AU-EU Youth Action Lab Grants 2026 for Youth-Led Initiatives in Africa

 

AU-EU Youth Action Lab Grants 2026

Apply for the AU-EU Youth Action Lab Grants 2026, funding youth-led initiatives across Africa and Europe. This final Call for Proposals offers two grant types: Innovation Grants (for designing, testing, and scaling solutions to global challenges) and Entrepreneurship Grants (for advocating an enabling environment for young entrepreneurs). Each grant runs 12 months, from January to December 2027. Eligible countries include Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia (Somaliland Region), Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Built on a "powershifting" approach, a Youth Advisory Board reviews and selects proposals, placing young people at the centre of funding decisions. The grants strengthen organisational capacity, resilience, and financial security of youth initiatives, with simplified application and reporting processes. Focus areas include climate action, social inclusion, technology, community development, education, and youth participation.

Overview

Criteria	Details
Program	AU-EU Youth Action Lab Grants 2026
Organizers	African Union (AU) & European Union (EU)
Grant Types	Innovation Grants & Entrepreneurship Grants
Grant Duration	12 months (January - December 2027)
Target Group	Youth-led initiatives in Africa
Selection Body	Youth Advisory Board
Application Deadline	23 September 2026 (13:00 CAT)

About the AU-EU Youth Action Lab

The AU-EU Youth Action Lab is a collaborative initiative between the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) that provides funding for youth-led initiatives in Africa and Europe. The program connects youth initiatives with their peers to share ideas, learn from each other, and collaborate on solutions to shared challenges.

Beyond funding, the Youth Action Lab creates opportunities for young people to bring their voices and solutions directly to decision-makers, including leaders at both the European Union and African Union levels.

In August 2026, the Youth Action Lab launched its final Call for Proposals, inviting young people in all their diversity to apply for this transformative funding opportunity.

For young African storytellers passionate about environmental issues, another excellent opportunity to explore is the Africa No Filter Voices for Climate Justice Initiative, which offers grants for African creatives advocating for climate justice.

Eligible Countries

The AU-EU Youth Action Lab Grants 2026 are open to youth-led initiatives from the following 12 countries:

Region	Eligible Countries
East Africa	Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia (Somaliland Region), Tanzania, Uganda
Southern Africa	Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe
West Africa	Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone
North Africa	Tunisia

Grant Types Available

The Youth Action Lab offers two distinct grant types for its final Call for Proposals. Each grant lasts for a period of 12 months, running from January 2027 to December 2027.

1️⃣ Innovation Grants

Aspect	Details
Purpose	Support youth initiatives designing, testing, and/or scaling innovations linked to global challenges
Focus areas	Climate action, social inclusion, technology, community development, education, youth participation
Emphasis	Turning promising ideas into practical action
Ideal for	Organizations developing practical solutions to community challenges

Who Should Apply: Youth-led initiatives that have innovative ideas and need resources plus organizational support to transform those ideas into real-world impact.

2️⃣ Entrepreneurship Grants

Aspect	Details
Purpose	Support youth initiatives advocating for an enabling environment for young entrepreneurs
Focus areas	Entrepreneurship policy, access to opportunities, youth economic participation, business ecosystems
Emphasis	Advocacy for young entrepreneurs
Ideal for	Youth organizations working on entrepreneurship advocacy and policy

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the AU-EU Youth Action Lab Grants 2026, applicants should meet the following criteria:

Requirement	Details
Youth-Led	Initiative must be genuinely led by young people
Location	Based in one of the 12 eligible countries
Project Relevance	Clear connection to local context and community needs
Grant Alignment	Project must fit Innovation OR Entrepreneurship category
Clear Objectives	Well-defined challenge, solution, and expected results

How to Apply

Eligible youth-led initiatives should first review the requirements for both grant categories and select the opportunity that best matches their project. 

Resource	URL
Official Webpage	aueuyouth.com/grants