EU funds

Non-profit organisations and local authorities can apply for financing through several EU funds. In addition, national and private funds are made available for service providers and other stakeholders to carry out integration projects.

Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) in Sweden

• Details: The Swedish AMIF programme for the 2021-2027 period amounts to over €363 million and aims at ensuring ‘a long-term sustainable migration policy’. This policy is intended to safeguard asylum law and, within the framework of regulated immigration, facilitate cross-border mobility, promote demand-driven labour immigration and take advantage of the developmental effects of migration. The Swedish AMIF programme prioritises efforts and finances projects in three main areas: asylum, integration and legal migration voluntary return.
• National managing authority: The national managing authority for AMIF in Sweden is the Swedish Migration Agency.

European Social Fund (ESF) in Sweden

• Details: ESF+ brings €707 million to Sweden for the 2021-2027 programming period. The full programme for 2021–2027 can be found here. The fund has 6 program areas titled:
  • increase the possibility of an inclusive and sustainable working life for everyone - a main priority allocated the largest proportion of funds; efforts are divided into different thematic target areas: economic vulnerability, establishment in the labour market, re-entry into the labour market, unstable position in the labour market, and stable position in the labour market
  • increase the opportunity for work
  • reduce the risk of financial vulnerability
  • increase capacity in the sparse geography
  • social innovation
  • fast-care – support for Ukrainian refugees
• National managing authority: The national managing authority for ESF in Sweden is the Swedish Council of the European Social Fund in Sweden (ESF Council).

Other EU funds for integration available in Sweden

ERASMUS+, the EU’s program to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe

National managing authorities:

• Swedish Council for Higher Education (education and training)
• Swedish Agency for Youth and Civil Society (youth and sports)

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to strengthen economic and social cohesion in the EU by correcting regional imbalances

National managing authority: The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth manages ten of the ERDF operational programmes in Sweden, with the rest managed by several county administrations.

Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD), offering material assistance to the most vulnerable or in need

National managing authority: Swedish ESF Council

European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), supporting the development of rural economies and communities

National managing authority: Swedish Board of Agriculture

European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF)

National managing authority: Swedish Board of Agriculture; EMFF supports coastal communities in diversifying their economies and finances projects that create jobs and improve quality of life along European coasts

Other funds

Other public funding in Sweden

• The Swedish Inheritance Fund supports non-profit organisations in developing projects and activities for children, young people and people with disabilities. The fund prioritises projects working for gender equality, integration, diversity and accessibility.
• The County Administrative Boards (Länsstyrelser) support municipalities and civil society organisations to stimulate regional partnership and cooperation for the reception of newly arrived migrants.
• The Swedish Gender Equality Agency gives state support to projects on gender equality, including specific grants for projects in socio-economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods.
• The Migration Studies Delegation commissions studies in the field of migration and integration. Research conducted under the auspices of Delmi includes, but is not limited to, knowledge collection, data processing, analysis and evaluation.

Nordic Funding

There are funding opportunities available via the Nordic Welfare Centre for integration projects in the Nordic region (this includes Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway and Iceland, as well as the three autonomous territories of Åland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland). 

Private funding in Sweden

• Alba Langenskiöld Foundation
• Since 2015, the Swedish Sports Confederation (Riksidrottsförbundet) has given support to sports associations that work on the inclusion of newly arrived immigrants through its "establishment support" (Etableringsstöd).
• The Rockin’ Pots, a choir established to support a local asylum reception centre has donated parts of its income to a fund to support the integration project. Apply for the Rockin’Pots fund here.