The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) is launching the Resilience Innovation through Scaling Entrepreneurship (RISE) Urban Challenge to convert innovative urban ideas that are meeting resilience needs in informality contexts and scale them to sustainable ideas. The RISE Urban Challenge provides customised support to maximise each initiative’s potential for impact and aligns potential funders to these initiatives and drive attention to the urgent need for urban systems transformation.
Who can apply?
RISE is open to urban entrepreneurs, innovators, organisations or consortiums of organisations across the private sector (start-ups, SMEs), and civil society and grassroots organisations based in low- and middle-income countries. We encourage and welcome proposals from youth-led and women-led organisations.
What will winners receive?
Selected projects will receive a tailored leadership and mentoring programme, communications support, and be connected to investors. Subject matter experts will facilitate a leadership academy for the selected entrants. They will also be connected to potential investors and partners from GRP networks. Winners can be awarded prizes up to US$50,000, which will support their scaling and implementation over 12 months up to December 2026.
What are we looking for?
We are looking for innovative solutions addressing urban resilience challenges in informality contexts – a few examples include but aren’t limited to climate risk, resilience retrofit, water security, urban migration and displacement. For this round of the RISE Urban Challenge, we encourage and welcome solutions that prioritise the resilience of women and youth.
Application details
Complete guidelines are available here. Read these before applying.
Apply by 11 April on this online form.
If you have any questions, please contact challenge@globalresiliencepartnership.org.
Timeline
- Webinar about the RISE Urban Challenge: 1PM CET on 27 March 2025 Register here.
- Application deadline: 11 April 2025
- Screening: The first phase of screening will be done to identify finalists that will proceed to the Leadership Academy and mentoring. Shortlisted projects will be announced in June 2025
- Leadership Academy and tailored mentoring: June – September 2025
- Announcement of final winners: November/December 2025
- Winners’ activity implementation: through December 2026
From Informality to Impact: The untapped potential of scaling urban resilience innovation in informality
Read our policy and investment brief, From Informality to Impact.
