EYF Grants for Long-Term International Youth Projects

The grants are aimed at supporting long-term international projects that contribute to building peaceful societies, youth access to rights, and the development of youth work. The project must include a combination of activities (e.g., advocacy campaigns, production of educational resources, research, local initiatives), among which at least one international youth meeting lasting a minimum of 4 program days is mandatory.

As a general rule, activities must take place in one or more of the 46 Council of Europe member states and be prepared by a multicultural project team using non-formal education methodologies. The activities must involve participants from at least 7 member states, with at least 75% of them being under the age of 30. Special attention must be paid to the inclusion of youth with disabilities and gender equality.

The maximum grant amount is €60,000, with mandatory co-financing required (from the organization's own resources or in the form of in-kind or human resources contributions from third parties). The maximum duration of the project is 18 months, and its implementation must start between January 1 and March 31, 2027.

The applicant must exclusively be an international non-governmental youth organization or an international network of non-governmental youth organizations registered in the EYF system. Commercial operations, purchase or construction of real estate, tourism, scholarships, sports competitions, and statutory meetings are not supported.

• The organization must be registered in the European Youth Foundation grant system as an international non-governmental youth organization or an international network of non-governmental youth organizations.
• A mandatory requirement is having a bank account capable of receiving payments in euros.
• The applicant must have stable and sufficient sources of funding to support its activities throughout the entire grant implementation period, as well as to make its own contribution.
• The organization must have sufficient operational and professional capacity, including staff and volunteers, to fully implement the activities described in the project proposal.
• Submitting multiple applications with the same proposal is strictly prohibited and will lead to the rejection of all such applications.

• The maximum grant amount per project is €60,000. The total budget for the call is €600,000 (with plans to support 10 applications); however, the Foundation reserves the right not to allocate all available funds or to reallocate them differently depending on the quality of the proposals.
• The estimated budget submitted with the application must be consistent, accurate, clear, complete, and cost-effective given the proposed activities. The cost-effectiveness and completeness of the budget account for 16% of the overall project evaluation during the selection process.
• Funds are provided in two tranches: 80% of the amount is paid after signing the agreement with the European Youth Foundation, and the balance is transferred after the Council of Europe receives and approves the final narrative and financial reports. Reports must be submitted within 2 months after the completion of the project.
• Each organization must contribute to the financing of the project using its own resources or contributions from third parties. Co-financing is mandatory and can take the form of financial, human, or in-kind resources.
• International youth organizations or networks that receive funding under this call will be able to count this long-term project as two international one-off activities when confirming their eligibility for EYF structural grants for 2028–2029.
• It is prohibited to spend funds on commercial or profit-making operations, the purchase of land or buildings, construction or renovation of real estate, the purchase of fixed equipment, tourism, scholarships, sports events, school exchanges, activities within university programs or of a strictly vocational nature, activities not related to the priorities of the Council of Europe, as well as statutory meetings of youth organizations.

• Projects must combine international meetings with other formats of work, which may include advocacy campaigns, research, the creation of educational materials, and support for local or regional initiatives.
• A mandatory element of each project is holding at least one international youth meeting lasting a minimum of 4 program days.
• The implementation of multiplier events of an educational, informational, or advocacy nature at the local, national, or international levels is permitted.
• All activities must be developed and implemented by a multicultural team using approaches of non-formal education, intercultural learning, youth participation, and human rights education.
• As a general rule, activities must take place in one or more of the 46 Council of Europe member states.
• The majority of activities within a long-term project must involve participants from at least 7 member states, with at least 75% of them being under the age of 30.

• August 17, 2026: Publication of the call for applications.
• October 1, 2026 (23:59 CET): Deadline for submitting project proposals.
• October 2 – November 15, 2026: Evaluation of applications and possible dialogue with applicants to clarify details.
• December 14–15, 2026: Meeting of the Programming Committee on Youth and decision-making regarding funding.
• December 16–18, 2026: Official notification of applicants about the selection results.
• Early January 2027: Signing of grant agreements with the successful applicants.
• January 1 – March 31, 2027: Eligible period for the start of projects (the latest completion date for the initiative is September 30, 2028).
• Within 2 months after project completion: Submission of final reports (but no later than November 30, 2028).

1. Register your organization in the European Youth Foundation grant system on the support4youth.coe.int platform in advance, as profile validation can take up to 2 weeks.
2. Prepare all necessary documentation for the project proposal exclusively in English or French.
3. Fill out the narrative application form and the budget form, which must reflect both grant expenses and funding from other sources.
4. Submit the full package of documents electronically via the support4youth.coe.int system by October 1, 2026, 23:59 CET, keeping in mind that incomplete applications will not be considered.

• Relevance and added value of the submitted proposal regarding the objectives of this call account for the largest share and are evaluated at 40% of the total score.
• The quality, clarity, and completeness of the developed project proposal account for 32% of the final evaluation.
• Cost-effectiveness and completeness of the envisaged budget provide 16% of the result.
• The expertise and prior experience of the applicant organization, its partners, and the project team provide another 12% when evaluating the application.

• Properly completed narrative application form in English or French.
• Detailed budget form reflecting all planned expenses and funding sources (both grant funds and own/mobilized co-financing).
• Declaration on honour confirming that the organization meets all call requirements and has no grounds for exclusion (such as bankruptcy or criminal convictions).

• The narrative and financial reports for the project must be submitted to the Foundation no later than 2 months after its completion.
• The final grant payment is transferred only after the Council of Europe receives and officially approves these final reports.
• When submitting the proposal, applicants must provide a declaration on honour, and the Council of Europe may additionally request documents to confirm the provided information.
• Participation in the call is prohibited for organizations that are in the process of bankruptcy or liquidation, have outstanding tax or social security debts, or are shell companies (created to circumvent legal obligations).
• Funding is not provided to applicants who have convictions for fraud, corruption, or money laundering, have violated professional ethics, have been involved in the misuse of public funds, or have an unresolved conflict of interest.

• Successful applicants conclude an official grant agreement with the Council of Europe, defining the rights and obligations of the parties, prior to receiving the first tranche.
• The project implementation must strictly comply with the core values of the Council of Europe — the protection of human rights, support for democracy, and the rule of law.
• The organization is obliged to ensure visual acknowledgment of the financial support from the European Youth Foundation (displaying logos) in all publications, materials, and during events held within the framework of the project.
• The Council of Europe reserves the right to carry out financial and narrative monitoring, as well as conduct audits of the project during its implementation and after its completion.
• The grant-receiving organization bears sole legal and financial responsibility for the implementation of the project, the targeted use of funds, and compliance with data protection requirements.