If you’re working at the intersection of youth wellbeing, safety, and AI, this is one funding call you’ll want to read closely.
OpenAI has quietly opened applications for the EMEA Youth & Wellbeing Grant, a €500,000 program aimed at supporting organizations helping young people navigate an AI-shaped world—safely.
The focus is practical, evidence-driven work. Not hype. Not demos. Real tools, research, and safeguards that can actually hold up in schools, homes, and online spaces.
What Is the EMEA Youth & Wellbeing Grant?
The program is designed for NGOs and research organizations across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa working directly with children, teens, parents, educators—or studying how AI impacts young people’s safety and development.
Grants will support projects that:
- Protect young people from AI-related harms
- Improve AI literacy for youth, parents, and educators
- Test whether existing AI safety safeguards work in the real world
- Explore how AI can positively support learning and wellbeing
The emphasis is on usable outcomes—think toolkits, reports, policy briefs, or tested intervention models others can build on.
Why This Matters Now
AI tools are already shaping how young people learn, create, and communicate. But safeguards, policy, and public understanding are still playing catch-up.
OpenAI says collaboration between youth-facing organizations, independent researchers, and AI developers is essential if AI is going to be beneficial—not harmful—for the next generation. This grant is meant to fund that missing middle layer: the groups doing the on-the-ground work and the independent evaluation.
In other words, this isn’t about theory. It’s about stress-testing AI in real life.
How Much Funding Is Available?
- Total fund: €500,000
- Typical grant size: €25,000–€100,000
- Multi-year grants: Possible for larger or collaborative projects
Both direct and indirect costs are allowed, as long as they’re reasonable and aligned with institutional policies.
Who Can Apply?
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Be an operational NGO, research institution, or coalition
- Be legally registered in an EMEA country
- Work on youth safety, wellbeing, or AI’s impact on minors—or propose work that generates actionable evidence
- Demonstrate ethical research or delivery practices, especially when working with children
Applicants also need the capacity to deliver on time and share findings openly.
How to Apply for the OpenAI EMEA Youth & Wellbeing Grant
This is the part most teams care about.
Applications open: 28 January 2026
Applications close: 27 February 2026
To apply, organizations must submit:
- A project title
- A detailed proposal (max 500 words) outlining objectives, methods, timeline, and deliverables
- A detailed budget and justification
- Team CVs and institutional affiliations
- An ethics statement and data-handling plan (if applicable)
- Letters of support or partnership confirmations (optional)
Applications are submitted through OpenAI’s official online application form. Questions can be directed to emea-youth-grants@openai.com, though status updates won’t be provided to unsuccessful applicants.
Apply Now!!
How Projects Will Be Selected
Proposals will be evaluated based on:
- Alignment with youth AI safety and wellbeing goals
- Potential for real-world impact and scalability
- Methodological rigor and ethical design
- Feasibility, team capacity, and governance
- Long-term sustainability beyond the grant
Projects that can inform policy, product safeguards, or best practices across multiple regions are likely to stand out.
What Happens After Selection?
After eligibility screening, applications go through technical, ethical, and legal review. Final approvals include legal and communications sign-off.
Funded projects are expected to begin in Q2–Q3 2026, with outputs feeding into broader policy and regulatory discussions as they become available.
Conclusion
This isn’t a flashy AI grant chasing buzzwords. It’s a targeted bet on the people doing the unglamorous, essential work of keeping young people safe as AI becomes unavoidable.
If your organization has real experience—and a clear plan—this may be one of the most relevant funding opportunities of the year.