The first two schemes for this year have been announced by the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector (MCVS). These are the NGO Co-Financing Fund (NCF), which provides voluntary organisations with the percentage of co-financing that European funds do not cover, and the Training Initiatives Scheme (TIS), which is a scheme that offers financial support for training to voluntary organisations, their members and volunteers.
The launch of the schemes was carried out by Minister for Inclusion and Volunteering Julia Farrugia at the Santa Katarina VM Musical Society in Żurrieq which, through the NGO Co-Financing Fund, installed security systems against theft, fire and a modern CCTV system to protect the instruments, facilities, historical documents and the building of the organisation itself.
The NGO Co-Financing Fund assists voluntary organisations in co-financing projects financed by European Funds. The allocation for this year is €300,000, after the funds were doubled from €150,000 last year.
This fund is not a substitute for European Funds but complements them, including those of the European Union, EEA Grants, Norway Grants, Bilateral Agreements and Council of Europe funds. In the ten years including this year, since this scheme was established, €1.8 million has been allocated to it.
Applications for this year’s NCF scheme will open on the website vofunding.org.mt from Wednesday 25 February 2026 at noon and will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. The scheme will close once all funds are exhausted. Information meetings will also be held to guide organisations through the application process.
During the launch, Minister Julia Farrugia explained how “these schemes are clear proof of the Government’s commitment to continue to invest seriously in the volunteer sector. Through the NGO Co-Financing Fund and the Training Initiatives Scheme, we are ensuring that voluntary organisations have the financial tools and training needed to strengthen, grow and continue to provide a quality service to our communities. Public funds are being used strategically to invest in people who make a real difference in Maltese society.”
Mauro Pace Parascandalo, Chief Executive Officer of MCVS, said that “2026 will be another year of great work in the sector, and we are pleased to be launching the first schemes for associations, which have now become very popular in their competition”.
Meanwhile, the Training Initiatives Scheme helps voluntary organisations and members of voluntary organisations to obtain financial support for their training. €40,000 has been allocated for this scheme. Since the scheme was established in 2018, around €350,000 in funding has been allocated to it.
The scheme comprises two separate programmes, one for individual members of voluntary organisations to attend training, and the other at an organisational level for organisations. Training can be either local or abroad in the case of individuals, while attendance can be either physical or online. The subject of the training must be either specifically related to the work of the voluntary organisation or on volunteering in general.
Applications for this scheme will be open on the website vofunding.org.mt from Wednesday 11th February 2026 at noon until Thursday 12th March 2026 at noon. Information meetings will also be held to guide organisations during the application process.
Organisations applying for funding must be registered and compliant with the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations.
Photo: MIV
