2024 Europe Challenge Programme – Apply Now!

The Europe Challenge is initiated by the European Cultural Foundation and supported by Fondazione Cariplo, the Scottish Libraries and Information Council, and public funding by Arts Council England. The programme delivery partners are Changency, OBA and Public Libraries 2030.

The Europe Challenge is an annual programme that brings together teams from libraries and communities across Europe to address social isolation, inequality, disinformation, climate crises and other local challenges by developing, sharing and implementing creative solutions with support from the European Cultural Foundation and its partners. This edition runs from January to September 2024.

Join the Europe Challenge to develop and implement creative solutions to local challenges with your community members through:

• a series of online and in-person workshop and mentoring sessions
• funding of up to EUR 10.000 (optional)
• additional peer-to peer exchange opportunities, networking and travel

Eligibility Criteria

• The application form must be complete, with no question left unanswered, and in English.
• Applicants must indicate one main partner to receive any funding that was applied for and awarded. This is normally the library, but if this is not feasible, the community group can be designated as the main partner.
• Only applications from libraries based in the following countries can apply:
  • Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, The Netherlands, Northern Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom,
• Applicants must be registered as a legal entity and must be represented by a person at least 18 years old.
• Proposals involving political parties or organisations affiliated to political parties (unions, lobby groups, campaign funders etc) as associate partners are not eligible.
• Applicants are also expected to implement fair and sociable working conditions and transparent governance in relation to project staff, freelancers, volunteers and service providers.
• A working proficiency in English is required to fully participate in the programme. Some assistance can be provided upon request to facilitate attendance at live meetings. For the online learning exchanges, however, challenge teams are expected to arrange interpretive services themselves, if needed.
• Neither the library nor the community of choice has participated in previous editions of the Europe Challenge programme.

Selection Criteria

• Proposals from challenge teams will be selected according to the following criteria:
  • Local relevance – the proposal addresses an urgent challenge for both the library and the local community. Additional involvement of local government or other local institutions is recommended but not mandatory.
  • Creativity – the proposal presents fresh, creative and innovative ways to address a local challenge.
  • Inclusivity – the proposal reflects the shared ambitions of the library staff and community members.
  • Scalability – the proposal is practical and tangible (e.g. a publication, a campaign, a game, a spatial intervention, a new library service implemented locally but with the potential to be scaled or replicated elsewhere).
  • Sustainability – the proposal embodies a convincing understanding of fair and green (“just”) transition in Europe and its implementation is feasible.
  • European values –The proposal complies with European values of democracy, transparency and openness.
  • Impact – The proposal is able to explain (and quantify) how it will have a positive impact on people and/or the environment.
• The selection process is undertaken by ECF, external advisers from partner foundations and alumni of the programme. Results are communicated during the week of 20 November 2023.

For more information, visit European Cultural Foundation.