Call for Applications: UN Alliance of Civilizations’ Youth Solidarity Fund

Deadline: 5 February 2017

Youth Solidarity Fund

The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is seeking applicants from eligible organizations for its Youth Solidarity Fund (YSF) in order to support youth-led organizations that foster peaceful and inclusive societies by providing direct funding to outstanding projects promoting intercultural and interfaith dialogue.

The Youth Solidarity Fund (YSF) supports youth-led organizations that foster peaceful and inclusive societies by providing direct funding to outstanding projects promoting intercultural and interfaith dialogue. Established in 2008, the Fund responded to calls for action made by youth-led organizations around the world on the importance of establishing funding mechanisms for youth. Today, the Fund is more relevant than ever: As the global agenda increasingly speaks of youth’s participation and contribution to peace, development and security, it is critical to support this participation and contribution through funding and partnership opportunities.

The funded projects are youth-led and youth-focused (18-35 years) but have an impact on entire communities, often involving religious or political leaders, policy-makers, educational institutions and media organizations. The Fund also links small scale and local work to larger movements for social and global change, for a broader and deeper impact.

UNAOC offers technical support and capacity building to the organizations during and/or after the implementation of funded projects in the areas of gender mainstreaming, media relations, advocacy, financial management, networking, sustainability, monitoring and evaluation.

Objectives

• The project aims to improve understanding and cooperative relations among nations and peoples across cultures and religions, and to help counter the forces that fuel polarization and extremism;
• The project promotes the values of peace and development;
• The project objectives are clear and there is a logical connection between identified issues, proposed activities and requested funding.

Grant Information

The Fund offers grants of up to USD 25,000.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible, applying youth organizations need to fulfill each and every one of the following criteria:

• Be registered and operate in one of the below mentioned countries;
• Be a membership-based youth-led organization;
• Be youth-led: a majority of the positions and decision-making roles within the organization are held by women and men between the ages of 18 and 35;
• Be a non-governmental organization (with the exception of national youth councils) registered in the country of operation as a charity, trust, foundation or association;
• Be officially registered and operational for a minimum of 2 years at the time of the application with funding base and project implementation (e.g. registered in January 2015 or earlier);
• Have a democratic governance structure, leadership nomination and consultative processes in formulating priorities and policies with members;
• Have an ability to demonstrate proper and consistent monitoring, evaluation and record-keeping of their activities, including project evaluation reports and financial accounts;
• Have a gender perspective/balance reflected in their staff, membership and activities;
• Have no adherence to or affiliations with violent ideologies or antagonism against any particular country, culture, religion or belief system, ethnic group, gender, etc.;
• Did not receive funding under past editions of YSF or did not receive the UNAOC-BMW Intercultural Innovation Award.

How to Apply

Interested applicants can apply online via apply.unaoc.org

For more information, please visit Youth Solidarity Fund.