Helping Hands Fund

TUI Care Foundation’s Helping Hands Fund supports organisations that fit the foundation’s strategic framework and create positive impact for the communities and/or the environment in tourism destinations worldwide. As such, it caters to the needs of communities, threatened wildlife and the environment in these destinations. Charitable organisations or social enterprises operating in tourism destinations and engaging in the fields of education, community empowerment, marine conservation or land conservation can submit their application.

We also encourage organisations representing tourism communities in need of emergency supplies or reconstruction aid due to (natural) disasters to apply for a grant from this fund. From 2022 to 2025, TUI Care Foundation has supported over 70 projects and organisations in 26 countries around the world under the Helping Hands Fund, plus dozens of initiatives under Emergency Relief calls for specific disasters in countries such as Greece, Spain and Cape Verde.

Note: Applications are closed and shall open again by the final quarter of 2026. Keep an eye on our website or social media channels for updates. Applications via email or other communication channels can neither be assessed nor responded to. 

What will be supported?

  • Initiatives with a clear link to tourism taking place in international tourism regions in the selected countries.
  • Activities addressing education, environmental protection, cultural conservation and/or community empowerment. 
  • Interventions responding to the needs of communities in case of emergencies, (natural) disasters and/or health crises. 
  • Grant amounts range from 1,000 to 10,000 euros per application, or the equivalent in GBP. Organisations active in non-euro countries are encouraged to apply in GBP.

Example activities

  • Providing environmental education to local schools 
  • Mitigating human-wildlife conflict 
  • Supporting community-based tourism 
  • Protecting cultural heritage and empowering local artisans 
  • Responding to natural disasters such as wildfires or flooding, e.g. by distributing emergency packages or providing clean water access 
  • Conducting beach cleanups or other waste collection activities ns
  • Child protection measures for vulnerable children/young people
  • Community health care responses to health crises such as hygiene awareness raising or training of health workers

The applicant should be a registered organisation and be eligible to implement activities in touristic regions of the eligible countries stated in the application form. 

  • Charitable organisations OR social enterprises with a clear tourism-related social impact mission.
  • Organisations that are legally registered and operational in any of the countries listed in the application form.
  • Organisations that have no religious / ideological affiliation and act free of discrimination against ethnicity, nationality, gender, disability, religious beliefs, sexual identity​. 
  • Please note that applications must be submitted in English. We encourage non-English speakers to use free online tools for translating their proposal. 
  • Individuals are not eligible for funding​.

  • All applications will be assessed by a selection committee of the TUI Care Foundation. 
  • In the selection procedure a fair geographical and thematic distribution will be considered. 
  • Applications should only be submitted via the online application form. Applications via email or other communication channels can neither be assessed nor responded to.
  • The amount granted will be decided by the TUI Care Foundation and may be lower than the amount applied for.