Fonds 21 funds arts, culture, education, and social initiatives that help young people aged 12–30 develop new perspectives, with a clear emphasis on making imagination accessible through creative and social programming. Its grantmaking is especially geared toward cultural institutions and project-based organizations that reach young people, including vocational students (mbo) and youth in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The fund stands out for combining arts education with broader youth empowerment goals, rather than supporting general operating needs.
Annual Giving$13.8M
Focus Areas
Arts & Culture Projects for YouthArts Education for MBO StudentsYouth Empowerment and ParticipationYouth Wellbeing and Social InclusionAccessible Cultural ProgrammingEducation Through Imagination and Creative Learning
Giving Approach
Project-based grantmaking through thematic programs and open calls; applications are accepted year-round, but proposals must be submitted at least four months before the project starts. Funding appears to be targeted to specific initiatives rather than unrestricted support, with a focus on organizations able to deliver accessible, youth-centered cultural or social projects.
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How to approach this funder
Apply through the Fonds 21 project grant pathways and plan ahead: submissions need to be in at least four months before the start date. Tailor the proposal to one of their three pillars (Kunst & Cultuur, Kunst & Educatie, Jongeren & Maatschappij), clearly show how the project reaches 12–30-year-olds, and emphasize accessibility, participation, and impact for young people—especially mbo students if relevant.
Open Grant Opportunities
Current and upcoming funding from Fonds 21 that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Open nowRolling / open intakeAward: $12K – $58K
Loket voor verbeelding
Kunst & CultuurKunst & EducatieJongeren & Maatschappij+7 more
Who can apply: Project must fit one of the three pillars; organization must be established in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and be a stichting, vereniging, bv or nv without profit motive; organizations in formation are not eligible; project must have a clear start and end and take place within the Kingdom; application must be submitted at least four months before project start (two months for the Caribbean part of the Kingdom); minimum request is €10,000; total project budget at least €60,000; financing must be spread across multiple parties; projects may not be political or religious; no structural/exploitative costs, verbatim reprises, one-day festivals, regular annual programming, purchases, restorations, heritage projects, free publications, non-public programs, scholarships, commemorations, or competitions; educational institutions are not eligible, though external providers can apply for projects carried out within an educational institution.
Deadline: Applications are accepted year-round. Submit at least four months before the project start date; for the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, at least two months before start. For applicants without a Fonds 21 award since 2023, a mandatory pre-application applies with a three-week review period.
Who can apply: Organization must be established in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and be a stichting, vereniging, bv or nv without profit motive; in-principle organizations do not qualify. Project must have a clear start and end, take place within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, be submitted at least four months before start, and be project-based rather than operating support. Minimum request €10,000; total project budget at least €60,000; co-financing from multiple parties required. Projects should actively involve young people aged 12 to 30 and show upper-regional reach. No projects that are primarily talent-development for individual artists, no political or religious objectives, no reprisals, no one-day festivals, no regular annual programming, no acquisitions/restorations, no free publications, no scholarships, and no competitions.
Deadline: Year-round intake. Apply at least four months before the project start date. For applicants without a grant since 2023, a mandatory pre-application is reviewed within three weeks first.
Open nowRolling / open intakeAward: $12K – $58K
Kunst & Cultuur
arts and cultureprofessional art accessyouth audiences+3 more
Who can apply: Organization must be established in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and be a stichting, vereniging, bv or nv without profit motive; in-principle organizations do not qualify. Project must have a clear start and end, take place within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, be submitted at least four months before start, and be project-based rather than operating support. Minimum request €10,000; total project budget at least €60,000; co-financing from multiple parties required. For Kunst & Cultuur, applicants must work according to the Fair Practice Code, Code Diversiteit & Inclusie, and Governance Code Cultuur. No political or religious objectives, no reprises, no one-day festivals, no regular annual programming, no acquisitions/restorations, no free publications, no scholarships, and no competitions.
Deadline: Year-round intake. Apply at least four months before the project start date. For applicants without a grant since 2023, a mandatory pre-application is reviewed within three weeks first.
Open nowRolling / open intakeAward: $12K – $58K
Kunst & Educatie
arts educationyouth learning and reflectionprofessional artists and educators+3 more
Who can apply: Organization must be established in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and be a stichting, vereniging, bv or nv without profit motive; in-principle organizations do not qualify. Project must have a clear start and end, take place within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, be submitted at least four months before start, and be project-based rather than operating support. Minimum request €10,000; total project budget at least €60,000; co-financing from multiple parties required. For Kunst & Educatie, applicants must work according to the Fair Practice Code and Code Diversiteit & Inclusie. The project should involve professional arts and education guidance and demonstrable experience with youth and comparable projects. No political or religious objectives, no reprises, no one-day festivals, no regular annual programming, no acquisitions/restorations, no free publications, no scholarships, and no competitions.
Open nowRolling / open intakeAward: $12K+
Fonds 21 Project Funding
Art and cultureArts educationYouth participation+5 more
Who can apply: Applicants must be organizations established in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and structured as a nonprofit foundation, association, BV or NV. Organizations in formation, individuals, sole proprietors, partnerships, municipalities and educational institutions are generally ineligible, although external providers may apply for projects delivered in educational institutions and certain national or municipal museums and archives may qualify. Projects must take place in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, have a clear start and end date, not yet have started, and be submitted at least four months before the project start. The total project budget must be at least €60,000 and financing must be spread across multiple parties; Fonds 21 never finances the entire project. Projects must primarily involve or benefit young people aged 12–30, have above-regional reach, and comply with the applicable professional governance, fair practice, diversity and inclusion requirements. Structural operating costs, recurring activities, political or religious projects, scholarships, competitions, restorations, purchases, regular annual programming and other excluded activities are not supported. The requested contribution may not exceed the applicable proportion of the total project budget: the quick check indicates a maximum of 10% for Kunst & Cultuur and up to 15–20% for Kunst & Educatie and Jongeren & Maatschappij. For projects in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, Fonds 21 contributes no more than 50% of the total project budget and applications must be submitted at least two months before the start.
Kunst & CultuurKunst & EducatieJongeren & Maatschappij+3 more
Who can apply: Projects must be project-based (clear start and end), targeted at youth aged 12–30, submitted by an organisation established in the Kingdom of the Netherlands (stichting, vereniging, bv, nv without profit motive). Minimum request €10,000; total project budget at least €60,000 and balanced co-financing required. Projects starting earlier than the treatment period are ineligible. Organisations in formation, individuals, zzp'ers and government bodies are not eligible.
Deadline: Fonds 21 accepts applications year-round. Applications must be submitted at least four months before the project start date (two months for projects in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom). New applicants must factor in a three-week pre-application review.
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Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
Deadline: Year-round intake. Apply at least four months before the project start date. For applicants without a grant since 2023, a mandatory pre-application is reviewed within three weeks first.
Deadline: Applications are accepted throughout the year. Submit at least four months before the project start; Caribbean projects must be submitted at least two months before the start. New applicants or applicants without an award since 2023 should allow an additional three weeks for the preliminary application.