Call for proposals for large grants No. 4/SPLOT/GD/2026

Call for proposals 4/SPLOT/GD/2026 (SPLOT Wartości 2.0) under the CERV programme awards large cascade grants to civil society organisations registered and based in Poland. Individual grants must be between €10,000 and €15,000 and the total allocation for this call is €587,926.60; projects must be implemented in Polish. The call opens 27 October 2026 and the submission deadline is 28 December 2026 at 12:00 Brussels time, with an expected implementation period of 6 to 12 months and applications submitted via the SPLOT operator platform. Large grants are reimbursed on the basis of actually incurred expenditure and applicants must meet the operator’s eligibility conditions, including not being related to the grant operator.

What it funds

Scope and priorities

Grants support projects that protect and promote EU values and rights, strengthen rule of law and democratic values, foster dialogue, transparency and good governance, and raise public awareness. Projects must be implemented in Polish and align with the CERV programme priorities.

Single-stage submission. Applications are made via the operator platform; selected grantees receive funding on a reimbursement basis (large grants) and must comply with reporting and contractual requirements.

Apply and find full call documents and templates on the operator portal SPLOT application platform and the EU Funding & Tenders Portal listing. 1

Footnotes

1. 1Application platform and full call information: siecsplot.pl. EU portal reference: ec.europa.eu

Summary

This is a cascade grant call implemented under the CERV programme CERV-2024 as part of the SPLOT Wartości 2.0 project (Grant Agreement 101187197). The Operator is running an open, single-stage call for large grants targeted at civil society organisations registered and based in Poland. Individual grant awards must be between €10,000 and €15,000, have a duration of 6 to 12 months, and projects must be implemented in Polish. The overall funding associated with this call is published as €587,926.60. The call opens 27 October 2026 and the submission deadline is 28 December 2026, 12:00 (Brussels time).

Eligibility and who should apply

Eligible applicants are civil society organisations (CSOs) registered and based in Poland that meet all subjective eligibility criteria specified by the Operator. The call is designed to strengthen local, regional and national CSOs in Poland to protect and promote European Union values, rights and the rule of law.

Call objectives and priority themes

Target groups and geographic focus

Primary beneficiaries and target groups are local, regional and national Polish CSOs, with particular emphasis on organisations with lower capacity, organisations based in rural areas, and organisations serving or representing disadvantaged groups, minorities, women, seniors and people with special needs.

Financial details

Administrative information and timelines

Submission, evaluation and selection

This is an open call to intermediaries issuing grants to third parties. Submission and evaluation is single-stage. The Operator provides support during the call (helpdesk, animators) and runs informational webinars for applicants. Assessment follows formal and quality assessment procedures using prepared evaluation templates.

Documents, templates and application materials

The Operator publishes the full set of application and assessment templates and supporting documents. These include an application form (Wzór wniosku o powierzenie grantu), formal assessment sheet (Wzór karty oceny formalnej wniosku), merytoryczna evaluation sheets (Wzór karty oceny merytorycznej wniosku) including a version for individual interviews, the draft grant agreement (Wzór umowy o powierzenie grantu) and the grant implementation report template (Wzór sprawozdania z realizacji grantu). A programme handbook is also available covering how to apply, implement and account for the grant.

Assessment criteria and expected selection focus

Evaluation focuses on alignment with CERV priorities, clarity and feasibility of proposed activities, capacity of the organisation to deliver, expected impact on strengthening EU values and democratic participation at local and regional level, inclusion of disadvantaged groups, realistic budget and value for money, and sustainability/replicability of actions.

Administrative and compliance requirements

Other practical support and outreach

The Operator offers webinars, animator support and a helpdesk during the application window. Contact details for the SPLOT network (Operator) are provided on the platform, including an email contact (biuro@siecsplot.pl) and social channels for updates.

Frequently requested clarifications

Programmatic context and expected results

SPLOT Wartości 2.0 aims to protect, promote and raise awareness of fundamental EU rights and values by supporting Polish CSOs, increasing their capacity, and strengthening the practical application of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, rule of law and democratic participation at local and regional levels. The broader SPLOT programme foresees multiple open calls (small and large grants) aimed at supporting hundreds of CSOs across Poland and running nationwide information and educational campaigns on EU values.

Structured answers to requested categorisation fields

The following structured information is extracted directly from the call materials and operator documentation.

Templates and application structure guidance

The Operator provides several mandatory templates that structure the application and selection processes. Applicants should download and complete these templates exactly as required and follow the guidance in the programme handbook.

How to prepare a competitive application

Contact and further information

Concluding summary

This opportunity is an open, single-stage cascade call run by the SPLOT Wartości 2.0 Operator under the EU CERV programme. It awards large grants of €10,000–€15,000 to Polish civil society organisations to implement 6–12 month projects that strengthen awareness, protection and promotion of EU values, democracy and the rule of law at local, regional and national levels. Applicants must be registered and based in Poland, act in line with EU values, not be related to the Operator, and submit applications in Polish via the Operator platform by 28 December 2026, 12:00 (Brussels time). Applicants should use the Operator's application, evaluation and contract templates, attend information sessions and use helpdesk support during the call period to ensure compliant and competitive submissions.

Footnotes

1. 1Application platform and Operator information available at siecsplot.pl and the EU Funding & Tenders Portal call page: ec.europa.eu

Executive summary

This is a Poland-specific cascade funding opportunity under the SPLOT Wartości 2.0 project, financed through the EU Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme. It provides large grants to Polish civil society organisations for projects that protect and promote EU fundamental rights, democratic values, the rule of law, civic dialogue, transparency and good governance.

The call is a single-stage grant competition. Applications are expected to be submitted between 27 October 2026 and 28 December 2026 at 12:00 Brussels time. The expected implementation period is 6 to 12 months. The available allocation stated on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal is €587,926.60. 1

Opportunity profile

Call identifier: 4/SPLOT/GD/2026

Programme context: Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values, commonly known as CERV

Project: SPLOT Wartości 2.0

Grant agreement number: 101187197

Opportunity type: Cascade funding and financial support to third parties

Selection procedure: Single-stage call

Opening date: 27 October 2026

Deadline: 28 December 2026 at 12:00 Brussels time

Expected project duration: 6 to 12 months

Total allocation for this call: €587,926.60

Application platform: SPLOT Wartości application generator

Policy objective and thematic scope

Projects must address the priorities of the CERV programme. The opportunity is intended to strengthen civil society organisations and their ability to protect, promote and raise awareness of EU rights and values.

Eligible project themes include the following:

Projects may be local, regional or national in scope, provided that their implementation is in Poland and contributes directly to the objectives of the call. The wider SPLOT Wartości 2.0 project focuses particularly on smaller and less well-resourced organisations, including organisations based in rural areas. 2

Eligible applicants

Applicants must be civil society organisations that are registered and based in Poland. The applicant must satisfy all four eligibility conditions stated in the call documentation.

The provided call information does not identify companies, public authorities, natural persons or foreign organisations as eligible applicants. Organisations should therefore verify their legal form and registration status against the detailed application rules and grant agreement template before submission.

Project requirements

Projects must be implemented in Polish. The application should demonstrate a clear connection between the proposed activities, the CERV priorities and the expected contribution to EU rights, values, democracy or the rule of law.

Funding and financial conditions

The grant amount must fall within the stated minimum and maximum. A request outside the €10,000 to €15,000 range would not satisfy the published subject criteria.

The SPLOT Wartości 2.0 project information distinguishes large grants from small grants. Large grants are expected to be settled on the basis of actual expenditure, whereas small grants use simplified lump-sum settlement. Applicants for this call should therefore prepare a realistic, documented expenditure budget and retain evidence supporting the actual costs incurred. 2

No confirmed co-financing rate or mandatory own contribution is stated in the available information for this large-grant call. Applicants should not assume that a contribution is either required or prohibited until the official application documents and grant agreement confirm the rule.

Eligible activities and likely project design

A strong proposal should combine a clearly defined civic or democratic problem with practical activities that produce measurable benefits for civil society organisations or the communities they serve.

Projects should avoid presenting general organisational activity without a clear connection to the call objectives. The application should explain the target groups, geographic coverage, activities, outputs, outcomes, indicators, timetable and budget logic.

Duration and timetable

The operator timetable indicates that grant implementation should begin from 1 June 2027. Applicants should use the official grant agreement and call documents as the controlling source for the final permitted start date and any limits on incurring expenditure before signature.

Application and assessment

Applications are submitted through the SPLOT application generator rather than directly through the standard EU Funding and Tenders Portal application workflow. The application platform and supporting documentation are made available through the SPLOT Wartości website.

The available information confirms formal and subject criteria but does not provide the full scoring matrix, minimum quality thresholds, weighting of evaluation criteria, appeal arrangements or detailed rules on budget eligibility. These matters should be checked in the official application form, formal assessment card, substantive assessment card, grant agreement and reporting template.

Costs, reporting and compliance considerations

Because large grants are described as being settled against actually incurred expenditure, applicants should establish internal procedures for procurement, authorisation, accounting, supporting documents and reporting before the project starts.

The available summary does not specify indirect cost rules, VAT treatment, depreciation, staff cost methodology, procurement thresholds, budget flexibility limits, advance payment arrangements or audit periods. These points should be confirmed in the detailed grant documentation before finalising the budget.

Applicant positioning and competitiveness

The most competitive applications are likely to be those that present a focused intervention with a credible theory of change, a clear link to EU values and practical benefits for civic participation or democratic resilience.

Key risks and points requiring verification

Recommended preparation checklist

Overall assessment

This opportunity is well suited to Polish civil society organisations seeking a moderate-sized grant for a focused project on EU values, fundamental rights, democracy, rule of law, civic dialogue, public participation or organisational capacity. The grant range is accessible to smaller organisations, but the actual-expenditure settlement model means that applicants need sound financial administration and reliable supporting documentation.

The main strategic requirement is demonstrable policy and programme relevance. A proposal should not merely describe routine NGO activities. It should show how the intervention strengthens the protection, promotion or public understanding of EU values and produces measurable benefits during and beyond the 6 to 12 month implementation period.

Official information and source notes

The official EU opportunity record identifies the call deadline, grant range, duration, total allocation, applicant conditions and CERV policy context. The SPLOT operator materials provide additional information on the programme purpose, grant settlement approach, timetable, target organisations and application support. 1 2

Sources

Footnotes

1. 1The EU Funding and Tenders Portal opportunity information supplied for this analysis states an opening date of 27 October 2026, a deadline of 28 December 2026 at 12:00 Brussels time, an expected duration of 6 to 12 months, a total allocation of €587,926.60, a grant range of €10,000 to €15,000 and four applicant eligibility conditions. Source: EU Funding and Tenders Portal
2. 2The SPLOT operator information describes the wider SPLOT Wartości 2.0 programme as supporting Polish civil society organisations, with large grants of €10,000 to €15,000 settled on the basis of actually incurred expenditure and an implementation period of 6 to 12 months for the relevant large-grant call. Source: SPLOT Wartości 2025 to 2028