Our Words of Wisdom
"To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition, to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success.”
– Taulant Hoxha, 24, Kosovo
Selection Process
The selection process for the Youth Solidarity Fund encompasses two steps:
1) eligibility screening (organizations and projects) and
2) recommendation for funding.
1) Eligibility Screening
Applying organizations need to fulfill each and every one of the following criteria to be deemed eligible:
• Be a membership-based youth-led organization;
• Be a non-governmental organization (with the exception of national youth councils) registered in the country of operation as a charity, trust, foundation or association;
• Be officially registered and operational for a minimum of 2 years with funding base and project implementation (e.g. registered in December 2010 or earlier);
• Have a democratic governance structure, leadership nomination and consultative processes in formulating priorities and policies with members;
• Have an ability to demonstrate proper and consistent monitoring, evaluation and recordkeeping of their activities, including project evaluation reports and financial accounts;
• Have a gender perspective/balance reflected in their staff, membership and activities;
• Have no adherence to or affiliations with violent ideologies or antagonism against any particular country, culture, religion or belief system, ethnic group, sex, etc; and
• Did not receive funding under YSF past editions or did not receive the UNAOC-BMW Intercultural Innovation Award.
Upon request, organizations will need to provide documented evidence of how they fulfill all of these criteria.
Project proposals will not be considered eligible for funding if they are submitted by: governments, international governmental organizations, non-youth led organizations, unregistered groups of youth, business entities, as well as individuals.
All submitted projects need to fulfill each and every one of the following criteria to be deemed eligible and be reviewed by the Selection Committee:
• Origin: The project was developed and written by youth;
• Target Audience: The project targets youth. Gender balance among project participants is ensured;
• Management: The project is managed by a youth organization, responding to all eligibility criteria mentioned above;
• Project Coordinator: The Project Coordinator is an employee of the applying organization and is between the ages of 18 and 35 at the moment of the application;
• Duration and Timing: The project must be implemented during a period lasting between 6 and 9 months starting in April 2013 at the earliest and ending in December 2013 at the latest;
• Location: Project activities are implemented in the country(ies) mentioned in the above list (see geographical coverage section);
• Budget: The organization needs to guarantee its capacity to implement all elements of the proposed project with the funds requested. Grants provided by the UNAOC will not exceed USD 25,000. The proposed budget will have 90% of costs associated with direct project activities and up to 10% of it will cover Project Coordinator’s salary/fees. Office rent cost, utilities and purchase of technical equipment (e.g. computers, copiers, printers, cameras, telephones, etc), other than stationery for events, workshops, meetings, cannot be part of the budget;
• English: Application and CV/resume of Project Coordinator must be in English only;
• Registration certificate and statute: A copy of a registration certificate and a statute need to be attached to the application form. They can be submitted in original language of a country, where the organization is registered;
• Application form: The duly completed application form cannot exceed 8 pages and the font must be Arial 10.
2) Recommendation for Funding
Applications that passed the eligibility screening are reviewed and ranked in order of merit using the following criteria:
• Objectives: The project supports the objectives of the UNAOC, i.e. improve understanding and cooperative relations among nations and peoples across cultures and religions, and to help counter the forces that fuel polarization and extremism. The project objectives are clear and there is a logical connection between problem, proposed activities and requested funding;
• Activities: The project includes activities aiming to build positive and long-term collaborative relationships between youth of different cultural and religious backgrounds;
• Relevance: The project is appropriate to the local context and targets local audience; it represents good value for money, with clear and appropriate budget;
• Quality: Organization undertook an in depth analysis of problems/risks and sets a consistent intervention strategy. The application is concise and provides responses to all questions or sections; it includes insightful arguments and engaging narrative;
• Impact and Multiplier Effect: The project will have a significant impact on the ground. Multiplier effect is outlined and target audiences are clearly identified – priority is given to projects that reach out to youth that would not otherwise have a chance to participate;
• Sustainability, Monitoring, Evaluation: The project has a potential to become sustainable beyond its original duration and bring long-term results. Monitoring and evaluation elements are clearly demonstrated.