The search for funding and financial management has been a challenge ever since organised youth activities began some 150 years ago. In Europe funding for youth activities has come from various sources over the years. Members of youth organisations and individuals have always been sources of financial and material support. Support from religious communities, political parties and the state flourished throughout the 20th century, though their respective roles changed dramatically as the century wore on. The latest change has been the re-definition of the state’s role since the end of the Cold War division of Europe.

At the beginning of the 21st century the funding and financial management of youth activities in all parts of Europe are characterised by three major trends:

  • a European mix of funding sources, combined with growing diversification and increasingly influential international/transnational funding;
  • financial management is developing increasingly away from the mere administration and disbursement of money into a complex system of relations with funders and donors, whether public or private, individuals or groups, as well as with members, participants and young people;
  • access to funding is increasingly competitive, the basic model being calls for projects in line with often rapidly changing political or organisational priorities. This is typified by a focus on project- as opposed to administrative funding and by a tendency for funders to have a mechanical vision of the effect of funding on long-term development

With these trends in mind, the T-Kit has been divided into two main parts, one on funding sources and one on financial management. A third part contains a glossary and recommendations for further reading, on both paper and the Internet. Throughout the text you will find hints on issues which we – as a team writing this T-Kit – found relevant. Whenever possible, we also tried to find some good real-life examples of the issues discussed in the text.

You will find that you can read the T-Kit in one go and that there is a certain amount of repetition. The repetition is deliberate. Firstly, chapters of the T-Kit can be read separately and can be understood on their own. Secondly, many of the questions raised cannot be repeated often enough – there will always be incorrectly calculated budgets, late, inconsistent reports, missed deadlines etc. These are the types of problem the T-Kit will help you avoid.

The T-Kit does not set out to be exhaustive. Many aspects of funding and financial management had to be left uncovered. But with your help we may be able to develop it further in the future and adapt it to changing realities.

 Download T-Kit 9 - Funding and financial management >>