Youth Innovation Fund

It's Up to Youth : An Innovation Fund to Catalyze Youth Led Development

(Youth Innovation Fund LAC Winners 2005 at MC Atrium)

Main objectives are to create an opportunity for young Bank Staff to:

• Channel the ideas, knowledge and energy of youth in the Bank as stakeholders in development;
• Build, empower and catalyze youth in our client countries through partnerships in implementing projects.

The very first Youth Innovation Fund was piloted in the LAC region on May 4th 2005. Applications were sought for projects targeted to impact and benefit youth in our client countries. To date, there have been YIF rounds in every region, the last pilot to be launched in the EAP Region in October 2007.

Key criteria met by winning applications include sustainable activities that build on on-going Bank operations and programs or link into CAS, PRSPs or ESW. Projects were given priority for using innovative approaches to project preparation, involving country participation, embracing cross-sectoral and cross-country activities and/or partnerships with local institutions.

Awards for each winning project were limited to $10,000.

All Regions, Sectors and Country Units were encouraged to apply.

Selection of successful proposals were made by a senior Selection Committee comprising the Development Marketplace, the Children & Youth Unit, and the Latin America Caribbean VPU.

For more information, contact us at y2ycommunity@worldbank.org