A Social Change Accelerator Program (Malaysia)

Youth initiatives, projects, groups and organizations face structural issues to establish themselves and scale sustainably. Without a transparent system of information, access to existing networks and a support system for solidarity, youth efforts in Malaysia face a short lifespan and struggle with continuity.

BinaxBangkit now in its second iteration – is the aspiring backbone of the youth non-profit advocacy ecosystem. With them is where the world of ideas and the road of action collide – together, they accelerate social change at the systemic level.

Program Specifications

• As a member of the accelerator, the organization should:
  • Attend and participate fully in both Onboarding Away Weekend
  • Attend and participate fully in all scheduled check-ins
  • Try to their utmost ability to carry out agreed-upon goals
  • Provide timely updates on organization’s progress
  • Be open and transparent about challenges faced so that they can be addressed
  • Progress towards organizational sustainability, such as incorporation if not yet incorporated, opening a bank account or implementing a succession plan.

Benefits

• 2 eligible organizations will receive:
  • Onboarding Away Weekend as a cohort:
    • A retreat for organizations’ lead members in January 2025 for professional development on organizational skills such as management, incorporation, grant writing and succession planning.
    • BxB recipients from all selected initiatives will gather for a residential onboarding Away Weekend with the AOD team, where professional development workshops will be conducted, and goals and deliverables for the incubation/accelerator period will be discussed and co-created.
  • Institutional support to grow:
    • Organizations receive structured support and mentoring, free use of AOD office space, introductions to funders and optional fiscal sponsorship.

Funding Information

• RM10,000 in seed funding: Organizations receive unrestricted seed funding of RM10,000 to support stabilization and growth in its early stages.
• The first round of funding (80%) will be disbursed in Dec 2024/Jan 2025 and the second round of funding (20%) in July 2025.

Eligibility Criteria

• Initiatives that fulfil the following requirements are eligible for BxB:
  • Has at least two lead members physically in Malaysia driving the initiative; typically, they are not involved on a full-time basis (i.e. the organization is volunteer-driven).
  • Is youth-led, with the majority of the team being below the age of 30 years old.
  • Works in the realm of at least one of the following:
    • Policymaking: Strategic advocacy for inclusive policies, including engagements with policymakers and campaigns to garner public support
    • Capacity-building: Developing and strengthening skills and processes of individuals or institutions in the interest of increasing inclusion
    • Representation and Participation: Working to ensure that a seat at the table for underrepresented communities, as well as ensuring participatory decision-making
    • Voice: Allowing for and actively encouraging the expression and reflection of young people in Malaysia for inclusivity
  • Groups working on media, with teachers, or organizations working on specific regions (e.g. Borneo, East Coast) are an area of interest for this cohort.​
  • Has been in operation for less than five (5) years.
  • Uphold Non-Discrimination Code of Conduct for the duration of AOD support.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Initiatives related to the below mentioned are not eligible for BxB:
  • Primarily humanitarian and direct aid initiatives e.g. literacy, vaccination drives, soup kitchens, delivering medical aid etc.
  • Religious initiatives or organizations.
  • Initiatives that involve construction e.g. building houses or renovating buildings.
  • Initiatives that take place overseas.
  • Initiatives that are already established organizations in operation for more than five (5) years.

For more information, visit Architects of Diversity.