Winners of the second edition of the Edu-Fund Platform announced, supporting high-impact initiatives that expand educational opportunities for vulnerable young people across Europe
UniCredit Foundation has announced the winners of the second edition of the Edu-Fund Platform (2025-2026), its international programme designed to tackle educational poverty and promote inclusive learning opportunities for young people and students living in vulnerable circumstances.
The second edition attracted more than 400 applications from 13 European countries, confirming the growing interest in initiatives capable of delivering tangible, long-term impact in education and social inclusion.
Following a rigorous selection process, the Foundation has awarded approximately €4.2 million to nine programmes led by non-profit organisations operating across several countries where UniCredit is present: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
The selected projects stand out for their strong social impact, their ability to address the specific needs of local communities and their potential to generate lasting change. Collectively, the initiatives will reach 163 schools and engage more than 25,000 direct beneficiaries, including nearly 17,000 students, over 1,300 teachers, 4,200 parents and caregivers, 550 volunteers and more than 2,000 local community stakeholders.
The winning organisations will deliver targeted interventions aimed at improving equitable access to education, strengthening key future skills, promoting social inclusion and supporting the personal and professional development of young people facing economic, social or geographical barriers.
With this second edition of the Edu-Fund Platform, UniCredit Foundation further strengthens its commitment to supporting innovative, scalable and sustainable initiatives capable of creating long-term value and expanding opportunities for future generations. Building on the success of the first edition, which made up to €14 million available for projects addressing educational poverty, the Foundation is now investing an additional €4.2 million in nine new initiatives, reaffirming its commitment to supporting solutions that generate lasting impact in the communities where it operates.
"Every community faces different educational challenges, and each requires tailored solutions," said Silvia Cappellini, General Manager of UniCredit Foundation. "This is why we have chosen to support organisations that have a deep understanding of the communities they serve and that work every day to transform local challenges into concrete opportunities for young people. From career guidance and digital skills to social inclusion and the prevention of early school leaving, the selected initiatives demonstrate the richness and value of diverse approaches united by a common goal: helping the next generation fulfil its potential."
The selected programmes have been divided into three funding categories:
Large-scale Programme
• Libera. Associazioni, nomi e numeri contro le mafie (Italy) - IMAGINE - Communities and Education to Prevent Early School Leaving and Criminal Influence
Promotes the prevention of early school leaving and counteracts criminal influence through the active involvement of schools, families and local communities.
Mid-scale Programmes
• Serviciul Iezuiților pentru Refugiați (Romania) - INSPIRE: Institutional Support for Prevention and Inclusive Resilient Education
Strengthens schools' capacity to deliver inclusive and resilient education, with a particular focus on the needs of the most vulnerable students.
• Udruženje "Zemlja djece u Bosni i Hercegovini" (Bosnia and Herzegovina) - Future-Ready Skills for Vocational Students in BIH: Life Skills, Digital Readiness and Labour Market Connection (FRS VS)
Develops vocational students' life skills and digital competencies while strengthening their connection with the labour market.
• Autonómia Alapítvány (Hungary) - Capsule Exit - Innovative Career Guidance and Person-Centred Mentoring in New Dimensions of Vocational Education
Introduces innovative career guidance and personalised mentoring to support students' educational success and future employability.
• DASATO Slovensko (Slovakia) - Preparing Upper Secondary Students for the Future - A Community-Centred School Transformation Model for Underserved Regions
Promotes the transformation of upper secondary schools through a community-centred model designed to expand educational opportunities in underserved regions.
Small-scale Programmes
• Prototýpci, zapsaný spolek (Czech Republic) - Reducing Educational Disengagement through Teacher Capacity Building
Strengthens teachers' skills to prevent educational disengagement and foster greater student participation.
• Eidè Società Cooperativa Sociale ETS (Italy) - IL SAPERE TRA LE MANI - Scuola Bottega 2
Provides hands-on, workshop-based learning pathways to prevent early school leaving and promote social inclusion.
• Sophia Società Cooperativa Impresa Sociale (Italy) - Your Future? A New Story to Write
Supports young people at risk of dropping out in shaping their educational and professional pathways through personalised guidance and mentoring.
• Zavod Antona Martina Slomška (Slovenia) - BUILDING FUTURES FOR ALL (BFF) - Developing Inclusive Competencies and Educational Engagement through Collaborative Digital and STEM Creation
Promotes inclusive competencies and student engagement through collaborative digital and STEM learning activities.
Milan, 30 June 2026
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