Call 2 – Financial Support to Third Parties focusing on the Right to Social Security, Assistance and Work.

This summary details a European Commission grant opportunity under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) program for 2024. The initiative, titled "Strengthening CSOs in Greece to promote fundamental EU rights and democratic values," aims to enhance the operations of small to medium-sized civil society organizations (CSOs) in Greece, particularly those focusing on social security, assistance, and employment issues.

Eligible applicants include CSOs that actively support vulnerable groups—such as migrants, refugees, low-skilled women, and older individuals—through initiatives aimed at social inclusion, poverty reduction, and advocacy for labor rights. The funding mechanism is designed as Financial Support to Third Parties, managed by ActionAid Hellas, which will distribute sub-grants to selected CSOs through a competitive application process.

The total budget for this call is €630,000, expected to fund approximately 15 CSOs, suggesting possible sub-grants amounting to around €40,000 to €50,000 each. The application process is organized in two stages: the first stage involves submitting a concept note from January 27 to March 27, 2026, followed by a full proposal from May 1 to June 15, 2026. Projects are expected to commence on September 1, 2026, and last for 12-14 months.

Key activities supported through this funding include social support services, policy advocacy, and the establishment of coalitions and partnerships to combat poverty and injustice. The objective is to implement innovative solutions that address systemic barriers to access social protection and to enhance the operational and organizational sustainability of the beneficiary CSOs.

In conclusion, this grant opportunity emphasizes empowering civil society organizations in Greece to play a pivotal role in enhancing fundamental EU rights and democratic values, targeting vulnerable populations through innovative and impactful initiatives.

The GROW Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) mechanism is a call for proposals aimed at strengthening the right to social security, assistance, and work, promoting social inclusion, poverty reduction, and equal opportunities. The call is specifically targeted towards civil society organizations (CSOs) active in Greece. The full name of the EU funded project is Strengthening CSOs in Greece to promote fundamental EU rights and democratic values. The grant agreement number is 101187659. The topic is CERV-2024-CITIZENS-VALUES - Call for proposals for civil society organisations active on protecting and promoting Union values: call to intermediaries (giving financial support to third parties).

The submission and evaluation process follows a two-stage procedure to ensure transparency, inclusiveness, and accessibility for small and medium-sized CSOs.

Stage 1 involves the submission of a Concept Note. The call for proposals will be published on ActionAid Hellas’ website and shared through partner CSO networks. Interested organizations have two months to submit their concept notes electronically. The opening date for submissions is 27 January 2026, and the deadline is 27 March 2026 at 22:59 (Brussels time). Mandatory annexes to the concept note include the organization's Statute, Financial Statements, Declaration of Honor, Declaration of No Conflict of Interest, and GDPR statement.

Following the Concept Note submission, the FSTP Team will conduct an administrative and eligibility check to ensure compliance with eligibility and formal criteria. Eligible applicants will be informed by email about the evaluation results of the Concept Note stage and whether they proceed to the Full Proposal phase. This eligibility check and notification will take place between 28 March 2026 and 30 April 2026.

Stage 2 involves the submission of a Full Proposal. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit their full proposals, including a detailed project description, budget, CVs of key staff, and relevant supporting documents. The full proposal submission period is from 1 May 2026 to 15 June 2026, with a deadline of 15 June 2026 at 22:59 (Brussels time).

The evaluation and contracting phase will occur between 16 June 2026 and 31 August 2026. Each proposal will be independently evaluated by two experts using a standard evaluation grid. In case of significant score divergence, a third evaluator will be appointed. The highest-ranked proposals will be selected for funding, and sub-grant agreements will be formalized with the successful applicants’ CSOs.

Project implementation is expected to start on 1 September 2026. Selected projects will start implementation after signing sub-grant agreements with ActionAid Hellas. The expected duration of participation is 12-14 months.

The total funding available for this call is 630,000.00 €. Within this call, 15 civil society organisations (CSOs) will receive financial support and capacity-building assistance to strengthen their operational and organisational sustainability.

Projects should support vulnerable populations, including migrants, refugees, low-skilled women, and older people, through innovative initiatives improving access to employment, training, and social services. Expected results include enhanced socio-economic inclusion, empowerment of vulnerable groups, and pilot models addressing systemic barriers to social protection.

Under this priority, CSOs will be supported to empower vulnerable groups for social inclusion, poverty reduction, and equal opportunities, advocate for fair labor conditions, and strengthen access to welfare and support mechanisms.

Projects may include activities such as: social support services (employability, child-care services, accommodation, psychological support, skills development), policy and advocacy fighting poverty and injustice, and coalitions and multi-stakeholder partnerships working on fighting poverty and injustice.

In summary, this funding opportunity, under the GROW project, aims to provide financial support and capacity building to 15 CSOs in Greece. The goal is to empower vulnerable groups, promote social inclusion, reduce poverty, and ensure equal opportunities by improving access to employment, training, and social services. The application process is divided into two stages: a concept note and a full proposal. The project seeks innovative initiatives that address systemic barriers to social protection and promote fair labor conditions. The total funding available is 630,000.00 €, and the project duration is expected to be 12-14 months.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are small and medium-sized Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP).

Consortium Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if single applicants are preferred. However, the mention of "coalitions and multi-stakeholder partnerships" suggests that collaborative projects may be considered favorably. It is likely that both single applicants and consortia are eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The full name of the EU funded project is "Strengthening CSOs in Greece to promote fundamental EU rights and democratic values", so the geographic eligibility is likely limited to CSOs operating in Greece.

Target Sector: The target sectors are social inclusion, poverty reduction, equal opportunities, employment, training, and social services. The call focuses on strengthening the right to social security, assistance, and work.

Mentioned Countries: Greece is explicitly mentioned as the target country for this funding.

Project Stage: The project stage is likely aimed at initiatives that are ready for implementation, potentially including validation and demonstration, with a focus on creating pilot models. The call seeks innovative initiatives, suggesting projects beyond the initial research phase.

Funding Amount: The total funding available is €630,000. The funding will be distributed among 15 civil society organisations (CSOs). This suggests that the funding range per CSO will be variable, but on average around €42,000 per CSO.

Application Type: The application type is an open call with a two-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive both money (financial support) and non-monetary services (capacity-building assistance).

Application Stages: The application process consists of two stages: Concept Note submission and Full Proposal submission.

Success Rates: The success rate can be estimated based on the information that 15 CSOs will be selected for funding. Without knowing the total number of applicants, it is impossible to determine the exact success rate, but it is likely to be below 10% if there is a high volume of applications.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for proposals under the GROW project, which aims to strengthen Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Greece to promote fundamental EU rights and democratic values. The call, titled "Financial Support to Third Parties focusing on the Right to Social Security, Assistance and Work," will provide grants and capacity-building assistance to 15 small and medium-sized CSOs. The total funding available is €630,000. The projects should focus on supporting vulnerable populations, including migrants, refugees, low-skilled women, and older people, through innovative initiatives that improve access to employment, training, and social services. The application process is divided into two stages: a concept note submission followed by a full proposal submission for shortlisted applicants. The call is managed by ActionAid Hellas, and the selected projects are expected to start implementation on 1 September 2026, with an expected duration of 12-14 months. The projects should contribute to enhanced socio-economic inclusion, empowerment of vulnerable groups, and the development of pilot models addressing systemic barriers to social protection. The call falls under the CERV-2024-CITIZENS-VALUES topic, which focuses on civil society organisations active on protecting and promoting Union values.