AU–EU Youth Action Lab Grants 2025 Cohort II for Youth-Led Initiatives (Up To EUR 50,000 Grant Funding)

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Applications are open for AU–EU Youth Action Lab Grants 2025 Cohort II. Do you have a bold, youth-led idea that can drive change across Africa and Europe? This is your chance to receive funding, mentorship, and a platform to amplify your impact.

The AU–EU Youth Action Lab continues to be one of the most influential programmes empowering young leaders working to address global challenges—from climate action to economic inclusion and social justice. The upcoming cycle offers four fully funded grant opportunities designed to strengthen youth leadership, innovation, and collaboration across two continents.

The AU–EU Youth Action Lab is a flagship initiative jointly implemented by the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU). It supports youth-led solutions and ensures young people meaningfully shape policy processes at regional and global levels. This year’s Call for Proposals invites youth organisations from eligible African countries and all EU member states to submit bold, impactful project ideas.

The AU-EU Youth Action Lab provides the opportunity for youth initiatives in Africa and Europe to submit proposals to apply for funding to implement your own ideas and solutions linked to global challenges!

Why AU–EU Youth Action Lab Grants Are Power-Shifting Grants?

The Youth Action Lab uses a youth-centered, power-shifting funding approach, grounded in:

Nothing about youth without youth
- A Youth Advisory Board of the Youth Action Lab will review and select the proposals to receive funding.
Organisational Capacity
- We strive for grants that facilitate and nurture stability, resilience, financial security and organisational capacity.
Simplified Application & Reporting
- We ensure application and reporting mechanisms that makes sense to youth initiatives.

The Four AU–EU Youth Action Lab Grants (2025)

Below is an SEO-optimized summary of each grant type, including criteria, eligible activities, and benefits.

1. Innovation Grants (EUR 30,000–40,000):

For youth-led innovations addressing global challenges

The Innovation Grants support youth organisations designing, testing, or scaling innovative solutions with long-term community impact.

Funding & Benefits

€30,000–€40,000 grant
Mentorship & tailored capacity development
Access to AU–EU networking and policy influence platforms

Eligibility Criteria

Youth-led: 18–35 (100% governance; 80%+ staff)
Non-profit, CBO, CSO or NGO
Formally registered with a bank account
Project implemented in at least one eligible African country

Possible Activities

Democratic participation tools
Climate resilience prototypes
Digital learning solutions
Scaling community-based innovations

Full details here: https://aueuyouth.com/innovation-grants/

2. Entrepreneurship Grants (EUR 30,000)

For youth-led social enterprises advancing economic opportunities

These grants support responsible growth of youth-led social enterprises, especially those aligning financial sustainability with social and environmental impact.

Benefits

€30,000 funding
Mentorship and capacity development
Access to Africa–Europe policy and learning platforms

Eligibility Criteria

Youth-led (18–35)
Registered for at least 12 months
Evidence of income-generating activities
Clear social/environmental impact

Example Activities

Developing new skills curricula
Scaling enterprise training in rural areas
Building youth–business networks

Full details here: https://aueuyouth.com/entrepreneurship-grants/

3. Representation Grants (EUR 10,000–20,000)

For grassroots and marginalised youth advocating for change

Managed by Restless Development Uganda, these grants support youth-led groups raising the voices of underrepresented and marginalised young people.

Funding

€10,000–€20,000
Up to 20 grants available

Eligibility Criteria

Youth-led community groups, CBOs, grassroots movements
Working on advocacy, rights, policy influence, community mobilisation

Grant Focus

Strengthening youth voices in national, AU, and EU policy spaces
Coalition building and policy advocacy
Community-level rights and wellbeing campaigns

Full details here: https://aueuyouth.com/representation-grants/

4. Cooperation Grants (EUR 50,000)

For Africa–Europe cross-continental youth partnerships

These grants support joint advocacy projects between youth-led organisations in Africa and Europe.

Funding

€50,000 per consortium (2–4 partners)

Eligibility Criteria

At least one African and one EU organisation
Youth-led governance (18–35)
Legally registered organisations
Experience in joint project implementation

Eligible Activities

Projects may focus on:

Cross-continental youth advocacy
Policy and citizen engagement
Shared research and knowledge exchange
Climate action, social inclusion, or digital transformation

Full details here: https://aueuyouth.com/cooperation-grants/

Eligible Countries for AU–EU Youth Action Lab Grants

Organisations must be located and formally registered in one of the following AU Youth Action Lab focus countries:
- Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia (Somaliland Region), Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
For Cooperation Grants, youth-led organisations from the European Union are also eligible.