Grant for youth social projects and startups

The Social Shifters Global Innovation Challenge is designed to support young leaders, innovators, and social entrepreneurs who are running projects or startups with measurable social or environmental impact. The initiative helps young founders grow their solutions through funding opportunities, learning resources, and access to a global community of changemakers.

Through the programme, participants may receive grant funding, along with educational resources, mentoring support, and opportunities to further develop and scale their initiatives. The challenge is aimed at young founders who are already delivering solutions to important social and environmental issues.

The programme particularly welcomes projects that contribute to positive community impact, align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and demonstrate strong potential for growth and replication. Participants also gain access to valuable networking opportunities and a global ecosystem that supports social innovation and entrepreneurship.

The Social Shifters Global Innovation Challenge provides financial support for social and environmental projects led by young innovators.

Key funding conditions:

• Participation in the competition is completely free of charge.
• Multiple grant awards are available through different sponsors and partners.
• Individual grant amounts range from USD 1,000 to USD 15,000.
• The number of awards and funding amounts may vary depending on sponsor contributions and can be updated throughout the competition.

Grant funding may be used for:

• project development and implementation;
• equipment and materials;
• technical resources;
• marketing and communications;
• team capacity building;
• other project-related expenses.

Important restrictions:

• A maximum of 10% of the grant may be allocated to travel expenses.
• Funding must align with the approved project budget and directly support project objectives.
• Personal expenses are not eligible.

Award recipients are also responsible for maintaining financial records, demonstrating proper use of funds, and providing project progress updates for 12 months following the award.

The programme supports youth-led projects and startups that generate a positive social or environmental impact and address important community or global challenges.

Eligible projects are expected to:

• be led by young founders or youth-driven teams;
• deliver measurable social or environmental outcomes;
• offer innovative solutions to identified problems;
• demonstrate potential for growth and scalability.

A key requirement is alignment with at least one United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). Supported initiatives may contribute to areas such as poverty reduction, education, health and well-being, gender equality, clean energy, sustainable cities, climate action, responsible consumption, and other sustainable development priorities.

In addition to funding opportunities, participants gain access to learning resources, founder support, and opportunities for further development, including networking, fellowships, work opportunities, and other growth experiences.

The grant programme follows a structured timeline, from application opening to the announcement of award winners.

Key stages include:

• From 18 May – early registration and access to the launch event.
• 1 June – official opening of the application period.
• July – submission phase for applications.
• 31 August, 5:00 PM UTC – application deadline.
• September – start of application scoring and evaluation.
• October – completion of the evaluation process.
• October – announcement of the 2026 finalists.
• October – commencement of final pitch coaching for selected finalists.
• November – final pitching stage.
• December – announcement of grant award winners and successful founders.

To participate in the programme, applicants should follow these steps:

1. Submit the application exclusively through the official Global Innovation Challenge portal. No alternative submission methods are accepted.
2. Complete all required sections and ensure the application is fully completed. Partial submissions are automatically disqualified.
3. Prepare all application materials in English, including written responses, pitch decks, and video content.
4. Submit the application before the official deadline. Late submissions and deadline extension requests will not be accepted.
5. Verify that all information provided is accurate, complete, and compliant with programme requirements.

Applicants should note that only one submission per entrant is permitted. After submission, applications undergo eligibility verification, including age confirmation, eligibility assessment, completeness review, and authenticity checks.

Applications may be disqualified for false or misleading information, failure to meet eligibility requirements, incomplete documentation, plagiarism, or violations of the competition guidelines.

Applications are assessed through a multi-stage review process involving an international expert community. Submissions are reviewed by a global panel of more than 3,000 volunteer judges, and each application is evaluated by at least five independent reviewers.

Key evaluation criteria include:

• Impact – the project’s potential to address social or environmental challenges, alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals, and expected outcomes.
• Feasibility – availability of resources, technical and operational viability, and a clear implementation pathway.
• Innovation – originality of the approach, novelty of the solution, and potential to create meaningful change.
• Scalability – opportunities for growth, adaptability across different contexts, and long-term sustainability.

Following the first review stage, at least five projects per grant award are shortlisted. Selection is based on evaluation scores and alignment with sponsor interests.

Finalists present their projects to an expert judging panel through a video pitch. Judges assess presentation quality, project understanding, communication skills, and responses to questions.

The final decision is made by the expert judging panel, taking into account the original application scores, pitch performance, sponsor preferences, and the project’s potential for meaningful impact. Finalists may also request feedback to support future improvement.

• Completed application form (submission form).
• Pitch deck.
• Accompanying videos or documentation (if available and required).

Grant recipients are expected to provide comprehensive financial reporting and demonstrate the proper use of awarded funds throughout the implementation period.

Key reporting obligations include:

• submitting complete financial reports;
• maintaining detailed financial records and documentation;
• providing project progress updates for 12 months following the grant award;
• participating in follow-up activities organized by the programme;
• maintaining communication with the Social Shifters team;
• contributing information required for impact assessment and programme reporting.

Awardees are also expected to support the documentation of project outcomes and achievements. Successful projects may be featured in competition highlights and impact reports.

Participation in the programme requires acceptance of the competition rules and full responsibility for the accuracy of all submitted information.

Key provisions include:

• Participation does not guarantee funding or future opportunities.
• Entrants participate at their own risk and remain solely responsible for project-related decisions.
• The organizer is not liable for technical failures, platform disruptions, data loss, or unsuccessful submissions.

Regarding artificial intelligence:

• Generative AI may be used for editing, research, idea development, and content structuring.
• The core submission must reflect the entrant’s original thinking and expertise.
• Applications may be disqualified if AI generates the majority of the content or if human originality and insight are not evident.
• Applicants must disclose AI usage and confirm the originality of their submissions.

The organizer reserves the right to modify competition rules, adjust timelines, suspend, or cancel the competition when necessary, including in cases of force majeure, regulatory requirements, or unforeseen circumstances.

Grounds for disqualification include false or misleading information, violations of competition guidelines, unethical conduct, or failure to meet eligibility requirements.

Any legal disputes are governed by the laws of Scotland, while mediation and informal resolution are encouraged before formal legal action is considered.