Global Seed Grants
Do you have a project idea that will bring people of diverse backgrounds together for shared learning? Lisle International provides Global Seed Grants to support innovative projects which advance intercultural understanding through shared experiences, with the goal of creating a more just social order. Projects may seek to bridge a variety of community divides, including ethnic, cultural, religious, racial or gender perspectives, anywhere in the world.
The Lisle Global Seed Grants support projects that further the
Lisle mission and promote intercultural communication and shared learning.
It is essential applicants make clear how a proposed project promotes intercultural engagement and communication as a core goal achieved through intentional program components. Lisle only funds projects that promote intercultural understanding and bring people of diverse backgrounds together to share and learn from one another.
Lisle prefers to fund organizations rather than individuals. An individual may apply, but they should identify an organization with which they will affiliate to accomplish the project.
In keeping with the spirit of “seed grant,” Lisle supports new projects that have not been implemented before and have the potential to grow, rather than ongoing and/or well-funded programs. Lisle additionally prefers to be a significant donor on well-defined intercultural projects proposed by small and young organizations.
The most successful projects:
- Are innovative and collaborative
- Have intercultural interaction as central to the project
- Work toward resolving conflicts
- Promote community building
The Lisle Global Seed Grant program does NOT fund
- infrastructure (e.g. buildings or furnishing schools)
- hardware (e.g., computers)
- travel costs for U.S. participants in international programs
- salaries for U.S. volunteers in international projects
- religious education or proselytizing
Lisle has posted on its website information about the
previous grants. Reviewing that list, may help you understand the types of projects we have funded in the past.
- Grants Timeline
- April 1, 2023: Prospective applicants may begin submitting an online Request to Apply.
- Deadline August 1, 2024: Deadline to submit Request to Apply.
- September 1, 2024: Deadline to submit a Completed Phase 2 Application Form.
- November 30: Global Seed Grants are selected at the Lisle Annual Meeting held each fall.
- Projects must to take place between January 1 – December 31, 2025.
Within the application process you will see that there is reference to a Lisle Mentor.
Who Is a Lisle Mentor, you may ask?
The mentor is a Lisle member who is familiar with the mission, goals and history of Lisle, and who can help guide a project so it is aligned with Lisle’s values and vision. Lisle mentors guide applicants to the Global Seed Fund (GSF)–those who are approved to enter Phase Two, the Global Seed Grant Application. The mentor helps an applicant evaluate their project idea to consider whether it is a good fit for the Lisle Seed Grant Program, and whether an application is appropriate. He or she is the primary point of contact during the application process and is available to respond to questions or concerns which arise.
Why a Lisle Mentor?
Since 2004, Lisle has provided more than 70 seed grants to many organizations from around the world. As such, we recognize that (1) grant writing can be a challenging process and (2) not everyone is familiar with the formal process of grant application. As such, understanding key terminology and processes can be also very difficult and time consuming. Lisle has found that a people–to–people approach during this process helps to make the burden lighter. For this reason, mentoring is a key part of the GSF application process. Each GSF applicant is required to have a mentor.
Mentor Assignment
Mentors can be assigned or pre-arranged. If a Request to Apply applicant has a previous connection with a Lisler, it is fine to ask that person to assist and then to name them within the application. If an applicant submits a Request to Apply Form without having a Lisle person to serve as a mentor then a mentor is assigned. A formal letter of introduction is sent to both the mentor and applicant assigned, along with a copy of the Request to Apply Form submitted by the applicant. The applicant then is responsible to contact the mentor to arrange for consultation during the application process, which may be by email, phone or video chat.
What Exactly Does the Mentor Do?
The mentor is expected to:
- Get to know more about the applicant and the work that the organization does;
- Explain Lisle and the Global Seed Grants process as needed
- Clarify questions regarding key terminology or processes linked to the grant making and mentoring process
- Help the applicant determine whether their project meets the criteria for a Lisle grant, as outlined on the Lisle website
- Correspond with the applicant to help in strengthening the design and presentation of the project.
- If at any stage the mentor feels an application is not ready for submission and consideration, they will notify the applicant.
- Review the application prior to final submission. https://lisleinternational.org/lisle-grants/previous-projects/. If an applicant applies without the approval of their mentor, the application will not be accepted for further review.
- Act as a liaison between the applicant and the Lisle Board. The Lisle Mentor will coordinate communications with the Board and share their comments on the grant proposal and its fit with Lisle to the Board.
- Help manage expectations during the process since Lisle is not able to fund all eligible applications
- Provide feedback to the Board about the process, to improve the Grant program. Mentor suggestions help strengthen future projects and the Lisle Seed Grant decision-making process.