Call for

IOC Young Leaders Programme

Organisation Name:

International Olympic Committee (IOC)

Application Deadline:

7 April 2025

About Organisation

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is the supreme authority of the Olympic Movement and the guardian of the Olympic Games. As a truly global and independent organization, the IOC fosters cooperation between various Olympic stakeholders including athletes, National Olympic Committees, International Federations, Games Organising Committees, Worldwide Olympic Partners, and Media Rights-Holders. It also actively collaborates with both public and private authorities such as the United Nations and other international organizations.

With a mission to build a better world through sport, the IOC promotes values such as excellence, respect, and friendship, while striving to make sport a powerful force for global good. The IOC is committed to encouraging social responsibility and sustainable development through sport, ensuring inclusive participation and ethical governance. One of its key strategic initiatives, Olympism365, works to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through sport-based community efforts. The IOC supports and empowers individuals and organizations to become change-makers in their societies, using the universal language of sport to foster peace, equality, and development across the world. Through its various programmes, the IOC nurtures leadership, innovation, and collaboration to positively impact people’s lives.

About the Grant

The IOC Young Leaders Programme, launched in 2016, empowers young individuals to use sport as a tool for social change in their communities. Since its inception, the programme has supported 145 young leaders from 77 countries, resulting in over 160 impactful projects and benefiting more than 55,000 people globally. It forms a core part of Olympism365, the IOC’s long-term strategy for advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through sport.

This four-year programme offers tailored capacity-building support to young leaders and equips them with the skills, funding, and global networks necessary to bring their sport-based social initiatives to life. Participants receive expert mentorship, access to international platforms, and seed funding to develop and scale their projects.

The grant structure includes:

Phase 1 (USD 1,000): Ideation and development
Phase 2 (USD 5,000): Project design and launch
Phase 3 (USD 3,000): Sustainable execution
Phase 4 (USD 1,000): Scaling the initiative

A total of 25 participants are selected every two years, maintaining a dynamic cohort of 50 active members. The IOC is currently seeking a service provider to manage and enhance the programme’s future implementation from 2026 onwards.

Who can Apply?

Eligible applicants include organizations with a strong background in international programme management, youth leadership development, and sport-for-development initiatives. They must have the ability to develop long-term strategies and deliver operational and financial oversight for impactful, youth-led sport projects.

Essential areas of expertise include:

Programme Management & Leadership Development: Experience in designing and managing international leadership or social impact programmes, especially in the sport-for-development sector.
Sport for Development & Social Impact: In-depth knowledge of using sport to support the UN SDGs and ability to mentor grassroots initiatives.
Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL): Proficiency in impact measurement frameworks, data collection, reporting, and analysis.
Stakeholder & Community Engagement: Capability to engage a global network of young leaders, foster peer-learning, and manage strategic collaborations.
Operational & Financial Management: Experience handling logistics, budgeting, and programme administration, including event coordination.

Preferred experience includes working with international NGOs or sport governing bodies, involvement in youth entrepreneurship or social business programmes, and familiarity with Olympic values and the Olympism365 strategy. The selected organization will be responsible for the selection process, curriculum development, coaching, and overall programme delivery.

How to Apply?

Interested organizations should express their interest by submitting a one-page overview outlining their relevant expertise and experience. Additionally, they must include a signed Confidentiality Agreement for RFP and the IOC’s General Terms & Conditions of Purchase. These documents are required to be considered for the next stage of the process, where selected applicants will receive the detailed Request for Proposal (RFP) documentation.

Application Deadline

All interested organizations must submit their Expression of Interest (EOI), along with required documents, by 7 April 2025 (midnight CET) to be considered for the next stage of selection.

Last Date To Apply (30 words)
The final date to submit the Expression of Interest (EOI), including the necessary signed agreements, is 7 April 2025. Late submissions will not be considered by the IOC.

Grant Amount (30 words)
Each selected IOC Young Leader will receive a total grant of USD 10,000, distributed across four key phases of the programme: ideation, launch, sustainable execution, and scaling.