Skip to main content

EuropeAid Funding for Youth, Culture and Intercultural Dialogue

EU External Action funding for youth, culture, creative industries and intercultural dialogue projects. Erasmus+, Creative Europe and NDICI grants for youth and culture organisations.

Youth and culture are growing areas of EU External Action funding, driven by the EU's youth action plan and the global expansion of the Erasmus+ and Creative Europe programmes. The EU funds youth employment, civic engagement, youth leadership, cultural diplomacy, intercultural dialogue, creative industries and cultural heritage — providing opportunities for youth organisations, cultural institutions, universities and civil society organisations.

EU funding landscape

  • Erasmus+ International Partnerships

    Youth exchanges, capacity building in youth and sport, and higher education cooperation with non-EU countries.

  • Creative Europe International Dimension

    Support for international cultural cooperation, creative industries and audiovisual sector development.

  • NDICI Youth Calls

    Youth engagement, civic participation and youth employment calls in developing countries.

  • EU Delegation Youth and Culture Grants

    Country-level calls for youth and cultural projects, including small grants for local organisations.

Typical project types

  • Youth exchanges and mobility
  • Youth volunteering and civic engagement
  • Cultural diplomacy and intercultural dialogue
  • Cultural heritage and identity
  • Creative industries development
  • Youth entrepreneurship and employment
  • Sport for development

Typical applicant types

  • Youth organisations and youth networks
  • Cultural institutions and arts organisations
  • Universities and educational institutions
  • NGOs working with young people
  • Local and regional authorities with youth programmes

Relevant EuropeAid regions

  • Western Balkans
  • Eastern Neighbourhood
  • Mediterranean
  • Africa
  • Asia-Pacific

How INTERALTER supports Youth & Culture projects

  • Erasmus+ Youth Applications

    We write Erasmus+ International Capacity Building in Youth applications, including the quality criteria and partnership agreements.

  • Culture and Heritage Grants

    We support applications to Creative Europe international calls and EU Delegation cultural grants.

  • Youth Development Proposals

    We write youth engagement and civic participation proposals for NDICI and EU Delegation calls.

Common questions

Can youth organisations in non-EU countries apply for EU youth grants?
Yes. Many Erasmus+ International and NDICI youth calls specifically target youth organisations in non-EU partner countries, either as lead applicants (with an EU partner) or as co-applicants.
Is there EU funding for indigenous cultural heritage?
Yes. The EU funds cultural heritage preservation, including indigenous and intangible cultural heritage, through NDICI thematic calls and EU Delegation grants. This is an area of growing EU interest.

Related sectors

  • education-skills
  • human-rights-civil-society
  • governance-rule-of-law