Global Innovation Challenge

Overview

_NOTE: Organizations must first register and confirm they meet the_ _eligibility requirements to gain access to the Citi Foundation's grantmaking portal. Eligible_ _applicants will receive access to the portal within three business days. The deadline to_ _register to apply is 12 p.m. New York time (Eastern Time) on March 4, 2025 (listed as the LOI deadline above)._

Background

The Citi Foundation’s Global Innovation Challenge is an open call for applications or request for proposals (RFP) designed to provide catalytic grant funding to community organizations across the world. This year, the Foundation invites proposals from community organizations developing innovative employment solutions for low-income youth primarily between the ages of 15 and 24.

Funding Overview

Despite recent progress, young people globally continue to experience challenges in their pursuit of employment, including skills mismatch and gaining access to quality jobs. According to the International Labour Organization, 65 million young people globally are unemployed. Since the Citi Foundation’s inception, advancing youth employability has been integral to our mission of supporting low-income communities globally. The Citi Foundation invested more than $300 million over the last decade alone in programs that supported over one million young people in expanding their skills, experience and networks through its Pathways to Progress initiative. Building on our funding journey, this year’s Global Innovation Challenge is focused on youth employability, and we invite proposals from community organizations developing innovative employment solutions for low-income youth primarily between the ages of 15 and 24

These innovative solutions could include, but are not limited to:

* Technical and vocational training programs that upskill or reskill low-income youth and move them into employment, which could include paid internships, apprenticeships or formal employment.
* Entrepreneurship programming that specifically focuses on the incubation or scaling of youth-led enterprises to increase job creation and access to selfgenerated income.
* Efforts to embed financial education programming into workforce development initiatives equipping low-income youth with financial skills and access to safe and affordable financials tools.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

* Applicant organizations must be registered as nonprofit entities under local law.
* For example, for U.S. entities, applicants need to be tax-exempt public charities as per Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.
* Applicants must be able to submit their most recent externally audited financial statements, including auditor’s notes, covering some part of calendar year 2023 or a subsequent year.
* Applicant’s proposed program must align with the Foundation’s mission of supporting low-income communities as defined by local standards and definitions.
* Applicant’s proposed program covers one or more of the target geographies
* Africa
* Algeria, Cameroon, Côte D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, and Zambia
* Asia Pacific
* Australia, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam
* Europe
* Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and United Kingdom
* Middle East
* Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates
* Latin America & the Caribbean
* Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad & Tobago, and Uruguay
* North America
* Canada, Mexico and select U.S. states and territories:
* California, Florida, Illinois,  New York, Puerto Rico and Washington DC
* Note: Organization does not have to be headquartered in one of the geographies listed, but the organization’s proposed program needs to primarily impact one or more of the geographies noted above to be eligible.
* The Citi Foundation asks that nonprofit organizations eligible to apply submit only one application to the RFP.
* Local affiliates of global NGOs that meet the eligibility requirements would be considered a separate organization and may apply directly for funding.
* Note that separate organizations should not submit applications for the same program.
* Funds could cover a range of items, including but not limited to, salaries, technology, program materials, trainings, events, research, communications, marketing, evaluation, convenings, and overhead.
* The Citi Foundation asks that all applications be submitted in English, unless otherwise noted.

Ineligibility

* For this specific grant program, organizations working with fiscal sponsors are not eligible to apply.
* The types of organizations and projects that will not be considered for funding include, but are not limited to:
* Private foundations, including operating and nonoperating foundations

* Organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, sex, gender identity or expression, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran’s status, or other legally protected personal characteristic or status
* Individuals
* Lobbying, political causes, campaigns, or candidates
* Including, without limitation:
* participating or intervening in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for elective public office
* voter registration or get-out-the-vote activities (unless conducted in a non-partisan manner)
* making independent expenditures in support of, or in opposition to, any political party or candidate for elective public office
* attempting to influence legislation or any act of a legislative body at the federal, state or local levels

* Memorials
* Gift matching
* Organizations that do not meet the eligibility criteria as per this document