Champions for the Digital Decade Financial Support to Third Parties

The Champions for the Digital Decade (C4DD) project is offering a financial support opportunity aimed at enhancing digital skills through the establishment and upgrading of National Coalitions (NCs) across Europe. NCs are multi-stakeholder partnerships that include ICT companies, training providers, education ministries, public and private employment services, and civil society organizations. The total funding available for this call is €180,000, which will be allocated based on the activities undertaken by the coalitions.

The application process is an open call running from June 17, 2025, until August 31, 2025. Applicants must submit their proposals through the EU Survey portal, providing a completed online application in English along with necessary supporting documents. The evaluation consists of three stages: eligibility assessment, quality evaluation based on specific criteria, and final selection by the project General Assembly. A minimum score of 9 out of 15 is required to qualify for funding, indicative of competitive admission with a potential success rate of 10 to 39%.

Funding is designed to support two main categories of NCs: newly formed coalitions and existing ones. New coalitions will focus on developing national websites that connect to the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform, while existing coalitions will work on upgrading their current digital infrastructure. The goal is to improve access to skills training and digital content, fostering collaboration at local and EU levels. Activities to be funded include website development, content localization, and organizing community-related events.

There is no co-funding requirement for this grant, as it will cover 100% of eligible costs. The intended outcome is to strengthen the digital skills ecosystem across Europe through effective cooperation among stakeholders, aiding in the achievement of the Digital Decade’s objectives by 2030.

The Champions for the Digital Decade (C4DD) project is offering financial support to third parties (FSTP) through a call for proposals. The call aims to bolster National Coalitions (NCs) in their efforts to promote digital skills at all levels of society. The project acronym is C4DD, and the grant agreement number is 101195051. The topic is DIGITAL-2024-ADVANCED-DIGITAL-06-SKILLS Digital Skills and Jobs Platform.

The opening date for submissions is June 17, 2025, and the deadline is August 31, 2025, at 23:59 Brussels time. The expected duration of participation is 15 months. The total funding available is 180,000.00 EUR.

Interested applicants can submit their applications through the EUSurvey form during the call opening period. The online application form must be completed and supporting documents uploaded. The application must be in English, submitted before the deadline, complete, and respect word count limits.

The evaluation process involves three stages: Eligibility, Quality of the proposal, and Selection.

1. Eligibility: EUN, as the coordinator of C4DD, will evaluate applications against minimum eligibility criteria. Non-compliant applications will be rejected.

2. Quality of the proposal: Four representatives from C4DD consortium partners will evaluate each application based on three areas, scored from 0-5. A minimum of 3 points is required for each area to be selected. The scoring criteria are as follows:

0: Proposal fails to address the criteria.

1: The topic is inadequately addressed, or there are serious weaknesses.

2: The proposal broadly addresses the criteria but there are serious weaknesses.

3: The proposal addresses the criteria well, but a number of shortcomings are present.

4: The proposal addresses the criteria well with few shortcomings.

5: The proposal successfully addresses all relevant aspects of the criteria.

Applications will be ranked, and the highest scorers will be eligible for funding. The maximum total score is 20 points, with a minimum of 9/15 required to pass.

3. Selection: Evaluation scores will be reviewed by the full project partnership, and the final decision will be ratified by the project General Assembly. Successful proposals will be invited to prepare a grant agreement with the C4DD coordinator. Other proposals will be placed on a reserve list or rejected.

The FSTP mechanism targets both new and existing National Coalitions, which are multi-stakeholder partnerships involving ICT companies, training providers, education and employment ministries, public and private employment services, and civil society organizations. The aim is to develop concrete measures to deliver digital skills at every level of society.

For new National Coalitions, funding supports their establishment and the development of national websites integrated with the Core Platform and interoperable with national, regional, and local stakeholders. For existing National Coalitions with websites funded under the CEF-TC 2019–2020 calls, FSTP supports upgrading and maintenance of digital infrastructure, enhancement of data exchange capabilities, and improved usability and accessibility.

The allocation of FSTP will be based on the scope and scale of activities performed by each NC, strengthening the overall network and fostering collaboration.

The outcomes of the FSTP call depend on the status of the National Coalition applicants. Activity 1 focuses on web development. Newly established NCs or those without a national website must develop a new national website and connect it to the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform (DSJP). Existing NCs with operational websites will receive funding for technical maintenance, upgrading, and security updates. All NC applicants must implement Activities 2 and 3.

Activity 1: Web Development requires new National Coalitions to develop a national website/database that serves as a structured web antenna to the DSJP, providing content and data on digital skills and jobs in the official language(s) of their country. These websites must include interoperable links to the Core Platform, ensuring alignment with technical specifications. For existing NCs, the focus is on upgrading, maintenance, and security updates.

Activity 2: Services, Content, and Community-Related Activities requires all NCs to develop and manage relevant digital skills content on their national websites. This includes presenting information about the National Coalition and its members, curating and displaying relevant EU initiatives, funding opportunities, events, and training resources from the Core Platform. Each NC will implement an interoperable repository of good practices connected to the Core Platform and a repository of resources on digital skills, including strategies, training materials, case studies, and non-proprietary MOOCs. They will also highlight advanced digital skills training opportunities, ensuring accessibility across various learning formats and educational providers.

To further support digital skills promotion, NCs will present funding opportunities at national and EU levels, publish relevant events in an online calendar, and produce news and skills intelligence reports. They will also organise webinars, online events, and peer-to-peer learning exchanges. Communication, promotion, and community management activities will be a key focus, ensuring stakeholder engagement through press releases, newsletters, social media, and digital outreach strategies.

Activity 3: Post-Editing and Localisation of Content ensures that all National Coalitions translate and localise relevant content between English and their official language(s). This includes translating and reviewing EU policy information, skills intelligence, best practices, funding and training opportunities, news, and events. NCs will have access to the European Commission’s translation system (eTranslation) and are responsible for reviewing and refining machine-generated translations before publication.

Concrete actions to achieve these objectives include:

Launching a national website and connecting it to the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform (for newly established National Coalitions).

Presentation of the National Coalition and its members/activities in 4 categories.

Overview of relevant national and regional strategies with description.

Overview of EU initiatives and programmes in digital skills and jobs, relevant news and events.

Presentation of 20 good practices from the national/regional/local level, with in depth.

Presentation of 3 good practices.

Presentation of 8 good practices from the Core Platform published on the national website.

Presentation of 10 resources on digital skills.

Presentation of 50 training opportunities targeting different groups of end-users.

Presentation of 10 national and international financing opportunities in the field of digital skills.

Publication of at least 20 relevant events in the calendar.

Publication of at least 3 original news/announcements per month.

Publication of at least 3 news/announcements per month transferred from the Core Platform.

Publication and distribution of 2 original press releases per year.

Organisation of at least 2 events, reaching on average 50 participants per event.

Each National Coalition will use the e-Translation tool on the Core Platform to translate content from their national website and publish it on the Core Platform.

Each National Coalition must contribute at least 45 content items to the Core Platform.

Additionally, each National Coalition must pull and translate at least 120 content items from the Core Platform to publish on their national website.

In summary, this call for proposals under the Champions for the Digital Decade project aims to provide financial support to National Coalitions to enhance digital skills across Europe. It focuses on establishing or upgrading national websites, developing and managing digital skills content, and translating and localizing content to ensure accessibility and relevance. The call targets both new and existing coalitions, with specific activities tailored to their current status, all contributing to the broader goal of empowering citizens and organizations in their digital transition.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are National Coalitions. These are defined as multi-stakeholder partnerships that bring together a diverse range of actors including ICT and ICT-intensive companies, training providers, education and employment ministries, public and private employment services, and civil society organisations.

Funding Type: The funding type is Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP), which is a form of cascade funding. This mechanism provides targeted financial assistance.

Consortium Requirement: A consortium is required, specifically in the form of a National Coalition, which is a multi-stakeholder partnership. It is not a single applicant.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility appears to be focused on countries participating in the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform, implying a European focus, but the text mentions "all participating countries" without explicitly limiting it to the EU.

Target Sector: The target sector is digital skills and jobs. This includes ICT, training, education, employment, and related activities.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the focus is on countries participating in the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform, implying a European scope.

Project Stage: The project stage varies. For new National Coalitions, it involves establishment and development. For existing National Coalitions, it involves upgrading, maintenance, and enhancement. Therefore, it covers development, maintenance, and enhancement stages.

Funding Amount: The total funding available is 180,000.00 €. The allocation of FSTP will be based on the scope and scale of activities to be performed by each National Coalition.

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 financial assistance through the FSTP mechanism.

Application Stages: The application process involves three stages: Eligibility, Quality of the proposal, and Selection.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned.

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

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for proposals under the Champions for the Digital Decade (C4DD) project, offering Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) to National Coalitions. These coalitions are multi-stakeholder partnerships focused on enhancing digital skills and jobs at a national level. The call aims to support both the establishment of new National Coalitions and the upgrading of existing ones, particularly concerning their national websites and integration with the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform (DSJP).

The funding is allocated based on the scope and scale of activities, with a total of 180,000.00 € available. The call focuses on three main activities: Web Development (for new and existing coalitions), Services, Content, and Community-Related Activities (for all coalitions), and Post-Editing and Localisation of Content (for all coalitions).

New National Coalitions are expected to develop a national website/database that serves as a web antenna to the DSJP, providing content and data on digital skills and jobs in their country's official language(s). Existing National Coalitions will focus on upgrading, maintaining, and implementing security updates for their platforms. All coalitions will be involved in developing and managing digital skills content, presenting information about the coalition and its members, curating EU initiatives, and creating repositories of good practices and resources on digital skills. They will also promote funding opportunities, publish events, produce news and skills intelligence reports, and organise webinars and online events.

A key aspect involves translating and localising content between English and the national language(s), using the European Commission’s eTranslation system. Each National Coalition is expected to contribute at least 45 content items to the Core Platform and pull and translate at least 120 content items from the Core Platform to publish on their national website.

The application process involves submitting an online application form with supporting documents in English. The evaluation process includes stages for eligibility, quality of the proposal, and selection, with specific criteria for each stage. The call is relevant for organizations involved in ICT, training, education, employment, and civil society, aiming to improve digital skills and job opportunities across Europe. The opening date is June 17, 2025, and the deadline is August 31, 2025.