GCM Grants 2022 for Youth-Led Projects in North America (up to $2,500)

Last Updated on April 28, 2022

GCM Grants

Applications are open for the Global Changemakers (GCM) Grants 2022 for Youth-Led Projects in North America. In line with their mission to support young people to create positive change, GCM will award grants to projects that work towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the United States and Canada.

Since the launch of their grants program in 2009, GCM has awarded grants to over 450 youth-led projects from around the world which have had a combined impact on over 15 million people. By providing support in the form of mentoring, skills development, and grant funding, their approach is to build the capacity of young people to create their own solutions to the challenges they experience in their communities and trust them to execute these solutions.

Grant

  • Selected projects will receive a grant of $2,500 USD.

Eligibility

  • Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 28 years old.
  • Applicants must reside in one of the target locations in the U.S. or Canada.
  • Grantees must have knowledge and/or experience in implementing projects. It is not mandatory to have completed the Project Management for Changemakers Course to submit your application, but you will need to complete the course if selected to receive a grant, enroll here.
  • Grants will be awarded to projects that work towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
  • The proposed project must be implemented and completed within one year of receiving the grant in the city where you currently live. 
  • They expect grantees to be able to understand and express themselves comfortably in English. Proficiency levels C1 and above are recommended.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be reviewed based on the following criteria:

  • Stage of Development: Evaluates whether the project is at the right stage to receive and handle a small grant.
  • Problem-Solution Fit: Evaluates whether the project (1) fits into the issues supported by Global Changemakers and (2) is clearly aligned with the social/environmental issue it seeks to mitigate and (3) fits the applicant’s personal motivation.
  • Social/Environmental Impact: Projects with clear indicators and a plan to assess them will be prioritized over projects with vague impact goals.
  • Potential for Scale: Evaluates whether a project has the potential to grow in reach, results, and social/environmental impact.
  • Accessibility, Equity, and Inclusion: Evaluates whether projects advance accessibility, equity, and inclusion by targeting and/or being led by minority groups and/or youth in rural areas.
  • Commitment and Delivery Capability: Evaluates the amount of time, knowledge, and dedication the project team applies to the project. Applicants that demonstrate their commitment to the project and have the expertise the project entails will be prioritized over those who are not able to demonstrate their commitment and delivery capability.
  • Application Effort: Evaluates the effort put into each step of the application process. Applicants that provide us with complete responses and application materials will be prioritized over those who leave important information out and/or do not demonstrate to have put due effort into the process.

Application

To apply for the grant you must fill in the official application form, they will not accept any other form of application. The form will ask for your details, information about your project and a link to a one minute video pitch.

​The video pitch should not exceed one minute and it should answer the following questions:

  • What social/environmental problem or SDG related challenge does your project seek to address?
  • How does your project/solution address the problem?
  • What motivates you to lead this project?

When recording the video, you must:

  • Appear in the video
  • Be clear and concise
  • Make sure they can understand you clearly (avoid background noise as much as possible)

​​When recording the video, you must not:

  • Use copyrighted music or any media for which you do not have the rights
  • Make it longer than 1 minute

Grants will be reviewed and awarded on a rolling basis from 25 April to 29 May 2022. Late applications will not be considered.

Click here to apply

For more information, visit Global Changemakers.

Deadline: May 29, 2022


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