Gen East Youth Fund

The Gen Ost Youth Fund supports young committed individuals aged 14 to 27 in the East German federal states in realizing their own projects for democratic coexistence. As a low-threshold grant, the fund provides up to €5,000 and promotes activities in the areas of social cohesion, children and youth, as well as work & social affairs. Participants can be private individuals or non-profit organizations who wish to contribute with their ideas to strengthening democratic structures. The goal is to facilitate access to funding, make informal engagement visible, and strengthen democratic processes locally.

Applications can be submitted from May 1, 2025 until December 31, 2028 and are processed simply through youth juries convening quarterly. In addition to financial support, the fund offers application workshops, needs-based training, and individual consulting to accompany project leaders from the initial idea through to implementation. Through both analog and digital networking events, new collaborations and exchange opportunities arise with experts from civil society and politics. Continuous scientific monitoring and targeted public relations ensure that youth engagement in East Germany becomes more visible in the long term and grows sustainably.