Funding for Youth Inter-faith initiatives

April 16, 2008 in Life

It is a crucial topic: How can young people from different faith traditions and start to understand each other better. The United Nations – usually not very strong on religious issues – want to support this and have formed an “Alliance of Civilizations”. I am really glad that they have also a youth component. Currently, they call for applications for youth inter-faith projects. Deadline is already 30 June. So hurry and read more on the next page…


The deadline for submitting applications for the Alliance of Civilizations Youth Solidarity Fund is 30 April, 2008.

Contact for Application Pack: pavlyuchenko@un.org

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Alliance of Civilizations Mission Statement & Website

Alliance of Civilizations Youth Solidarity Fund


To support youth-led initiatives that promote long-term constructive relationships between young people from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, the Alliance of Civilizations last month launched a Youth Solidarity Fund.

The Fund will provide seed funding in amounts up to 20,000 USD to a very small number of outstanding youth-led projects in the following areas:


Intercultural and Interreligious Exchanges


Youth Leadership Training


Youth Voices in the Media

The Alliance of Civilizations places great emphasis on funding projects that have long-term outcomes and that connect youth from previously unconnected communities with a view to overcoming perceived or real cultural and religious divides.

2008 constitutes the pilot phase of this initiative and we have limited funds available. Due to an extremely positive response to the call for applications, we advice organizations who consider applying for funds to carefully consider the criteria for applications and what ‘added value’ their project will have in terms of overcoming divides and creating spaces for dialogue where such dialogue is really needed to overcome conflict or tensions.

The AoC will only fund projects that are entirely managed by youth for the benefit of youth. The age definition used by the AoC is persons between 18 and 30 years old.

Youth organizations are subject to the same criteria as other partners of the UN system in that they must be accountable and transparent and refrain from all discriminatory practices. The following general eligibility criteria apply for all youth organizations that seek funding from the Youth Fund. (Upon request, organizations should be able to provide documentary evidence of how they fulfill these criteria).


Applying organizations should be membership-based youth organizations (youth-led or primarily youth-serving) or a network composed of several such organizations;


Non-governmental (with the exception of national youth councils) organizations registered in the country of operation as a charity, trust, foundation, association and operational for a minimum of 1 year with funding base and project implementation;


Democratic governance structure and leadership nomination and standard consultative processes in formulating priorities and policies with members;


• Ability to demonstrate proper and consistent record keeping of activities, including minutes and accounts;


• Successfully employed monitoring and impact assessment (evaluation) of its activities and projects;


Gender perspective/balance reflected in staff and membership;


No adherence to or affiliations with violent ideologies or antagonism against any particular country, religion, ethnic group, race, color, or sex.

The call for applications is now open! .

The Alliance of Civilizations Secretariat is managing the Fund and is working with partners and a youth advisory committee to ensure youth participation in the selection of projects for funding. The AoC will strive to ensure a geographic and thematic balance among selected projects. The deadline for submitting applications is 30 April, 2008. Successful applicants will be notified in June 2008