Evaluation: Youth-Led Organization (YLO) Investment Fund in Malawi and Niger (2026)

Shifting power to local actors, particularly youth-led organizations (YLO), is one of Save the Children’s strategic priorities in advancing sustainable change for children. The YLO Investment Fund, launched in Malawi and Niger, embodies this commitment by providing flexible funding directly to YLO partners. Grounded in the concept of “quality” funding, the YLO Investment Fund sought to strengthen YLOs’ ability to achieve their own missions and mandates, improve outcomes for children, and foster more strategic relationships between YLOs and SCI Country Offices.

Beginning in 2023, SCUS provided an initial investment of $500,000 USD through its President’s Fund, split between both Malawi and Niger and with 70% of funding earmarked for flexible investment into 13 YLO partners across both countries. YLOs were encouraged to determine their own investment priorities including core/overhead costs, organizational capacity investments, and/or community-led interventions.

Upon completion in 2025, a program evaluation was commissioned to understand the merits of this flexible funding model. Results sought to understand the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability of this funding model, highlighting key findings and offering targeted recommendations for replication and scale.