Deadline: August 19, 2023
Applications for the Asia-Pacific Housing Forum Youth Solutions Micro-Grant 2023 are now open. Young people are uniquely placed to become effective agents of change within their communities. Recognizing this potential, the Youth Solutions Micro-Grant will support the youth to start, replicate, or scale up their solutions to housing and urban challenges in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Youth Solutions Micro-Grant will:
- Harness youth solutions through mentorship from international experts to strengthen their ideas;
- Provide seed funding of US$2,000 to five (5) youth solutions that promote a more innovative, inclusive, and collaborative housing ecosystem for sustainable urban development;
- Invite 10 youth-led organizations to be part of the Youth Assembly Suwon, South Korea to network and showcase their solutions to actors in the housing and urban sectors across the Asia-Pacific region.
Benefits
- The Top 10 finalists will get a reserved space at 4th Asia-Pacific Youth Assembly in Suwon, South Korea on October 22, 2023 to showcase their solutions and network with global actors, potential donors, and investors.
- All 10 finalists will be paired with expert mentors to help refine their youth solutions as they prepare to pitch for seed funding.
- From the 10 finalists, five youth solutions will receive a microgrant worth up to US$2,000. They will also receive mentorship from international experts to help implement their project. Winning youth solutions may also be requested to showcase their project in other future Habitat for Humanity events.
Eligibility
- Applicant must be a young individual or be a youth-led organization: a majority of the positions and decision-making roles within the organization are held by people between the ages of 18 and 30.
- Be able to use the micro-grant for either an existing project or a new one.
- Have no adherence to or affiliations with violent ideologies or antagonism against any particular country, culture, religion or belief system, ethnic group, gender, etc.
- Applicants must be accountable, transparent and refrain from all discriminatory practices and adhere to Habitat for Humanity International’s safeguarding policies.
Eligibility for Solutions
All submitted solutions must fulfill each of the following criteria to be deemed eligible upon review by the Micro-Grant Selection Committee:
- Origin: The solution is written, developed, and can be implemented by youth.
- Target audience: The solution targets the wider community to improve the housing ecosystem where the initiative operates.
- Objective: The solution should contribute to advancing affordable, decent, inclusive housing and sustainable communities.
- Duration: The solution should be implemented and completed before April 2024.
- Management: The solution is managed by a young person or a youth-led group or organization, meeting all eligibility criteria mentioned above. Applicant must be able to show an organizational chart or names of group members, with the age and gender identities of key decision makers within the organization.
- Lead applicant: The lead applicant must be directly involved in the implementation of the solution and is between the ages of 18 and 30 at the time of application. Should the proposal be selected as a finalist, the core members should participate in all components of the microgrant. They should also choose one member to represent them in the Asia-Pacific Youth Assembly on October 22, 2023 in Suwon, South Korea.
- Location: Project activities are implemented in one or more countries mentioned in the geographical coverage section.
- Language: Application of the solution must be in English only; and
- Ownership of initiative: The application must detail a proposed use for US$2,000 to jump-start, replicate or expand their initiative. It must include a description of the need, the target outputs, planned activities, and potential to sustain the project.
Eligible Countries
- This call for application welcome proposals from youth-led organizations, individuals, or social enterprises operating in Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam.
Application
The application deadline is August 19, 2023. The following will be submitted through the online application system:
- Fully filled-out online application form that contains proponent information, context analysis and problem identification, proposed youth-led solution, project budget and project sustainability.
- A short video pitch (60 seconds maximum) for the proposed project. This can be as simple as your team describing highlights of your proposed solution.
For more information, visit Youth Solutions Micro-Grant.
