Request for Proposals (RFP) – Grant opportunity for organisations active in Ghana and/or Tanzania
Are you an organisation committed to improving the lives of young people?
Do you have experience working with young people to ensure that their voices are heard in public agendas and decision-making?
Do you consider that creating safer urban environments for young people enables them to take full advantage of growth and development opportunities offered by cities?
And, do you agree that encouraging inter-personal connections, providing platforms for dialogue and co-creation are the stepping stones for nurturing a healthy and resilient social fabric?
If these questions resonate with your work, then please refer to the following grant opportunity.
The Global Infrastructure Basel Foundation (GIB), on behalf of the Safe and Sound Cities Programme (S²Cities), is looking for grantee(s) experienced in youth engagement, capacity strengthening, innovation engine processes, placemaking, and addressing urban safety and security issues, for the implementation of the S²Cities programme components and activities in selected secondary cities of Ghana and / or Tanzania.
S²Cities is committed to creating safer urban environments with and for young people. We are a global programme currently operating in secondary cities in Ecuador, Colombia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Switzerland. We engage young people in understanding the safety issues that affect their quality of life; provide capacity-strengthening opportunities to young people and local government officials to promote dialogue and inclusive decision-making related to urban safety; and encourage young people to co-create innovative solutions with other urban stakeholders to improve safety in their cities.
The programme started in June 2021 and concluded its first phase in December 2024. Currently, the programme has eight cities in five countries (Envigado and Cartagena, Colombia; Bandung, Indonesia; Cuenca and Ambato, Ecuador; Baguio and Naga, the Philippines; Basel, Switzerland) with over 10,500 young people participating in program activities and over 25 initiatives launched tackling issues such as crime, mobility, mental health, safe recreation, and bullying. Now in its second phase, the programme aims to expand to at least two additional cities in Ghana and or Tanzania, with activities starting in Q1 2026.
The programme is seeking Youth Innovation and Capacity Strengthening grantee(s) to serve as lead and facilitator to implement the S²Cities programme components and drive systemic change in the new cities. All local grantees’ activities must have a strong focus on youth participation and placemaking or community planning. The grantee must aim to bring young people, local government officials, private sector, and other relevant urban actors together to co-create and innovate solutions or interventions that create safer urban environments for young people.
If you are an organisation devoted to working with, organising, and representing young people in decision-making processes of public life; if you have a keen interest in catalysing young people’s potential to improve urban safety; and if your organisation has well-established local connections and presence in one or both of the mentioned locations, then we invite you to check out our Request for Proposals for Youth Engagement and Capacity Strengthening Grantee for the Safe and Sound Cities Programme (S²Cities) in Ghana and/or Tanzania.
RFP Submission Deadline: 1 Nov, 2025 at 23:59 CET
If you are interested in this opportunity and would like more information, we invite you to join one of the following information sessions.
(Register online to receive the Zoom link. Applicants can register for more than one session if desired.)
15 Oct 2025 at 09.00 CEST: Register here
20 Oct 2025 at 15.00 CEST: Register here
