Deadline: January 12, 2015
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations is now accepting applications for the 2014-2015 Youth Solidarity Fund (YSF). In 2008, UNAOC established the Fund to support youth-led projects addressing areas of primary concern to UNAOC, i.e. fostering mutual respect, understanding and long-term positive relationships between peoples of different cultures and religions.
The Youth Solidarity Fund awards grants (up to USD 25,000) to selected projects that demonstrate innovative youth approaches to intercultural or interfaith dialogue. It only supports projects that are entirely developed and managed by youth for the benefit of youth. The age definition used by UNAOC to characterize youth is a person who is between 18 and 35 years old.
Eligibility
All eligible youth organizations are encouraged to apply.
The 2014-2015 YSF Call for Applications will welcome proposals from youth organizations officially registered and operating in the following countries:
Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Rwanda, Samoa, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, State of Palestine, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Youth organizations are subject to the same criteria as other partners of the United Nations system in that they must be accountable, transparent and refrain from all discriminatory practices.
Eligibility for Youth Organizations
To be eligible, applying youth organizations need to fulfill each and every one of the following criteria:
- Be a membership-based youth-led organization;
- 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 December 2012 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 recordkeeping 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; and
- Did not receive funding under the YSF past editions or did not receive the UNAOC-BMW Intercultural Innovation Award.
Note: If you applied to the YSF in the past, but were not selected, you can apply to the YSF again.
Upon request, organizations will need to provide documented evidence of how they fulfill all of these criteria.
Please note that project proposals will not be considered eligible for funding if they are submitted by: governments, international governmental organizations, non-youth led organizations, unregistered groups of youth, business entities, as well as individuals.
Eligibility Criteria for Projects
All submitted projects need to fulfill each and every one of the following criteria to be deemed eligible and be reviewed by the Selection Committee:
- Origin: The project was developed and written by youth;
- Target Audience: The project targets youth. Gender balance among project participants is ensured;
- Management: The project is managed by a youth-led organization, responding to all eligibility criteria mentioned above;
- Project Coordinator: The Project Coordinator is an employee of the applying organization and is between the ages of 18 and 35 at the moment of the application;
- Duration and Timing: The project must be implemented during March-October 2015 period, while final reports will need to be submitted by November 30, 2015 at the very latest.
- Location: Project activities are implemented in the country(ies) mentioned in the above list (see geographical coverage section);
- Budget: The organization needs to guarantee its capacity to implement all elements of the proposed project with the funds requested. Grants provided by UNAOC will not exceed USD 25,000. The proposed budget will have 90% of costs associated with direct project activities and only up to 10% of it will cover Project Coordinator’s salary/fees. Office rent cost, utilities and purchase of technical equipment (e.g. computers, copiers, printers, cameras, telephones, etc.) cannot be part of the budget;
- English: Application and CV/resume of the Project Coordinator must be in English only;
- Registration certificate and statute: A copy of a registration certificate and a statute need to be attached to the application form. They can be submitted in original language of a country, where the organization is registered;
- Application form: The duly completed application form cannot exceed 8 pages and the font must be at least 10 points.
Evaluation Criteria
The evaluation and scoring will be done on the basis of the following criteria:
- Objectives
- Activities
- Relevance
- Quality
- Impact and Multiplier effect
- Sustainability, Monitoring and Evaluation
How to Apply
- Download the application form.
- Kindly return the form, CV/resume of the Project Coordinator, statute and registration certificate of your organization by 12 January 2015 11:59PM, New York City time, to [email protected].
Note: incomplete or tardy applications will not be accepted and considered.
For more information, visit UNAOC Youth Solidarity Fund.
