European Commission Grants for NGOs working in the field of Youth

Deadline: 15-Dec-21

The European Commission (EC) is pleased to announce a call for proposals for the Civil Society Cooperation in the field of Youth.

Objectives

The objective of the present call is to provide structural support, referred to as operating grants, to European non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) and EU-wide networks active in the field youth pursuing the following general aims:

• Raise awareness of European policy agendas in youth, in particular, the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027 including the European Youth Goals.
• Increase stakeholder commitment and cooperation with public authorities for the implementation of policies and reforms in the field of youth, in particular for the implementation of policies in areas relevant for young people and the country-specific recommendations issued in the framework of the European Semester.
• Boost stakeholder participation in the field of youth including by building upon the potential of digital communication alongside other forms of participation.
• Boost stakeholder involvement in the dissemination of policy and Programme actions and results and of good practice among their membership and beyond.
• Develop, promote and support actions to engage, connect and empower youth in the spirit of the EU Youth Strategy.
• Increase awareness and youth participation in EU actions for young people, including Erasmus+, European Solidarity Corps and DiscoverEU.
• Boost civil society involvement in the dissemination of policy and programme actions including results and good practices among their membership and beyond.

Priorities

Specific priorities for the youth field include:

• Promoting active citizenship, young people’s sense of initiative and youth entrepreneurship including social entrepreneurship: The priority aims to foster active citizenship among young people, notably through volunteering and acts of solidarity, and thereby strengthen young people’s sense of initiative, particularly in the social field, and support their communities. Projects under this priority could also promote entrepreneurship, creative learning and social entrepreneurship among youth. Intercultural dialogue, knowledge and recognition of diversity and promotion of tolerance are key to this priority.
• Increasing quality, innovation and recognition of youth work: The priority aims to promote the recognition and validation of youth work and informal and non-formal learning on all levels, and support quality development and innovation in youth work, in line with the priorities enshrined in the European Youth Work Agenda7 and the Bonn Process of December 20208 . This includes capacity-building of youth workers in their online and offline practices, as well as support to the development and sharing of methods to reach marginalised young people, prevent racism and intolerance among youth, and the risks, opportunities and implications of digitalisation.
• Strengthening the employability of young people: The priority aims to strengthen young people’s key competences and basic skills. The youth sector plays an important role in easing the transition of young people from youth to adulthood, including supporting their integration into the labour market. Activities focusing on the inclusion and employability of young people with fewer opportunities (including NEETs), with particular emphasis on young people at risk of marginalisation and those with a migrant background, are at the core of this priority.
• Reinforcing links between policy, research and practice: This priority addresses the need for stronger links between policy, research and practice in the youth field to provide improved evidence of needs and facilitate policy making. Activities to promote better knowledge about the situation of young people and youth policies in Europe and beyond will be of importance to this priority.

Funding Information

The available call budget is EUR 4 000 000.This budget might be increased by maximum 20%.

Activities

The organisations active in the field of youth that will be supported under this call are expected to carry out activities that aim to (non-exhaustive list):

• Contribute to the realisation of the European Youth Goals as attached to the EU Youth Strategy.
• Contribute to the activities as defined for the 2022 European Year of Youth.
• Adhere to the guiding principles set for the EU Youth Strategy and in this regard promote the following:
  • Equality and non-discrimination, by combating all forms of discrimination and promoting action to encourage young people’s fair and equal access to opportunities and facilitate their transition to adulthood, including in civic life, at school or in the world of work.
  • Inclusion, catering for the diverse needs of young people and especially those with fewer opportunities or whose voices may be overlooked.
  • Participation of all young people in democratic and civic life in Europe; by meaningful action to involve young people and youth organisations at European, national, regional or local level in the development, implementation and follow-up of policy issues; promoting debate and actions to make young people’s voices better heard in society; and encouraging them to vote in elections.
  • Global, European, national, regional and local dimension, ensuring European activities reach and impact young people at grassroots level and connect to global issues of concern to young people.
• Foster the development of competences and skills through non-formal and informal learning, youth organizations and youth work; promote digital literacy, intercultural learning, critical thinking, the respect of diversity, and the values of solidarity, equal opportunities and human rights among young people in Europe. 
• Contribute to relevant EU policy initiatives beyond youth policy affecting young people in areas such as citizenship, education, culture, sport, employment or social inclusion. These could, for example, be related to the Conference for the Future of Europe, to the European Green Deal or the New European Bauhaus initiative.

Eligibility Criteria

In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:

• be legal entities (public or private bodies)
• be established in one of the eligible countries, ie:
  • Erasmus + Program Countries:
    • EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
    • non-EU countries:
      • listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Erasmus + Program or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature.
• To be eligible, applicants must be:
  • non-governmental;
  • not-for-profit-making.
• Neither Erasmus + National Agencies nor organizations having overwhelmingly Erasmus + National Agencies as members (2/3 or more) are eligible organizations under this Call.

For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3D5zNaC