Finding ESD Funding Opportunities in Austria

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) makes sustainability tangible and actionable in everyday life – from climate education and circular economy to biodiversity and participation. In Austria, funding programs specifically support such initiatives: for schools and youth projects with whole-school approaches, for extracurricular environmental education, for the qualification of multipliers, as well as for digital learning offerings such as Open Educational Resources or citizen science formats.

Funding is particularly relevant in this field because quality educational projects require time, expertise, and reliable structures. Whether workshops, training, learning materials, evaluation, or implementation at multiple locations: funding helps you secure quality, reach target groups more inclusively, and demonstrate impact – a requirement increasingly expected in EU and national programs.

Depending on the project logic, different sources of funding may be suitable: Erasmus+ (via OeAD) strengthens cooperation, mobility, and partnerships in school, youth, and adult education; ESF+ can be appropriate for competence- and labor market-oriented educational goals; in addition, there are national as well as regional and municipal funding programs related to climate and environmental education. For startups and SMEs, innovation and implementation grants are often of interest when the educational and impact relevance is clearly demonstrated.

To help you find the right programs faster, Reflecta’s Funding Compass supports you with matching, an overview of funding logics, and an application creation tool. It’s best to start with your target group, concrete learning objectives, and a simple impact proof – then an idea becomes a fundable ESD project.