Emergency Relief Grant Program

Emergency Relief Grant Program

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH)
Amount: Up to US $75,000
Last Updated: September 26, 2025

Summary

The Emergency Relief Grant Program, funded by ALIPH, provides urgent financial support for the protection of cultural heritage at serious risk due to conflict. With a maximum funding of USD 75,000, this program prioritizes projects demonstrating an immediate need for action to prevent irreversible damage. Eligible institutions include NGOs and governmental bodies dedicated to heritage conservation. The aim is to facilitate swift interventions that protect and rehabilitate critical cultural assets, fostering peace and social cohesion in affected areas.

Overview

What is ALIPH? Based in Geneva, ALIPH is a non-profit foundation that has been granted the status of an international organization, with the purpose to contribute to the protection of cultural heritage in conflict areas. It is a unique global initiative gathering public and private funders created to financially support initiatives that concern the prevention, the protection and the rehabilitation of cultural heritage threatened or damaged by conflict. ALIPH will prioritize concrete projects with a direct impact on the ground. We will aim at selecting projects that reaffirm the founding principles of ALIPH, including the belief that protecting heritage in conflict areas should contribute to the development of values such as peace and reconciliation, international solidarity, social cohesion and living together, cultural diversity, education and capacity building, local and sustainable development, and gender equality. Areas of intervention ALIPH wishes to intervene worldwide, wherever applicants consider and can document the fact that heritage is at risk due to conflict. The notion of conflict is interpreted from a broad perspective to encompass interstate conflicts, civil wars, asymmetrical conflicts, terrorism, violent unrest and other sudden disruptions that lead to instability. Applicants must demonstrate that the heritage targeted was damaged because of conflict, is threatened by conflict or suffered collateral damage from conflict. In keeping with this conception, ALIPH is also willing to support a large notion of what represents cultural heritage, tangible but also intangible. The applicants will be asked to demonstrate the significance and value for local population or communities of the cultural heritage targeted by the grant. Emergency Relief Grants This process is designed to make it possible to provide rapid support for measures aimed at protecting heritage that is under serious threat of destruction or deterioration. In order to be eligible, projects must demonstrate the necessity of rapid action to cease or prevent the irremediable degradation of heritage. Purpose If the heritage targeted by your proposal is at high risk of damage or is deteriorating quickly, ALIPH can finance urgent actions such as stabilization or rehabilitation measures. Applicants must be able to demonstrate that the situation is critical, and that waiting until the next annual call for proposal would have dramatic effects on the concerned cultural heritage. These grants aim at supporting short term and quickly implemented urgent actions to respond to compelling needs on the ground. Applicants will be requested to submit a brief and precise proposal. Apply for emergency relief only if you can demonstrate the urgent need and capacity to act promptly. Otherwise, please apply through the annual call. Requirements The main criteria listed below must be shortly be demonstrated. Urgency: We must understand why it is urgent to act. In your application, explain why the intervention must happen quickly. Pictures of the damages can be of great value to demonstrate the urgency.Capacity to implement: You must demonstrate that you have the capacity to implement the project promptly and that you have a clear understanding of the local situation.Suitability / feasibility: The solution you propose to protect heritage must be based on solid considerations. Your project should take into consideration technical and scientific aspects. A precise budget is mandatory. Amount A maximum of USD 75,000. Budget needs to be submitted in USD.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Eligible institutionsInstitutions in charge of the protection, conservation and promotion of cultural heritageInternational, intergovernmental, and national institutionsPrivate organizations (foundation, NGO, non-profit, charity, associations, etc.)Eligible actionsPreventive protection measuresMitigating the risks and lessening the damagesEmergency actions during conflicts Securing cultural heritage at riskPost-conflict actionsMaking heritage available again for local populations (restoration, rehabilitation…)Proposals must be submitted in English.