Investment of €200,000 to enable more organisations to travel on a European and international scale
Minister for Inclusion and Volunteering Julia Farrugia has re-announced the Civil Society Fund.
This fund encourages the participation of organisations in European and international forums. This includes funds for collaboration with foreign organisations, including membership in associations, networks and confederations, attendance at conferences and meetings, as well as training on a European dimension.
Minister Farrugia explained how a total of 413 beneficiaries benefited from these funds between 2021 and 2025 with a total investment of €774,000. Investment in this fund has continued to increase each year, something that Minister Farrugia described as a sign of the Government’s confidence in the operation of voluntary organisations. This year’s total budget for this fund is €200,000.
The launch of this scheme took place at the headquarters of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Malta, an organisation that benefits from this fund to attend international conferences. These provide a platform for exchanging experiences, achievements and best practices with the aim of strengthening their work both locally and abroad. Currently 757 young people are participating in a programme organised by the same organisation.
During this visit, Minister Julia Farrugia also stressed that it is crucial that voluntary and non-governmental organisations have the opportunity to travel and grow through experiences abroad and bring with them a set of new skills to the sector. “In recent years, the Government’s strategy in this area has been to invest more, and we will continue to do so in the years to come.”
Mauro Pace Parascandalo, Chief Executive of the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector (MCVS) stated that “this fund remains popular with organisations and we are pleased to see participation at European and international levels, where organisations find new opportunities for the benefit of both themselves and our society”.
Each application submitted can receive up to a maximum of €6,000, which will be up to a maximum of 80% of eligible costs. Voluntary organisations will be able to apply by visiting the website vofunding.org.mt from midday on Wednesday 1 July 2026 until midday on Wednesday 29 July when applications close. An information meeting will also be held to assist applicants during the submission process and to better understand the guidelines.
The Civil Society Fund funding scheme is an initiative led by the MCVS within the Ministry for Inclusion and Volunteering. More information can be found at vofunding.org.mt .
