni of at least one of these four programs: Mastercard Foundation, Scholars Program, African Leadership Academy (ALA), Anzisha Prize, Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI)
Located in one of the qualifying countries (Please check the Application Form for the full list of countries).
Applicants must be 35 years of age or younger by the completion of the program (which may
extend into Q1 2027).

How To Apply

Applicants must submit documentation in the application that confirms their Alumni status for one of the following programs: Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, African Leadership Academy, Anzisha Prize, or Young African Leaders Initiative.

Alumni from the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program will need to provide a student ID from the institution they attended. This ID will be used to verify your Scholars Program Alumni status.
Alumni from African Leadership Academy, Anzisha Prize, or Young African Leaders Initiative can use the English FAST verification letter or provide a different form of verification, such as a certificate of completion.

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Application Deadline: March 20th 2026 16:00 GMT.