Lisle Global Seed Grants for Intercultural Projects

Donor: Lisle International

Deadline: June 30, 2026

Countries/ Regions: Global

Focus Areas: Entrepreneurship, Community Development, Innovation, Learning

Application Language: English

Grant size: $1,000 to $10,000

Link: Apply - Lisle International

Description:

The Lisle Global Seed Grants provide funding support for innovative intercultural initiatives that foster meaningful dialogue, collaboration, and learning among diverse communities worldwide.

The grants focus on promoting intercultural communication and understanding, fostering shared learning experiences, encouraging collaboration across diverse communities, supporting conflict resolution initiatives, strengthening community building efforts, and developing innovative projects that create opportunities for intercultural interaction.

Lisle International follows a two-phase application process. Organizations must first submit a Request to Apply (RTA) through the grant portal. Submitted requests are reviewed to determine whether they align with Lisle’s mission and demonstrate the potential for a successful project. Applicants whose RTAs show promise are invited to submit a full grant proposal.

The program primarily supports projects that place intercultural engagement at the center of their activities. Applicants are expected to clearly demonstrate how their project intentionally promotes communication, learning, and interaction among people from different cultural backgrounds. Projects from any country are eligible to apply, and organizations are preferred over individual applicants, although individuals may apply if they are affiliated with an organization responsible for project implementation.

Lisle particularly encourages applications from small and emerging organizations seeking support for new initiatives with growth potential. The foundation aims to serve as a significant contributor to well-defined intercultural projects that reflect the spirit of a seed grant and can benefit from early-stage funding.

Successful projects are typically innovative, collaborative, community-focused, and designed to bring people together while addressing social challenges or conflicts through intercultural exchange. The program does not support infrastructure development, hardware purchases, travel costs for U.S. participants in international programs, salaries for U.S. volunteers, or activities involving religious education or proselytizing.

Applicants are encouraged to present proposals in their own voice and draw upon their lived experiences and community knowledge. While artificial intelligence tools may be used for translation, grammar, or spelling support, proposals should remain authentic and reflect the unique vision and goals of the project.

Lisle Global Seed Grants provide funding of up to $5,000, with all grant expenditures required to take place during the calendar year in which the grant is awarded.

Applicants invited to submit a full proposal will receive guidance from a Lisle Grant Mentor. Mentors support applicants throughout the grant process, review proposals for alignment with Lisle’s mission, provide feedback, and serve as the primary point of contact during the application period.

For more information, visit Lisle International.