Young Civil Societies for Democracy promotes international exchange, human rights education, peace and democracy education, youth encounters, and networking. Young people can learn from one another, build mutual support, and work together to spark democratic change at both the local and regional level. In this way, they become active shapers of the present and drivers of a sustainable civil society.

Funding Information

• At least EUR 20,000 and no more than EUR 65,000.

Duration

• Up to 12 months starting no earlier than February 1, 2026 and ending no later than April 30, 2027.

Eligible Projects

• They fund transnational projects that:
  • address current challenges facing democratic civil societies, such as restrictions on civic space, repression of civil society actors, and civic engagement under conditions of war – or in more positive terms: explore how to create and defend the conditions that enable civic participation;
  • bring together young people from at least two different countries;
  • focus on the perspectives of young people and ensure their active participation throughout all phases of the project;
  • build skills for democratic engagement and social participation;
  • support young people in developing and implementing their own initiatives for a democratic society and creating tangible impact at the local level.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations and public or private institutions based in Germany, Georgia, Poland, the Czech Republic and Ukraine, and also Belarusian exile organizations. Applicants must be active in non-formal education and have experience of democracy and human rights education and/or international youth work – or else be looking to gain initial experience in these areas.
• Each project must involve at least one German organization, either as the applicant or as a cooperation partner. Cooperative ventures involving different project executing agencies must be clearly identifiable in the proposal and the project cost plan.
• They fund international collaborations that are based on equal partnership between at least two project executing agencies. Trilateral and multilateral partnerships are desirable. In each case, the participating country should be represented by at least one project partner and the same number of project participants and experts.
• The minimum number of participants is four per country for multilateral encounters and six per country for bilateral encounters.
• Projects can be conducted digitally, in hybrid form, or in person. A combination of these formats is encouraged.
• In-person encounters must last at least five days per project – arrival and departure days each count as half a day

Ineligibility Criteria

• The following are not eligible for funding:
  • Projects without a German partner
  • Projects that do not include a partner from each participating country
  • Projects where participants come from one country only
  • Projects that do not meet the required minimum number of participants
  • Projects that have already started
  • Commercial projects
  • Encounters that do not involve project work (such as purely visit-based programs, group work, learning formats, microprojects etc.)

For more information, visit EVZ Foundation.

https://www.stiftung-evz.de/en/what-we-support/young-civil-societies-for-democracy/