The UNHCR Refugee-Led Innovation Fund provides support to organizations headed by forcibly displaced or stateless individuals, enabling them to create and execute innovative solutions tailored to their communities. This fund is accepting applications worldwide and represents a significant change in the way programs are structured.
Eligibility
- Organizations must be led by refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced persons, returnees, or stateless individuals—at least 50% of leadership must have lived experience of displacement or statelessness.
- Both registered and unregistered organizations are welcome if they are well-recognized in their communities.
- Applications are only accepted from organizations or teams, not individuals.
- Special consideration for groups led by women, people with disabilities, Indigenous populations, and other underrepresented groups.
Benefits
- Up to $45,000 in funding for community-driven solutions.
- Program/project management support from UNHCR and experts.
- Technical assistance covering topics such as technology, legal support, and innovation methods.
- Access to peer learning and global networking with other refugee-led organizations.
- Training, business model advice, communications support, and capacity-building for sustainability and scale.
