UNESCO: International Fund for Cultural Diversity

Home/Opportunity/UNESCO: International Fund for Cultural Diversity

Short Description

The International Fund for Cultural Diversity (IFCD) is a key instrument of international cooperation and assistance for the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005).
Its purpose is to foster the emergence of dynamic cultural sectors in developing countries that are Parties to the 2005 Convention, through strengthening the means to create, produce, distribute and have access to diverse cultural goods and services. As a multi-donor fund, the IFCD promotes South-South and North-South cooperation, while contributing to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including gender equality and poverty reduction.

Who can apply?

• Public authorities and institutions from eligible countries (developing countries that are Parties to the 2005 Convention)
• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from eligible countries (developing countries that are Parties to the 2005 Convention) that meet the definition of civil society*
• International non-governmental organizations (INGOs) registered in countries Parties to the 2005 Convention, that meet the definition of civil society* in the Operational Guidelines and that present projects that have an impact in developing countries at the sub-regional, regional or inter-regional
level

Types of eligible projects

  1. Projects submitted by public authorities and institutions that:
    • Develop tools that contribute to decision-making and planning (mappings, sustainable
    statistical collection and processing systems, sectoral strategies, etc.)
    • Create and/or strengthen public cultural agencies and institutions essential to the
    development of cultural industries, including developing the expertise of civil servants
    • Establish and/or strengthen financing and market development mechanisms for cultural
    goods and services
    • Implement international cooperation agreements and treaties aimed at a more balanced
    exchange of cultural goods and services
    • Create and/or strengthen the pedagogical and organizational capacities of educational,
    vocational and technical training institutes in the cultural and creative sectors
    • Promote the development of cultural industries in the digital environment, in accordance
    with the roadmap for the Implementation of Guidelines to Promote the Diversity of Cultural
    Expressions in the Digital Environment
    • Strengthen participation in cultural life, in particular measures to promote engagement of
    vulnerable groups (including persons belonging to minorities and indigenous peoples) in
    the creation, production, distribution and access to diverse cultural expressions
    • Create and implement measures or policies to promote gender equality in the cultural and
    creative sectors
  2. Projects submitted by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that:
    • Strengthen capacities of civil society focusing on policy participation, communication
    and/or networking
    • Contribute to inform policy making, including monitoring and evaluation activities to
    determine the impact of cultural policies and measures to promote cultural industries
    • Strengthen the pedagogical and organizational capacities of educational, vocational and
    technical training institutes in the cultural and creative sectors
    • Create new financing opportunities and promote access to national and international
    markets for cultural goods and services
    • Promote the development of cultural industries in the digital environment, in accordance
    with the roadmap for the Implementation of Guidelines to Promote the Diversity of Cultural
    Expressions in the Digital Environment
    • Strengthen participation in cultural life, including measures to promote engagement of
    vulnerable groups (including persons belonging to minorities and indigenous peoples) in
    the creation, production, distribution and access to diverse cultural expressions
    • Create and implement measures to promote gender equality in the cultural and creative
    sectors

How to Apply

Online Application

Program Benefits & Awards

US$ 100,000 is the maximum amount that can be requested*
Allocations will be sent in several installments:

  • Beginning of the project: 50%
  • Mid-way through the project: 30%
  • Completion of the project: 20%

Entry Fee

None

Location

Paris, France

Timeline

  • Application Deadline: 21 May 2025

Website Link: https://www.unesco.org/creativity/en/ifcd/apply

Fund