The Youth Solidarity Fund (YSF) provides seed funding to youth-led organizations dedicated to fostering peaceful and inclusive societies. YSF supports projects, designed and developed for and by young people, that demonstrate innovative and effective approaches to intercultural or interfaith dialogue. In addition, YSF offers capacity-building and mentorship support to strengthen project implementation and enhance organizational development.
Type of projects:
Youth Solidarity Fund provides seed funding to outstanding projects promoting intercultural and interfaith dialogue. It awards grants of up to USD 25,000 for the implementation of selected projects that demonstrate innovative and effective approaches to intercultural and/or interfaith dialogue and advance the mission of UNAOC. Proposals linked to implementation of the following frameworks/policies are particularly encouraged:
- Projects that support the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 (2015), 2419 (2018) and 2535 (2020) on Youth, Peace and Security in connection to intercultural and interfaith dialogue;
- Projects that support the implementation of the Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and the ten subsequent Security Council resolutions on Women, Peace and Security by enhancing women's participation in conflict prevention and mediation processes.
- Projects that support the implementation of the United Nations Secretary-General's Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism , and the Pillar I of the UN Counter-Terrorism Global Strategy (A/RES/60/288) by promoting intercultural and interfaith dialogue as a prevention tool;
- Projects that support the implementation of the United Nations Plan of Action to Safeguard Religious Sites by promoting respect for other religions and cultures, the right of human beings to practice their faith in safety and peace, and efforts to combat extremist ideologies and narratives;
- Projects that support the implementation of the United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech by addressing the issues and their impact on young people.
- Projects that support implementation of the General Assembly resolution 66/167 as well as Action 18 (c) of the Pact for the Future by combating racism and eliminating discrimination, xenophobia and religious intolerance , and all forms of intolerance and discrimination from our societies and promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue.
About United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) was established in 2005, as the political initiative of Mr. Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General and co-sponsored by the Governments of Spain and Turkey.
A High-Level Group of experts was formed by Mr. Annan to explore the roots of polarization between societies and cultures today, and to recommend a practical programme of action to address this issue. The Report of the High-Level Group provided analysis and put forward practical recommendations that form the basis for the implementation plan of the U... continue reading
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UNAOC Youth Solidarity Fund
Aim and Benefits of UNAOC Youth Solidarity Fund
- 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.
Requirements for UNAOC Youth Solidarity Fund Qualification
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 aforementioned 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.
Note: If you applied for YSF in the past but were not selected, you can apply for YSF again.
Interview date, Process and Venue for UNAOC Youth Solidarity Fund
All submitted projects must fulfill every one of the following criteria to be eligible and reviewed by the Selection Committee:
- Origin: The project was developed and written by youth;
- Target Audience: The project targets youth primarily. Gender balance among project participants is ensured;
- Objective: The project contributes to advancing UNAOC’s mandate of promoting a more socially inclusive world by building mutual respect among peoples of different cultural and religious identities;
- Management: The project is managed by a youth-led organization, responding to all eligibility criteria mentioned above;
- Project Coordinator: The Project Coordinator is demonstrably affiliated to the applying organization and is between the ages of 18 and 35 at the time of the application;
- Duration and Timing: The project must be implemented within 12 months of commencing. Final reports will need to be submitted no later than one month after the completion of the project;
- 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 proposed project elements with the funds requested. The amount requested must be no more than 50% of the organization’s annual budget in 2024. Grants provided by UNAOC will not exceed USD 25,000. The scope of the project and the amount requested is not a determining factor in the selection process. Projects with smaller budgets are encouraged to apply. Please note that the average grant in the 10th YSF edition was USD 15,000. The proposed budget will have 90 percent of costs associated with direct project activities, and only up to 10 percent of it will cover the 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 submitted in English only;
- Registration certificate and statute: Copies of a registration certificate and a statute need to be attached to the application form. They can be submitted in the original language of the country where the organization is registered. Translations may be requested at a later stage of the selection process.
Application Deadline
August 15, 2025How to Apply
To be considered complete and valid, the application package must include the following and be submitted through the online application system available below.
- 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.
The word/character limit for each question in the application form needs to be respected. The application system automatically counts words and characters.
For more details, visit UNAOC Program webpage
