The European Scout Region is opening a new funding opportunity for youth-led initiatives that support membership development and growth at the grassroots level.
The funding opportunity is part of the Momentum – Membership and Resilience Accelerator in the European Scout Region project, implemented with the support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in partnership with World Scouting, under the Messengers of Peace fund.
Through this funding, selected projects will receive financial support to design and implement initiatives that contribute to the growth of Scouting at the local, regional, or national level.
What can the funding support?
The funding is designed to support projects that have the potential to make a meaningful and lasting contribution to membership development and growth.
Selected applicants will develop and lead a Growth Laboratory: a project or initiative that addresses a specific membership development challenge and has the potential to be scaled up within their Scout organisation.
Projects should:
- Contribute to membership development and growth at local, regional or national level.
- Directly involve young people aged 18–30 in the planning team.
- Be led by a designated project manager or leader committed to promoting growth.
- Have the potential to be developed or scaled into a larger initiative within the National Scout Organization/Association (NSO/NSA).
- Include a project leader who can take part in the project’s learning and development activities.
Who can apply?
The funding is open to:
- National Scout Organizations (NSOs) and National Scout Associations (NSAs) from the European Scout Region.
- Local Scout groups from the European Scout Region with endorsement from their International Commissioner.
Applicants must be part of an NSO/NSA that is in good standing with WOSM and compliant with Annual Reporting requirements.
In addition, applicants must:
- Have an interest in growing Scouting in their community, region or country.
- Designate a project manager or leader interested in promoting growth within their NSO/NSA.
- Ensure that young people aged 18–30 are directly involved in the project planning team.
- Propose a project or initiative that has potential to be scaled up within their NSO/NSA.
- Ensure that the project manager or leader can participate in:
- An in-person project meeting from 13–15 November 2026, with expenses covered by the European Scout Region.
- Monthly online peer-learning sessions.
How to apply?
To apply for funding, applicants need to:
- Complete the Growth Laboratories Application Form. Applications must be submitted in English.
- Complete the Project Plan and Budget Excel and upload the completed file to the application form.
- For local or regional projects, obtain an official endorsement letter from the International Commissioner of your NSO/NSA and upload it with the application.
Selection process
The deadline to submit an application is 30 September 2026.
Applications will be reviewed and selected by WOSM based on the criteria outlined in the information sheet.
The results of the selection process will be communicated in early October 2026.
Before receiving funding, selected applicants will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) confirming their commitment to organise and implement their Growth Laboratory.
Language
Project applications and reporting must be completed in English.
If your project is selected, you can run your Growth Laboratory in your local language(s).
Endorsement
For local/regional projects or initiatives, an official endorsement letter from the International Commissioner in your National Scout Organization/Association will be required. Please be aware that a positive endorsement from the International Commissioner does not guarantee the successful selection of your project.
More information and contact
If you have any questions or require further information about this funding opportunity, don't hesitate to get in touch with the Momentum Project Coordinator from World Scouting, Andra Dediu (andra.dediu@scout.org).
