Call for proposals to National Roma Contact Points

This summary presents a grant opportunity available under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme, specifically targeting National Roma Contact Points. The grant is designed to enhance Roma equality, inclusion, and participation, identified by the call CERV-2026-NRCP. The primary funding mechanism is a lump sum grant, designated as CERV-LS, with a total budget allocation of €1.5 million for the year 2026. The application process operates on a single-stage model, with submissions opening on December 11, 2025, and closing on April 9, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time. Eligible applicants are restricted to National Roma Contact Points, which are public entities established by EU Member States as part of their national implementation of the EU Roma strategic framework. The call supports existing operations rather than research or developmental initiatives, focusing on national-level interventions to promote Roma inclusion across various sectors such as education, employment, healthcare, and housing. While the exact countries eligible for application haven’t been listed, the opportunity is meant for EU Member States, particularly those with significant Roma populations. The supported activities are expected to address social inequalities, discrimination, and the overall socio-economic participation of Roma people. Application criteria, including rules on admissibility, evaluation criteria, and proposal submission requirements, will be detailed in the corresponding call document. There are no explicit co-funding requirements stated, but this may vary based on the specifics outlined in the full documentation. The evaluation of proposals will occur from April to August 2026, with successful applicants informed by late summer 2026 and grant agreements to be signed in September or October of that year. The opportunity aims to respond effectively to the considerable socio-economic challenges faced by Roma communities, with the intent of fostering greater institutional capacity at the national level for the implementation of established EU Roma strategic frameworks. Interested parties are encouraged to review the call documentation comprehensively to ensure compliance with eligibility and application guidelines. The EU provides substantial resources, including support avenues for technical assistance and administrative queries, to facilitate the application process.

This is a call for proposals to support National Roma Contact Points under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV). The call is specifically for Roma equality, inclusion, and participation, and is identified as CERV-2026-NRCP. The type of action is CERV-LS, which stands for CERV Lump Sum Grants. The Model Grant Agreement type is CERV Lump Sum Grant [CERV-AG-LS]. The deadline model is single-stage.

The planned opening date for submissions is 11 December 2025, and the deadline for submitting applications is 9 April 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time.

The objective of this call is to support National Roma Contact Points.

Regarding admissibility conditions, proposal page limits and layout are described in the call document and in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

Eligible countries and other eligible conditions are described in the call document.

Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are described in the call document.

The submission and evaluation processes are described in the call document.

Evaluation criteria, scoring, thresholds, and the overall evaluation process are detailed in the call document.

The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is as follows:Publication of the call: 4 December 2025, Start of the submission period: 11 December 2025, Deadline for submitting applications: 9 April 2026 17:00 (Brussels time), Evaluation period: April - August 2026, Information to applicants: August/September 2026, Signature of grant agreement: September/October 2026.

Legal and financial set-up of the grants are described in the call document.

The call document and annexes include the Call document itself, Application form templates (Standard application form (CERV) available in the Submission System, Detailed budget table (CERV LSII), Declaration on Honour regarding CPP by public entities), and Model Grant Agreements (MGA) including the Lump Sum MGA.

Additional documents include CERV Work Programmes, CERV Regulation 2021/692, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Guidance on managing lump sum grants, Decision authorising the use of lump sums for actions under the CERV programme (2021-2027), Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA Annotated Model Grant Agreement, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The budget for the topic CERV-2026-NRCP CERV-LS CERV Lump Sum Grants is €1,500,000 for the year 2026. It is a single-stage application process.

LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics on the Funding & Tenders Portal.

For technical problems, applicants should contact the IT Helpdesk. For non-IT related questions, applicants can contact the CERV Contact Point of their country or EC-CERV-CALLS@ec.europa.eu. Applicants can also consult the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ and Online Manual for support.

In summary, this EU funding opportunity aims to bolster National Roma Contact Points through lump sum grants, focusing on promoting Roma equality, inclusion, and participation. The application process is single-stage, with a deadline in April 2026. Applicants should carefully review the call document and related annexes for detailed information on eligibility, admissibility, evaluation criteria, and the submission process. The funding is part of the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV) and utilizes a lump sum grant mechanism. The EU provides extensive support resources, including IT helpdesks and national contact points, to assist applicants throughout the process.

Eligible Applicant Types:The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. The text refers to "National Roma Contact Points" and "public entities," suggesting that national governmental bodies or public organizations are likely eligible. However, the specific eligibility criteria are detailed in the call document, which applicants must consult. The mention of LEARs (Legal Entity Appointed Representatives), Account Administrators, and self-registrants indicates that registered organizations within the EU system are likely eligible.

Funding Type:The funding type is a grant, specifically a CERV Lump Sum Grant (CERV-LS). The Model Grant Agreement (MGA) is a Lump Sum MGA.

Consortium Requirement:The text does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. Applicants should refer to the call document for specific requirements. The partner search announcements section suggests that collaboration is possible, but it does not confirm whether it is mandatory.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated in the provided text. The call is managed by the European Commission, suggesting that the primary focus is on EU member states. The reference to CERV (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme) implies that eligibility is likely aligned with the program's scope, which typically includes EU countries and potentially associated countries. The call document should be consulted for definitive geographic eligibility.

Target Sector:The target sector is social inclusion and equality, specifically focusing on the Roma community. The call aims to support National Roma Contact Points in their efforts to promote Roma equality, inclusion, and participation.

Mentioned Countries:No specific countries are mentioned in the text. The call is related to the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV), which generally targets EU member states.

Project Stage:The project stage is not explicitly defined. The call aims to support existing National Roma Contact Points, implying that the projects are likely in the implementation or development stage rather than the initial research or idea phase.

Funding Amount:The budget overview indicates that €1,500,000 is allocated for the topic CERV-2026-NRCP CERV-LS CERV Lump Sum Grants. This suggests that the funding amount is variable, depending on the specific projects selected, but the total budget for the call is €1.5 million.

Application Type:The application type is an open call, as indicated by the "Call for proposals" title. The deadline model is single-stage.

Nature of Support:The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant.

Application Stages:The application process consists of a single stage.

Success Rates:The success rates are not mentioned in the provided text.

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

Summary:This is a call for proposals under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV), specifically targeting National Roma Contact Points. The call, titled CERV-2026-NRCP, aims to support initiatives promoting Roma equality, inclusion, and participation. The funding mechanism is a lump sum grant, with a total budget of €1.5 million. The application process is single-stage, with a deadline of April 9, 2026. Interested applicants, likely national governmental bodies or public organizations, are advised to carefully review the call document for detailed eligibility criteria, admissibility conditions, and application guidelines. The call document and annexes provide essential information, including application form templates, budget tables, model grant agreements, and relevant EU regulations. Applicants can seek support from the IT Helpdesk for technical issues and the CERV Contact Point of their country for non-IT related questions. The overall objective is to strengthen the role and capacity of National Roma Contact Points in advancing Roma inclusion across the EU.