Grant / Program	Purpose	Typical Funding	Who Can Apply	Strengths (why pick it)
Refugee-led Innovation Fund	Support refugee-led local projects / innovations	Up to ~USD 45,000 + program support	Refugee-led organizations, groups, associations	Local ownership; testing & scaling; capacity building.
DAFI Scholarships	Undergraduate tertiary scholarships for refugees	Full scholarships with living support (varies by country)	Individual refugee students meeting criteria	Pathway to university; ties to future livelihood programs.
Partnership Grants (large-scale)	Systemic education & livelihoods programs	Multi-million partnerships (e.g., donor-funded)	NGOs, consortia, UNHCR country offices	Big impact, scale, often includes employer partnerships (e.g., Mastercard Foundation).
Small-scale microgrants	Rapid, local livelihood support	USD 1,000–10,000	Community groups, small orgs	Fast turnaround, practical impact, good for pilots

(Table is illustrative — exact amounts and criteria vary by call; always check the specific call for proposals.)

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Who should apply — and how to pick the right grant

• Individual refugee students looking for higher education should prioritize DAFI (or national scholarship pathways) and check university partnerships or national education pathways supported by UNHCR.

• Refugee-led community groups with tested, locally grounded ideas should consider the Refugee-led Innovation Fund because it emphasizes community ownership and scaling.

• Small NGOs or social enterprises offering training or livelihood programs should evaluate both small grants and larger partnership calls (e.g., Mastercard Foundation–UNHCR deals) depending on scale and readiness.

• Educators, teachers and parents seeking to establish learning spaces, child protection programs, or vocational routes should look for local UNHCR calls and the Education Cannot Wait/UNHCR collaborative vehicles that fund emergency and longer-term education interventions.

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How to prepare a winning application — step-by-step

Below is a practical application playbook. Use it like a checklist.

Step 1 — Read the call carefully

• Identify eligibility, deadlines, required documents, budget caps, and selection criteria.

Step 2 — Convene your team

• A good application shows that multiple stakeholders are already engaged: community leaders, potential employers, and an implementing NGO or fiscal sponsor (if needed).

Step 3 — Co-create the concept

• Do short focus groups or listening sessions with beneficiaries. Record key quotes and baseline data — reviewers value evidence that the community supports the project.

Step 4 — Draft the theory of change

• Short: “If we do X, then Y will change, because Z.” Keep it tight. Link activities to measurable outcomes.

Step 5 — Build a simple budget

• Keep line items clear: training costs, stipends, materials, M&E, admin (reasonable %), and contingency (5–10%).

Step 6 — Prepare M&E plan (monitoring & evaluation)

• Two or three indicators, baseline method, data collection frequency, and responsibilities.

Step 7 — Gather attachments

• Organizational registration (if required), CVs of key staff, letters of support, MOUs with partners, and proof of community engagement.

Step 8 — Quality assurance & language

• Ensure clarity, correct spelling, and that numbers in narrative match the budget. If possible, get a native reader or mentor to review the final draft.

Step 9 — Submit early

• Upload a final version 24–48 hours before the deadline — systems sometimes fail at the last minute.

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Real-world examples — three stories from 2025 (Asia, Middle East, Africa)

Below are three anonymized but realistic case studies that reflect how people used UNHCR-linked grants in 2025.

1. International student — Aisha (Somalia → Kenya) — DAFI pathway (Africa)

Aisha grew up displaced in Dadaab. She completed secondary school via a UN-supported learning center and applied to the DAFI scholarship in her country of asylum. DAFI funded her BA in Social Work and provided a monthly living stipend and mentorship. During her studies she completed a placement with a local NGO; the NGO absorbed some of her costs and later offered her a caseworker role. Her DAFI-supported qualification made her employable and connected her to the local job market upon graduation. Lessons: apply early, highlight community leadership, and use the scholarship to build work experience.

2. Educator — Samir (Syrian refugee teacher in Jordan) — Refugee-led Innovation Fund (Middle East)

Samir ran after-school language classes in an informal tented settlement. He pitched a peer-teaching model that trains refugee youth as assistant tutors and links them to local schools for recognized credentials. The Refugee-led Innovation Fund awarded USD 35,000 to expand the program, pay stipends for youth tutors, and develop a digital curriculum. UNHCR’s innovation team provided mentoring and M&E support. The pilots showed improved language proficiency and increased enrolment in formal classes for older youth. Lessons: scale a tested model; include tutor training & digital elements; partner with local schools.

3. Parent & entrepreneur — Noura (Refugee parent and small-business owner, Lebanon) — Partnership microgrant (Middle East / Africa blend)

Noura had a small tailoring business but wanted to expand, hire displaced women and run a skills-for-work program for adolescent girls. She partnered with a small NGO that secured a partnership grant from a UNHCR–donor consortium that included modest business development funding and an employer-linkage component. The grant included seed capital, training in bookkeeping, and a job placement pipeline with local retailers. Lessons: combine livelihood and social goals, show job placement partners, and design gender-sensitive schedules.

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Your Statement of Purpose — A simple, strong structure (for scholarship/grant applications)

For both individual scholarships (like DAFI) and organizational grant applications, a short, persuasive statement is essential. Use this structure:

1. Opening (1–2 sentences) — Why you/your project exists and the need you address.
   Example: “In my camp, nearly one-third of adolescent girls have no vocational opportunities; our tailoring and digital skills program creates safe, paid training and a pathway to market linkages.”

2. Background & credibility (2–3 short paragraphs) — Your experience, community support, and any pilot evidence. Include numbers.

3. The intervention (2 paragraphs) — What you will do, who will be reached, timeline (months), and key activities.

4. Outcomes & indicators (1 paragraph) — Two or three measurable outcomes (e.g., 120 trainees; 60% employed within 6 months).

5. Budget & sustainability (1 paragraph) — Total funding requested and how the project will continue after grant end.

6. Closing (2–3 sentences) — Re-emphasize the community’s role and your commitment.

Keep it under 800 words for grants; for scholarships it may be shorter (400–600 words) focusing on personal trajectory and impact.

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Common Mistakes — and how to avoid them

1. Vague outcomes — “We’ll train people” is weak. Fix: specify who, how many, and what change you expect.

2. No evidence of community demand — Funders want to know there’s local buy-in. Fix: include short beneficiary quotes, sign-in sheets, or a baseline survey.

3. Overambitious budgets — Asking for large sums without a phased plan looks risky. Fix: propose a pilot phase and scale-up option.

4. Ignoring gender & protection — Many donors prioritize protection-sensitive design. Fix: include child protection, GBV mitigation, and accessibility considerations.

5. Weak partnerships — Grants that stand alone rarely scale. Fix: include MOUs with local NGOs, private sector, or civ society.

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Frequently Asked Questions (Concise but useful)

Q1: Are UNHCR grants open to individuals or only organizations?
A: It depends. DAFI is for individual students; the Refugee-led Innovation Fund is open to refugee-led organizations and groups (some calls accept informal groups); partnership grants generally require registered organizations or consortia. Always check eligibility in each call.

Q2: What is the typical funding amount?
A: Microgrants: USD 1k–10k; Refugee-led Innovation Fund: up to ~USD 45k; DAFI scholarships cover tuition and living support (amounts vary by country); partnership grants can be multi-million.

Q3: How competitive are these grants?
A: Competitive. Grants emphasize impact, feasibility, community leadership and partnership. Pilot proven outcomes increase chances.

Q4: How long does the process take?
A: Microgrant cycles can be 8–12 weeks from application to award; larger partnership grants can take months. Refugee-led Innovation Fund cycles are typically announced with ~a month for applications and decisions within 6–8 weeks.

Q5: Can non-refugee organizations apply to support refugee communities?
A: Yes — but many funds now prioritize refugee-led organizations to promote local ownership. If you’re not refugee-led, show strong refugee representation and leadership in governance and design.

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Practical tips for applicants (day-to-day actions that make a difference)

• Start simple: draft a two-paragraph pitch summarizing problem + solution and test it with 3 community members.

• Use templates: many UNHCR calls provide templates — use them exactly (budget lines, word limits).

• Local partner first: if you’re an international NGO, partner a refugee-led group for stronger credibility.

• Collect photos & simple data during pilots: before applying, run a 2–4 week pilot to collect numbers and beneficiary quotes.

• Ask for help: UNHCR country offices sometimes offer info sessions—attend them and ask clarifying questions.

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Measuring success — sample indicators you can use

• Output indicators: number of training sessions delivered, number of participants enrolled, number of learning materials distributed.

• Outcome indicators: % of participants completing training, % of participants employed within 6 months, average income increase after 6 months.

• Quality indicators: satisfaction rate (surveys), retention rates, demonstration of new skills (assessments).

• Sustainability indicators: number of local partners secured, additional funding leveraged, community contribution (time or cash).

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Budgeting basics — a simple grant budget template

• Personnel: project manager (X months), trainers (Y days), admin support

• Training materials & equipment: sewing machines, laptops, tools

• Stipends: participant stipends or transport allowances

• Monitoring & evaluation: data collection costs, baseline/endline surveys

• Operational costs: rental, utilities, communication

• Contingency: 5–10% of total

Always align the budget line items to activities and justify every cost briefly in the narrative.

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Delivering after award — what funders expect

• Regular reporting: narrative progress reports, financial reports, and final evaluation.

• Adaptive management: update funders on major contextual shifts (security, supply chain issues).

• Visibility: UNHCR often requests proper branding and acknowledgement; include communications deliverables.

• Learning & sharing: funders value knowledge sharing — be ready to present lessons at webinars or communities of practice.

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Conclusion — why apply and what to do now

UNHCR refugee support grants in 2025 are more than money — they are an opportunity to convert local knowledge into scalable, sustainable solutions. Whether you are an individual applying for a DAFI scholarship, a refugee-led group testing an education or livelihood innovation, or a parent seeking stable schooling and job paths for your children, there are programs designed to support you — but they require clarity, community engagement, measurable outcomes, and partnership.

Immediate action plan (3 steps)

1. Decide your route — scholarship (DAFI) or project grant (Refugee-led Innovation Fund) or a partnership call. The Global Compact on Refugees | UNHCRUNHCR

2. Read the call — download the templates, note deadlines and eligibility.

3. Start a short pilot — collect basic data and community feedback to strengthen your application.

Apply now. Funding windows close and open frequently; preparing early and piloting first increases your chances.

“Ideas from lived experience, when funded and supported, become solutions that protect dignity and grow opportunity.”