International activities are international meetings of young people or youth leaders in Europe which contribute to the work of the youth sector of the Council of Europe in topic, methodology and with a clear European dimension.

The following hard criteria are a requirement for an international activity:

• Must fall under the priorities of the youth sector of the Council of Europe;
• Participants must come from at least 7 Council of Europe's member states*;
• The activity must have a core project team where people of at least 4 nationalities are represented (this includes the trainers, facilitators, project coordinator, etc.);
• 75 % of participants are under 30 years old;
• A gender and geographical balance must be ensured;
• In the planning and running of the international activity, the grantee organisation puts in place measures to ensure gender equality and inclusive practices;
• the activity responds to the needs of young people and participants are at the centre of the activity, with non-formal educational approaches included;
• the activity does not need to have a fixed duration; however, the EYF has considered in the past that 4 working days is a minimal duration to ensure a suitable educational and intercultural process. Organisations applying for shorter activities will need to explain their choice;
• the international activity must take place in the year for which the organisation applied for (the next year in comparison to the deadline). The applicant organisation must include in its application all the project duration, including the preparation, international meeting, follow-up activities, if any, and evaluation. The project duration is the period in which the project costs incur. The project duration must be within one calendar year. 

International activities should not already be a part of a work plan. Publications, materials and websites are not eligible as an international activity per se, however the grantee organisations may produce outputs as a result of the international meeting.

Statutory or internal meetings (e.g. Board meetings, General Assemblies) cannot be supported as a one-off international activity. These are covered by an EYF structural grant. If a statutory meeting takes place in conjunction with an international activity supported by the EYF (e.g. a Board meeting directly after the activity), this has to be clearly explained and the relevant costs must be separated.

The maximum grant allocated is €25 000.The EYF will cover up to two-thirds of the total real costs of the activity. NGOs need to find additional resources to cover the remaining one-third. 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. 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 page).

Common characteristics of all EYF-supported projects and examples of supported projects

The European Youth Foundation provides financial and educational support to a wide range of youth projects, focusing on a range of different topics. Whether projects take place at local or international level, EYF-supported projects all share some common characteristics. Learn more about these characteristics and check examples of projects supported at the dedicated page.

What costs are covered by the grant? Budget and financial management

When applying, you must indicate the full project duration, not only the dates of the meeting of young people. Please note that the full project duration means the period within which the project costs incur.

Check the page on budget and financial management for specific information on this. 

Who can apply?

• International non-governmental youth organisations can apply on their own;
• International networks of youth NGOs can apply on their own;
• Regional networks of youth NGOs can apply on their own;
• National non-governmental youth organisations can apply if the activity is prepared in partnership with at least 3 other national NGOs or networks from different countries or with at least 1 international NGO or network.

When to apply?

Information on the European Youth Foundation deadlines

How to apply?

Every NGO interested in applying to the European Youth Foundation has to go through this application process.

* Statute of the European Youth Foundation
Article 3 – Participation by Contracting Parties to the European cultural Convention, not members of the Council of Europe: Any Contracting Party to the European Cultural Convention which is not a member of the Council of Europe may be invited by a decision of the Committee of Ministers to participate in the activities of the Foundation.