• At least eight young people from each participating institution/youth group are involved in the visit and the project activity surrounding the visit. The visit must include a minimum of four full days of collaborative thematic activities.
• The visit should be firmly embedded in a wider, overarching youth topic which clearly displays the added value of bringing the UK and German youth groups together.
• The activity focuses on a coherent theme, which must be relevant and interesting for young people, leading to concrete outcomes and results. Activities should include a strong element of joint investigation of overarching issues.
• The focus of the trip is on real and meaningful interaction, collaboration and joint activity between the young people from both countries, including joint preparatory work and follow-up activities.
• The proposal must clearly demonstrate how joint activities will contribute to the development of key skills and competencies for young people.
• A language learning element is welcomed but not compulsory

For a full list of criteria, please refer to the guidelines (see Files to download list on this page).

• The maximum grant available is £2,500, which will be awarded to the travelling group and must be used towards their costs.
• Grants provided through the Youth Challenge Fund can support costs such as travel, accommodation and project resources and will be a contribution to the overall costs.
• Applicants must contribute at least 25% of the overall eligible activity costs through participants’ contributions and other sources of funding.
• The grant will be awarded to the travelling group and must be used towards the travelling group’s costs; financial support is not available for the hosting group.
• In the case of reciprocal visits, the travelling youth group should make an application for the return visit.

Before completing parts 1 & 2 of the application forms, please familiarise yourself with the programme guidelines (see Files to download list on this page).

• There are three deadlines each year: 31 January, 31 May, and 31 October. See the box at the top of this page for the next deadline.

• Proposed project activities cannot start until at least six weeks after the funding deadline to allow the required administrative and processing time. For example, an application for a project starting in February would need to be submitted for the previous October deadline.

Your full application should include the following:

• Part 1: Grant specific project description
• Part 2: General funding application form for youth groups
• draft programmes
• financial plan (if not included in the general funding application form)

Download and complete the forms (see Files to download list on this page) and submit them electronically to funding@ukgermanconnection.org.

Please ensure that the forms you complete are the most up-to-date versions, which are available to download on this page.

Paper copies of parts 2.6 and 2.7 of the general funding application form, including original signatures from all participating groups, must be sent by post to:

UK-German Connection
Funding Programmes
34 Belgrave Square
London
SW1X 8QB

Please note that both sides of the partnership can apply for a Youth Challenge Fund grant as long as the above criteria apply. The corresponding information for your German partners is available under Youth Challenge Fund on the German section of our website.

If you have any questions about the programme or would like to discuss your plans, please contact us at funding@ukgermanconnection.org.

Good luck with your application!