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1. Legal/policy framework for the functioning and development of youth organisations

2. Public financial support

3. Initiatives to increase the diversity of participants

Legal/policy framework for the functioning and development of youth organisations

Hungary actively supports youth organisations through various tenders and calls for proposals (see information below). However, there is no specific policy framework for supporting youth civil society organisations.

According to the Fundamental Law of Hungary, everyone shall have the right to establish and join organisations. Trade unions and other interest representation organisations can be formed and can operate freely based on the right to association.

Besides that, the new Civil Code (Polgári Törvénykönyv) and the Law on Civic Society Association (Civil törvény) define how NGOs can be founded and operated. In Hungary, these regulations are also relevant for youth NGOs. Some youth organisations are public bodies [for example, the Association of Hungarian PhD and DLA Candidates (Doktoranduszok Országos Szövetsége, DOSZ)], but the majority of them are associations [for example, the National Youth Council (Nemzeti Ifjúsági Tanács, NIT)].

The Deputy State Secretariat for Civil and Social Relationships operates under the Prime Minister's Office (Miniszterelnökség). Its aims, among others, are to support the effective operation of NGOs and to operate an information and administration portal [Civil Information Portal (Civil Információs Portál)], and it pursues the goal that the state funds would be accessible for the NGOs in a favourable way.

The main principle is that youth should have interest groups for advocacy. It is important that, across these organisations, the Government has negotiation partners who can represent these groups in society. There are interest groups such as for young entrepreneurs, the National Association of Young Entrepreneurs (in Hungarian: FIVOSZ), for young farmers the Hungarian Farmers' Association [Fiatal Gazdák Magyarországi Szövetsége (AGRYA)] and for doctoral students, the Association of Hungarian PhD and DLA Candidates (Doktoranduszok Országos Szövetsége, DOSZ).

Also, there is an organisation which represents all young people: the National Youth Council (Nemzeti Ifjúsági Tanács, NIT). (For more information, see 5.3 Youth representation bodies)

Public financial support

The source of funding can be legal or state subsidies, tender applications or individual grants. The government provides an individual grant for policy support on the basis of an application. Grants can be approved with applications through the state funds listed below. The funds available for each application are published on the websites of the organisation. Sometimes the support given to successful applicants is also published on these. There are some organisations for which we have no information about their support.

National Cooperation Fund

Specific rules that apply to state support are specified in the Act CLXXV of 2011 on the right of association, public benefit status, and the operation and support of civil society organisations (2011. évi CLXXV. törvény az egyesülési jogról, a közhasznú jogállásról, valamint a civil szervezetek működéséről és támogatásáról). The operation of NGOs and their specific programmes and activities (for example, advocacy), and their publications are supported by the state through the National Cooperation Fund (Nemzeti Együttműködési Alap, NEA), which uses the state budget for its tenders. The operational fund can only be obtained through NEA, while other grants support professional activities. From 2019, the NEA is operated by Bethlen Gábor Fund (Bethlen Gábor Alap).

Bethlen Gabor Fund

The Bethlen Gabor Fund (Bethlen Gábor Alap) is an earmarked state fund. It aims to support Hungarians living beyond the borders of their motherland and to strengthen the connection between motherland and homeland. Financial grants can be won through a call for applications or through individual grant applications. Applicants can be individuals (Hungarian youth outside their homeland), municipalities and other institutions, and local governments and they provide financial support in the topics of education, preservation and development of Hungarian culture and science, and actions related to European Union activities. (For more information on the Fund, see 10.3 Support to youth work.)

Children and Youth Fund

The Ministry of Culture and Innovation (Kulturális és Innovációs Minisztérium) supports children's and young people's activities, programmes, and initiatives through the Children and Youth Fund (Gyermek és Ifjúsági Alap, GYIA). GYIA has a state budget chapter (Gyermek és Ifjúsági Alapprogram) that finances the programmes of youth NGOs on participation and events simulating the functioning of the democratic institutions and the roles of decision-makers within these institutions, cooperation. Currently GYIA belongs to the National Cultural Grant Management Office (Nemzeti Kulturális Támogatáskezelő) which is one of the background institutions of the government.

National Talent Programme

The aim of the National Talent Programme (Nemzeti Tehetség Program) is to support talent development, provide long-term support to talented youth, and promote outstanding talent managed by organisations, communities and programmes in Hungary and beyond. In the current government, the Department of Talents, under the Deputy State Secretariat for Young People in the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, is responsible for the implementation of this programme. (For more information, see 4.4 Inclusive programmes for young people.)

Local governments

In Hungary, it is the responsibility of local governments to support youth. [Act CLXXXIX of 2011 on local governments of Hungary (2011. évi CLXXXIX. törvény Magyarország helyi önkormányzatairól)] This means, that at the local level, the local governments support youth organisations, although the form of this support is not defined. The type of activities which are supported by means of public finance can be camps, mentor training, training, meetings, advocacy, research, information and communication activities, publications.

Initiatives to increase the diversity of participants

In Hungary, there are no programmes on this topic accessible to a wide range of young people and funded by the Hungarian state. This issue is not part of the main goals or rhetorical line of the Hungarian Government.

The National Youth Council (Nemzeti Ifjúsági Tanács) organised a Roma Youth Professional Workshop (Roma Ifjúsági Szakmai Műhely) in 2024 where professionals and organisation representatives could discuss the Hungarian implementation of the Recommendation of the European Council on Roma Youth Participation. The recommendation aims to enhance the inclusion of Roma youth in decision-making processes and various social issues. Their needs and interests should be involved in each related policy and programme. They also organised a Roma Youth Conference (Roma Ifjúsági Konferencia) in 2025 where the main focus was the equal treatment of Roma women and girls in Hungary and to promote access to their rights. They discussed several topics including participation and representation of Roma youth.