☰
The IOM Innovation Facility is a dynamic platform that supports novel and transformative initiatives on migration. By offering seed funding, building innovation capacities, and nurturing an innovation ecosystem, it enables the creation and expansion of impactful and innovative projects. Apply now!
Opportunity Details
Launched in 2024, the IOM Innovation Facility creates an enabling environment to collaborate, ideate and develop innovative solutions that can transform the way we address migration challenges.
The IOM Innovation Facility is a dynamic platform that supports novel and transformative initiatives on migration. By offering seed funding, building innovation capacities, and nurturing an innovation ecosystem, it enables the creation and expansion of impactful and innovative projects. The Facility's approach centers on fostering partnerships and collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, ensuring that innovative ideas can be effectively piloted and scaled to drive system-wide solutions.
The Facility accelerates progress toward the achievement of the IOM Strategic Plan 2024 – 2028 and the broader UN 2.0, transformative goals in fostering the use of different approaches for greater effectiveness, impact, and sustainability. It also advances IOM's commitment to global frameworks, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (GCM).
Innovation projects selected through the Facility can receive funding between USD 50,000 and USD 80,000. Maximum duration for each project is 12 months. In addition to the funding, the IOM Innovation Facility offers an ecosystem of services through the Innovation and Knowledge Management unit to maximize development impact of every selected project. This includes:
1. Capacity Development
Developing innovation capacity of teams through tailored coaching and innovation learning programmes like INCKED @ IOM – Innovation Capacity and Knowledge Development Initiative.
2. Networking
Providing access to innovation experts, in migration, systems thinking, design thinking, futures thinking, scaling, etc.
3. Technical Support
Assisting in project management, monitoring, and evaluation of your innovation projects.
4. Knowledge Exchange
Providing avenues for your team to share your project results, good practices, and lessons learned (avenues like Peer Exchange and Learning on Migration platform (POEM), Talking Migration podcast, KONNECT webinar series, and the Knowledge Fair).
5. Recognition
Recognizing innovation champions and projects through Innovation awards and Impact awards
All Member States, non-IOM Member States, migrants and their communities are beneficiaries of the Facility. Applications for funding can only be submitted by IOM Offices, or by IOM Headquarters’ departments, in coordination with the relevant Country and Regional Offices.
Innovation Criteria
1. Novelty
The solution should represent a new and original approach to solving a problem or addressing a challenge in the context of migration and displacement. It should not simply be a replication of existing methods or practices.
2. Effectiveness
The solution should be effective in achieving its intended results. It should demonstrate measurable improvements in outcomes over existing methods or practices.
3. Sustainability
The solution should be sustainable in the long-term, economically, socially, and environmentally. It should be able to be maintained and scaled up over time, leveraging future-looking approaches and without being dependent on short-term funding or external support. It should adhere to the "Do No Harm" approach, ensuring that actions do not create negative consequences or exacerbate impact on the environment, individuals and society.
4. Accessibility & Participatory approach
The solution should be accessible to those targeted, regardless of their location or socioeconomic status gender, diversity, or vulnerability. It should incorporate gender diversity and actively include diverse and vulnerable groups including minorities, ensuring their needs and perspectives are fully integrated. Innovation should include a process in which ideas emerge from and directly benefit participants and/or end-users, and involve a participatory approach that encourages creativity, diversity of thought, and experimentation by facilitating collaboration and knowledge sharing on an open platform.
5. Scalability & Transformation
Potential for innovation to be scaled and adopted widely across different contexts, sectors, or regions. The solution should drive transformative change, enabling significant improvements or shifts in practices and outcomes. The solution should also demonstrate the ability to overcome potential barriers to scaling, to achieve broad and lasting impact. It should also be adaptable to different cultural, environmental, and technological conditions.
The application process is as follows:
For more information, contact [email protected]
Apply for The IOM Innovation Facility