The Lisle Global Seed Grants support projects that further the Lisle mission and promote intercultural communication and shared learning. It is essential applicants make clear how a proposed project promotes intercultural engagement and communication as a core goal achieved through intentional program components. Lisle only funds projects that promote intercultural understanding and bring people of diverse backgrounds together to share and learn from one another.
- Lisle prefers funding organizations over individuals; individuals applying should affiliate with an organization for project implementation.
- Focus on new projects with growth potential, rather than ongoing or well-funded programs, aligning with the “seed grant” spirit.
- Prefers to be a significant donor for well-defined intercultural projects by small and young organizations.
- Projects worldwide are eligible; US nonprofit status (501c3) not required, but local organizational certification is welcomed.
Successful projects are most often:
- Innovative and collaborative
- Centralize intercultural interaction in the project
- Working towards resolving conflicts
- Promoting community building
Lisle does NOT fund:
- Infrastructure (e.g. building or furnishing schools)
- Hardware (e.g., computers)
- Travel costs for U.S. participants in international programs
- Salaries for U.S. volunteers in international projects
- Religious education or proselytizing
AI Use in Lisle Grant Applications:
Lisle International understands that AI tools can support accessibility, especially for non-native English speakers. However, the proposal content must reflect your own voice, vision, and lived experience. We do not mind non-native English and prefer genuine writing to extremely polished AI-generated narratives.
AI-generated content will frequently sound generic, without the clarity and specificity which makes a project unique, and this will count against you. We suggest limiting AI use to translation, grammar, or spell-checking, not content generation. Lisle is looking for authentic proposals that tell the story of your project—your goals, your passion, and your community—in a way that AI may not be able to fully capture.
Once you have reviewed this website, if you think you would qualify for a grant, please submit a Request to Apply form and be sure to note any specific questions you have.