The AU-EU Youth Action Lab Entrepreneurship Grant 2026 is inviting applications from youth-led organisations in 12 eligible African countries.
The grant is part of the third and final call of the AU-EU Youth Action Lab and focuses on advocating for an enabling environment for young entrepreneurs.
Rather than providing startup capital directly to individual businesses, the grant supports youth-led organisations working to address structural, policy, regulatory, financial, skills, and other systemic barriers that can prevent young people from starting and growing businesses.
At a Glance
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Program | AU-EU Youth Action Lab Entrepreneurship Grant |
| Program Type | Youth-led Organisational Grant |
| Funding | €31,500 |
| Number of Grants | 11 |
| Project Duration | 12 Months |
| Implementation Period | January–December 2027 |
| Eligible Countries | 12 African countries |
| Applicant Type | Youth-led organisations |
| Youth Age Requirement | 18–35 |
| Application Platform | ON Grip |
| Application Deadline | 23 September 2026, 13:00 CAT |
About the Opportunity
The AU-EU Youth Action Lab Entrepreneurship Grant supports youth-led organisations working to create better economic opportunities for young people.
For the third and final call, the specific focus is advocating for an enabling environment for young entrepreneurs.
Projects can address structural and systemic barriers that affect youth entrepreneurship, including restrictive policies or regulations, skills gaps, limited access to financial services, discrimination based on gender or age, and limited opportunities for young people to participate in policy and economic decision-making.
This is an organisational grant. It is not intended to provide direct startup capital or financial assistance to individual businesses.
What Does the Grant Offer?
Selected organisations will receive €31,500 to implement a 12-month project from January to December 2027.
A total of 11 Entrepreneurship Grants will be awarded under this final call.
The selected organisation will implement its own approved project, manage the grant expenditure, conduct activities, and complete the required monitoring and reporting.
The AU-EU Youth Action Lab also provides grantees with opportunities for capacity development, mentorship, peer learning, networking, and engagement with other youth-led organisations and stakeholders.
What Can the Project Focus On?
Projects should contribute to creating an enabling environment for young entrepreneurs.
Potential areas of work include:
- Advocacy for policies supporting young entrepreneurs
- Addressing regulatory barriers
- Improving access to entrepreneurship skills
- Addressing gaps in financial access
- Strengthening youth participation in policymaking
- Addressing gender and age-related barriers
- Building networks among young entrepreneurs and stakeholders
- Strengthening entrepreneurship ecosystems
- Multi-stakeholder dialogue and collaboration
The proposed activities should form part of a meaningful and sustainable advocacy or ecosystem-strengthening approach rather than being a standalone activity.
Who Should Apply?
The opportunity is intended for youth-led organisations that work with or advocate for young people and have the organisational capacity to implement a 12-month project.
It may be particularly relevant to organisations working in youth employment, entrepreneurship, policy advocacy, economic empowerment, skills development, inclusion, and community development.
Eligible Countries
Organisations must be located and registered in one of the following 12 African countries:
- Ethiopia
- Kenya
- Mozambique
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia (Somaliland region)
- Tanzania
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
The proposed activities must take place in one or more of the eligible countries.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicant organisations must generally:
- Be a non-profit organisation
- Operate as a CBO, NGO, CSO, Trust, or eligible cooperative with a clear social or environmental mission
- Be formally registered in an eligible country
- Have been operating for at least 12 months
- Have an organisational bank account
- Have a clear governance structure
- Have 100% of governance and primary decision-makers aged 18–35
- Have more than 80% of people directly involved in designing and carrying out activities aged 18–35
- Have 100% of staff directly implementing the proposed project aged 18–35
- Implement the proposed activities in one or more eligible countries
Priority may be given to approaches that meaningfully include young women, rural youth, refugees, youth with disabilities, and other marginalised groups.
Important Funding Rules
The grant amount is fixed at €31,500.
The grant is intended for organisational projects addressing the enabling environment for youth entrepreneurship. It should not be used to provide direct financial aid, grants, or seed capital to individual businesses.
Other activities that are not eligible include:
- Purchase of land
- Purchase of vehicles
- Construction or purchase of buildings
- Political or electoral activities
- Standalone one-off workshops that are not connected to a longer-term advocacy strategy
Applicants should review the official Funding Manual for the complete list of eligible and ineligible costs.
An organisation can apply for only one grant opportunity and one project during this funding round. This means an organisation must choose between the Innovation Grant (€42,000) and the Entrepreneurship Grant (€31,500).
Required Application Information
Applicants should prepare information about:
- The organisation
- Governance and youth leadership
- Previous experience
- The entrepreneurship-related challenge being addressed
- The proposed advocacy approach
- Planned activities
- Expected results
- Project budget
- Monitoring and reporting arrangements
Applicants should carefully review the official Funding Manual and application guidance before starting the application.
How to Apply
Follow these steps:
- Review the official AU-EU Youth Action Lab Entrepreneurship Grant information.
- Read the relevant Funding Manual.
- Confirm that your organisation meets all eligibility requirements.
- Develop a project focused on creating an enabling environment for young entrepreneurs.
- Prepare the project proposal and budget.
- Access the application through the ON Grip platform.
- Complete all required sections and upload the requested documents.
- Review the application carefully.
- Submit the application before the deadline.
Once the application has been submitted, it cannot be revised or modified.
Application Deadline
The application deadline is:
23 September 2026 at 13:00 Central African Time (CAT).
Applicants should submit their applications before the stated deadline.
Ready to Apply?
If your youth-led organisation is formally registered in Somalia (Somaliland region) and works on youth entrepreneurship, economic empowerment, advocacy, skills development, or related issues, review the official requirements to determine whether the Entrepreneurship Grant fits your organisation and proposed project.
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