Latin America & The Caribbean: Project Funding

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Regional Youth Funding in Latin America and the Caribbean

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR INNOVATION AND SOCIAL ACTION (YOUTH FUND)

The Youth Fund was launched in 2007, however the original website no longer contains content that is relevant to the Youth Development Program for Innovation and Social Action.

The Youth Fund was established as an instrument to effectively respond to the needs of young people in the Latin American and Caribbean region and to promote their participation in the development process. The goal of the Youth Fund is to support innovative initiatives that strengthen the capacity of low-income youth in both rural and urban areas to increase their potential for employment.

The Youth Fund provides technical and financial assistance for youth organizations that are working to contribute to the development of young people between 15 to 30 years of Latin America and the Caribbean. It provides non-reimbursable financing ranging from US$25,000 to $40,000 per initiative. Proposals are expected to focus on enterprise and community development that incorporates human capacity building that enables young people to contribute to their personal development as well as that of their communities. Capacity-building programs might include (but are not limited to):

  • life skills (basic personal development, life planning, effective employment habits, conflict resolution, team work, among others);
  • youth leadership and community participation;
  • strengthening or establishing a social entrepreneurship (associations, foundations, activities of community service and volunteerism, for example);
  • capacity building on business creation and development, among others.

To date, the three rounds of grant-making have awarded 18 grants to projects from across Latin America. It is unknown whether the Youth Fund is still active.