CALL FOR PROPOSALS – Small Grants for Grassroots Coding Projects in Italy as part of EU Code Week

This opportunity invites proposals for small grants aimed at grassroots coding projects in Italy, as part of the EU Code Week initiative. The main goal is to promote digital innovation and enhance coding education, particularly focusing on strengthening the digital skills of young people, especially girls.

Eligible applicants include schools at all levels—kindergarten, primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary—as well as public libraries. The funding structure involves small grants totaling €5,000, with individual projects receiving between €500 and €1,500. The application process is an open call that involves submitting proposals through an online Google form, which will be followed by an eligibility check, expert evaluation, and final selection for grant awarding.

The initiative aligns with the broader EU objective of boosting digital education and encouraging diversity in STEM fields. Notably, while funded and managed by FONDAZIONE LINKS, the program is not a direct EU action, despite being advertised on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for wider visibility.

The call opens on November 21, 2025, and the application deadline is January 21, 2026, with the project implementation expected to be from September 1, 2025, to October 31, 2025. The initiative encourages the development and demonstration of innovative coding activities, fostering collaboration and community engagement within educational settings.

Additional information regarding the initiative can be found through specified online resources. The funding aims to support concrete educational projects integrated into schools and libraries, thereby enhancing coding and digital literacy among young individuals and facilitating ownership of digital skills within educational contexts.

CALL FOR PROPOSALS Small Grants for Grassroots Coding Projects in Italy as part of EU Code Week

This call focuses on providing small grants for grassroots coding projects in Italy as part of the EU Code Week initiative. The initiative aims to promote digital innovation and coding education across Europe, with a specific focus on strengthening the digital skills of young people, especially girls.

Opening date: 21 November 2025
Deadline: 21 January 2026, 18:00 (Brussels time)
Expected duration of participation: 16 April 2026
Total funding available: 5,000.00 EUR
Project acronym: Code4Europe
Full name of the EU funded project: Code4Europe empowering the new generation of Young Digital Europeans.
Grant agreement number: 101158834
Topic: DIGITAL-2023-SKILLS-04-BOOSTINGDIGIT Boosting Digital Skills of young pupils, in particular girls

The invitation for the Italian Code Week HUB will be published on the Codeweek website (Codeweek blog), partner’s website, and social media in Italy. The application process involves submission via an online Google form, eligibility check, expert evaluation, and final selection for grant awarding.

Further information can be found at: https://codeweek.eu/blog/grants_for_grassroots_italy_round_2/

Important Note: This call is NOT an EU action. It is launched solely by FONDAZIONE LINKS LEADING INNOVATION & KNOWLEDGE FOR SOCIETY (LINKS). FONDAZIONE LINKS will provide the financial support to the selected applicants directly and under its own responsibility. The publication of this call on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal is for informational purposes only, aimed at increasing visibility to the general public, including potential applicants. This publication should not be construed as direct or indirect approval by EU authorities or as a waiver of responsibility by FONDAZIONE LINKS.

The main objectives of the initiative are:
Enabling the development of innovative and scalable coding activities.
Supporting initiatives that integrate programming into educational settings and promote the involvement of students, teachers, and parents.
Encouraging the engagement of the educational community and fostering collaboration among stakeholders in educational processes.
Prioritizing projects that close the gender gap and promote diversity in STEM education.

Eligible applicants include:
Schools (kindergarten, primary, lower and upper secondary)
Public libraries

In summary, this is a call for proposals for small grants targeting grassroots coding projects in Italy, organized as part of the EU Code Week. The goal is to boost digital skills, especially among young people and girls, by supporting innovative coding activities in educational settings. The funding is provided by FONDAZIONE LINKS, not directly by the EU, and the application process involves an online submission followed by eligibility and expert evaluation. Eligible applicants are schools and public libraries in Italy. The total funding available is 5,000 EUR.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are schools (kindergarten, primary, lower and upper secondary) and public libraries.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant. It is specified as "Small Grants for Grassroots Coding Projects in Italy as part of EU Code Week". The financial support is provided directly by FONDAZIONE LINKS.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. However, given the nature of small grants for grassroots projects, it is likely that single applicants are eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is specifically for Italy. The call is for "Small Grants for Grassroots Coding Projects in Italy as part of EU Code Week".

Target Sector: The target sector is education and digital skills, specifically coding education. It also focuses on promoting diversity in STEM education and closing the gender gap. The topic DIGITAL-2023-SKILLS-04-BOOSTINGDIGIT - Boosting Digital Skills of young pupils, in particular girls is also mentioned.

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

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is for grassroots coding projects, implying projects that are in the early stages of development or implementation. This could include the development, validation, or demonstration stages.

Funding Amount: The total funding available is 5,000.00 €. It is likely that this amount will be divided into several small grants.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, as indicated by "One call for the Italian Code Week HUB". Applications are submitted via an online Google form.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant.

Application Stages: Applicants go through several stages: submission via an online Google form, eligibility check, expert evaluation, and final selection for grant awarding. This implies at least 4 stages.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned.

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not explicitly mentioned.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for proposals for "Small Grants for Grassroots Coding Projects in Italy as part of EU Code Week". It is designed to promote digital innovation and coding education across Europe, with a specific focus on Italy. The initiative aims to support grassroots coding initiatives that align with the mission of EU Code Week, which is to strengthen the digital skills of young people, especially girls. The eligible applicants are schools (kindergarten, primary, lower and upper secondary) and public libraries in Italy. The funding is provided in the form of small grants, with a total funding of 5,000.00 € available. The application process involves submission via an online Google form, followed by eligibility check, expert evaluation, and final selection. The call is launched and managed by FONDAZIONE LINKS, and it is not an EU action, even though it is published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for visibility. The projects should focus on enabling innovative and scalable coding activities, integrating programming into educational settings, encouraging community engagement, and prioritizing projects that close the gender gap and promote diversity in STEM education. The opening date for the call is 21 November 2025, and the deadline is 21 January 2026.