European Youth Foundation Living and Building Democracy Grants 2026: Funding for Youth Initiatives Promoting Democracy and Human Rights

The European Youth Foundation Living and Building Democracy Grants 2026 provide funding for youth initiatives promoting democracy and human rights across Europe. Launched by the European Youth Foundation (EYF) of the Council of Europe, this call for proposals supports ad hoc youth initiatives that empower young people to strengthen democratic culture, promote human rights, develop critical thinking, and actively participate in democratic processes. Through this grant programme, eligible youth organisations can implement innovative projects that address contemporary democratic challenges such as misinformation, disinformation, fake news, barriers to voting, and limited participation in governance, while equipping young people with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to become active democratic citizens.

To strengthen youth participation and democratic engagement across Europe, the European Youth Foundation (EYF) of the Council of Europe has launched the Call for Youth Initiatives “Living and Building Democracy” 2026. This funding opportunity is designed to support innovative ad hoc youth initiatives that empower young people to better understand democracy, develop critical thinking skills, promote human rights, and actively participate in democratic life.

The grant programme encourages youth organisations to design impactful projects that respond to real democratic challenges facing young people while promoting democratic values, civic participation, and human rights education.

Applications are now open for eligible youth organisations registered with the European Youth Foundation.

About the European Youth Foundation Living and Building Democracy Call

The “Living and Building Democracy” call is a special funding initiative established by the European Youth Foundation to encourage youth organisations to create practical projects that strengthen democratic culture among young people.

Rather than supporting general youth activities, this call specifically focuses on initiatives that respond to contemporary democratic challenges and equip young people with the knowledge, attitudes, and skills needed to actively participate in democratic societies.

The initiative recognizes that democracy is strengthened when young people understand their rights, think critically, participate responsibly, and contribute to decision-making processes within their communities.

By supporting youth-led initiatives, the European Youth Foundation seeks to promote active citizenship while reinforcing the values of democracy, human rights, inclusion, and participation across Europe.

Objectives of the Grant Programme

The Living and Building Democracy grant aims to support initiatives that contribute to several important objectives.

1. Increase Young People’s Understanding of Democracy

Projects should create opportunities for young people to:

• Learn about democratic values.
• Understand democratic institutions.
• Explore how democracy functions in modern society.
• Understand the importance of protecting democratic systems.

2. Promote Human Rights Education

Applicants are encouraged to design activities that help participants understand:

• Fundamental human rights.
• The relationship between democracy and human rights.
• Why human rights are essential to democratic societies.
• How human rights can be protected and promoted.

3. Develop Critical Thinking

The European Youth Foundation seeks initiatives that help young people:

• Analyze information critically.
• Question misinformation.
• Recognize manipulation.
• Make informed civic decisions.
• Build democratic attitudes and values.

This objective is especially important within today’s digital environment where false information spreads rapidly.

4. Strengthen Democratic Culture

Successful projects should encourage young people to:

• Respect democratic values.
• Participate in civic life.
• Engage in dialogue.
• Promote inclusion.
• Build trust within communities.
• Encourage democratic participation both online and offline.

5. Equip Young People with Citizenship Skills

The programme also aims to provide participants with practical citizenship skills that enable them to:

• Participate in democratic decision-making.
• Promote human rights.
• Engage in community initiatives.
• Contribute to governance processes.
• Become active and responsible citizens.

Democratic Challenges the Grant Seeks to Address

The European Youth Foundation particularly welcomes projects that respond to specific barriers preventing young people from participating fully in democratic life.

Examples include:

• Misinformation
• Disinformation
• Fake news
• Information manipulation
• Political disengagement
• Low voter participation
• Barriers to voting
• Limited youth participation in governance
• Weak civic engagement
• Challenges affecting democratic participation in digital spaces

Applicants are expected to clearly explain:

• Which democratic challenge their project addresses.
• Why the challenge is important.
• How young people are affected.
• How the proposed activities will overcome or reduce that challenge.
• The expected impact of the initiative.

What Kind of Initiatives Can Be Supported?

The programme supports ad hoc youth initiatives that contribute directly to strengthening democracy and promoting human rights.

Eligible activities may include:

• Youth workshops
• Democracy education programmes
• Civic engagement projects
• Human rights campaigns
• Public awareness activities
• Community dialogue sessions
• Critical thinking workshops
• Digital citizenship initiatives
• Youth participation events
• Democratic leadership activities
• Advocacy and awareness campaigns

Projects should demonstrate innovation, relevance, and measurable impact on young people’s democratic participation.

Benefits of the Grant

Successful applicants will benefit from:

• Financial support for implementing youth initiatives.
• Opportunity to strengthen democratic participation among young people.
• Support for innovative civic engagement projects.
• Promotion of human rights education.
• Increased youth involvement in democratic processes.
• Contribution to democratic resilience across Europe.
• Recognition through support from the European Youth Foundation.

Who Should Apply?

This funding opportunity is intended for:

• Youth organisations registered with the European Youth Foundation.
• Youth organisations committed to democracy and human rights.
• Civil society organisations working with young people.
• Organisations promoting active citizenship.
• Youth-led organisations implementing democratic participation projects.

Applicants must ensure that their proposed projects align with the objectives and priorities outlined in the call for proposals.

Application Requirements

Applicants should carefully review the official call documents before submitting their applications.

Applications will be assessed based on:

• Eligibility criteria.
• Exclusion criteria.
• Award criteria.
• Relevance of the proposed initiative.
• Quality of the project design.
• Expected impact.
• Demonstrated response to identified democratic challenges.

The initiative should clearly explain how it intends to address a specific democratic issue affecting young people and provide practical solutions through its planned activities.

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Application Timeline

Applications opened for submission from the end of July 2026.

Application Deadline

The deadline for submitting applications is:

1 September 2026 at 23:59 CEST

Late applications will not be considered.

How to Apply

Interested youth organisations should review the official call for proposals, confirm their eligibility with the European Youth Foundation, and complete the required application forms before the application deadline.

Applicants are encouraged to carefully study all eligibility conditions, funding requirements, and evaluation criteria before preparing their proposals.

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Conclusion

The European Youth Foundation Living and Building Democracy Grants 2026 provide an important opportunity for youth organisations to design meaningful initiatives that strengthen democracy, promote human rights, and empower young people to become active citizens. By supporting projects that tackle misinformation, encourage civic participation, and build democratic culture, the programme contributes to creating more inclusive, resilient, and participatory societies across Europe.

Eligible youth organisations registered with the European Youth Foundation are encouraged to take advantage of this funding opportunity and submit high-quality proposals before the 1 September 2026 (23:59 CEST) deadline. Through innovative youth-led initiatives, organisations can make a lasting contribution to democracy, civic engagement, and human rights education while helping young people develop the skills needed to shape Europe’s democratic future.

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