Youth Action Lab Innovation Grants 2026

The Youth Action Lab Innovation Grants 2026 provide funding and support to youth-led organisations addressing challenges faced by young people through innovative, locally relevant solutions.

What it offers

• Up to €42,000 in funding for a 12-month project.
• Implementation period: January to December 2027.
• Access to mentorship, capacity development, and networking opportunities with young people, decision-makers, and stakeholders across Africa and Europe.

Who can apply

• Formally registered youth-led nonprofit organisations, including NGOs, civil society organisations, trusts, and community-based organisations.
• Must be youth-led, with young people aged 18 to 35 holding primary decision-making power and playing a central role in governance and activities.
• Must be based and registered in one of the following countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia (Somaliland region), Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, or Zimbabwe.

What you'll do

• Design and test a new activity or approach.
• Adapt and pilot an approach that has worked elsewhere.
• Scale a proven solution to reach new communities or geographic areas.
• Improve an existing initiative based on evidence, learning, or feedback.
• Projects should take an intersectional approach, prioritising those led by marginalised groups and young women.

How to apply

• Submit applications through the ON Grip Application System.
• Deadline: 23 September 2026.
• Download and read the funding manual before submitting.

Good to know

• The programme particularly encourages projects that address global challenges through locally relevant and sustainable solutions.
• InterArts Funding offers paid professional support to assist with applications, but is not affiliated with the funding organisation and cannot guarantee approval.