A €500,000 fund for youth projects in Portugal closes on 3 December, and volunteer-only groups need not apply
The Jornada Foundation, set up for Lisbon's 2023 World Youth Day, is offering non-repayable grants of €10,000 to €30,000 for projects aimed at 15 to 35-year-olds. On our sums that funds between 16 and 50 projects. Applications in by 12 November get feedback. The project lead must be paid.
Apply / Learn moreThe Jornada Foundation has opened the 2026 round of MULTIPLICA, its grant programme for projects aimed at young people in Portugal. There is €500,000 in the pot, and each selected project gets between €10,000 and €30,000, non-repayable. Applications close on 3 December.
The foundation was set up in 2019 to prepare Lisbon’s World Youth Day and reinvented itself in 2024 as a funder of youth projects. It is Catholic in inspiration, but its rules say plainly that projects from other religious, cultural or social backgrounds can apply too.
How many projects that pays for
The arithmetic is simple. If every winner asked for the €30,000 maximum, the money covers 16 projects. If they all asked for the €10,000 minimum, 50. Reality will land somewhere in between, which means more applicants than places.
The foundation funds up to 90% of a project’s budget. At least the other 10% has to come from the applicant or its partners.
The rule that will cut the most applications
The MULTIPLICA regulation excludes anything run purely on volunteers. It goes further: the project lead must be paid and dedicated to the project at least part-time, during working hours. For a lot of youth associations, which run on volunteer time, that is where the application ends.
Also ruled out:
- one-off events, such as an annual gathering (the project needs regular activity);
- projects that do not tackle a specific social problem facing young people;
- projects where more than half the cost is building or refurbishment work;
- political parties and movements.
Who can apply
Any legally constituted organisation with its seat or tax representation in Portugal: associations, cooperatives, charities, parishes, public and private schools. Informal youth groups can apply too, but if they reach the final stage they must name a legal entity to receive the money and share responsibility for delivery.
The target group is young people aged 15 to 35 living in Portugal, mainland or islands. Projects with young people in charge, and joint applications, score better.
Key dates
- 12 November: submit by now and you get suggestions to improve your application;
- 19 November, 1pm: second online Q&A session;
- 3 December: deadline;
- from 26 April 2027: results;
- 1 May 2027: projects start, running for 12 to 18 months.
Along the way there is an eligibility screen, a video pitch (no professional production expected) and interviews. Applications go through the MULTIPLICA online form.
If you are looking for support as an individual rather than for an organisation, the options are different: Portugal’s €15,000 literary writing grants are open until 2 December.
Illustration: Tugadaily