STATE OF THE FIELD IN YOUTH ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES

Table of Contents
Chapter 9
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8
Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Annexes
2012 State of the Field in Youth Economic Opportunities
13 Donor Strategies and Initiatives
Donors in the YEO field have a diverse set of priorities. All agree that deepening the knowledge base and
scaling programs are top priorities. As the range of donors involved in the field continues to increase, individual
donors have articulated their value-add to the field and the type of programs and partnerships that fit best with
their mission and organizational structure. In general, donors embrace funding strategies that complement
their organization’s mission, resources, and experience while seeking to close knowledge gaps and advance the
YEO field. At the 2011 Global Youth Economic Opportunities Conference, donor representatives from Citi
Foundation, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), The MasterCard Foundation,
the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), and the International Development Exchange (IDEX) discussed grantmaking.
They shared the importance of the following:
• Getting to know one another through due diligence and relationship-building;
• Finding the right match between the donor and the recipient organization, as well as between the
recipient organization and the project—the funded project should be core to the organization;
• Grant-making should form part of a larger strategy and theory of change; it should draw from lessons
learned by both the recipient organization and donor.
13.1 Citi Foundation Supports the Economic Empowerment and Financial Inclusion of
Low-to Moderate-Income People in Communities Where Citi Operates.
Chapter 13: Donor Strategies and Initiatives
The Citi Foundation works collaboratively with a range of NGO partners to design and test innovations with
potential to achieve scale, and support leadership and knowledge-building activities in the financial inclusion
field. Its “More than Philanthropy” approach enables them to leverage the strength and expertise of Citi’s people
and business resources to maximize philanthropic investments and demonstrate a commitment to responsible
finance. One focus area is the Youth Education and Livelihoods portfolio, which seeks to invest in programs that
increase the number of young people, between ages 13-25, that complete secondary school, start a business,
become employed or enroll in further education. Another focus area, Financial Capability and Asset-Building,
aims to increase the number of adults and youth who adopt positive financial behaviors and accumulate and
preserve assets, which also further complements the Foundation’s global mission of economic empowerment
and financial inclusion.
To fulfill this mission and strategic objectives, the Citi Foundation partners with local Citi offices across 86
countries to co-create innovative investment plans and drive a place-based grant-making approach that reflects
local context and needs. For example, Citi Foundation funding in Brazil focuses on sustainable enterprise
development; In Poland philanthropic investments are concentrated on financial capability; while in the Middle
East, youth entrepreneurship initiatives dominate the portfolio.
For more information, see www.citibank.com/citi/foundation.
13.2 USAID Develops a Youth in Development Strategy, Promotes Inter-Agency
Coordination, Supports Systemic Approaches to Reach Scale, and Encourages
Partnerships with Youth
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the foreign assistance arm of the United
States government, will soon release its first-ever policy on Youth In Development. The Policy seeks to realize
the demographic opportunity in development, and advance USAID’s core development objectives. It establishes
a new framework for USAID to support, protect, prepare, and engage young people as they transition from
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