Check who can apply for what on the page What we support. Once registered (registration page), you will have access to the application forms corresponding to the type of your organisation.

An example of each application form in Word format can be found on the Forms and guidelines page. You can use these to prepare an application before submitting it in the online system.

The core aim of your activity should fall under one of the following broad categories:

Awareness-raising: participants are made aware of something (knowledge, particular situation, particular solutions or responses). Outcome: Participants can say "I now know about…" and/or "I am aware of…".

Skills development: participants develop skills to address a situation. Outcome: Participants are in a position to say "I can now do this" or/and "I now have the ability to…".

Collaborative work: participants' skills and knowledge serve as a basis to build and/or develop a product (e.g. a campaign, guidelines, recommendations, etc.). Outcome: Participants can say "I have contributed to develop this…".

Some activities have a mix of all three. But you should choose the one that corresponds best in terms of input, outcomes and concrete results you want to achieve.

Here are a few example of initiatives that will not receive support from the EYF:

• scholarships of any kind (school, university, research, programmes or exchanges, vocational training)
• commercial operations
• construction, purchase or equipment of buildings
• humanitarian projects outside Europe
• sports activities
• tourism
• travel costs only for participants in international exchanges
• projects in agriculture and water sanitation
• additional funding to cover costs for disadvantaged participants to take part in projects and/or activities funded by other donors
• micro-credit
• financial support for collecting and sending pedagogical material and/or food and/or clothes and/or books anywhere in the world

All activities supported by the EYF must be in line with the priorities and values of the Council of Europe and contribute to the youth sector's priorities.

The official languages at the Council of Europe are English and French, therefore we will only accept applications which are written in one of the two official languages.

Yes. What is more, the EYF can only fund two-thirds of the total real costs of an international activity and you will need to find co-funding. You will have to justify in your financial report that this is co-funding and not double funding by providing invoices and proof of payment of all the expenditure (real costs), as well as proof of any co-funding.

Even though the EYF can in principle cover 100% of the costs of a pilot activity, the amount of the grant awarded may be lower than the grant requested. It is therefore advisable to search for other additional sources of financing to ensure that the activity can go ahead as planned.

Check the maximum grant that can be requested for each type of application on the page What we support. Note that you will have to find co-financing for an international activity – the EYF cannot cover more than two-thirds of the total cost.

If you apply for a work plan, the two-thirds rule will apply to the total cost of the international activities calculated together.

The online application form includes a section on the budget, where you are asked to explain all the expenditure and income foreseen for your project. A model Excel table is available on the Forms and guidelines page, which you are encouraged to use to prepare your budget.

The Guidelines for financial reporting explain what costs can or cannot be included in the budget.

If your registration form has been validated by the EYF (see Registration page), then you will automatically have access to the application forms corresponding to your type of organisation (local, national, international). When you log on to the online system (see link on the Homepage, go to online system button), you will find the application forms in the Project menu > Funding request.

Please consult the deadlines for submitting grant applications.

First, it is very likely that the answer is somewhere on the website. But going straight to the page "What we support" is not necessarily the best option or strategy:

• because the other pages help you understand how we work and, more importantly, why the youth sector of the Council of Europe has support opportunities for youth NGOs in Europe;
• because many questions that are addressed by email or by phone to the EYF have an answer on the website;
• because turning systematically for help to the EYF is taking away time from us that could be used going into a deeper dialogue with the NGOs.

We are here to answer your questions, of course, but please keep in mind that you should first look at the website.

You can also contact the EYF.

There is no limitation in terms of number of applications that can be submitted to the EYF by one organisation for the same deadline.

However, EYF resources are limited and its aim is to support as many youth NGOs as possible!

Also, the EYF will ask you why the international activity does not fit into the work plan!

And if you submit several international activities at the same time, the EYF will ask you why you are not submitting a work plan!

If you receive a rejection letter, the reasons why your project was rejected are explained, but you are not allowed to submit the same application again.

You can of course submit a new application, which must not be copied from the rejected one.

If the Programming Committee on Youth considers that your application can be resubmitted, you will receive a resubmission letter, explaining how and under which circumstances you can resubmit your project application.

When you fill in a grant application form, you will need to indicate a venue for each activity with the corresponding GPS coordinates. If your project receives EYF support, it will appear on the map.

Click here and learn how to find your GPS location! For information, the correct format is 48.60228,7.769466 (no space after the comma). If your project is approved, go and see if it is correctly located on the map!

The timeline gives a general overview of which actions are foreseen at which stage of the project over a certain period of time (preparation, activity, evaluation, follow-up). In this document you should present the milestones of the project with dates (you do not need to indicate the exact day but maybe the week or the month).

The programme should show how you will be working with the participants in a face-to-face situation during the main activity of your project (international meeting, workshop, training, etc). It should indicate which sessions are planned and on which topics. If you already know which methods you intend to use during the sessions you can also add this information. The programme can of course be adapted during the preparatory process and the activity itself depending on the needs of your participants. A model draft programme is available on the Forms & guidelines page.

If you are a national youth NGO, you must have at least 3 partners from 3 other countries to apply for an international activity.

The applying NGO and the 3 (minimum) partners must work together throughout the whole process (initial idea, concept, design, implementation, evaluation, etc.). There must be a valid reason why these organisations are working together (for example a common vision on a particular subject, specific expertise, previous co-operation).

You are asked to explain why you co-operate with these organisations, what joint activities you have carried out over the past 2 years, what role each organisation will play in the process and if the organisations are known to the EYF.

A partner is not:

• an individual
• an organisation only sending participants but not having any other role.

You do not need to work with partners if you are applying for a pilot activity.

No, this is not obligatory for an EYF-supported activity. Depending on the circumstances, you can cover 100% of the participants' costs. The EYF does not want to limit access to EYF-supported activities to young people who can afford to pay a participation fee.

There is no EYF rule stating that only a certain percentage of travel costs can be reimbursed.

Give an indication of your expectations in the grant application (you must have participants from at least 7 Council of Europe member states for an international activity). If you receive a grant, you will have to provide a signed list of participants with your report (see model list of participants). You are encouraged to inform the EYF about the situation concerning the participants during the preparatory phase. You are also expected to ensure a good geographical and gender balance among the participants.

If you have applied to the EYF, you will have noticed that your application will go through various phases and statuses. You can see the status of each of your projects when you log on to the online system and check your Project menu > Requests in progress.

For example, when you submit a new grant application, it will have the status “New”.

Take a look at the “Application process” document, which explains the life of a grant application.

Once an application form has been submitted (status “Application submitted”) you cannot modify it until the EYF starts the assessment. If you need to contact the EYF, you should use the “Comments” page in the application form to send a comment to the EYF.

Once the EYF starts to assess your application, you will receive a notification by email asking you to log on and respond to any comments or questions directly in the form (status “Under discussion”).

Take a look at the “Application process” document, which explains the life of a grant application.

Please do not send separate emails directly to the EYF mailbox or any of the EYF staff concerning a grant application that has been submitted. All discussions will take place using the online form (Comments page).

You must ask for prior approval concerning any major changes (dates, venue, title, person in charge) for an EYF-supported activity. The EYF will check if this was done when verifying the report.

Decisions on grant applications for international activities and work plans are taken by the Programming Committee on Youth in June and December. You will be informed of the decision immediately after the meeting.

Grant applications for pilot activities are processed throughout the year at specific deadlines and the Programming Committee on Youth takes decisions within up to 3 months after the deadline. You will be informed as soon as the decision is taken.

A list of all grants awarded is available on the Projects supported page.

If your project is awarded a grant, you will be asked to verify your bank details in the online system and a contract (Grant Acceptance Form) will be sent to you by email. You must sign it and return it to the EYF by email to eyf.courrier@coe.int

The EYF will normally request the payment of the first instalment of the grant – 80% of the grant awarded – 10 weeks before the start of your activity (international activities and pilot activities). However it can take up to 3 weeks until the money arrives on your bank account. The remaining 20% will be paid upon receipt of a complete activity and financial report (check the Reporting FAQ).

The grant for an annual work plan is usually paid in three instalments: 1) 60% upon receipt of the signed Grant Acceptance Form; 2) 25% upon receipt of the interim report; 3) 15%  upon receipt of the final activity and financial report (check the Reporting FAQ).

A two-year structural grant is paid in four instalments: 1) 25% upon receipt of the signed Grant Acceptance Form; 2) 25% upon receipt of the first-year report; 3) 25% upon receipt of the signed Grant Acceptance Form for the second year; 4) 25% upon receipt of the final report and audited accounts.

A one-off structural grant is paid in two instalments: 1) 50% upon receipt of the signed Grant Acceptance Form; 2) 50% upon receipt of the final report.

If your organisation does not have its own bank account or cannot receive funds from the EYF for some reason, you should contact the EYF Secretariat. The use of a partner organisation to transfer funds can only be used under strict conditions. The partner organisation must have good relations with the EYF and both organisations will be asked to sign a statement committing themselves to provide all the necessary information on the proper use of the funds.

To resubmit your application, go the online system of the EYF, https://fej.coe.int 

Open the application “Resubmission possible” on your “Projects in progress” page. Then go on “Validation page” and click on “Resubmit”. A new “draft” version will be created that you can modify and resubmit.