Application Deadline: 12 January 2015 11:59PM, New York City time

The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Youth Solidarity Fund (YSF) 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.

The Youth Solidarity Fund (YSF) provides seed funding to outstanding youth-led initiatives that promote long-term constructive relationships between people from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. The Fund links small scale and local work to larger movements for social and global change.

The YSF supports the development of young peoples’ organizations and other means for their work to have an even broader and deeper impact and to be expanded. It was established to answer the calls for action made around the world by youth organizations since the creation of the UNAOC.

The YSF 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.

The process of selection, substantive and technical support is managed by the Secretariat of the UNAOC based in New York, at the United Nations Headquarters. As UNAOC benefits from the administrative support of the United Nations Office for Projects Services (UNOPS), all financial and reporting procedures within the YSF are in full compliance with UNOPS Financial Rules and Regulations.

Once selected, the winning organizations sign an Agreement with UNOPS to govern the management of the grant. Detailed mid-term and final reports (both narrative and financial with full supporting documentation) will be required of youth organizations.

Geographical Coverage of the 2014-2015 Call for Applications:

Donor countries’ priorities or constraints are a key consideration in determining the geographical coverage of the YSF interventions for any given campaign. 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.

Eligibility Criteria for Youth Organizations

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.

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.

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.

Once the compilation of scores has been completed, the proposals with the top scores will be contacted by UNAOC via email. Selected organization will be provided with information on further steps, draft Agreements to be signed and a schedule of payments.

Application:

• Please email your completed application form, CV/resume for the Project Coordinator, copies of the registration certificate and a statute of your organization by 12 January 2015, 11:59PM, New York City time to the UNAOC Secretariat at [email protected].
• Please submit only requested documents as additional documents will not be considered. Please submit your application documents in one single email. Applications received after 12 January 2015 11:59PM, New York City time, will not be reviewed and considered.

 Questions on application guidelines:

All information needed to complete your application is included in these application guidelines. Due to limited capacities, UNAOC will not be able to reply to all questions concerning applications. Notification, acknowledging receipt of the application, will be sent out via [email protected] email during January 15-24, 2015 period.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the UNAOC Youth Solidarity Fund 2014/2015