IAS Invites Applications from Young Leaders to Drive Projects for People Living With or Affected by HIV

The International AIDS Society (IAS) is calling for applications for its Youth Hub Seed Grant Programme, inviting young innovators affiliated with any HIV-related organisations or who have demonstrated interests in sexual and reproductive health and rights,  particularly of people living with or affected by HIV, to propose small-scale but high-impact projects to run from April to October 2026. IAS will award USD 10,000 per project to implement or scale up HIV-related innovations that address locally defined needs. Five Young Leaders will be selected.

What the Successful Applicant Will Receive

Each selected Young Leader will receive all of the following:

• A seed grant of USD 10,000 for a six-month innovation project from April to October 2026.

• Capacity building support in monitoring & evaluation, reporting, communications, and networking.

• Travel to AIDS 2026, the 26th International AIDS Conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

• Inclusion in the AIDS 2026 Young Leaders Programme.

Eligibility Criteria

To apply successfully, you must satisfy requirements in two categories: the Young Leader and the host organisation.

Young Leader must:

• Be between 18 and 30 years old (with special preference ideally for those under 25).

• Be connected to an organisation working in HIV and/or sexual and reproductive health & rights or related fields; that organisation must provide mentorship and logistical support.

• Be willing to attend AIDS 2026 (26-31 July 2026) in Rio de Janeiro.

• Be able to report and communicate with IAS in English.

The host organisation must:

• Be a registered charitable organisation willing to undergo additional eligibility checks.

• Provide a point of contact to actively mentor the Young Leader.

• Be able to support the Young Leader logistically in the daily implementation of the innovation project.

• Be able to manage and receive the funds tied to the seed grant.

• Be able to communicate with IAS in English.

How To Apply

Applicants must apply through the online portal. Key components of the application include:

• Contact details for both the Young Leader and the host organisation.

• Description of motivation, project feasibility, and skills.

• A completed budget template.

• A letter of support from the host organisation.

Only applications submitted via the portal will be considered.

Deadline & Timeline

• Deadline for submitting applications is Monday, 29 September 2025, 23:59 CEST.

• Projects will run from April to October 2026.

• Applicants will be informed of the outcome by December 2025.

Selection Criteria

Applications will be evaluated on the following:

1. Innovation and clarity of the project plan.

2. Evidence of project sustainability.

3. Strength of youth engagement.

4. Leadership qualities of the proposed Young Leader.

5. Capacity of the host organisation.

The review process involves the Youth Hub Grant Committee; each application is scored by at least one Young Leader and one IAS representative, and top-scoring applications will be discussed in detail before selecting the final five.

Why This Matters

The Youth Hub Seed Grant Programme offers young people living with or affected by HIV the opportunity not only to receive funding but also to build skills, expand networks, and engage in a global conference platform. For those with innovative ideas grounded in their communities, this is a chance to turn concept into action with real support.

Apply

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