Youth Hub Seed Grant Programme

Deadline: 31-Jan-24

The International AIDS Society (IAS) is inviting you to submit a proposal requesting up to USD 10,000 to implement a six-month innovation project (from March to August 2024) that addresses a need for young people living with and affected by HIV.

IAS – the International AIDS Society awards seed grant funding to innovative projects led by and for young people. The Youth Hub Seed Grant Programme provides financial and project support for Young Leaders to implement, grow and showcase unique initiatives that respond to the priorities of young people. Young Leaders are mentored in grant reporting, monitoring and evaluation, and communications.

The IAS will support a new cohort of five Young Leaders with seed grants to scale up HIV-related innovation projects that respond to a locally defined need Each Young Leader must be affiliated with and logistically supported by an Organization working in HIV and/or sexual and reproductive health and rights or related areas.

Programme Benefits 

• As part of the Youth Hub Seed Grant Programme, they will support selected Young Leaders with a tailored capacity-building curriculum through a series of workshops on monitoring and evaluation, reporting and communications delivered through the Youth Hub. They will provide Young Leaders with networking opportunities for current, as well as future, projects.
  • Scholarship to attend AIDS 2024 
    • During the programme, selected Young Leaders will have the opportunity to attend AIDS 2024, the 25th International AIDS Conference, in Munich, Germany, from 22 to 26 July 2024. The IAS will cover registration costs, as well as travel costs, accommodation costs and per diems.
  • Inclusion in the AIDS 2024 Young Leaders Programme 
    • The Young Leaders Programme is offered at the International AIDS Conference and IAS Conference on HIV Science to ensure that the voices of young people living with HIV, young activists and young researchers are heard at international meetings. The dedicated programme provides young people with opportunities to strengthen their research and advocacy skills to support capacity building. Those selected for the Youth Hub Seed Grant Programme will have the opportunity to participate in the AIDS 2024 Young Leaders Programme.
  • One-to-one mentoring in monitoring, evaluation and learning 
    • Selected Young Leaders will be supported by a monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) consultant to build their MEL capacity and capture key developments in their projects and professional growth. The consultant will host one-to-one calls with each Young Leader and their mentor to ascertain each Young Leaders specific needs and tailor support accordingly. The consultant will also hold two workshops to support the whole cohort in meeting grant reporting requirements. Host organization mentors will also play a strong support in role in the You Leaders MEL growth.
  • Public speaking training 
    • They believe that effective communication is a key component of leadership. Selected Young Leaders will have at least one public speaking opportunity during their grant period. They understand that public speaking can be nerve-wracking, so they provide training and mentorship to support confident public speaking and effective project promotion.
  • Exclusive change maker networking opportunities 
    • Selected Young Leaders will join a community of over 670IAS change makers -HIV researchers, advocates, healthcare providers and others – who are selected to drive an evidence-based HIV response that puts people first. Young Leaders will have access to an exclusive range of networking and capacity-building opportunities to enhance their skills.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be considered for the Youth Hub Seed Grant Programme, applicants and their host organizations must meet the criteria listed below.
  • The Young Leader 
    • Must be connected to an organization that is willing and able to provide mentorship and logistical support for the Young Leaders proposed project
    • Must be between 18 and 30 years old {and ideally under 25 years old}
    • Must agree to be featured in IAS digital media
    • Must agree to attend AIDS 2024, the 25th International AIDS Conference, in Munich, Germany, from 22 to 26 July 2024.
  • The host organization 
    • Must be a registered charity and willing to undergo additional eligibility checks
    • Must provide a point of contact who will actively mentor the Young Leader
    • Must demonstrate capacity and willingness to provide ongoing logistical support in the day-to-day aspects of project implementation
    • Must be able and willing to report and communicate with the IAS in English
    • Epidemic Science Leadership and Innovation Network (EPSILON) Research Program 2024Epidemic Science Leadership and Innovation Network (EPSILON) Research Program 2024

For more information, visit IAS.