Lisle International offers the Global Seed Grants program to support projects that foster intercultural understanding through shared experiences among people of diverse backgrounds. The organization, with roots in intercultural education since 1936 and international expansion since 1952, has focused on providing these small but impactful “seed grants” since 2004. The overarching goal of these grants is to contribute to a more just social order by promoting communication, learning, and collaboration across cultural, ethnic, racial, religious, and gender divides.

The Global Seed Grants are intended to support new and innovative projects that emphasize intercultural engagement as a central element. These projects should not simply include diverse participants but must deliberately structure shared learning and intercultural exchange into their program design. Lisle favors funding organizations over individuals, but individuals may still apply if they are affiliated with an organization for the purpose of implementation. The funder specifically seeks to support small and young organizations and prefers to be a significant contributor to the project budget.

Grant amounts range from $500 to $5,000. Between three and eight grants are awarded annually to projects operating in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Projects may not include funding requests for infrastructure (such as building or furnishing schools), hardware (such as computers), travel costs for U.S. participants in international programs, salaries for U.S. volunteers, or religious education and proselytizing. Applicants must clearly articulate how their project promotes intercultural understanding and provide evidence of intentional program components designed to bring people together in collaborative, innovative ways.

The application process consists of two phases. Phase One is the Request to Apply (RTA), which opens April 1, 2025 and closes July 31, 2025. Applicants must submit their RTA during this period and will receive notifications of acceptance during the same window. Those whose RTAs are accepted must complete and submit a full application by September 1, 2025. Award decisions are made during the annual Lisle Meeting in the fall, with grant recipients notified by November 30, 2025.

Funded projects are expected to run between January 1 and December 31, 2026. The program does not require U.S. nonprofit status (501c3) for eligibility, but local certification of the implementing organization is encouraged. Additional guidance, including details about grantee reporting requirements and available grant mentorship, is available on the Lisle International website. Questions may be directed to office@lisleinternational.org.