Calling Social Entreprenurs/ NGOs operating in Eastern Europe

Invitation to apply - do a quick scan as a first step

We are so happy you found us. If you have a proven solution and are ready to scale to support underserved emerging adults, then we could be a good match.

To find out, carefully read through the text below. This is an ongoing application process in two steps. First you fill out a quick scan, and if we think you are a potential match you will then be invited to fill out the full application form. We look forward to hearing from you.

What we’re looking for:

We invite applications from social enterprises/NGOs that have an innovative approach to shaping long-term positive mental wellbeing for emerging adults, with a proven solution and a roadmap to scale.

Your legal identity can be a for-profit, non-profit or a hybrid model. You can be a social entrepreneur or an intrapreneur working in an existing organization. For us, the most important thing is to understand your model to drive social change for emerging adults together with the character of the team.

For this Open Call, we are focusing on: 

  • Age group: Emerging adults (aged 18-30)

  • Geographical market: Eastern Europe

  • Thematic areas: We are looking for solutions that address the mental wellbeing of emerging adults (age 18-30), within our thematic focus areas illustrated below:

Questions and Answers

Do you think we could make a good working match? Do you have any further questions regarding the application process?

Register for our Ask Anything session on Friday October 25th between 11.00-12.00 (CEST) through this registration link.

  • 18-30 years old

  • After you’ve submitted your quick scan, and if we think there’s potential for a good match, we will get back to you with an invitation to fill out the full application, followed by an in-depth due diligence process.

    This is an ongoing process and we continuously review the quick scan applications, so do not wait to send in your information. The application closes on October 31st.

  • Our partnerships begin with a one-year commitment, but in most cases are extended by a few years. However, this will be subject to an annual audit process.

    In a few cases, we can follow you for a longer period as you improve your impact and offer support in other communities.

    The size of the grant varies depending on your needs but usually ranges between €25,000 to €100,000 per year.

    We don't finance anything entirely by ourselves, so make sure you define your needs in your application together with who the other funders are.

  • We offer both options depending on how the project or organization is structured.

  • We’re looking for initiatives that have a proven solution, are ready to scale, and are ready to work for greater impact.

  • One of our guiding principles at The Inner Foundation is the potential for collaboration within the ecosystem. We would therefore highly encourage a joint application as it proves collaboration between organizations.

  • We and our network of experts can offer guidance throughout the funding period or strategic questions.

    Our involvement varies, in some cases, we take on a more active role (through taking on a board position), but how to execute your goals are left primarily to the organizations that we choose to fund.

  • At the application stage, we expect you to include a financial plan for the organization’s fiscal year or a proposed budget for the project’s scope. We will ask for further details as we proceed with reviewing your application.

  • We believe that having just one funder makes an organization more exposed and vulnerable. The stability that two, three, or more funders offer is valuable both for start-ups and well-established organizations.

  • Join our digital ‘Ask us anything’ session. The session will take place on October 7th, at 11.00 am, CEST.

    Register through this link.

  • If you are planning to expand to Eastern Europe and your request is to do this during your funding period, we are happy to receive your application.

  • We have a broader definition of Eastern Europe and include both the Balkans and the Baltic countries in our scope.

    We do not accept applications from Russia and Belarus.

  • No. It is sufficient if your organization is operational within an Eastern European country.

  • No. An organization is only eligible to apply for one project. We will be processing the application that we receive first if we get multiple applications from the same organizations.

  • It depends on the specifics of your application. If you are in the early stages of development but have strong mission alignment and a clear roadmap for scaling, we would be interested in learning more.

  • At The Inner Foundation, we leverage a catalytic hybrid financing model that allows us to utilize different asset classes to support entrepreneurship at various stages of development. Grants are typically used to seed innovative ideas or support early-stage initiatives where financial returns are not yet a priority but social impact potential is clear. Equity financing, however, involves investments that expect both financial returns and measurable social outcomes. By blending these approaches, we can support ventures regardless of their stage, ensuring we catalyze both systemic change and scalable growth.