Up to PLN 12,000 for a six-month “Equal Opportunities” project aimed at developing the social and emotional skills of young people in small towns. Applications are open until June 10, 2026.
The goal of the Small Grants competition, carried out as part of the “Equal Opportunities” program, is to support social projects aimed at leveling opportunities for a good start in adult life for children and youth from rural areas and small towns, by enhancing their competencies and developing social skills such as teamwork, the ability to plan their activities, and the capacity to secure support for achieving their goals.
Who is the competition addressed to?
Non-governmental organizations, community centers, and libraries may apply to the competition by submitting projects that stimulate the aspirations of children and youth, foster the development of their ability to achieve independently set and realistic goals, teach them how to manage their emotions, shape attitudes of proactivity and openness, and encourage them to take action for the benefit of their own communities. Through these projects, young people have the opportunity to participate in activities that go beyond the standard school curriculum.
“For young people, this is an exciting challenge and a chance to collaborate with others. Participants in our projects set a common goal they want to achieve. They learn to plan and work in a team, and they discover local history, culture, and tradition. They make new friends. They work for the benefit of the local community. They develop their passions and interests, and test themselves in completely new situations,” says Radosław Jasiński, Program Director at PAFF.
Project participants are young people aged 13 to 19. A project group should consist of at least 12 people.
Projects must meet the following requirements
- involve young people in activities as early as the planning stage, so that they become active creators, participants, and direct implementers of the project;
- provide young people with space to act and pursue their passions and interests;
- ensure that every participant plays an important role in the project;
- create a coherent program of recurring activities led independently by young people, involving a group of at least 12 participants;
- involve partners in the young people’s activities (collaboration on project implementation with various NGOs, local government institutions, parents, local businesses, and schools);
- the training component should not outweigh the activities directly carried out by the youth. It is good practice for workshops and training sessions to serve only as an introduction to the youth’s independent activities and to take place at the beginning of the project;
Where possible, recruit the group in a way that ensures diversity in terms of gender, age, place of residence, school grade, etc. It is recommended that the number of project participants attending the same school grade not exceed half of the project group.
Deadline and additional information
The deadline for submitting applications is June 10, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. For more information about the competition and the application form, visit malegranty.org.
The results of 25 years of the “Equal Opportunities” program include, above all, over 3,500 completed projects involving approximately 156,000 participants (with over 575,000 people indirectly participating), as well as the mobilization and integration of local communities around activities for children and youth.
