Capacity building in VET in Caribbean

The grant opportunity titled "Capacity Building in VET in Caribbean" (ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-CA) aims to enhance the vocational education and training (VET) systems within Caribbean nations not associated with the Erasmus+ Programme. With a budget of €300,000 for 2026, the call opens on December 4, 2025, and closes on March 26, 2026. It emphasizes multilateral partnerships, requiring at least four organizations from a minimum of three countries, including contributions from EU states or associated countries and Caribbean third countries like Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, and Cuba.

Eligible applicants encompass a wide range of institutions, including VET providers, companies, national qualification authorities, employment services, research institutes, and international organizations, all of which must be legally established in eligible regions. The funding type is a Lump Sum Grant, allowing flexibility in financial management.

The focus areas of this initiative include improving management, governance, inclusion, quality assurance, digital and green skills, and enhancing institutional capacity. Projects are expected to develop and implement interventions rather than purely conduct research.

There are no mandatory co-funding requirements, though leveraging additional resources is encouraged. The proposal must adhere to specified conditions, including page limits and technical requirements as outlined in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide. Success rates typically range from 10 to 39%, reflecting competitiveness in funding applications.

The grant supports practical improvements in VET, facilitating knowledge exchange and aligning initiatives with local and regional socio-economic needs. Proposals should clearly define beneficiary needs, measurable outcomes, and how they will promote cooperation between public and private stakeholders in the VET arena.

Applications must be submitted electronically as part of a single-stage process, with further details and support available through the Erasmus+ resources linked in the provided documentation.

The Capacity Building in the Field of Vocational Education and Training (VET) call for proposals, under the Erasmus+ Programme, aims to enhance the relevance, accessibility, and responsiveness of VET institutions and systems in third countries not associated to the Programme. The projects are international cooperation initiatives based on multilateral partnerships between organizations active in VET in EU Member States, third countries associated with the Programme, and third countries not associated with the Programme.

The action specifically targets:
Building the capacity of VET providers to strengthen cooperation between private and public stakeholders in vocational education and training, focusing on demand-oriented and opportunity-driven VET interventions.
Improving the quality and responsiveness of VET to socio-economic opportunities and social developments, enhancing the labor market relevance of skills provision.
Aligning VET provision with local, regional, and national development strategies.

Conditions for application include:
Admissibility Conditions: Compliance with the proposal page limit and layout guidelines as described in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026. The Part B Technical Description of the Application Form has a page limit of 40 pages.
Eligible Countries: As described in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026.
Other Eligible Conditions: As described in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026. An organization cannot coordinate more than two proposals under this action.
Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: As described in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026.
Evaluation and award: The submission and evaluation processes are detailed in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026.
Award criteria, scoring, and thresholds: These are described in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026.
Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement:
Publication of the call: 27 November 2025.
Deadline for submitting applications: 26 March 2026, 17:00 (Brussels time).
Evaluation period: April - September 2026.
Information to applicants: September 2026.
Signature of grant agreement: December 2026.
Legal and financial set-up of the grants: Not applicable (n/a).

The call document and annexes include:
Application form templates:
Standard application form (ERASMUS BB and LSII).
Detailed budget table (ERASMUS LSII).
Guidance:
Erasmus+ Programme Guide.
Model Grant Agreements (MGA).
Lump Sum MGA.
Additional documents:
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.
How to manage your lump sum grants.

Budget overview for 2026:
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-CA ERASMUS-LS Erasmus Lump Sum Grants: 300,000 EUR.
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-LA ERASMUS-LS Erasmus Lump Sum Grants: 2,000,000 EUR.
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-NE ERASMUS-LS Erasmus Lump Sum Grants: 3,800,000 EUR.
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-SMC ERASMUS-LS Erasmus Lump Sum Grants: 6,358,000 EUR.
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-SSA ERASMUS-LS Erasmus Lump Sum Grants: 7,500,000 EUR.
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-WB ERASMUS-LS Erasmus Lump Sum Grants: 8,482,000 EUR.
All topics are single-stage, with a planned opening date of 4 December 2025 and a deadline of 26 March 2026.

Partner search announcements:
LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics.

Support:
For help related to this call, contact EACEA-EPLUS-CBVET@ec.europa.eu. The deadline for addressing queries is 13 March 2026 (eob). Additional support is available through the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, IT Helpdesk, and Online Manual.

In summary, this Erasmus+ call focuses on capacity building in vocational education and training in third countries. It supports international cooperation projects aimed at improving the quality and relevance of VET systems. The call encourages partnerships between organizations in EU Member States and third countries, with a focus on enhancing the skills and employability of individuals in partner countries. Funding is provided as lump sum grants, and the application process involves adhering to specific guidelines and deadlines outlined in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide. Applicants are advised to consult all relevant documents and seek support from the provided contact points to ensure a successful application.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types for this opportunity include organizations active in the field of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in EU Member States, third countries associated with the Programme, and third countries not associated with the Programme. This encompasses a broad range of institutions and stakeholders involved in VET.

Funding Type: The funding type for this opportunity is a grant, specifically an ERASMUS Lump Sum Grant (ERASMUS-LS). The Model Grant Agreement (MGA) used is the ERASMUS Lump Sum Grant [ERASMUS-AG-LS].

Consortium Requirement: This opportunity requires a consortium of multiple applicants, forming multilateral partnerships. The projects are international cooperation projects, implying the need for partners from different countries.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States, third countries associated to the Programme, and third countries not associated to the Programme. The focus is on capacity building in third countries not associated with the Programme.

Target Sector: The target sector for this program is Vocational Education and Training (VET). The program aims to enhance the relevance, accessibility, and responsiveness of VET institutions and systems.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity mentions EU Member States and third countries, both associated and not associated with the Erasmus+ Programme. No specific countries are named, but the eligibility extends to various regions globally through multilateral partnerships.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is capacity building, which suggests projects that are in the development and implementation stages. The focus is on enhancing existing VET systems and institutions rather than early-stage research.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic.
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-CA: EUR 300,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-LA: EUR 2,000,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-NE: EUR 3,800,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-SMC: EUR 6,358,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-SSA: EUR 7,500,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-WB: EUR 8,482,000

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process. The call is forthcoming, with a planned opening date of 04 December 2025 and a deadline of 26 March 2026.

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

Application Stages: The application process involves 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+ call for proposals focused on Capacity Building in the Field of Vocational Education and Training (VET). It aims to support the relevance, accessibility, and responsiveness of VET institutions and systems in third countries not associated with the Erasmus+ Programme. The program encourages multilateral partnerships between organizations active in VET from EU Member States, third countries associated with the Programme, and third countries not associated with the Programme. The goal is to enhance the capacity of VET providers in areas such as management, governance, inclusion, quality assurance, and innovation, enabling them to better engage with the private sector and address employment opportunities.

The funding is provided as lump sum grants, with varying amounts allocated to different topics, ranging from EUR 300,000 to EUR 8,482,000. The application process is a single-stage open call, with the deadline for submitting applications on 26 March 2026. Eligible applicants include a broad range of VET institutions and stakeholders. The program seeks to align VET provision with local, regional, and national development strategies, improve the quality and responsiveness of VET to socio-economic opportunities, and build capacity of VET providers to strengthen cooperation between private and public stakeholders.