Deadline: 14-Jun-2026
The Inter-Agency PSEA Community Outreach and Communication Fund provides targeted grants to local and national NGOs working in humanitarian and displacement settings to strengthen Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) awareness, safeguarding systems, and safe reporting mechanisms. The fund supports short-term and multi-year projects across crisis-affected countries, focusing on community education, communication materials, and systems strengthening to prevent abuse by aid workers.
What is the Inter-Agency PSEA Fund?
The Inter-Agency PSEA Community Outreach and Communication Fund is a joint funding mechanism supporting community-level action to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse in humanitarian contexts.
It was established in 2020 through a collaboration between:
- International Council of Voluntary Agencies
- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Purpose of the Fund
The fund aims to:
- Prevent sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) in humanitarian settings
- Strengthen community awareness of rights and protections
- Improve safeguarding systems for vulnerable populations
- Support safe reporting mechanisms for affected communities
- Ensure humanitarian aid is delivered without exploitation or coercion
Key Focus Areas
Community awareness and outreach
- PSEA awareness campaigns
- Community-led education initiatives
- Rights-based communication strategies
- Local language messaging and materials
Safeguarding and protection systems
- Strengthening organisational safeguarding frameworks
- Improving accountability mechanisms
- Enhancing prevention systems in humanitarian response
Communication and reporting systems
- Safe and accessible reporting channels
- Development of context-specific communication tools
- Community feedback and response mechanisms
Capacity strengthening
- Training for local NGOs and CSOs
- Organisational safeguarding capacity building
- Systems strengthening for at-risk communities
Funding Structure (2026 Round)
Grant types available
Applicants can apply for:
- Short-term grants
- Multi-year grants (12–24 months)
- Or both (depending on capacity and strategy)
Short-term grants
- Focused, time-bound activities
- Rapid implementation of community outreach or communication work
Multi-year grants
- Long-term systems strengthening
- Organisational sustainability and strategic safeguarding development
- Requires coherent long-term programme design
Eligible Countries (Implementation Locations)
Projects must be implemented in humanitarian or displacement settings in:
- Afghanistan
- DR Congo
- Ethiopia
- Haiti
- Lebanon
- Palestine
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Yemen
Who Can Apply?
Eligible applicants:
- Local NGOs
- National NGOs
- Civil society organisations
- NGO networks
Not eligible:
- International NGOs
- UN agencies
Organisational Requirements
Applicants must:
- Be legally registered in their country
- Be able to receive and report on international funding
- Have an established PSEA or safeguarding policy
- Demonstrate experience in protection or community outreach
- Have an annual budget of at least USD 100,000
What Types of Projects Are Supported?
The fund supports:
- Community PSEA awareness campaigns
- Safeguarding and protection training
- Development of communication materials in local languages
- Safe reporting mechanism design and implementation
- Community engagement and feedback systems
- Organisational safeguarding capacity building
- Prevention of abuse by humanitarian workers
How the Fund Works
- Eligible NGOs submit a single application
- Applicants select short-term, multi-year, or both grant types
- Applications are assessed based on relevance, capacity, and impact
- Selected organisations receive funding support
- Projects are implemented in crisis-affected regions
- Outputs contribute to improved safeguarding and awareness systems
Background and Impact
Since its establishment, the Inter-Agency PSEA Community Outreach and Communication Fund has:
- Supported more than 78 grants globally
- Strengthened community-level protection mechanisms
- Produced communication tools shared via a Deliverables Database
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying without a PSEA or safeguarding policy
- Weak experience in humanitarian or displacement contexts
- Submitting proposals without community engagement components
- Ignoring country eligibility requirements
- Underdeveloped reporting or accountability systems
Tips for a Strong Application
- Demonstrate strong safeguarding and protection experience
- Use clear, local-language communication strategies
- Show community participation in design and delivery
- Present strong reporting and accountability systems
- Align activities with real humanitarian needs in target regions
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the purpose of the PSEA Fund?
- To prevent sexual exploitation and abuse in humanitarian settings
- To strengthen safeguarding and community awareness
- Who can apply?
- Local and national NGOs
- Civil society organisations and NGO networks
- International NGOs and UN agencies are not eligible
- What types of grants are available?
- Short-term grants for immediate activities
- Multi-year grants for long-term systems strengthening
- Applicants may apply for one or both
- What countries are eligible?
- Afghanistan, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Lebanon, Palestine, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Yemen
- What are the key requirements?
- Legal registration
- Safeguarding or PSEA policy
- Minimum USD 100,000 annual budget
- Experience in humanitarian protection work
- What kind of activities are funded?
- Community awareness campaigns
- Reporting mechanism development
- Safeguarding training
- Communication materials in local languages
Conclusion
The Inter-Agency PSEA Community Outreach and Communication Fund plays a critical role in strengthening protection systems in humanitarian contexts. By funding local and national organisations, it helps prevent abuse, improve accountability, and ensure safer and more transparent aid delivery in crisis-affected communities.
For more information, visit ICVA.