Capacity Building in the field of Youth in Neighborhood East

The ERASMUS-YOUTH-2026-CB-NE opportunity focuses on Capacity Building in the field of Youth within the Neighbourhood East region, targeting countries such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. This initiative is aimed at enhancing the capabilities of youth organizations through international partnerships with EU-based organizations. Eligible applicants include non-governmental organizations, public bodies, and certain private organizations, with a mandatory requirement for at least four partners in a consortium—one from an EU member state or an associated country and two from eligible Region 2 countries.

The funding type is a lump-sum grant designed to provide a fixed amount based on estimated project budgets rather than actual expenditures. The total funding available for 2026 is €3,122,000. Projects are expected to enhance youth work methodologies, promote democratic participation, and improve skills such as digital and green literacy. The projects should also engage with themes of non-formal learning and youth empowerment.

There is a co-funding requirement where beneficiaries must contribute 20% of the project costs, as the EU will cover 80%. Applications must be submitted through a single-stage process by 26 February 2026. The evaluation criteria consist of a scoring system out of 100 with a minimum required score of 60, focusing on relevance, quality of design, partnership quality, and impact.

The timeline for the initiative includes an opening date on 28 November 2025, a closing date for applications on 26 February 2026, an evaluation phase from March to July 2026, and the signing of grant agreements expected by December 2026. The aim of the call is to foster cooperation between youth organizations within the EU and those in the Eastern Partnership region, thereby contributing to the EU Youth Strategy and enhancing synergies between youth organizations and formal education systems.

The EU's ERASMUS program is offering grants for Capacity Building in the field of Youth under the call ERASMUS-YOUTH-2026-CB. This is an ERASMUS Lump Sum Grant, and the model grant agreement is the ERASMUS Lump Sum Grant [ERASMUS-AG-LS]. The call is forthcoming with a single-stage deadline model. The planned opening date is 04 December 2025, and the deadline for applications is 26 February 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time.

The expected impact of these projects is to improve the capacity of youth organizations, particularly in eligible third countries not associated with the program in Region 2 (Eastern Partnership). The projects should contribute to the 'Engage-Connect-Empower' priorities of the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027, the European Youth Work Agenda, and the Youth Action Plan in EU external action (2022-2027). Projects should build on the outcomes of the European Youth Goals, the Youth Dialogue, and other youth projects. They should improve the involvement of young people in democratic life, enhance their entrepreneurial and innovative capacities, promote transnational learning and cooperation, upscale existing practices, link results to local communities, demonstrate inclusion and accessibility, develop new tools and non-formal learning methods, and disseminate results effectively.

The objective of the call is to support capacity-building in the field of youth through international cooperation projects. These projects should be based on multilateral partnerships between organizations active in the field of youth in EU Member States and countries associated with the program, and organizations in third countries not associated with the program, specifically those in Region 2 (Eastern Partnership). The action aims to raise the capacities of organizations working with young people outside formal learning, promote non-formal learning activities, support the development of youth work, foster the development of schemes and programs for non-formal learning mobility, support organizations in contributing to the EU Youth Strategy, foster cooperation through joint initiatives, foster participation of smaller organizations, and enhance synergies between youth organizations and formal education systems or the labor market.

The admissibility conditions include a page limit of 70 pages for Part B, the Technical Description of the Application Form, as described in the ERASMUS+ Programme guide 2026. Eligible countries are also described in the ERASMUS+ Programme guide 2026. Other eligible conditions are described in the ERASMUS+ Programme guide 2026; notably, an organization cannot be the coordinator of more than one proposal submitted under this call. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are described in the ERASMUS+ Programme guide 2026. The submission and evaluation processes are described in the ERASMUS+ Programme guide 2026. Evaluation criteria, scoring, thresholds, and the evaluation process are described in the ERASMUS+ Programme guide 2026.

The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement includes: Publication of the call on 28 November 2025, a deadline for submitting applications on 26 February 2026 at 17:00 (Brussels time), an evaluation period from March to July 2026, information to applicants in August 2026, and signature of the grant agreement in December 2026. The legal and financial setup of the grants is not applicable (n/a).

The call document and annexes include the ERASMUS+ Programme guide 2026, standard application form (ERASMUS BB and LSII), detailed budget table (ERASMUS LSII), ERASMUS Programme Guide, ERASMUS MGA, and Lump Sum MGA. Additional documents include the ERASMUS+ Work Programme, ERASMUS Regulation 2021/817, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, 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, Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement, and guidance on how to manage lump sum grants.

The budget overview for 2026 includes: ERASMUS-YOUTH-2026-CB-NE with a budget of 3,122,000 EUR, ERASMUS-YOUTH-2026-CB-SMC with a budget of 4,800,000 EUR, ERASMUS-YOUTH-2026-CB-SSA with a budget of 8,000,000 EUR, and ERASMUS-YOUTH-2026-CB-WB with a budget of 3,490,000 EUR. All are ERASMUS Lump Sum Grants with a single-stage application process, opening on 2025-12-04 and closing on 2026-02-26.

There are 5 partner search announcements. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated on the topic header.

For help related to this call, contact EACEA-YOUTH@ec.europa.eu. The deadline for addressing queries is 19 February 2026 (eob). Additional resources include the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, the IT Helpdesk, and the Online Manual.

In summary, this ERASMUS+ call for proposals aims to bolster the capacity of youth organizations, particularly those in the Eastern Partnership region, through international cooperation projects. It seeks to promote non-formal learning, enhance youth engagement in democratic processes, and support the implementation of the EU Youth Strategy. The call provides lump sum grants to projects that foster cooperation, develop innovative tools, and create lasting impact in local communities. Organizations from EU Member States, associated countries, and the Eastern Partnership region are encouraged to form multilateral partnerships and submit proposals by the deadline of 26 February 2026. The call emphasizes the importance of inclusivity, sustainability, and the effective dissemination of project results.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are organizations active in the field of youth in the EU and countries associated to the Programme, on the one hand, and in third countries not associated to the Programme, on the other hand. The action specifically targets organizations working with young people outside formal learning, including smaller organizations and those from remote areas.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically an ERASMUS Lump Sum Grant (ERASMUS-LS).

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires multilateral partnerships, implying a consortium of multiple applicants.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States, countries associated to the Erasmus+ Programme, and third countries not associated to the Programme, particularly those in Region 2 (Eastern Partnership).

Target Sector: The target sector is youth, specifically capacity building in the field of youth projects, non-formal learning activities, youth work, and youth mobility. It also touches upon education and the labor market by enhancing synergies between youth organizations and formal education systems.

Mentioned Countries: EU Member States, countries associated to the Erasmus+ Programme, and third countries not associated to the Programme in Region 2 (Eastern Partnership).

Project Stage: The project stage includes development, testing, and launching of schemes and programmes, as well as upscaling existing practices.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary by topic: ERASMUS-YOUTH-2026-CB-NE has a budget of 3,122,000 EUR, ERASMUS-YOUTH-2026-CB-SMC has a budget of 4,800,000 EUR, ERASMUS-YOUTH-2026-CB-SSA has a budget of 8,000,000 EUR, and ERASMUS-YOUTH-2026-CB-WB has a budget of 3,490,000 EUR.

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

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of lump sum grants.

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

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

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This opportunity is an ERASMUS+ Capacity Building grant aimed at enhancing the capabilities of youth organizations, particularly in the Eastern Partnership region and other third countries not associated with the Erasmus+ Programme. The grant supports international cooperation projects that foster non-formal learning, improve youth work, and promote youth participation in society. Eligible applicants include youth organizations from EU Member States, countries associated with the Erasmus+ Programme, and targeted third countries. The funding is provided as lump sum grants, with varying amounts allocated to different regions. The application process is a single-stage open call, and proposals must adhere to the ERASMUS+ Programme guide 2026. The projects should contribute to the EU Youth Strategy, the European Youth Work Agenda, and the Youth Action Plan in EU external action, focusing on engaging, connecting, and empowering young people. The indicative timeline includes publication of the call on 28 November 2025, a deadline for submitting applications on 26 February 2026, an evaluation period from March to July 2026, information to applicants in August 2026, and signature of the grant agreement in December 2026. The call aims to foster cooperation between youth organizations in EU Member States, associated countries, and third countries, enhancing synergies between non-formal learning and formal education systems. The technical description of the application form has a page limit of 70 pages. The call also encourages the participation of smaller organizations and those from remote areas.