2025 Global Innovation Challenge – Mar 4

Posted by Citi Foundation on February 18, 2025

Citi Foundation issues request for proposals for 2025 Global Innovation Challenge

The Citi Foundation has issued a request for proposals for its 2025 Global Innovation Challenge, which provides philanthropic support for community organizations to pilot or scale solutions to social and economic issues around the world.

According to the foundation, despite recent progress, young people globally continue to experience challenges in their pursuit of employment, including skills mismatch and gaining access to quality jobs. This year’s Global Innovation Challenge is focused on youth employability, and the foundation invites proposals from community organizations developing innovative employment solutions for low-income youth primarily between ages 15-24.

These innovative solutions could include, but are not limited to: 1) technical and vocational training programs that upskill or reskill low-income youth and move them into employment, which could include paid internships, apprenticeships or formal employment; 2) entrepreneurship programming that specifically focuses on the incubation or scaling of youth-led enterprises to increase job creation and access to self-generated income; and 3) efforts to embed financial education programming into workforce development initiatives equipping low-income youth with financial skills and access to safe and affordable financials tools.

Through the initiative, the foundation plans to award grants of $500,000 over two years to 50 community organizations working in select communities where Citi has a presence. Grants are meant to be catalytic in nature, supporting the piloting or expansion of ideas and projects in the field of youth employability. In addition to grant funds, the foundation aims to support the selected grantees through volunteerism and host learning opportunities to promote shared lessons and best practices.

To be eligible, applicants must be registered as nonprofit entities under local law. For U.S. entities, applicants need to be tax-exempt public charities as per section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Applicants must be able to submit their most recent externally audited financial statements, including auditor’s notes, covering some part of calendar year 2023 or a subsequent year.

Organizations must first register and confirm they meet the eligibility requirements to gain access to the foundation’s grantmaking portal. Eligible applicants will receive access to the portal within three business days. The registration deadline is March 4, 2025, at 12:00 noon ET. Applicant organizations must submit completed applications by March 18, 2025, at 12:00 noon ET.

For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the Citi Foundation website.

Deadline: March 4, 2025 at 12 noon ET (Registration)