Deadline: 15-Oct-2025
The Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future (EVZ Foundation) has introduced a new funding program, Young Civil Societies for Democracy, under the “Education drives the future” cluster. This program supports international youth education projects led by organizations in Germany, Georgia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, and Belarusian exile communities.
The program encourages cross-border exchange, human rights and democracy education, peacebuilding, youth networking, and collaboration. It empowers young people to learn from each other, build alliances, and inspire democratic change at both local and regional levels. By participating, young individuals become active contributors to building a resilient and sustainable civil society.
Funding amounts range from EUR 20,000 to EUR 65,000, and projects may run for up to 12 months. Projects should start no earlier than February 1, 2026, and finish by April 30, 2027.
Eligible projects must be transnational and respond to present-day challenges to democracy, such as civic repression, restricted civic spaces, and the effects of war. They should promote civic participation, build democratic engagement skills, and empower youth to initiate real change within their communities. Active involvement of young people in all stages of the project is essential.
Applicants must be non-profit organizations or public/private institutions from the eligible countries, with experience in non-formal education, democracy, and human rights education, or interest in gaining experience in these areas. Each project must involve at least one German organization, either as the lead or as a partner, and partnerships must be clearly defined in the application and budget.
Funded projects must involve equal international collaboration between at least two organizations, ideally including trilateral or multilateral partnerships. Each participating country must be represented by at least one partner and an equal number of participants and experts. Minimum participation is four individuals per country in multilateral settings and six per country in bilateral formats.
Projects can be implemented in digital, hybrid, or in-person formats. A mix of formats is encouraged, and in-person sessions must last at least five days, with arrival and departure days counting as half-days.
Projects will not be funded if they lack a German partner, do not include one partner per participating country, or only involve one country’s participants. Ineligible proposals also include those that fall short of participant requirements, have already started, are commercial in nature, or consist solely of visit-based activities without meaningful project work.
For more information, visit EVZ Foundation.
