Youth organisations can now apply for pilot activity grants to the European Youth Foundation for initiatives to be carried out in 2025. The following focus themes for pilot activity grants were approved by Joint Council on Youth within the youth sector priorities:

1. Human rights education with and by young people 

This includes the possibility to apply to the EYF for a pilot activity grants for:

1. initiatives that support the Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education and the role of youth NGOs in its implementation
2. initiatives that support young people’s democratic engagement in the revitalisation of democracy (cfr. Reykjavík Declaration)
3. initiatives that support climate action and awareness on the right to a healthy environment, following the CM Recommendation (2024)6 on young people and climate action adopted on 23 October 2024.  

2. Peacebuilding, conflict transformation and intercultural dialogue

This includes the possibility to apply to the EYF for a pilot activity grants for:

1. initiatives that associate young people and their organisations with peacebuilding and intercultural dialogue 
2. initiatives that emerge from flagship activities of the Council of Europe’s youth sector, such as the Youth Peace Camp
3. initiatives strengthening young people’s agency and capacities to prevent violence, transform conflict and to build a culture of peace and human rights.

The deadlines for applying are the following:

• 1 December 2024
• 1 February 2025
• 15 May 2025
• 1 September 2025.

Initiatives must start at least 3 months after the deadline.

Local and national youth organisations can apply for pilot activity grants. Organisations must first be registered with the EYF. Learn more about the registration process at this page.

Pilot activity grants are awarded for initiatives that address young people’s needs or challenges at a local level and contribute to the priorities of the youth sector of the Council of Europe and to the specific focus themes 2025. Initiatives must be based on innovation, either in terms of methodology for the target group and/or the organisation and the context, or on replication of good practice. They must also have a clear youth dimension, contribute to youth participation, and lead to local impact.

Pilot activities are flexible in their format and may utilise a range of approaches, such as youth meetings, capacity building sessions, awareness raising actions, meetings with experts, local workshops, local actions, visits, campaigns, workshops in schools, festivals etc.   The maximum duration of a pilot activity project can be up to one year. 

For more information, please visit the specific pilot activity page of the EYF website.