Borderlands V - West Africa

Borderlands V - West Africa EuropeAid is an EU Action Grant call under the Sub‑Saharan Africa programme supporting cross‑border stabilization and resilience interventions in targeted border areas of Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Mali. The total indicative budget is €25,000,000 split into two lots (Lot 1: €15,000,000; Lot 2: €10,000,000) and actions must run 48–60 months. The call is a restricted two‑stage process (short concept note for preselection, then invited full proposals), requires consortiums with eligible lead applicants, and allows cost‑reimbursement and financing not linked to costs modalities with EU contribution typically between 70% and 95% of eligible costs. Short concept notes must be submitted via PROSPECT with PADOR registration by 6 October 2026 (Brussels time).

What it funds

Regional stabilisation and resilience interventions in cross‑border areas between Côte d’Ivoire, Mali and Guinea. Priorities include: socio‑economic opportunities for women and youth; inclusive governance and sustainable management of shared natural resources; prevention of transnational trafficking and human trafficking; social cohesion and conflict prevention; and measures to prevent and respond to violent extremism.

Who can apply

Lead applicants must be non‑profit legal entities (e.g., NGOs, public operators, local authorities or international organisations) established in an eligible country. Applications must be submitted by a consortium: the lead applicant plus at least one co‑applicant present in each target country/zone; affiliated entities and third‑party beneficiaries are allowed under conditions set in the guidelines.

Funding and budgets

Total indicative envelope:€25 000 000. The call is split into two geographical lots with fixed grant amounts: Lot 1 (three‑border zone Mali–Guinea–Côte d’Ivoire): €15 000 000; Lot 2 (Guinea–Côte d’Ivoire forest zone): €10 000 000. Individual grants requested must equal the lot amounts (Lot 1 requests only €15 000 000; Lot 2 requests only €10 000 000). EU contribution per action must be between 70% and 95% of eligible costs; full financing may be accepted only with justification.

Grant form, duration and key rules

Two‑stage restricted call:submission of a short concept note (prescreening) then invited full proposals. Actions must run 48–60 months. Grants are normally cost‑reimbursement; financing not linked to costs options are possible for specified results and indicators. Standard EU rules (PRAG) on procurement, eligibility, visibility, audits and safeguarding apply.

Deadline for concept note:Short concept notes via PROSPECT must be submitted by 06/10/2026 20:00 Brussels time; online submission and PADOR registration are mandatory Call documents ¹

1. 1Eligible lead applicants: non‑profit legal entities, public operators, local authorities, or international organisations established in eligible countries.
2. 2Consortium requirement: at least one co‑applicant present in each country/zone covered by the lot; demonstrable thematic and geographic complementarity required.
3. 3Action duration: minimum 48 months, maximum 60 months.
4. 4Funding modalities: cost‑based reimbursement and/or financing not linked to costs (FNLC) where specified.

Application and supporting documents:submit concept note and declaration in PROSPECT; if invited, submit full proposal, budget (Annex B), logframe (Annex C), PADOR registration and other mandatory annexes. See call guidelines and templates linked in the published call package Call documents.

Footnotes

1. 1Full call guidance, application templates (note, full proposal, budget, logframe), procurement and contractual annexes are available in the publication documents on the portal: Lignes directrices Borderlands V WA and related annexes (EN/FR) Guidelines and annexes.

Call summary and purpose

What the call finances

Borderlands V West Africa is a restricted two-stage call for proposals (note:submission of a short proposal / note succincte is mandatory for preselection; selected lead applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal). The contracting authority is the European Commission (Programme: Zones frontalières pacifiques et résilientes V, implementation of the West Africa component). The action supports prevention and mitigation of instability and local conflict impacts in border areas between Côte d'Ivoire, Mali and Guinea, and in the Guinea-Côte d'Ivoire forest zone. The call funds actions that combine short-term stabilisation and long-term resilience (peace, governance, livelihoods, natural resources management, prevention of cross-border trafficking and human trafficking, prevention of violent extremism). The total indicative envelope is €25 000 000, split into two lots: Lot 1 (three-border area: Mali, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire) €15 000 000; Lot 2 (Guinea–Côte d'Ivoire forest area) €10 000 000. The action duration must be between 48 and 60 months.

Deadline and submission method:Short proposals (notes succinctes) due 06/10/2026 20:00 Brussels time; submission is online via PROSPECT (registration in PADOR required as specified); paper submission is allowed only in exceptional, justified security cases and must follow the guidelines in the call documentation. This is a restricted call (two-step process: short proposal then full proposal if invited).

Key administrative facts

Reference:EuropeAid; Call ID: 187027; Programme period: 2014-2020 / 2021-2027 instruments; Line budget: NDICI E14020120. Budget available: €25 000 000. Expected start date after contracting process: indicative schedule published in the guidelines (information/information sessions and Q&A deadlines provided). All templates and annexes (guidelines, short and full application forms, Annex B budget, Annex C logframe, Annex G standard grant contract and annexes, PADOR forms, declaration of honour, FNLC clarifications, SEA-H self-evaluation) were published with the call and must be used. See the published documents for full details and exact submission instruction.

Official documents and templates:The call package includes (English and French): Lignes directrices Borderlands V WA; Formulaire Note succincte (Annex A.1); Formulaire Proposition complète (Annex A.2); Annex B Budget (Excel); Annex C Logical Framework (docx); Annex F PADOR offline registration; Annex G Standard grant contract and annexes; Annex H Declaration of honour; Annex K Clarifications on financing not linked to costs (FNLC); Annex L SEA-H self-evaluation questionnaire. Applicants must use the exact forms and follow instructions. Further guidance: PRAG/ePRAG and EU external action financial toolkits. Guidelines (English) Full call page Funding & Tenders Portal details PRAG/ePRAG PADOR registration PROSPECT online submission

Eligibility and who should apply

Eligible applicant types (roles and constraints)

Lead applicant (demandeur chef de file) must be a legal person, not for profit and can be:non-governmental organisation, public-sector operator, local authority, or international organisation (as defined in the Financial Regulation). Lead applicants must be effectively established in EU Member States or eligible partner countries listed for NDICI funding and must demonstrate relevant experience in West Africa and in cross-border/regional programming. The lead applicant must act with one or more co-applicants (codemandeurs). Co-applicants must satisfy the same eligibility rules as the lead applicant. Affiliated entities are allowed (legal or structural link to applicants) but must meet conditions for affiliation and be documented. Associates, contractors and recipients of financial support to third parties have distinct roles and do not need to sign the mandate. Natural persons may participate under specific rules (see Annex D forms).

Consortium requirements:A consortium is required: the lead applicant must act with one or more co-applicants. Minimum: at least one co-applicant per country targeted and collective expertise across at least two or three thematic priorities defined in the call (each co-applicant should bring distinct specialised expertise). The consortium must show geographic and thematic complementarity and the lead applicant signs as coordinator.

1. 1Eligible applicant types: NGOs (non-profit), public-sector bodies/operators, local authorities, international organisations (ICRC, IFRC accepted), government bodies where allowed, and legal entities effectively established in eligible countries.
2. 2Consortium structure: lead applicant + one or more co-applicants (mandatory). At least one co-applicant per targeted country present in the intervention zones.
3. 3Affiliated entities: allowed under strict definition (control or membership). Affiliated entities do not become beneficiaries but can implement tasks and incur eligible costs if conditions met.
4. 4Associates and contractors: may participate but are not beneficiaries and have defined limits (per diems/travel only for associates).

Financial modalities and co-financing

This is a grant. Grants may be cost-reimbursement, financing not linked to costs (FNLC), or a combination. This call allows reimbursement of eligible costs and simplified cost options; FNLC modalities are possible where specified in the proposal and budget. For each lot the exact grant size is fixed: Lot 1 grants must be €15 000 000 (minimum and maximum the same); Lot 2 grants must be €10 000 000 (minimum and maximum the same). The EU contribution must lie between 70% and 95% of eligible costs (but full EU financing may be accepted only with justification). The balance must be financed from other sources. Volunteers’ work and in-kind contributions rules apply as per PRAG. Indirect costs may be claimed at a flat rate up to 7% of direct eligible costs (except project office costs and volunteers). A contingency reserve up to 5% of direct costs is allowed only with prior contracting authority approval.

Funding scale and structure:Call total: €25 000 000 (Lot €1 15 000 000, Lot €2 10 000 000). Each awarded grant under each lot must request the entire lot amount (the call defines the minimum and maximum per lot equal to the lot envelope).

Project, activities and eligible costs

Actions must have a duration of 48 to 60 months and be implemented in the listed target zones (Lot 1: three-border area — Côte d'Ivoire (Folon, Kabadougou), Mali (Bougouni/ex-Sikasso), Guinea (Kankan); Lot 2: Guinea (Nzérékoré) — Côte d'Ivoire (Tonkpi, Bafing)). Eligible activities cover: private sector development and economic opportunities for women, youth and displaced persons; skills and vocational training; access to finance and market linkages; inclusive and coordinated natural resources and land governance; community-level conflict prevention and management; cross-border consultative platforms; early-warning and cohesion mechanisms; awareness and capacity building to counter illicit trafficking and violent extremism; microprojects and community infrastructure resilient to climate change; agroecological rehabilitation pilots; support to civil-military cells; mediation and land dispute resolution mechanisms; support to combat trafficking and human trafficking; where appropriate, support for monitoring informal flows of gold, cocoa and forest products (observatories).

1. 1Action duration: 48–60 months.
2. 2Implementation zones: Lot 1 (Mali-Guinea-Côte d'Ivoire three-border area); Lot 2 (Guinea–Côte d'Ivoire forest zone).
3. 3Priority sectors: socio-economic opportunity creation (youth, women, displaced), inclusive natural resource/land governance, counter-trafficking and prevention of violent extremism, social cohesion and conflict prevention, awareness and capacity building, community resilience and microprojects.
4. 4Types of eligible costs (cost-based): staff, travel, equipment, supplies, project office, contracts for services/works/supplies, audit/expenditure verification, evaluations, visibility, financial services and contingency (subject to limits), volunteers’ work under conditions.

Evaluation, selection and timeline

This is a two-stage restricted call:Step 1 short proposal (note succincte) evaluation — administrative check and scoring (total 50 points; minimum 30 points to be shortlisted). Step 2 full proposal evaluation with detailed scoring grid (100 points with sections on financial/operational capacity; relevance; design; implementation approach; sustainability; budget and cost-effectiveness). Shortlisting: only notes scoring at least 30 and up to a cumulative value equivalent to 200% of the budget available per lot will be invited to submit full proposals. The contracting authority may then perform eligibility checks and request documentary evidence before contract conclusion. Final selection is subject to verification of eligibility, possible adjustments, and negotiation of conditions. Indicative calendar: info meeting 14/09/2026; short proposals deadline 06/10/2026; invitation to submit full proposals Nov 2026; full proposals deadline 29/01/2027; award notification March 2027; contract signing April 2027 (dates indicative and in the guidelines).

Evaluation stages:Step 1: administrative opening and evaluation of notes (score out of 50; minimum 30). Shortlisting up to 200% of budget by lot. Step 2: evaluation of complete proposals (selection criteria for financial/operational capacity and award criteria across relevance, design, implementation, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness; threshold and minimum requirements apply). Step 3: verification of eligibility documents for provisionally selected applicants before contract signature.

Checks, audits, contractual requirements and safeguards

Grant contracts will be signed on the standard model (Annex G); PRAG rules apply. Contracting authority may require contractual expenditure verification (AUP) for large grants (thresholds included in guidelines) and third-party assessment for FNLC results validation. Beneficiaries must keep records for a minimum of five years after payment of the balance (three years if grant ≤ €60 000), allow on-site audits and provide supporting documentation on request. Visibility rules and EU emblem usage are mandatory unless specific derogation for security reasons is agreed. The EU applies zero tolerance to sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEA-H): beneficiaries must complete self-evaluation questionnaires and implement mitigation measures where required. Anti-corruption, anti-fraud, and exclusion rules apply and can lead to recovery and administrative sanctions.

1. 1Expenditure verification and audits: AUP and third party assessment templates and ToR provided in annexes; audits and checks may be carried out by Commission, OLAF, EPPO, Court of Auditors or external auditors.
2. 2Record-keeping: supporting documents, accounting records and procurement files must be retained and made available; digital copies acceptable where legally allowed.
3. 3Visibility and communication: follow EU Communication and Visibility rules for external actions; derogations only by agreement in cases of security.
4. 4Ethics and values: beneficiaries must respect EU core values, avoid conflicts of interest, and apply anti-corruption rules; violations may trigger exclusion and financial penalties.
5. 5SEA-H: self-evaluation required for grants over €60 000 (Annex L).

Application materials, templates and practical guidance

Mandatory forms and templates are published with the call (Annex A.1 short proposal form; Annex A.2 full proposal form; Annex B budget Excel template with worksheets for cost-based budgets and FNLC components; Annex C logical framework template; Annex F PADOR registration forms; Annex H declaration of honour; Annex G standard grant contract and detailed annexes, including procurement rules, models for guarantees, expenditure verification ToR (Annex VII-A), third party assessment ToR (Annex VII-B), model transfer of ownership for assets (Annex IX), and reporting templates / annex VI). Applicants must submit short proposals in the language requested (French in this call). Full proposals must be in the same language as the short proposal. PADOR registration is required at short proposal stage for lead applicant; co-applicants and affiliated entities register at full proposal stage. PROSPECT submission is mandatory except in exceptional security/technical circumstances (paper submission rules detailed in guidelines). Technical/procedural help: PROSPECT Helpdesk ec-external-relations-application-support@ec.europa.eu.

Assessment of applicant readiness and success factors

Successful lead applicants must demonstrate:(1) established legal and operational presence in eligible countries or valid status as an international organisation; (2) proven experience implementing regional/transboundary programmes in West Africa and across at least two of the thematic priorities listed; (3) operational capacity to work in fragile contexts and manage large multi-million euro grants; (4) demonstrated financial capacity (annual accounts, audit report where required); (5) capacity to implement rights-based and gender-responsive approaches; (6) partnerships with local actors and co-applicants present in each target country; (7) compliance with EU visibility, procurement, audit and safeguarding standards; (8) robust monitoring, evaluation and logframe design with measurable indicators and data sources; (9) for FNLC components, clear pre-agreed indicators and validation arrangements (third party assessment).

1. 1Minimum applicant capacity: experience in at least two target countries and in relevant thematic areas.
2. 2Consortium composition: at least one co-applicant per target country present in the intervention zones.
3. 3Templates and annexes: use required Annex A short/full forms, Annex B budget, Annex C logframe; Annex G standard contract governs implementation.
4. 4Financial checks: audit report may be requested for grants > €750 000 or when national law requires; last accounts and bank details must be provided.

Application process details and practical tips

Step 1:register organisation in PADOR (lead applicant at short proposal; co-applicants/affiliated entities at full application stage) and prepare submission in PROSPECT. Complete Annex A.1 short proposal faithfully—content of the short proposal will be the base of the full proposal and title becomes the public contract title if awarded. Only the short proposal is evaluated during step 1; provide a clear problem analysis, logic of intervention, partners and presence in targeted border zones, and evidence of capacity. If shortlisted, submit Annex A.2 full proposal using the prescribed templates (Annex B budget, Annex C logframe) and upload required attachments (statutes, latest audited accounts or declaration on honour as applicable, mandates from co-applicants, affiliated entity declarations, PADOR forms where offline submission required). Maintain correspondence in PROSPECT; contracting authority communications and invitations will be made via PROSPECT profile.

1. 1Register in PADOR and (recommended) Participant Register (PIC) early.
2. 2Prepare short proposal within page/format limits; only one short proposal per lead applicant per lot is allowed.
3. 3If invited to full proposal, provide mandated documents, mandates from co-applicants, legal statutes and financial documents as required by the call guidance.
4. 4Ensure procurement and financial procedures comply with Annex IV procurement rules and avoid conflicts of interest.
5. 5Prepare SEA-H self-evaluation and safeguards documentation where required; include visibility and security risk mitigations for EU branding.

Risks, exclusions and non-eligible activities

Non-eligible activities include:actions that primarily finance individual attendance at conferences or individual scholarships; actions that may lead to human rights violations or significant negative environmental/climate impacts; actions consisting exclusively or primarily of capital expenditure (purchase of land, buildings) or purchase of equipment unless indispensable and ownership transferred; exclusive focus on conferences or single events; any activities contrary to EU values. Beneficiaries must not be subject to exclusion measures (sanctions lists) and must comply with anti-fraud and anti-corruption rules. The contracting authority reserves the right to reallocate funds across lots or adjust geographic coverage for security, legal or administrative reasons.

Templates and application structure (what reviewers expect)

Short proposal (Annex A.1) structure:project summary table (objectives, beneficiaries, products, main activities, target groups), full description of the action limited to maximum pages specified (2 pages description + 3 pages on relevance using Arial 10 single-spaced and A4 margins), clear problem analysis, logic of intervention, risk analysis and mitigation, and indicative budget estimate. Full proposal (Annex A.2) structure: detailed description (max 18 pages), methodology (max 5 pages), detailed indicative action plan (tabular by month/semester), sustainability and exit strategy (max 3 pages), logical framework (Annex C), detailed budget (Annex B) with budget justification (sheet 2) and forecast of expected sources of funding (sheet 3), experience track record tables (up to 10 projects), mandates and declaration forms for co-applicants and affiliated entities, PADOR forms if needed. For FNLC components, specify the result headings, performance indicators, unit values and targets per Annex 1 and Annex B worksheets €1B/1c.

1. 1Short proposal: concise problem analysis, clear objectives and results chain, minimum required attachments, submit online via PROSPECT.
2. 2Full proposal: detailed narrative (18 pages), methodology, implementation plan, updated logframe, detailed budget with justification (Annex B), procurement and risk management plans, M&E methods, sustainability explanation.
3. 3Budget: use Annex B templates strictly (worksheets 1a/€1B/1c, 2 and 3); indirect costs capped at max 7% of direct eligible costs; contingency max 5% (prior approval needed).
4. 4FNLC: if proposed, follow Annex K clarification and Annex B FNLC worksheets and Annex I logframe FNLC marking; third party assessment requirements and contractual terms apply.

Applicants must strictly follow the formatting, page limits, language (French required for this call), and submission rules: short proposal only is evaluated in Step 1 so it must be complete and self-contained. Incomplete short proposals may be rejected. Lead applicants cannot submit more than one application per lot. Co-applicants cannot be listed in more than one application per lot. The contracting authority reserves the right to reallocate unspent funds to another lot or adjust zones for security reasons.

Checklist — essential steps before submission

1. 1Register and update PADOR profile and obtain EuropeAid ID / PIC where relevant; ensure PADOR info is current at short proposal submission.
2. 2Prepare and complete the Annex A.1 short proposal strictly following the template and instructions; write the narrative and the summary table; use required font/format and language.
3. 3Confirm consortium composition and secure signed mandate(s) for co-applicants and affiliated entity declarations (mandates may be required at short or full stage per guidelines).
4. 4Review Annex B budget template instructions and provide an indicative EU contribution and % co-financing in the short proposal; prepare full budget justification for the full proposal stage.
5. 5Plan for procurement and finance compliance (Annex IV rules), audit and contractual expenditure verification arrangements for large grants, and prepare SEA-H self-evaluation if applicable.
6. 6Prepare visibility, security and safeguarding measures and include them in the narrative, and attach required annexes and supporting documents at full proposal stage.

For precise legal, procurement, reporting and contracting wording applicants must consult the call-specific Guidelines, Annexes and the PRAG/ePRAG references. The call documents contain mandatory templates, scoring grids, and detailed instructions for both short and full proposals. See published annexes for the complete set of forms and instructions. Guidelines and Annexes (EN).

Footnotes

1. 1Detailed administrative, eligibility, evaluation and contractual rules are contained in the guidance annexes and the PRAG/ePRAG. Applicants must use the exact Annex A short/full forms, Annex B budget, Annex C Logframe and Annex G standard grant contract and annexes published with the call. See full files on the call page.

Borderlands V - West Africa is a Call for Proposals under the Sub-Saharan Africa programme, described as an Action Grant with a focus on the West Africa region. The available public listing identifies the reference number as EuropeAid and shows the opportunity as open, with activity linked to Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, and Mali.[1]

What the opportunity is about

The thematic fields shown in the public listing are gender and human rights, youth and child welfare, security and peacebuilding, and border management. Taken together, this indicates a cross-border development and stabilization call aimed at borderlands cooperation and resilience in West Africa.[1]

Who can apply

The listing identifies NGOs and nonprofit organisations, government and public bodies, and international intergovernmental organisations as eligible applicant types. It also shows a very broad set of eligible applicant countries, including EU 27 and many partner and third countries, so applicants should verify the final eligibility wording in the official call documents before preparing a submission.[1][3]

Working languages:English and French are listed for the opportunity.[1]

Funding and award size

The publicly available listing indicates a total budget of €25 million and an award range of €10 million to €15 million per grant.[1]

Deadline and timing

The opportunity metadata gives a submission deadline of 6 October 2026 at 18:00:37 UTC. The public listing was posted on 31 July 2026.[1]

What applicants should verify on the official portal

The official EU Funding and Tenders Portal is the authoritative source for the final call documents, application conditions, and any updates to the deadline or eligibility rules.[3]

1. 1Whether the call is single-stage or multi-stage
2. 2The exact duration expected for funded actions
3. 3The required co-financing rate and eligible cost rules
4. 4Whether a consortium is mandatory and what partner composition is allowed
5. 5Any geographic restrictions for the action area within West Africa
6. 6Submission instructions, templates, and annexes published by the Commission

Footnotes

1. 1These figures and eligibility details come from a third-party grant listing, not from the full official call page. Applicants should confirm the final rules on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal before applying.