Financing Refugee Youth Leadership
Refugee youth are not only responding to the crisis. They are leading change in their communities.
This report shares practical insights and recommendations for donors, philanthropies, humanitarian actors and partners seeking to better fund and support Refugee Youth-Led Organizations (RYLOs).
Developed by the Global Refugee Youth Network (GRYN) with the support of the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), the report draws on GRYN’s experience providing flexible funding to refugee youth-led groups and highlights tested approaches for investing in refugee youth leadership.
About the Report
Refugee Youth-Led Organizations are often closest to the communities they serve. They respond to urgent needs, create safe spaces, support community-led solutions and advocate for change, often with limited recognition and limited access to funding.
Yet despite their impact, many RYLOs face structural barriers when trying to access funding. These include registration requirements, compliance systems, risk management procedures, exclusion from advocacy spaces and limited access to networks.
Financing Refugee Youth Leadership offers donors practical pathways to support refugee youth-led initiatives in ways that are flexible, accountable and rooted in trust.
The report is both a resource for funders and a tool for young people and partners working with, by and for refugee youth.
Why This Matters
Refugee youth are experts in their own communities.
They understand local needs, speak community languages, build trust and often serve as first and last responders when formal systems are limited or unavailable. However, traditional funding systems often exclude them.
Many refugee youth-led groups are informal because they face legal, administrative or documentation barriers to registration. This means they are frequently unable to apply for grants, open organizational bank accounts or meet donor compliance requirements, even when they are already delivering meaningful community impact.
Investing in refugee youth leadership is not only about funding projects. It is about shifting power, recognizing lived expertise and supporting safer, more resilient communities.
GRYN at a Glance
Since 2022, GRYN has invested in refugee youth leadership through flexible funding, advocacy support and youth action research.
$300,000+
150+
30,000+
300
Key Messages
RYLOs frequently fill
critical gaps where
services are limited or
unavailable
Refugee youth are experts in their own communities
Refugee youth-led organisations are frequently able to overcome structural barriers
Refugee youths consistently step up as first and last responders in humanitarian response.
Refugee youth-led organisations organise and work in ways that differ from larger international and national NGOs
Recommended Approaches for Donors
The report outlines six practical approaches for donors and partners seeking to better finance refugee youth leadership.
1. Partner with youth-focused networks and intermediary organizations
Intermediary models can help donors reach informal or emerging RYLOs while managing administrative, legal and financial requirements.
2. Pilot and build expertise through partnerships with RYLOs
Donors can start by piloting funding approaches in partnership with refugee youth and youth-led networks, building shared learning over time.
3. Start small and use a phased approach
Small grants can help RYLOs build experience, strengthen systems and gradually progress toward managing larger funds.
4. Use trust-based philanthropy
Flexible, relationship-based funding can support sustained youth-led impact and reduce burdensome compliance requirements.
5. Strengthen internal advocacy and board engagement
Donor institutions can build internal understanding of refugee youth leadership through learning conversations and engagement with people with lived experience.
6. Exchange best practices across the donor ecosystem
Donors and partners can accelerate progress by sharing lessons on risk management, flexible funding and effective partnership models.
