Application open for the Youth Solidarity Fund
Application guidelines for the Youth Solidarity Fund can be found below (click the link below to expand the text, or click here to download the guidelines as a PDF). Please read the guidelines carefully before applying. If you have further questions, please check the Content FAQs or the Technical FAQs for more clarity.
Deadline: Friday, 15 August 2025, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in New York.
Eligibility – Youth Solidarity Fund
- To qualify, youth organizations applying must meet all of the following conditions:
- Be youth-led: the majority of positions and decision-making roles within the organization are occupied by individuals aged between 18 and 35;
- Be a non-profit, non-governmental organization (excluding national youth councils) that is registered in the country of operation as a charity, trust, foundation, or association;
- Be officially registered and operational for at least two years prior to the application deadline, with a funding base and project implementation (operating in June 2023 or earlier);
- Be registered and functioning in one of the specified countries;
- Possess a democratic governance structure and decision-making process, which includes consultative methods for establishing priorities and policies;
- Demonstrate effective and consistent monitoring, evaluation, and record-keeping of their activities, including project evaluation reports and financial statements;
- Exhibit a gender perspective/balance in their staff, beneficiaries, and activities;
- Have no connections to or affiliations with violent ideologies or hostility towards any specific country, culture, religion or belief system, ethnic group, gender, etc.; and
- Have not received funding in previous editions of YSF or support through the Intercultural Innovation Hub.
Projects – Youth Solidarity Fund
- The Youth Solidarity Fund offers initial funding for exceptional projects that foster intercultural and interfaith dialogue. Grants of up to USD 25,000 are awarded for the execution of selected initiatives that showcase innovative and effective methods for promoting intercultural and/or interfaith dialogue, thereby furthering the mission of UNAOC. Proposals that align with the following frameworks and policies are especially encouraged:
- Projects that facilitate the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2250 (2015), 2419 (2018), and 2535 (2020) concerning Youth, Peace, and Security in relation to intercultural and interfaith dialogue;
- Projects that aid in the execution of Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) and the ten subsequent resolutions on Women, Peace, and Security by enhancing the involvement of women in conflict prevention and mediation efforts.
- Projects that contribute to the implementation of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism, as well as Pillar I of the UN Counter-Terrorism Global Strategy (A/RES/60/288), by utilizing intercultural and interfaith dialogue as a preventive measure;
- Projects that support the implementation of the United Nations Plan of Action to Safeguard Religious Sites by fostering respect for diverse religions and cultures, ensuring the right of individuals to practice their faith safely and peacefully, and combating extremist ideologies and narratives;
- Projects that assist in the implementation of the United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech by addressing the related issues and their effects on youth.
- Projects that promote the implementation of General Assembly Resolution 66/167 and Action 18 (c) of the Pact for the Future by fighting against racism and eliminating discrimination, xenophobia, and religious intolerance, as well as all forms of intolerance and discrimination within our societies, while encouraging interreligious and intercultural dialogue.
