Who can apply for grants?
If you reside in one of the following countries: Estonia, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Nepal, Serbia, Thailand or Uganda and meet the eligibility requirements of that country you may apply for a grant.

How much can I apply for?
You should apply for the amount that your project needs; we expect this will vary according to country and project.

May I buy equipment such as laptops and digital cameras with my grant funds?
We strongly discourage including the purchase of major equipment such as laptops in your grant applications.  If you need to purchase more affordable equipment such as a digital camera or a recording device, please be sure to state your case. And if you must have a laptop or other expensive equipment and are unable to borrow or find a local organization to purchase it for you, please be sure to detail what will be done with this equipment after the grant project has ended (e.g., donating it to a local youth organization).

May I include salaries in my budget proposal?
YAF is not an employment program. It is expected that young people work on YAF projects on a volunteer basis. However, in some cases we may be willing to support small salary stipends.  If you include salary stipends in your proposal please be sure to include a detailed explanation of why this is necessary.

I am having trouble finding the grant application on the online application system (OAS). What am I doing wrong?

1. Go to: https://oas.soros.org/oas/oas.asp?__action=1029.

2. Select "register an individual account" (remember, this is a grant  project for individuals, not organizations).

3. Create a user name and password, and fill out all the necessary information.

4. Click the "applications" tab on the top of the page.

5. Scroll down until you find the "Youth Initiative/Youth Action Fund" and click on "apply."

6. Click "application form" on the left side of the page.

How long will I have to wait after my application is submitted?
You will receive instant notification once your online application is submitted. After that, you will receive notification within a few weeks that your application is complete and being reviewed, or you may be asked for additional information. It may take up to three months to receive a final notification as to whether or not your project will be funded.  Please note, these are all estimated time periods, you may write to us if the process is taking longer than expected to ask about the status of your application.

How long will it take to receive the funds?
Depending on your banking situation and country, this process could take anywhere from two weeks to three months once receiving grant approval.  Please note, these are all estimated time periods, you may write to us if the process is taking longer than expected to ask about the status of your application.

How many times may one individual apply?
We ask that you have only one application open at a time. You may apply again if your application is rejected with a different project.

What are my responsibilities upon completing the project?
You will be asked to submit a final report and update the Open Society Institute on the progress of your project, which may include submitting photos and evaluation forms from participants.

Who should I contact if I have questions?
You can find contact information on each country page or, contact Anita Karpati at youth@osi.hu with questions about your application.