Citi Foundation Global Innovation Challenge 2025: Youth Employability (Up To $500,000 in Grants)

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The Citi Foundation Global Innovation Challenge is an open call for applications or request for proposals (RFP) designed to provide catalytic grant funding to community organizations across the world. This year, the Foundation invites proposals from community organizations developing innovative employment solutions for low-income youth primarily between the ages of 15 and 24.

The innovative solutions could include, but are not limited to:

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.
Entrepreneurship programming that specifically focuses on the incubation or scaling of youth-led enterprises to increase job creation and access to self-generated income.
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.

Citi Foundation Global Innovation Challenge Funding Information

The Foundation plans to award grants of $500,000 (USD) payable over two years to 50 community organizations working in select communities where Citi has a presence.

Geographic Focus

Africa
- Algeria, Cameroon, Côte D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia
Asia Pacific
- Australia, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Korea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam
Europe
- Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine and United Kingdom
Middle East
- Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates
Latin America & the Caribbean
- Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad & Tobago and Uruguay
North America
- Canada, Mexico and select U.S. states and territories: California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Puerto Rico and Washington D.C.

Eligibility Criteria for Citi Foundation Global Innovation Challenge

Applicant organizations must be registered as nonprofit entities under local law. For example, for U.S. entities, applicants need to be tax-exempt public charities as per Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.
They invite proposals from community organizations developing innovative employment solutions for low-income youth primarily between the ages of 15 and 24.
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.
Applicant’s proposed program must align with the Foundation’s mission of supporting low-income communities as defined by local standards and definitions.
Applicant’s proposed program must impact one or more of the target geographies.