Maelezo

Overview

The AU–EU Youth Lab Entrepreneurship Grants support youth-led organisations working to strengthen the economic opportunities of young people.

For this third and final grant round, the programme specifically focuses on advocacy for an enabling environment for young entrepreneurs to start and grow their businesses. Applicants are expected to identify barriers faced by young entrepreneurs and propose advocacy actions that can help address them.

Individual eligible youth-led organisations can apply for a grant of €31,500.

What Does the Grant Offer?

Selected organisations will receive:

• €31,500 in grant funding
• Mentorship and capacity-development support tailored to organisational needs
• Opportunities to share their work with peers, decision-makers and stakeholders across Africa and Europe
• Access to a broader platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange

Who Can Apply?

Eligible applicants must be youth-led organisations operating as a Trust, Community-Based Organisation (CBO), NGO/CSO or Cooperative with a clear social or environmental mission.

Organisations must:

• Be formally registered, have an organisational bank account and a clear governance structure.
• Have been operating for at least 12 months.
• Be youth-led, with 100% of governance members aged 18–35 and young people holding primary decision-making power.
• Have more than 80% of those directly involved in designing and carrying out activities aged 18–35.
• Ensure that 100% of staff implementing the proposed project are aged 18–35.
• Be located and registered in one of the 12 eligible Youth Action Lab countries.
• Implement the proposed activities in one or more of those countries.

Eligible Countries

Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia (Somaliland region), Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

What Types of Projects Are Sought?

This grant round focuses specifically on:

Advocating for an enabling environment for young entrepreneurs to start and grow their businesses.

Applicants should propose actions that address concrete barriers affecting young entrepreneurs and demonstrate how their advocacy approach could contribute to a more supportive entrepreneurial environment.

The proposal may include different complementary activities that build upon one another.

Application

Applicants should first review the relevant Funding Manual, available in English, Portuguese and French, and verify that they meet all eligibility requirements.

Proposals may be developed by an individual organisation or in collaboration with other youth organisations.

Grant amount: €31,500
Application deadline: 23 September 2026 at 13:00 CAT

Information Webinar

An information webinar on the AU–EU Youth Action Lab and the Entrepreneurship Grants will take place on 3 September 2026 at 13:00 CAT, with an opportunity for questions and answers.

Contact

Questions not addressed in the Funding Manual or FAQ can be sent to: