The Seed Funding for Africa Europe Youth Cooperation was a grant allocation intended to promote Africa-Europe youth exchanges, networking and political participation of non-State actors. Funding initiatives provided the possibility for youth leaders, youth workers, experts and trainers to participate in Euro-African Youth activities and youth exchanges projects.

The seed funding aimed at strengthening the role of youth organisations as civil society actors and youth leaders’ ability to organise and take action as well as strengthen young people’s political participation in Euro-African co-operation. Moreover, it allowed to map the youth organisations active in the field of Africa-Europe Youth Cooperation and better understand the reality (priorities and working methodology) and the challenges of youth organisations in both Africa and Europe. It also helped to identify good practices through the compilation of reports of projects, giving visibility to the work developed.

The grants were of a maximum 2000€ per project/organisation in the first editions, however, the amount per project/organisation increased to 2500€ in the last two editions to respond to the needs observed in the high prizes of international travels and visa costs.

The launching of the first edition of Seed funding for AEYC was made during the second AEYS (November 2010), for projects to be implemented between January and March of 2011. The call for the second edition was launched in January 2011, for projects to be implemented between May and October of 2011. In 2011, 12 organisations received the grant.

The call for the third edition was launched in November 2011, for projects to be implemented between March and October of 2012. That year, 12 organisations received the grant.

The call for the fourth edition was launched in January 2013, for projects to be implemented between April and October of 2013. That year, 10 organisations received the grant.

The call for the fifth edition was launched in January 2014 for projects to be implemented between April and November of 2014. That year, 9 organisations received the grant.

The call for the sixth edition was launched in February 2015 for projects to be implemented between April and October of 2015. That year, 5 organisations received the grant.

Between 2010 and 2015, the North-South Centre provided grants to 60 different projects in a total amount of 88.048€.

Since its first edition there has been 567 applications. The high number of applications received proves the importance of this grant scheme. The results of the selection process show the diversity of projects as well as the common will of the youth organisations in fostering cooperation.