Application

Established in 2013, the Swarovski Foundation brings focus to Swarovski’s historical commitment to philanthropy by supporting charitable organisations and signature programmes to achieve positive social and environmental impact.

The Swarovski Foundation's mission is to promote sustainable livelihoods through education to reduce inequality by supporting initiatives that focus on Equity, Water, and Creativity, and through two programmes: Waterschool and Creatives for Our Future.

Since its inception, the Swarovski Foundation has reached over 2 million people in 93 countries through 85 partnerships to drive progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals set out by the United Nations. You can find out more at www.swarovskifoundation.org. 

The Swarovski Foundation Creatives for Our Future programme is a global mentorship and grant initiative established in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Partnerships.

The programme aims to accelerate the next generation of creatives in sustainable development and is open to creatives aged 21-30, across various creative disciplines including jewelry, fashion, art, design, architecture, videography, photography, and engineering.

Successful applicants will receive access to financial support, tailored mentorship, educational masterclasses, and industry networking events in support of their developing practice with the programme commencing in April 2025.

The Swarovski Foundation’s mission is to promote sustainable livelihoods through education to reduce inequality by supporting initiatives focusing on Equity, Water, and Creativity, and through programmes: Waterschool and Creatives for Our Future. We are committed to advancing creative talent by leveraging all educational avenues to enhance opportunities for beneficiaries.

Within the programme framework, participants will collectively drive progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals, the blueprint for a better world by 2030 as laid out by the United Nations in 2015. The Swarovski Foundation and the United Nations recognise the creative industry’s potential for generational leadership in sustainable development.

Successful applicants will have a keen interest in, demonstration of, or exemplary potential to use the creative process to accelerate awareness, technologies, or solutions for sustainable development.

The selection criteria will consider the application of creative processes in examining social and environmental issues and accelerating sustainable development, within communities or globally, using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a framework.

All submissions will be pre-screened based on 2 criteria:

• Validity: Did the applicant submit a fully complete application and supportive documents? Is the applicant age between 21- 30? Does the applicant have a valid passport? Did the applicant submit creative portfolio? Make sure you clear all eligibility.
• Application Quality: Did the applicant put the best efforts to answer all the questions? If the answers are short answers such as yes and no without any context or explanation, our system may disqualify your application.

All valid submissions will be evaluated based on 6 key criteria: Design and Creativity, Innovation, Potential, Feasibility and Scalability, Impact, Sustainable Development, and Funding Transparency.

1. What we mean by ‘Design and Creativity’: We will determine How creative the applicant’s concept, practice, or project is. Design and creativity is more than a medium of aesthetics and desirability – we want to see how applicants use design and creativity for their innovations in an original way. The project needs to use some type of creative medium(s) except performing arts (music, dance, and theatre) and literacy (creative writing such as poetry, novels, fictions).
2. What we mean by ‘Innovation’: We will see how innovative the applicant’s concept, practice, or project is. Is the innovation new, original and solution led? Or is it a game-changer for an existing system or idea?  
3. What we mean by ‘Potential, Feasibility and Scalability’: We will see if the applicant demonstrates exemplary potential to use the creative process to drive sustainable development, and if the applicant has a long-term vision for their initiative. Potential of the project is also an important index; if the project demonstrates high potential to be successfully scaled up and make positive change.  We need to know how the solution can be scaled up eventually to create real-world impact regardless of the current project stage. To better understand if the project is realistically feasible and practical, if the project is still at the concept stage, the applicant must explain in detail how the project will grow and adapt to a broader audience.
4. What we mean by ‘Impact’: We are looking for innovative solutions that generate a positive social, environmental, and cultural impact. For example, your project may be diverting waste from landfill or regenerating natural resources or reducing water pollution and consumption; or it may focus more on social impact through community empowerment or Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Applicants should explain the pathways to impact through their project, i.e., the immediate, potential short-term and potential long-term positive changes created and wider benefits to society, by sharing quantitative/qualitative data to back up their vision. 
5. What we mean by ‘Sustainable Development’: Does the applicant’s concept reflect an alignment or potential to align with the Sustainable Development Goals? 
6. What we mean by ‘Funding Transparency’: How does the applicant intend on using the grant? Is the applicant’s intention for use of the grant responsible and in alignment with the programme’s objectives to further sustainable development through creativity?

Successful applicants will be required to attend all the activities offered during the programme (at least 2-3 times a month from April 2025 – April 2026), and applicants will be asked for their availability during the programme. Additionally, a high-level network event to launch the programme will take place in New York (USA), and the successful applicants will be required to travel to New York. You can find more details in the programme’s Terms & Conditions.

The Swarovski Foundation look for creative practices, research, projects, concepts, or objects reflecting an exemplary dedication and potential to drive sustainable development.