Grants for Young Creatives by Swarovski Foundation

The Creatives For Our Future (CFOF) program was founded by the charitable organization Swarovski Foundation in close collaboration with the United Nations Office for Partnerships. The creation of this initiative is driven by the fact that today's world faces large-scale environmental and social challenges requiring new approaches to thinking, creation, and leadership. Research by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation shows that up to 80% of a product's environmental impact is determined as early as its design phase, confirming the crucial role of the creative sector in shaping sustainable solutions. At the same time, according to UNESCO, young creatives face significant structural barriers — from the digital divide and unequal access to opportunities to algorithmic biases that limit fair remuneration and sustainable career development.

The main goal of the Creatives For Our Future program is to empower and support the next generation of leaders in sustainable development by unlocking their creative potential. The competition is open to participants worldwide aged 21 to 30 working in disciplines such as fashion, design, visual arts, architecture, innovative technologies, and engineering. Applicants must develop their own project or product that uses creative means to raise public awareness, create new technologies, or develop practical solutions to accelerate the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

The Swarovski Foundation itself was established in 2013 with a mission to foster sustainable livelihoods through education and reducing inequality. The foundation's work focuses on three key areas: Equity, Creativity, and Water, implemented through dedicated initiatives — Action Fund, Creatives for Our Future, and Waterschool. Since its inception, the Swarovski Foundation has reached over 2 million people in 93 countries through 85 partner projects.

Within the fifth cycle of the Creatives For Our Future program, six selected winners will receive a non-repayable grant of €20,000 each to implement their declared initiative. In addition to financial support, the program includes an intensive one-week visit to London (UK), featuring workshops, collaborative practical sessions, and exclusive events. Furthermore, participants join a tailored one-year development program covering one-on-one personal mentorship, masterclasses from leading international industry experts, and extensive networking opportunities.

• Age: 21 to 30 years inclusive at the time of application submission and deadline date.
• Geography: Open to citizens and residents of all countries worldwide.
• Travel Requirements: Ability to meet all UK visa and entry requirements, and holding a valid international passport.
• Intellectual Property Rights: Applicants must be the sole legal and beneficial owners of the project's IP. Applications from co-founders or employees submitted on behalf of companies are not accepted.
• Bank Account: Having a personal bank account opened directly in the applicant's name.
• Priority Sectors: Fashion, design, visual arts, architecture, technology, engineering.
• Ineligible Categories: Projects in performing arts (music, dance, theater) and literature (fiction, poetry, scripts, journalism).
• Affiliation Restrictions: Employees of Swarovski Foundation, Swarovski Group, their subsidiaries, agencies, and their household members are ineligible.

• Grant Amount: Each of the 6 selected winners is awarded a grant of €20,000.
• Target Purpose: Grant funds must be used exclusively for the development, implementation, and execution of the project described in the application.
• Payment Method: Funding is transferred directly to a personal bank account opened in the participant's name.
• Eligible Costs:
  • Procurement of materials, equipment, components, and prototype development.
  • Conducting research, simulations, testing, and laboratory trials.
  • Production of educational, marketing, and promotional materials for the project.
  • Costs for product scaling, market entry preparation, and commercialization.
• Ineligible Costs and Restrictions:
  • Using the grant for university-related expenses, including tuition fees, accommodation in dormitories, or student campuses, is strictly prohibited.
  • Projects in performing arts (music, dance, theater) and literature (fiction, scripts, poetry, journalism) are not funded.
  • Transferring grant funds to bank accounts of third parties or organizations is prohibited.
  • Double funding is prohibited (expenses covered by CFOF grant funds cannot be funded or reimbursed by any existing or future external funding source).
  • Tax Obligations: Grant funds may be considered taxable income under the laws of the participant's country of residence; the participant is solely responsible for paying all applicable taxes.

• Development, testing, and implementation of owned ecological, social, or cultural projects, innovations, and products.
• Projects at any stage of development: from early-stage concepts and ideas (requiring a compelling proof of concept) to market-ready enterprises.
• Creation of working prototypes, laboratory testing, and computer simulations.
• Development and launch of eco-friendly building materials, water recycling and purification systems, waste reduction equipment, educational games, or interactive solutions.
• Participation in international educational events, mentorship sessions, masterclasses, and the in-person week-long program in London.

• September 9, 2026: Official opening of online applications.
• November 9, 2026 (23:59): Application deadline.
• November 2026 – February 2027: Evaluation of applications by the selection committee and online interviews with shortlisted candidates.
• April 2027: Final selection of the winner cohort and official notification sent to selected participants.
• September 2027 (or October TBC): Trip to London (UK) and participation in a public event announcing the winners.
• October 2027: Disbursement of grant funds, assignment of individual mentors, and launch of the educational masterclass series.
• May 2028: Submission of a Progress Report by participants.
• September 2028: Official Online Graduation of the cohort.
• September 2029: Submission of the Final Report on project outcomes.

1. Review & Verification: Check eligibility against all criteria (age, passport, IP ownership).
2. Form Completion: Go to the official portal https://creatives.swarovskifoundation.org/application and complete the online application form in English.
3. Video Pitch Recording: Record a video pitch up to 2 minutes long (file size up to 150 MB) in English. Introduce yourself, your project, the environmental or social problem addressed, the mission, and future vision. Provide an open link without access restrictions or expiration dates.
4. Portfolio Preparation: Prepare a visual portfolio (file size up to 50 MB) demonstrating past experience, skills, and the proposed project (sketches, photos, drawings, renders, case studies).
5. Submission: Submit the form by November 9, 2026 (23:59) and receive email confirmation.
6. Interviews & Confirmation: If shortlisted, participate in an online interview (November 2026 – February 2027). If selected as a winner, confirm award acceptance within 4 days of notification.

Selection consists of two stages: Pre-screening and Main Evaluation across 6 criteria.

1. Pre-screening Stage:

• Validity: Verification of a fully completed application form, age compliance (21–30 years), valid international passport, and creative portfolio.
• Application Quality: Evaluation of the completeness and depth of answers. Single-word responses ("yes"/"no") without context lead to disqualification.

2. Main Evaluation Criteria:

• Design and Creativity: Originality and unconventional use of design to create innovations within at least one creative medium (excluding performing arts and literature).
• Innovative: Freshness of concept, solution-oriented approach, ability to rethink existing systems or shift established mindsets.
• Potential, Feasibility, and Scalability: Clear long-term vision, practical viability of the idea, and ability of the project to adapt and scale to achieve real impact.
• Impact Driven: Creation of a positive environmental, social, or cultural impact (e.g., waste reduction, resource restoration, community empowerment), backed by qualitative or quantitative data.
• Sustainable Development: Alignment or potential alignment of the project with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
• Funding Transparency: Justification and accountability of the budget plan for using the €20,000 grant in line with sustainable development goals.

• Documents at the Online Application Stage:
  • Completed online application form (submitted in English via the official website).
  • Link to a video pitch (up to 2 minutes, max 150 MB, in English or with English subtitles).
  • Visual creative portfolio (up to 50 MB; must contain graphic content: sketches, photos, renders, case studies; text-only CVs or diplomas without visuals are not accepted).
• Documents for Winners (at the selection confirmation stage):
  • Copy of a valid international passport.
  • Documentary proof of a bank account in the participant's name.
  • Signed Commitment Letter agreeing to program rules and requirements.
  • Visa and entry authorization documents for travel to the UK.

• Reporting Schedule: Mandatory submission of a progress report in May 2028 and a final report in September 2029. After graduation, participants also complete a post-program survey.
• Attendance Requirements: Participants must attend the in-person event in London (Autumn 2027), virtual mentorship sessions, over 12 online masterclasses (~2 sessions per month), and networking events. Missing over 30% of mandatory events by mid-program grants the Foundation the right to cancel remaining grant disbursements.
• Project Change Management: Any modifications to the project's concept or implementation plan must be immediately reported to the Swarovski Foundation for written approval. Misuse of funds requires full reimbursement.
• Media Rights: Participants grant the Swarovski Foundation an irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free consent to use their name, photos, videos, biography, and project materials for program promotion.
• Legal and Tax Compliance: Independent coverage of tax liabilities, holding necessary travel permits/visas for the UK, signing a commitment letter, and confirming the absence of double funding.

• Intellectual Property: 100% of project IP rights remain with the author. Only sole IP owners can apply (applications from legal entities or on behalf of teams/companies are not accepted).
• Finance & Taxes: The grant (€20,000) is paid exclusively to the applicant's personal foreign currency account. The participant independently pays all applicable taxes and guarantees the absence of double funding.
• Publicity & Promotion: The participant grants Swarovski Foundation and UN partners the royalty-free right to use their name, photos, and project materials to promote the program globally.
• Discipline & Cancellation: Mandatory attendance at the London trip, mentorship sessions, and masterclasses. Absence from over 30% of events or unauthorized project modifications entitles organizers to cancel remaining grant payments.
• Visa Requirements: The participant is personally responsible for holding a valid international passport and meeting all UK entry and visa requirements.