We are excited to announce that, through our partnership with the Global Youth Mobilization (GYM), supported by the EU Youth Empowerment Fund, World Scouting offers funding opportunities directly to National Scout Organizations (NSOs) through “Network Solutions”, an open call for national projects led by young people that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within their local communities.
GYM’s funding opportunity empowers young people to drive grassroots change, reaching over 250 million youth through the Big Six’s extensive networks. Focusing on inclusivity, GYM engages young people in vulnerable situations, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, conflict-affected areas, and those facing barriers related to gender and disability.
Through national structures and with adult volunteer support, young people receive funding, capacity-building, and mentorship to implement sustainable solutions aligned with key SDG priorities, such as gender equality, climate action, and employment.
Selection criteria
1. Purpose
The project must clearly meet the overall aims of the EU Youth Empowerment Fund through the Global Youth Mobilization and specifically address the following objectives:
- Improved engagement of young people in their diversity and their organisations, including the Big Six networks, in the implementation of initiatives related to sustainable development of their communities and societies and/or
- Increased capacity of young people in all their diversity to connect, lead, take action and advocate for their needs in relation to the SDGs.
World Scouting encourages NSOs to consider projects aligned with Scouting work in relation to the SDGs, Scouts for SDGs Initiatives, or similar national/local projects supporting sustainable community development.
The Scouts for SDGs Initiatives are a portfolio of world initiatives addressing four thematic areas of education focusing on global issues and trends affecting young people and diverse communities in the next ten years. Each initiative contains activities for young people that inspire them to participate in their local communities and become active citizens. The thematic areas of education are as follows:
- Environment and Sustainability
- Peace and Community Engagement
- Health and Wellbeing
- Skills for Life
Projects must address at least one of the 17 SDGs. However, special focus is given to projects that address climate action and environmental sustainability (SDGs 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15).
2. Meaningful Youth Engagement:
The project must be led by young people aged 14 - 30 years old, who are implementing the project in eligible countries. The project must demonstrate meaningful youth engagement in decision-making and leadership, at inception and/or implementation stages. This could be achieved through one or a combination of the following:
- Consultations with youth in the ideation phase
- Youth-led ideation/co-design of projects
- Youth co-leading projects with adult volunteers
- Youth are decision-makers in the project
3. Cost breakdown:
Costs must be attributable to the implementation of the actions.
The minimum breakdown for costs incurred by the project is as follows:
- Minimum 70% programme activities – including all project costs incurred in delivering the project and all associated training, communications, promotion and outreach costs.
- Maximum 30% indirect /support costs – this should include consideration for the following:
- Monitoring and evaluation activities
- Operational costs, including staff support, overheads, and other costs directly related to implementing the initiative.
Given the extensive reporting requirements and conditions set by the donor, we recommend pursuing medium-scale funding grants ranging between USD 20,000 and 30,000, pending approval.
4. Engaging young people and communities from diverse backgrounds and under-represented groups:
The project must aim to engage and empower young people and communities in all of their diversity, including specifically those considered at-risk. Projects should therefore try and ensure that young people from marginalised, underrepresented and/or at-risk groups, or communities of identities receive the opportunity to take part. The groups of young people include, but are not limited, to the following:
- Young People living in poverty
- Young People with physical or mental health disabilities or chronic illness
- Young people living in communities affected by climate change
- Young people living in conflict-affected communities or fragile contexts
- People facing discrimination based on their LGBTQ+ identity
- People living in rural or remote areas
- Ethnic, cultural and religious minorities
- Young people at risk
- Refugees and displaced persons
- Peoplefacinggender-basedbarriers
- Others
5. Visual identity and promotion:
All projects should use the visual identity of the action and support the wider communications and promotion of the initiative. The branding and communications will recognise the key partners (Big Six and European Commission) minimum requirements for the use of logo and visual identity, with a particular focus on the legal requirements.
Eligibility criteria
To apply NSOs must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Be a member in good standing with World Scouting.
- Have a strong understanding of their membership situation.
- Have submitted updated census information on World Scouting's Members Portal
- The NSO and project activities need to be located/take place in the eligible geographic area. Eligible countries and territories list: Countries and territories eligible to receive official development assistance (ODA)2 and Overseas Countries and Territories associated with the European Union.
Guiding principles for project applications
The following guiding principles should be taken into consideration when submitting applications for funding:
- Strategic. Projects must be directly related to the overall aims of the EU Youth Empowerment Fund through the Global Youth Mobilization initiative and clearly link to the national organisations / societies / operators national strategy or action plan.
- Achievable. The aims, milestones and indicators must be realistic with clear reasoning of how to achieve success and what that looks like.
- Making a measurable difference. Projects should demonstrate how they will make a difference to the young people engaged and the communities that the activity seeks to support.
- Ambition. Projects should result in significant development and engagement of young people and other community organisations, proportional to the grant received.
- Value and impact. The project should include a plan to monitor and evaluate the implementation and project results.
- Equal opportunities and creating a safe environment. The project should be inclusive, accessible, and adhere to best practice safeguarding approaches.
How to apply
NSOs eligible to apply for GYM Network Solutions are encouraged to contact their Regional Support Centre. The application, approval, monitoring, evaluation and reporting process will follow World Scouting Grants processes but will be based specifically on the above selection and eligibility criteria.
NSOs are encouraged to submit applications between January and March 2025. Tailored meetings will be offered to interested NSOs to clarify donor requirements and reporting expectations and provide support in project preparation.
Projects will be mentored and supported by WOSM Services Consultants to ensure that the projects are scalable and that success can be replicated by other NSOs across the Scout Movement.
The EU Youth Empowerment Fund is a EUR 10 million initiative designed to provide youth-friendly funding for projects that contribute to sustainable development in local communities. Funds are being directed through the Global Youth Mobilization, an initiative launched by the Big Six Youth Organisations in 2020. Since then, Global Youth Mobilization has invested over USD 5 million in 640 youth-led projects, engaging more than 600,000 young people and impacting over 3.6 million people in more than 125 countries.