International Fund for Metropolises

Local Care Systems

The second edition of the International Fund for Metropolises will award grants of up to USD 100,000 to support two cities in Latin America with their programs to support care and caregivers.

Led by Metropolis, the Fund provides technical and financial resources to city, metropolitan and provincial governments working to:

What is the International Fund for Metropolises?

Reward and represent care workers

Address gender inequalities in care responsibilities

Recognize, reduce and redistribute care work

Foster cities where care is central in policymaking

This second call addresses the unequal distribution  of  care responsibilities  between men and women and aims to redistribute care work more equitably.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their most innovative ideas to ensure that that men and boys are targeted in the project design and implementation. This could involve:

Piloting new approaches

Expanding outreach to communities involving men and boys

Scaling existing efforts

Replicating successful practices from other areas or cities

Apply

The deadline to submit an application is Wednesday the 13th of August 2025. For any questions, please email care@metropolis.org.

This funding opportunity is offered as a MenCare Cities project in partnership with Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social Justice, and supported by the Caring Masculinity Fund.

Please download and carefully review these guidelines before submitting your application, and refer to the Frequently Asked Questions for additional information.

About the first edition of the call

The first edition of the International Fund for Metropolises, launched in 2024, was led by Metropolis, in collaboration with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and Open Society Foundations, and awarded the cities of Freetown (Sierra Leone) and Nairobi (Kenya).

They received 100,000€ for their programs to support care and caregivers: Freetown's project focuses on establishing a Care Block in the Susan's Bay community, while Nairobi's project strategically builds the capacity of government officials in departments relevant to the care economy through targeted training. In addition to funding, these cities will receive valuable technical support to help them launch and carry out their one-year projects.

Our Jury panel for the first edition

  • Ana María Buriticá Alzate is part of the Women Affairs Secretariat in Bogotá, where she leads strategic alliances and promotes best practices within the Bogotá Care System. With over 15 years of experience in social policies, she has supported international missions, hosted over 72  national and international visits in Bogotá to the care blocks, and contributes to strengthening the Women and Gender Equity Observatory. Ana María holds a Master’s degree in Urban Management, is a specialist in Social Project Evaluation, and a professional in Government and International Relations.

  • Davide Malmusi is Director of Health and Care Services at Barcelona City Council, a role he has held since 2016. A medical doctor with a PhD in Public Health, he has published extensively on health inequalities related to gender, migration, and socioeconomic factors, as well as the impact of social policies. He has contributed to key initiatives such as the Espai Barcelona Cuida (“Barcelona Cares” center).ion

  • Rocío Lombera is General Coordinator for International Action in Mexico City, where she advances inclusive and resilient communities. An architect and popular educator with over 40 years of experience, she focuses on urban and social management through inclusion, care, and social justice. She led the creation of the UTOPIAS in Iztapalapa—spaces offering free access to essential services—and has worked with UN-Habitat and UCLG to promote care policies as a fundamental right

  • Guillaume Lévy is a Programme Officer at the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), working on international migration policy, financial inclusion, remittances, and the gender-migration nexus. He has worked across the Horn of Africa, the Western Balkans, and Switzerland, focusing on durable solutions in displacement contexts, migrant protection, and civil society engagement.

  • Jordi Vaquer has been Secretary General of Metropolis since 2022, responsible for shaping our global initiatives, priorities and membership. Before joining Metropolis, Jordi had a diverse and extensive career in the field of international relations, spanning sectors including public administration, applied research, academia, and philanthropy.

With the support of