Interagency PSEA Community Outreach and Communication Fund

2026 Guidance for Applicants

Applications open: 19 May 2026
Applications close: 14 June 2026 23.59 CET

Please read the application guidance in detail from the link below before applying.

About the Fund 

Established in 2020 as a joint initiative between the International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Interagency Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Community Outreach and Communication Fund (the PSEA Outreach Fund for short) provides rapid, targeted financial support to local and national Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). The PSEA Outreach Fund enables these organisations to carry out PSEA awareness-raising and capacity-strengthening activities. 

Since its launch in 2020, the Fund has generated tremendous interest from local and national NGOs and Civil-Society Organisations (CSOs), with over 78 grants allocated. 

For more information, visit the PSEA Outreach Fund website. All materials created by previous Fund recipients will be made available in the Fund’s Deliverables Database. 

Two grant types: short-term and multi-year

The 2026 call for applications aims to support local and national NGOs and CSOs by financing PSEA outreach and communication activities as well as systems strengthening for at risk communities in humanitarian settings. The Fund specifically seeks to prevent Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) perpetrated by aid workers or other people associated with aid organisations against the people they are supposed to assist. 

For 2026, the Fund offers two grant types through a single application process. Applicants can apply for both, or select the track that best matches their context, capacity, and ambition.

A multi-year grant requires a qualitatively different proposal from a short-term grant. As it is intended to build depth, systems change, and organisational sustainability, the nature of its design must reflect this more strategic perspective.

Where a short-term grant application describes a set of activities to be delivered within a defined period, a multi-year application must present a coherent programme logic across 12–24 months.

Geographic Focus 

For 2026, projects implemented in humanitarian or displacement contexts in the following countries will be considered:

Afghanistan, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Lebanon, Palestine, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants should note that the Fund’s grants are highly competitive. Due to the volume of applications, only shortlisted organisations will be contacted. 

All applications must meet the following requirements to be considered. Applications that do not meet all of these criteria will not proceed to the scoring stage.

1.        The organisation is a local or national NGO, CSO, or NGO network. International NGOs and UN agencies are not eligible.

2.        The organisation is registered with relevant national authorities. Proof of registration will be requested if short-listed. 

3.        Applicants must be able to receive funds and report on funds from international sources.

4.        The organisation has a PSEA or safeguarding policy in place and provides it at the shortlisting phase.

5.        The organisation's annual budget is at least USD 100,000.

6.        Applicant organisations must be able to demonstrate PSEA or other protection outreach and communication experience at community level. Multi-year applicants must also show systems building experience.

7.        The proposed project is located in one of the eligible countries for this round. Final selection will depend on the quality and fit of applications received, and grants may not be awarded in every country: Afghanistan, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Lebanon, Palestine, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen.

Selection Criteria

ICVA will oversee the application screening and selection process, which takes place with the Fund’s inter-agency Steering Committee. In addition to the minimum eligibility criteria listed above, applicants should follow the short-term or multi-year grant parameters and the below criteria to ensure they are meeting the objectives of the Fund in their proposals.

Applicants select the short-term and/or the multi-year grant track. The Steering Committee will consider applicants for both tracks. Please note that applicants to the multi-year grant track must be members of the PSEA Network.

Application Process 

·      Applications open: 19 May 2026

·      Applications close: 14 June 2026

·      Only applications via the online application form will be accepted. The online application form is available in English, French and Arabic here

·      If you have any questions on the PSEA Outreach Fund or application process, technical issues with the form, please contact [email protected] 

Selection Process 

·      Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. 

·      The screening and short-listing process will be concluded by 10 July 2026  

·      For multi-year grants, shortlisted applications will undergo a more in-depth review by a panel of experts.

·      By submitting your application, you agree for ICVA to contact your organisation in relation to this application. You also confirm your understanding of how the information contained in the application will be utilised in alignment with ICVA's Privacy Policy.  

Application form: 2026 PSEA Community Outreach and Communications Fund -  Application Form