Deadline: August 15, 2025
Applications are invited for the UNAOC Youth Solidarity Fund 2025. The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) invites youth-led organizations from eligible countries to apply for the 11th edition of the Youth Solidarity Fund (YSF). YSF supports projects that promote peace and social inclusion by enhancing mutual understanding, respect, and collaboration across borders, cultures, faiths, and beliefs.
Established in 2008, YSF was initiated in direct response to calls for action made by young civil society leaders across the world, who emphasized the importance and necessity of establishing funding mechanisms for youth-led organizations. As the global agenda increasingly acknowledges the role of young people in peace, development and security matters, it is critical to listen and respond by offering funding and partnership opportunities.
The funded projects are both youth-led and youth-focused, targeting individuals aged 18 to 35 years. While the principal beneficiaries of these projects are young people, the impact often resonates throughout entire communities, involving religious and political leaders, policymakers, educational institutions and media organizations.
Funding
- YSF provides seed funding of up to USD $25,000 to implement impactful youth-led projects that advance intercultural and interfaith dialogue and are aligned with the mandate and mission of UNAOC.
Eligibility
- Open to youth-led organizations registered and operational for at least 2 years in one of the eligible countries;
- Registered youth-led organizations with projects entirely developed and managed by youth.
To be eligible, applying youth organizations need to fulfill every one of the following criteria:
- 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-profit, non-governmental organization (except for 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 two years prior to the deadline for applications with funding base and project implementation (operating in June 2023 or earlier);
- Be registered and operate in one of the eligible countries;
- Have a democratic governance structure and decision-making mechanism, including consultative processes in formulating priorities and policies;
- 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, beneficiaries, 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.; and
- Did not receive funding under past editions of YSF or did not receive support through the Intercultural Innovation Hub.
Application
To be considered complete and valid, the application package must include the following and be submitted through the online application system:
- The application form, completed and certified by the applicant’s organization;
- A copy of the registration certificate of the applicant’s organization;
- A copy of the statutes/by-laws of the applicant’s organization;
- An organizational chart depicting the ages of key decision-makers within the organization;
- A biography of the current Executive/Managing Director, showing the date of birth (one page maximum);
- The resume/CV of the project coordinator (two pages maximum);
- A picture or scan of the project coordinator’s passport identification page. If the project coordinator does not have a passport, upload his or her national identification card.
Application deadline: Friday, 15 August 2025, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in New York.
For more information, visit UNAOC Youth Solidarity Fund.
