Apply for Council of Europe European Youth Foundation (EYF) Grants 2027 – Up to €60,000 for International Long-Term Youth Cooperation Projects

Application Deadline: October 1, 2026 (23:59 CEST)

About the Grants

The Council of Europe European Youth Foundation (EYF) invites eligible international youth organisations and international networks to submit proposals for long-term youth cooperation projects starting in 2027. Through call reference 2027.C6.B, eligible organisations can apply for up to €60,000 to implement projects aimed at strengthening democracy, human rights, peaceful and inclusive societies, international solidarity, and quality youth work. The funding is intended for substantial projects lasting no more than 18 months. Each proposal must include at least one international youth face-to-face meeting, combined with other relevant activities such as advocacy campaigns, research, educational resource production, capacity building, local actions, regional initiatives, and outreach activities. The total indicative budget for this call is €600,000. The EYF expects to award approximately 10 grants, each not exceeding €60,000. However, this is an intention rather than a guarantee. The EYF may reduce the number of grants, retain part of the budget, or reallocate resources depending on the quality and quantity of applications received.

About the European Youth Foundation

The European Youth Foundation is a Council of Europe fund established in 1972 to support youth-led civil society initiatives. Its mission is to promote peace, understanding, and international cooperation among young people while advancing human rights, democracy, and fundamental freedoms. The Council of Europe is an international organisation headquartered in Strasbourg, France, with 46 member states. It is institutionally separate from the European Union. The EYF works within the Council of Europe’s youth sector and provides grants to non-governmental youth organisations whose activities reflect Council of Europe standards, priorities, and values.

EYF’s work is built around:

• Youth autonomy
• Non-formal education and learning
• European awareness
• International solidarity
• Democratic participation
• Human rights
• Peace and cooperation among young people

Purpose of the Long-Term Youth Cooperation Call

The call seeks to support international projects that promote understanding and solidarity across borders while contributing to human rights and democracy. A competitive proposal should address several of the following objectives rather than operating as an isolated event.

Strategic Development of Youth Organisations

Projects may help an applicant organisation, its members, and its wider network improve their long-term strategies, methods, and institutional capacity in areas connected to EYF priorities. The project should leave the organisation stronger and better able to continue meaningful youth work after the grant ends.

Strategic development may involve:

• Improving governance and youth participation
• Developing new organisational strategies
• Strengthening international networks
• Establishing new cooperation mechanisms
• Improving advocacy capacity
• Developing sustainable educational methods
• Strengthening monitoring and evaluation
• Increasing the organisation’s ability to reach excluded young people

Capacity Building and Knowledge Development

The EYF is interested in proposals that develop practical knowledge and capacity within youth organisations.

Possible outputs include:

• Youth-work tools and methodologies
• Training resources
• Manuals and guides
• Research reports
• Policy recommendations
• Advocacy materials
• Educational publications
• Digital learning resources
• Websites and online platforms
• Videos or podcasts
• Facilitator resources
• Replicable non-formal education methods

Long-Term Partnerships and Cross-Border Cooperation

Projects can foster strategic relationships among young people and youth organisations across national borders. The emphasis is on sustained cooperation, shared learning, and coordinated action rather than bringing participants together once without a continuation plan.

A strong project may establish:

• Long-term cooperation between youth organisations
• Shared advocacy platforms
• Cross-border learning networks
• Joint research or policy initiatives
• Youth-led communities of practice
• Regional or international follow-up structures
• Continued exchange of methods and resources

Knowledge and Skills for Young People

Proposals may strengthen young people’s knowledge of democracy and human rights, intercultural understanding, advocacy capacity, leadership ability, research and policy skills, confidence and participation, media literacy, digital citizenship, peacebuilding competence, and ability to organise collective action.

Multiplier Actions and Wider Outreach

The call encourages projects that extend beyond their direct participants. Educational, awareness-raising, advocacy, and cooperation activities may operate at local, national, and international levels. Applicants should explain how project knowledge and results will reach additional young people, communities, institutions, or decision-makers.

Multiplier actions may include:

• Local workshops
• Community events
• National advocacy campaigns
• Training delivered by project participants
• Public-awareness activities
• Policy meetings
• Digital campaigns
• Educational-resource distribution
• Peer-learning events
• Local or regional action grants

Four EYF Funding Priorities for 2024-2027

Every proposal must connect credibly with the Council of Europe’s youth-sector priorities.

1. Priority One: Revitalising Pluralistic Democracy: This priority includes work that protects young people’s freedom to assemble, supports the right to form and participate in associations, expands civic space for youth organisations, removes barriers to youth participation in political processes, strengthens youth involvement in public decision-making, develops young people’s understanding of artificial intelligence and its democratic effects, supports youth participation in AI and internet-governance processes, builds the capacity of youth organisations to involve young people in local decision-making, gives particular attention to rural youth, minorities, and vulnerable groups, examines the impact of climate change and environmental degradation on young people and democracy, and advances young people’s right to a healthy environment.
2. Priority Two: Young People’s Access to Rights: Projects under this priority may focus on human rights education with and for young people, media literacy for children and young people, awareness of legal, civic, and social rights, advocacy for implementing Council of Europe standards on young people’s access to rights, social rights for young people living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, practical action enabling marginalised groups to exercise rights that formally exist but remain difficult to access, access to information about rights and available services, and capacity building for young rights advocates.
3. Priority Three: Living Together in Peaceful and Inclusive Societies: This priority covers initiatives addressing discrimination, racism, and exclusion, including structural discrimination, Roma youth participation and antigypsyism, inclusion of young refugees and their transition to adulthood, multiple discrimination and intersectionality, gender equality, sexual orientation and gender identity, disability inclusion, intercultural dialogue, peacebuilding and conflict transformation, cooperation with neighbouring countries and other world regions, participation and inclusion of young people in rural communities, mental health and well-being, personal development for young refugees and young people affected by war, and inclusion of young people facing multiple forms of discrimination.
4. Priority Four: Youth Work: The youth-work priority includes advocacy for recognition and support of youth work, action connected to Council of Europe standards on youth work, improving the quality and recognition of non-formal education, improving non-formal learning practices, strengthening capacity-building methodologies, developing the skills of youth workers, building the institutional capacity of youth organisations, and supporting youth work in war zones and conflict-affected areas.

Activities That Can Be Funded

This is a long-term project grant, so an application should present a connected sequence of activities contributing to shared objectives.

Eligible formats may include:

• International youth meetings
• Training courses
• Seminars and workshops
• Youth exchanges or structured learning meetings that are not school exchanges
• Campaigns
• Advocacy initiatives
• Research and evidence gathering
• Production of educational materials
• Toolkits and manuals
• Policy outputs
• Local follow-up activities
• Regional initiatives
• Community engagement
• Awareness-raising actions
• Digital multiplier activities
• In-person multiplier activities
• Evaluation and dissemination work

Mandatory Four-Day International Meeting

At least one project activity must be an international meeting of young people lasting at least four programme days. This four-day programme must be conducted in person. Online preparation, follow-up, and evaluation can form part of the broader project cycle, but online sessions do not replace the compulsory in-person international programme. The meeting must involve participants residing in at least seven Council of Europe member states. The seven-country requirement refers to participants’ countries of residence, and those countries do not all need to be represented by formal partner organisations.

Participant Requirements

For the majority of relevant project activities, participants must meet the following conditions:

• Participants must reside in at least seven Council of Europe member states
• Country representation must be adequate and reasonably balanced
• At least 75% of counted participants must be aged 30 or younger
• The project must pay attention to the inclusion of young people with disabilities
• Gender equality must be incorporated into the project
• The social inclusion of young people must be actively considered

Additional Interpretations:

• Balanced geographical representation is preferred
• Project-team members, trainers, and facilitators do not count toward the seven-country requirement
• Project-team members, trainers, and facilitators do not count when calculating whether 75% of participants are aged 30 or younger
• The project team must still be multicultural, generally expected to include members from at least four countries
• Participants from non-member states may be included when justified but do not count toward the required seven Council of Europe countries

Project Duration and Implementation

Projects must begin between January 1 and March 31, 2027. The maximum project duration is 18 months, and the latest permitted end date is September 30, 2028. The application should include the complete project implementation period, covering the official project start, preparation, delivery of activities, follow-up, evaluation, multiplier work, and completion of project expenditure. Final narrative and financial reports must be submitted within two months after the project ends and no later than November 30, 2028.

Grant Amount and Available Budget

An eligible applicant may request up to €60,000. The budget must be consistent with the narrative proposal, accurate, clear, complete, cost-effective, proportionate to planned activities, and connected to expected results.

The indicative total budget for the call is €600,000. The EYF intends to select approximately 10 projects at a maximum of €60,000 each, but it retains discretion over the final number of projects and the distribution of available funds.

Co-Financing Requirement

Every successful organisation must contribute to its project through its own resources or contributions from third parties. Co-financing may include direct financial contributions, staff time, volunteer time, donated services, use of premises, organisational resources, or other properly valued in-kind contributions.

There is no minimum co-financing percentage

 In-kind contributions are accepted based on a declaration of honour. However, applicants should present co-financing transparently and avoid inflated or unsupported valuations.

Projects must also avoid double funding. The same cost, staff time, or activity period cannot be charged simultaneously to the EYF and another donor.

How the Grant Is Paid

The grant is scheduled to be distributed in two stages:

• Initial payment: 80% after the grant agreement between the successful organisation and the European Youth Foundation is signed
• Final payment: The remaining balance after the Council of Europe accepts the final narrative and financial reports

The final grant amount remains subject to satisfactory implementation and reporting. Unsupported, ineligible, or improperly documented expenditure may not be accepted.

Eligible Cost Principles

Eligible costs should appear in the approved estimated budget, be incurred by the grantee during the official implementation period, be necessary for the project, be identifiable and verifiable, be recorded in the organisation’s accounts, comply with applicable tax and social-security legislation, be reasonable and justified, follow sound financial-management principles, demonstrate value for money, and be supported by original documents or certified copies where required. Organisations must retain original financial and project evidence for at least 10 years because grants may be audited during or after implementation.

Ineligible Activities

• Commercial or profit-making operations
• Purchase of land or buildings
• Construction or renovation of buildings
• Purchase of fixed equipment for buildings
• Tourism activities
• Scholarships
• Sports events and competitions
• School exchanges
• Activities forming part of a school curriculum
• Activities forming part of a university programme
• Activities with a strictly vocational character
• Projects unrelated to Council of Europe priorities
• Statutory meetings of youth organisations

Voluntary extracurricular work involving secondary-school student parliaments may be eligible, provided participation remains voluntary and extracurricular rather than being part of a formal school programme.

Organisations That Can Apply

Direct applications are restricted to organisations registered with the EYF as an international non-governmental youth organisation or an international network of non-governmental youth organisations. Individuals, national NGOs, local NGOs, informal groups, and universities cannot apply as lead applicants under this call.

A formal partnership is not compulsory. An eligible international organisation or network can implement the project itself. Other institutions may be included as partners where relevant, including national youth NGOs, local organisations, universities, public authorities, research institutions, civil society organisations, and specialist service providers.

Organisational Requirements

An applicant must be registered and validated in the EYF online grant-management system under an eligible international category, have a bank account capable of receiving euros, have stable and sufficient financial resources, be able to maintain its activities throughout the grant period, contribute financial, human, or in-kind resources, possess sufficient operational and professional capacity, have appropriate staff and volunteers, and demonstrate the ability to manage an international project.

An international youth NGO should normally:

• Have legal personality defining its international nature
• Be established in an EYF member country
• Have at least seven member or affiliated youth organisations
• Have those members located in at least seven EYF member countries
• Carry out activities primarily of a multilateral nature
• Work actively and substantially with its members
• Demonstrate that members participate in governance, strategy, and project implementation

An international network may lack separate legal personality but should:

• Have a statute or explicit agreement among members
• Have credible governance arrangements
• Have at least seven member or affiliated youth organisations
• Cover at least seven EYF member countries
• Designate a headquarters organisation
• Conduct primarily multilateral activities
• Demonstrate sustained cooperation
• Show shared strategies, resources, or funding among members

Registration Is Required Before Applying

Only organisations registered and validated by the EYF can submit a proposal. Unregistered organisations must create an account and submit an organisation-registration request through the Support4Youth grant-management system. Registration may take up to two weeks, and the EYF Secretariat must validate the registration by the application deadline.

Documents Required for Application

A complete proposal must include a completed narrative application form and a completed budget form covering costs requested from the EYF and costs financed from other sources. Applications must be prepared in English or French. Incomplete submissions will not be considered.

Assessment and Selection Criteria

Applications will be scored using four weighted criteria:

• Relevance and added value in relation to the call objective: 40%
• Quality, clarity, and completeness of the proposal: 32%
• Cost-effectiveness and completeness of the budget: 16%
• Expertise and experience of the organisation, partners, and project team: 12%

Relevance and added value account for the largest share of the score. A technically complete proposal with weak alignment to the purpose and priorities of the call is unlikely to be competitive.

Key Dates

• Application Deadline: October 1, 2026 (23:59 CEST)
• Assessment and Dialogue: October 2 – November 15, 2026
• Programming Committee Decision: December 14-15, 2026
• Applicants Notified: December 16-18, 2026
• Grant Agreements Signed: Early January 2027
• Permitted Project Start: January 1 – March 31, 2027
• Maximum Implementation Period: 18 months
• Latest Project End: September 30, 2028
• Final Report Deadline: Within two months of completion and no later than November 30, 2028

How to Apply

Step 1: Confirm the organisation’s EYF registration category, only international youth NGOs or international networks are eligible

Step 2: Begin registration immediately if necessary – allow at least two weeks for validation

Step 3: Identify the youth need using evidence, consultation, and organisational experience

Step 4: Align the project with EYF priorities and Council of Europe standards

Step 5: Build a coherent long-term project with a connected sequence of activities

Step 6: Verify participant compliance – at least seven member states and 75% aged 30 or younger

Step 7: Develop a realistic budget with co-financing and no double funding

Step 8: Complete the narrative and budget forms, respecting all character limits

Step 9: Submit through Support4Youth before the deadline

Step 10: Monitor the platform for requests for clarification or adjustment

Click here to Register or Apply

For More Information: Visit the Official European Youth Foundation Call Page