Apply Now: AU-EU Youth Lab Entrepreneurship Grants

The AU-EU Youth Lab Entrepreneurship Grants provide €31,500 per selected organisation to youth-led non-profit organisations in 12 African countries for advocacy projects that create a more enabling environment for young entrepreneurs. The third and final grant round supports initiatives seeking systemic changes in policies and practices that help young people start, operate, and grow businesses. What Are the AU-EU Youth Lab Entrepreneurship Grants? The AU-EU Youth Lab Entrepreneurship Grants support youth-led organisations working to remove barriers that prevent young people from participating fully in entrepreneurship and economic activities. The programme focuses on advocacy rather than direct business financing. Applicants are expected to develop projects that influence policies, institutions, practices, or systems affecting young entrepreneurs. This is the third and final grant round of the programme. How Much Funding Is Available?

Each selected organisation will receive:

Grant amount: €31,500

Purpose: Implementation of an entrepreneurship advocacy project

Institutional barriers affecting young entrepreneurs Gaps in support systems for youth-owned enterprises Other systemic obstacles to youth enterprise development Applicants should demonstrate how their advocacy activities can contribute to policy or practice change at local or national level. What Is an Entrepreneurship Advocacy Project? An entrepreneurship advocacy project seeks to influence the systems, policies, institutions, or practices that affect young entrepreneurs. The objective is not simply to provide individual entrepreneurs with financial assistance. Instead, an advocacy project could seek to: Raise awareness of barriers facing young entrepreneurs Generate evidence for policy reform Engage policymakers and public institutions Build coalitions around youth entrepreneurship Promote changes to existing policies or practices Strengthen participation of young people in policy discussions Advocate for improved entrepreneurial support systems A strong proposal should clearly identify the problem, decision-makers or stakeholders who can influence it, proposed advocacy actions, and expected systemic change. Who Is Eligible? The programme is open to youth-led non-profit organisations that meet the programme’s organisational and geographic requirements. must be composed primarily of young people aged 18–35. Applicants should therefore demonstrate that young people have meaningful responsibility for organisational decision-making and project implementation. Organisational Experience Requirement Applicants must have been formally registered and operating for at least 12 months at the time of application. This requirement helps ensure that funded organisations have an established organisational structure and sufficient experience to deliver their proposed advocacy activities. Why These Grants Matter Young entrepreneurs can face significant structural barriers when attempting to start or expand businesses. These barriers may involve regulations, institutional practices, limited access to support services, or policies that do not adequately respond to the realities of young entrepreneurs. The AU-EU Youth Lab Entrepreneurship Grants focus on addressing these challenges at a systemic level. Rather than supporting only individual enterprises, the programme gives youth-led organisations resources to advocate for changes that could benefit broader groups of young entrepreneurs. How to Apply

Step 1: Confirm Eligibility

Check that your organisation:

Is a non-profit entity. Is a Trust, CBO, NGO/CSO, or Cooperative. Has a social or environmental mission. Has been legally registered and operating for at least 12 months. Is based and operating in one of the 12 eligible countries. Is genuinely youth-led. Has governance and project teams primarily composed of people aged 18–35.

Step 2: Identify a Systemic Barrier

Clearly define the barrier affecting young entrepreneurs.

Explain:

What the problem is Who is affected Why the problem exists Which policies, institutions, or practices contribute to it Why existing approaches have not adequately solved it

Step 3: Identify the Change You Want

Define the specific policy or practice change your advocacy project seeks to achieve. For example, the project could aim to influence: Government policies Institutional practices Entrepreneurial support systems Regulations Public programmes Local economic development approaches The desired change should be realistic and measurable.

Step 4: Develop the Advocacy Strategy

Explain how your organisation will achieve the desired change.

Eligible entities: Trusts, CBOs, NGOs/CSOs, and Cooperatives

Eligible countries: 12 African countries

Minimum operating period: 12 months

Youth leadership: Governance and implementation teams primarily aged 18–35

Focus: Youth entrepreneurship advocacy

Primary objective: Systemic policy and practice change

Additional support: Mentorship and tailored capacity development

Regional platform: Peer, decision-maker, and stakeholder engagement across Africa and Europe

Frequently Asked Questions How much funding is available under the AU-EU Youth Lab Entrepreneurship Grants? Each selected organisation will receive €31,500 to implement its proposed entrepreneurship advocacy project. What is the main purpose of the grant? The grant supports advocacy projects that address systemic barriers facing young entrepreneurs and promote policies and practices that create a more enabling environment for youth enterprise. Can the grant be used to directly finance young people’s businesses? The programme is focused on advocacy for systemic change, rather than providing direct business financing to individual entrepreneurs. Proposals should therefore explain how activities will influence policies, practices, systems, or institutions. Which organisations can apply? Youth-led non-profit organisations including Trusts, CBOs, NGOs/CSOs, and Cooperatives can apply if th