UCF Edu-Fund Platform

 

To strengthen its commitment to combating educational poverty, UniCredit Foundation is launching the "UCF Edu-Fund Platform" to support bold programmes focused on identifying, addressing and intervening in instances of youth educational poverty with total funding up to €14mln. Here some details:

 

• The initiative is open to non-profit organizations operating locally or across countries, with a deep understanding and presence in Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

 

• The platform will be open all year round. The application window is open continuously starting from July 22^th, 2024 to April 30^th, 2025, or until  available funds are exhausted. 

• The main objectives are to combat educational poverty, focusing particularly on lower and upper secondary school students (ages 11-19) The platform prioritizes initiatives that adopt a multidimensional approach that help address those peripheral issues that have a direct impact on the educational challenges faced by young people across the countries where UniCredit operates. The initiatives should be focused on:
  • Addressing early school drop-out
  • Training teachers
  • Encouraging university attainment
  • Enhancing employability for students by equipping them with the skills necessary for the job market

• The platform provides three streams of funding opportunities, ranging from €100,000 to over €1 million, to engage a variety of entities dedicated to promoting quality education and regional growth.

Regular update on the ongoing process will be given through this page. 

 

For any further information please write an email to info@unicreditfoundation.org.

 

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We are excited to announce the winners of the third evaluation round of the Edu-Fund platform.

 

Large-scale

 

1. Organization name: Škola dokorán - Wide Open School
   Programme name: Empowering At-Risk Children through Community-Based Learning Hubs
   Programme description: This programme addresses early school dropout and disengagement among vulnerable lower secondary students (ages 11-15). It creates inclusive learning ecosystems combining formal and non-formal education to strengthen resilience, agency, and future pathways, with a focus on vulnerable girls facing multiple discrimination risks. Building on the success of Play Hubs, reaching 20,000+ children annually since 2017, it adapts this model to support children at a critical academic stage and integrates proven interventions targeting dropout drivers such as low social/financial literacy, early marriage, psychological distress, and gender-based violence. Implementation unfolds in three phases: local assessments; co-development of tailored action plans with Local Action Teams; and delivery of modular interventions adapted to community needs.
   Programme geographic coverage: Croatia, Hungary, Italy

Mid-scale Programme

 

1. Organization name: Asociatia Techsoup
   Programme name: Teaching the Future: teaching for critical-creative-computational thinking
   Programme description: Romanian middle school students, especially in rural areas, lack structured opportunities to develop critical-creative-computational (CCC) thinking—essential for an AI-driven economy. Despite ICT starting from grade 5, systemic barriers, outdated curricula, weak pedagogy, and rural-urban gaps persist. Teaching the Future empowers ICT teachers to improve pedagogy, strengthen peer networks, and expand learning opportunities. Over three years, it will train 400 teachers (about 30% of middle school informatics teachers), develop curriculum-aligned lesson sets based on PRIMM, and pilot Teaching Activity Groups (TAGs). Annual national online events promote peer learning.
   Programme geographic coverage: Romania                                                                                                                
2. Organization name: Schola Empirica, z.s.
   Programme name: Skills Builder: Supporting Development of 21st Century Skills in VET and secondary schools
   Programme description: This project systematically develops essential skills for VET students in Czechia using the Skills Builder Universal Framework (SB UF)—a globally recognized tool that sequences skill development from beginner to mastery. Teachers lack tools to foster socio-emotional learning; the program trains School Skills Leaders to upskill colleagues and embed SB principles institution-wide, ensuring regular instruction and practice of essential skills connected to employers.
   Programme geographic coverage: Czech Republic                 
3. Organization name: Institut za razvoj mladih KULT
   Programme name: EduConnect BiH - Applied Learning for Inclusive Communities
   Programme description: Schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina often focus on theory, disconnected from real life and communities, leaving marginalized youth unmotivated and underprepared. EduConnect empowers 250 secondary teachers to apply experiential, inclusive education through certified training based on critical thinking and peer exchange. Supported by youth councils, teachers engage 500 peers and 3,000 students in initiatives enhancing school-community ties and providing meaningful learning experiences for 6,000 students. The program lays groundwork for scalable systemic reform and advocates sustained partnerships with local governments.
   Programme geographic coverage: Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mostar)

Small-scale Programme

 

1. Organization name: Cultura e sviluppo ETS
   Programme name: Insieme per il futuro
   Programme description: This systemic initiative in Alessandria, Ovada, and Novi develops a flexible, scalable model to reduce school dropout by 20% among vulnerable students through personalized educational pathways co-designed by schools and third sector actors. The project offers integrated in-school and out-of-school actions that support socio-economic and emotional needs and builds early detection and intervention capacities.
   Programme geographic coverage: Italy - Northwest             
2. Organization name: Associazione Giovanile Salesiana per il Territorio ETS
   Programme name: SPAZIO LABS - Laboratorio di Apprendimento e Benessere
   Programme description: Spazio Labs combats social exclusion and school dropout among youth aged 15-19 in Turin through innovative training combining educational and psychological support with learning-by-doing. The program offers a year-long reintegration course, risk prevention workshops, and extracurricular activities, delivered by educators, psychologists, and tutors with strong family and community involvement. It develops a scalable educational model supported by ongoing training, monitoring, impact assessment, and advocacy to promote institutional co-design pathways.
   Programme geographic coverage: Italy - Northwest       
3. Organization name: ArrivalAid
   Programme name: DigitalAid
   Programme description: DigitalAid, piloted in Stuttgart and funded until 2025, bridges the digital literacy gap among refugees through tailored, accessible training led by volunteer DigiCoaches in migrant housing and community centers. Expanding to Munich, it targets young refugees (16-19) facing educational disruption and integration challenges, offering digital skills training essential for education and labor market entry. The program emphasizes cultural integration and empowerment by building trust in familiar environments with flexible, demand-driven workshops.
   Programme geographic coverage: Germany                     
4. Organization name: C.R.E.S.M. - Centro di Ricerche Economiche e Sociali per il Meridione
   Programme name: Noz Future Labs
   Programme description: Addressing educational poverty and dropout among vulnerable youth (11-19) in Palermo, this multidimensional program blends formal and non-formal STEAM education, sustainable entrepreneurship, and digital citizenship via workshops and outdoor activities. Conducted in partnership with local cooperatives, it fosters community involvement through a Territorial Educational Pact and provides accredited teacher training, guidance, and tutoring to enhance skills and employability, with a participatory and restorative approach rooted in Palermo's socio-cultural context.
   Programme geographic coverage: Italy - Sicily                      
5. Organization name: Mentória
   Programme name: Transforming schools from within - transforming secondary schools into successful learning communities
   Programme description: Responding to challenges in Eastern Slovakian secondary schools with high dropout and disadvantaged student rates, this program transforms 14 pilot schools into inclusive learning communities. It works on leadership development, teacher mentoring, and student 21st-century skills through experiential workshops and accredited training. AI based tools provide personalized support, and international events promote knowledge transfer, aiming for systemic sustainable impact.
   Programme geographic coverage: Slovakia                            
6. Organization name: Fundatia Romanian Angel Appeal
   Programme name: Design for Change Romania
   Programme description: This project combats educational disparities by developing a community of teachers using the Design for Change methodology, which fosters student-led, inclusive learning to boost participation, real-life preparedness, civic engagement, and 21st-century skills.
   Programme geographic coverage: Romania                            
7. Organization name: Közélet Iskolája Alapítvány - School of Public Life Foundation
   Programme name: Enhancing educational opportunities through a critical pedagogy approach
   Programme description: The project builds educators' skills and tools to prevent early dropout among disadvantaged children by piloting and disseminating critical pedagogical practices, drawing on extensive experience in teacher training and alternative youth education.
   Programme geographic coverage: Hungary
8. Organization name: Association "Nova generacija" Banja Luka
   Programme name: EDU-Secure: Education and Dropout Prevention for Sustainable Futures
   Programme description: EDU-Secure supports at-risk youth (11-17) in Banja Luka through tailored academic support, emotional development, and family strengthening. Services are delivered via a Daycare Center and Youth Counselling Center, including outreach to marginalized communities like Roma families. The program develops a dropout prevention framework with the University of Banja Luka, provides staff training, parental workshops, and extends service hours for accessibility. It targets 140 children and 70 parents, aiming for a sustainable, scalable model with potential replication.
   Programme geographic coverage: Republika Srpska (Bosnia Banja Luka)

 

 

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We are excited to announce the winners of the second evaluation round of the Edu-Fund platform

 

Large-Scale Programme

 

1.       Organization name: Vienna Hobby Lobby
Programme name: Scaling Hobby Lobby for Educational Skills in Europe
Programme description: The programme, already supported in Austria in 2023, is now being extended to Germany and Romania. Successfully launched in several locations in Austria in 2023, it is currently expanding in Austria, Germany, and Romania. It is structured in two main components and adopts a multidimensional approach to support students and children at risk of poverty, helping them develop essential skills for their future. The first component targets secondary school students living in conditions of educational poverty, offering over 700 free extracurricular recreational courses to around 6,000 students (totaling 9,000 placements) in subjects such as foreign languages, sciences, arts, and physical activities, with strong community involvement.
These courses promote academic success, prevent school dropout, and offer positive role models and psychosocial support, preparing students to pursue higher education or enter the job market with greater awareness.
The second component is an annual leadership programme for former participants, providing coaching, training, and a first concrete leadership experience: over 160 young people have already completed it, with some starting university studies.
Geography: Austria, Germany, Romania

 

2.       Organization name: Network of Education Policy Centers
Programme name: ARISE: Empowering Schools in Breaking Barriers and Building Equitable Learning Environments
Programme description: The programme tackles educational poverty in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia, focusing on disadvantaged areas with above-average poverty rates. The goal is to strengthen inclusive school leadership, which is key to improving educational equity, academic outcomes, and student well-being in economically disadvantaged settings.
Geography: Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Slovenia

 

Mid-Scale Programme

 

1.       Organization name: CIAI ETS - Centro Italiano Aiuti all'Infanzia ETS
Programme name: Dream Teen: supporting students realizing their full potential
Programme description: The project aims to reduce the educational gap hindering disadvantaged students from fully developing their potential. It adopts a multidisciplinary approach over 30 months, involving 300 lower and upper secondary schools nationwide.
It pursues three main objectives, with impact evaluation by LEAP Bocconi:

·       Strengthening learning: 280 disadvantaged students in 16 schools (Milan, Bari, Palermo, Cagliari) will participate in intensive group activities and personalized tutoring to improve study autonomy, motivation, and social skills.

·       Promoting inclusive education: In 150 randomly selected schools, teachers will use an AI-based digital platform to provide personalized and unbiased recommendations to help students choose the most suitable educational path.

·       Enhancing digital skills: 1,760 students will attend workshops on digital literacy and the impact of AI, while 2,000 teachers and education professionals will be trained on the risks and opportunities of new technologies in education.

Geography: Italy

 

1.       Organization name: Breaking Grounds - Social Change through Sport
Programme name: Life Goals - Moving for the Future
Programme description: The programme combats educational poverty among disadvantaged youth in Austria by leveraging an evaluated sports-based learning method to develop essential socio-emotional skills such as resilience, perseverance, and self-efficacy. Through hands-on workshops, participants engage in activities such as team-building exercises, goal-setting drills, and role-playing scenarios that teach real-world skills in a dynamic and practical manner, teaching students to adapt, remain focused, and push through frustration. During reflection sessions, students discuss how overcoming difficulties on the field can inspire confidence in tackling academic challenges, such as mastering new subjects or persevering through exams, reinforcing their sense of self-efficacy and motivation to learn. Two regional centres across Austria will be established, which are expected to train 600 additional educators by 2028, thus reaching 15,000 young people throughout Austria. 

Geography: Austria

 

2.       Organization name: META, o. p. s. - Podpora příležitostí ve vzdělávání (META - Supporting educational opportunities)
Programme name: Potential, Support, Empowerment: Improving Educational Access and Inclusiveness for Children and Youth with Migration Background
Programme description: The programme provides targeted support to children and youth with a migration background, as well as to teachers and education professionals, with a focus on expanding services outside Prague. Migrant families will receive information on the school system, counselling, and language support. In other regions, the organization will work with local partners to ensure service availability. The team will be expanded with six new regional staff, and teacher support will include training and online resources. To address the shortage of Czech language teachers, three training cycles will be offered, two of which online. Beneficiaries: about 450 students and 800 teachers.
Geography: Czech Republic

 

Small-Scale Programme

 

1.       Organization name: Ana si Copiii Association
Programme name: Growth Mindset
Programme description: The programme aims to expand its impact by involving 300 new adolescents in three counties of Romania and providing material support to 1,000 youths. It includes opening a new center in Călărași (Valea Argovei) and expanding existing centers in Prahova and Bucharest (the latter already supported in 2023).
To generate systemic change, the programme proposes a multidimensional intervention: study support, non-formal education activities, daily hot meals, medical care, and emotional support, involving 250 parents and 800 volunteers, for a total of around 770,000 hours of integrated services.
In addition to developing cognitive skills, the initiative aims to strengthen resilience, perseverance, and collaboration skills. Two new components will enrich the programme: the Mini City Administration module and sports activities.
Geography: Romania

 

2.       Organization name: CISV Solidarietà s.c.s.
Programme name: School4Future
Programme description: The programme is implemented in vulnerable areas of the city of Turin, where marginalization and limited service availability reduce student motivation and future prospects, increasing dropout risk.
The goal is to build a collaborative school-centered support system that promotes inclusive, quality learning experiences, enhances academic performance, and helps students make informed educational and career choices.
The initiative is structured in three main areas, targeting 1,600 students and 290 teachers:

·       Classroom activities that stimulate critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration, while improving academic achievement and the educational environment.

·       Mentoring and small group support for students with academic, emotional, or language difficulties.

·       Educational and career guidance to help students and families discover talents and available opportunities.
All activities are mainly conducted during school hours to ensure full integration with the educational context.

Geography: Italy

 

3.       Organization name: Real Pearl Foundation
Programme name: From school to work
Programme description: The programme aims to develop the skills of children living in generational poverty by enhancing basic and social abilities often neglected by a segregated school system. Through afternoon sessions (Tanoda), 30 children improve in math and reading, with active family involvement. Group workshops foster planning, teamwork, and small budget management. The programme also offers real work experiences: youths over 15 can be employed during the summer in the Igazgyöngy social enterprise, active in agriculture and crafts. They receive training on work contracts, workers' rights and duties, and financial literacy. The most committed can access stable part-time employment. The aim is to build a sustainable path of personal and professional growth, guiding youth toward autonomy and employment.
Geography: Hungary

 

4.       Organization name: OUI
Programme name: STEM EduCamp
Programme description: The programme aims to provide non-formal STEM and wellness educational opportunities for youth aged 11-19 in southern Croatia, particularly in disadvantaged areas. It uses a "STEM van" equipped for hands-on workshops in public and school spaces, including indoor options during bad weather. At least 300 young people will participate in 44 workshops and 10 teacher training sessions. The project includes the creation of two manuals, a STEM game, networking events, and training for local educators. Its goal is to inspire new generations toward scientific careers and create a lasting network of STEM educators in rural communities.
Geography: Croatia

 

 

5.       Organization name: HO "Međunarodni forum solidarnosti-EMMAUS"
Programme name: Future Schools of Today!
Programme description: The programme aims to modernize the educational system of Tuzla Canton in Bosnia and Herzegovina through training 35 teachers and 420 students aged 14-18. It promotes the development of practical skills required by the labor market, moving beyond outdated teaching approaches. Through courses and workshops, it creates a tangible link between school and the production world, preparing youth to build a solid and conscious professional future.
Geography: Bosnia and Herzegovina

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The winners of the first evaluation round of the Edu-Fund platform

 

Large-scale programme

 

1.       Organization name: Education Without Backpacks    

Programme Name:Better at Math with Khan Academy: Scaling to 50 more schools in Bulgaria

Programme Description: The programme aims to scale Khan Academy implementation at a national scale by partnering with more municipalities and regional education departments of the educational ministry. The final goal is to catalyze transformative change in Math school education with Khan Academy, simultaneously empowering numerous regional authorities and the schools they cover to significantly improve student engagement and academic performance in Math; and advocating to the Ministry of Education based on the results of this national program.            

Geography: Bulgaria

 

Mid-scale programme

 

1.       Organization name: Lern-fair e V.       

Programme name: Lern-Fair: Scaling Digital 1:1 Tutoring for Educational Equity in Germany and beyond   

Programme description: Free, easy-to-access, digital 1:1 tutoring services for underserved students across Germany and beyond. The aim is to scale, targeting new regions within and beyond Germany and increase the quality of support we offer to our students. The services run on user-friendly app that allows students and volunteers to register, match, and conduct their tutoring sessions in a flexible, digital environment. The overall programme builds on our existing model and the success of ongoing collaborations (e.g., JOBLINGE, TeachFirst).

Geography: Germany, Austria

 

2.       Organization name: ArbeiterKind.de   

Programme name: Empower e Connect: Volunteer Role Models Inspire Rural School Students from Non-Academic Families to Pursue Higher Education        

Programme description: This 3-year program reaches out to 8.000 underprivileged school students and aims at increasing their knowledge and confidence, so they will be able to make well-informed decisions about accessing higher education. The program activities focus on school students from non-academic families aged 15-19 in rural schools in the German states Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The program uses a validated and evaluated approach of peer-to-peer-support and volunteer role models visiting schools.

Geography: Germany

 

3.       Organization name: Asociatia Visuri Indraznete

Programme name: CampioMATE

Programme description: - the national teams math championship - is a complementary learning program developed in partnership with Romanian Math Scientific Society (S.S.M.R), addressed to children in secondary school. CampioMATE uses engagement techniques from video-gaming and sports to attract the interest of children so that they desire to solve diverse math challenges to earn points for themselves and their teams. With their interest awaken, children become effective in understanding and applying math concepts and their level increases. On top, being a teams' competition, children develop additional life skills (collaboration, leadership, project management, etc) that are not developed in Romanian schools. The 3rd edition (2024), attracted children from 700 schools in Romania.

Geography: Romania

 

Small-scale programme

 

1.       Organization name: Amigos for children Foundation 

Programme name: Amigos Hospital Program - for equal opportunities  

Programme description: Children hospitalized for extended periods often fall behind in school or even drop out. The foundation is powered by 250 university student volunteers. Regular meetings with hospital psychologists and teachers allow us to identify children in need of support, creating a structured information flow that enhances engagement. The goal is to expand this successful model to the other 19 hospital unit, to ensure that no child is left behind, even in the most challenging circumstances.

Geography: Hungary

 

2.       Organization name: CLUB SPORTIV GAMBITUL DAMEI IASI - QUEEN'S GAMBIT CHESS CLUB IASI

Programme name: Chess in School Moldova Region  

Programme description: Implement chess in as many schools as possible, as an educational tool, for children to acquire certain skills more easily, to spend quality time at school, in almost 100 schools and 30 high-school in every county (Suceava, Botosani, Iasi, Neamt, Vaslui, Bacau, Vrancea, Galati)

Geography: Romania

 

3.       Organization name: PARSEC COOPERATIVA    

Programme name: COMPITI@CASA    

Programme description: The programme addresses educational inequalities among middle school students in disadvantaged areas of Italy, specifically in Lazio, Campania, Sicily, and Piedmont, by providing personalized academic support through online tutoring (developed by University of Turin) and social services. Each tutor, selected from partner universities, works with two students, four hours a week.                        

Geography: Italy

 

4.       Organization name: G-LAB S.r.l. Impresa Sociale        

Programme name: Mathematics with Khan Academy

Mathematics with Khan Academy focuses on personalizing math education in Calabria and Campania using the free Khan Academy platform. The project employs the Mastery Learning methodology to tailor learning experiences to individual needs, particularly in the critical early years of middle school. The project aims to prove the impact of integrating international digital platforms into mathematics teaching, allowing students to work on topics and skills in a personalized manner.

Geography: Italy