Global Youth Action Fund

At the IB, we believe young people can positively change the world. We witness their commitment to make a meaningful impact every day, and our goal is to support their ideas. In 2019, the IB launched the Dr Siva Kumari MYP Student Innovators Grant which helped kick start 88 MYP student projects around the world.

To expand the impact of the Dr Siva Kumari MYP Innovators’ Grant and as a pathway to action for the Festival of Hope the IB has launched the Global Youth Action Fund, an award open to any student or student group ages 12 through 19 who has a project or idea they believe will make an impact in their community. Broadening the grant funding will shine a light on more impressive work young people are doing around the globe, both at IB World Schools and beyond.    

Each project must be aimed to support one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and will be reviewed on the following selection criteria:  

• Impact – Does the project demonstrate a clear positive impact on one of the SDG goals? Preferences will be given to projects with the most impact.  
• Stage of project – What stage of development is the project in (idea, in-development, scaling, established)? Preference will be given to projects that are further along in the development process and have the possibility of scaling.  
• Collaboration – Does the project involve or have the capacity to involve other students? Preference will be given to projects that get more young people involved whenever possible.  
• School support – Applications will require one teacher recommendation form. Preferences will be given to students who have a teacher recommendation that demonstrates their support of the project in addition to their confidence in the students involved. 

Selected students will receive: 

• Up to 3,000 USD in grant funding, dependent on project needs. Fundings is dependent on what students request and what the IB Global Youth Action Fund reviewers recommend.
• Mentorship and connection with leaders in social entrepreneurship and other student awardees from around the world.

Eligibility 

Any secondary school student between the ages of 12 and 19 is eligible to apply. Students are eligible to apply as individuals or groups, but we highly recommend students collaborate whenever possible. Students do not need to be enrolled at an IBWS but must be enrolled in a secondary school at time of the application deadline.

Apply for the Global Youth Action Fund

Application requirements 

All applications must include the following items to be reviewed: 

• Application form – Students will need to submit a completed application form with the following documents attached: 
  • Pitch deck – Students should put together a pitch deck no more than 8 slides that includes an introduction to the student or students applying, the problem they are trying to solve and their proposed solution, and a business model (how you plan to use the funding and why it is the best way to use it);
  • Recorded video pitch – Students should record a pitch no longer than 3 minutes that explains their project and why they should be chosen. They are not required to use their pitch deck in the video.  
  • School Sponsor Form –Students need 1 educator from their school to provide a recommendation and agree to be their school sponsor.

Late applications will not be considered.

See the complete terms and conditions (PDF, 130 KB).

Timeline

Global Youth Action Fund Calendar:

Find out more about other pathways to action via the Festival of Hope.

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