Community-driven MHPSS for children affected by conflict

The Peace of Mind Foundation has launched a call for proposals to support mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) initiatives for children affected by war, displacement, violence, or natural disasters. Grants are offered to partners capable of delivering locally led, community-driven, structured and evidence-based MHPSS interventions that are adapted to local cultures and practices.

The Foundation prioritises Level 2 and Level 3 MHPSS interventions that are effective, child-centred and scalable. Key priorities in the selection process include localisation and community engagement, safeguarding and child protection, fit-for-purpose monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and cost-effective delivery.

Project proposals are expected to follow the required structure of applications: project overview, problem statement, theory of change, outcomes and methodology, community engagement and buy-in, alignment with national policies, target beneficiaries, monitoring and evaluation, sustainability, risk management, child safeguarding policy, budget administration, and a detailed itemised budget.

Main participation conditions and announcement: 

• the project must be focused on MHPSS;
• children and/or adolescents are a primary target group of the organization’s current or planned projects;
  the organization is operating, or plans to operate, in a context affected by war, displacement,
• violence, or natural disaster;
  the organization has experience with MHPSS programming (the FAQ recommends at least 5 years);
• there are existing structures for project implementation (operational capacity);
• the organization has a clear plan to ensure community contribution or participation in project implementation.

Eligible projects under this call are those that place MHPSS for children at their core—especially children affected by violence, conflict, displacement, or natural disasters. Initiatives may take many forms, from community-based programmes and clinical services to integrated MHPSS interventions. What matters most is that each project demonstrates a clear, evidence-informed approach to promoting the mental health and overall wellbeing of children living in crisis environments.

The programme is open to organisations operating in any country, reflecting its global scope. At the same time, priority will be given to proposals targeting acute needs in settings impacted by conflict, violence, or natural disasters—contexts where children and their caregivers face heightened vulnerability and require urgent psychosocial support.

Typical grant awards range from USD 50,000 to USD 150,000 per year. Applicants are advised to keep their proposed budgets within this bracket, as it represents the standard annual funding level for most projects selected through this call.

Supported activities are those that:

• are structured MHPSS approaches with proven effectiveness, adapted to local cultures and practices;
• fall within Level 2 and Level 3 MHPSS interventions, child-centred and scalable;
• may include a range of community-based, clinical or integrated MHPSS interventions, provided they clearly address the mental health and wellbeing of children in crisis settings.

• Applications are open until 15 January.
• Shortlisted proposals will proceed to technical interviews.
• Grant disbursement is expected from March–April 2026.

• Step 1. Check whether your organisation is eligible to apply for a Peace of Mind Foundation grant by completing the short Eligibility Check. Only organisations that meet all criteria will be automatically redirected to the full submission page.
• Step 2. Complete the online application form and submit your proposal, carefully reviewing the Proposal blueprint and consulting the FAQs.
• Step 3. Wait to hear from the Foundation: after the deadline, all proposals will be reviewed; if your proposal is shortlisted, you will be contacted to schedule a technical interview.
  
  Email submissions will not be considered, all proposals must be submitted through the website submission portal. Technical guidance: if the Submit button does not work (check required fields, word and file-size limits, and, if needed, try a different browser).

The Foundation lists the prioritized aspects , which indicate the main criteria for assessing proposals:

• localization and community engagement; 
• safeguarding and child protection; 
• fit-for-purpose monitoring and evaluation (M&E); 
• cost-effective delivery.

The Foundation states that it is unable to respond to email enquiries about application status and that an update with timelines will be posted on LinkedIn after the proposal deadline

Applicants are expected to describe:

• Monitoring and Evaluation – criteria, tools and methods for tracking progress and analysing data;
• Child Safeguarding Policy – core principles and procedures for protecting children, staff conduct and mechanisms for reporting and responding to safeguarding concerns;
• Budget Administration – processes ensuring that the project stays within budget, financial oversight, audits and accountability.