The Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) backs projects that help practitioners spot and address inappropriate or problematic attitudes and behaviours linked to gender norms and relationships among young people before they develop into more serious harm. Programmes should mainly take place in educational settings and support children and young people to build healthy, respectful relationships.
Applicants should use existing or established interventions, rather than develop entirely new programmes. These interventions should focus on secondary prevention by supporting young people with emerging concerns before they need support from statutory services.
Project delivery and independent evaluation of successful interventions will be supported by the YEF.
YEF does not specify a fixed grant amount. Applicants should propose an appropriate budget, delivery scale, and evaluation approach. YEF and the appointed evaluator will agree final budgets and evaluation designs.
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Deliver the project in England.
- Operate as a registered charity, company, statutory body, or Community Interest Company (CIC).
- Demonstrate a developed intervention, relevant experience, and capacity to deliver the work.
- Work with young people aged 10–18, or up to 19 in SEND settings, and show a clear link to educational settings.
- Provide targeted early intervention that addresses problematic attitudes and behaviours relating to gender norms and relationships.
Applicants must submit applications by 9:00am on Wednesday 2 September 2026.
YEF will run a webinar for prospective applicants on Thursday 23 July 2026, 1:30–3:00pm, with registration via Eventbrite.
YEF will post a recording afterwards for anyone who cannot attend live.