Climate Change Adaptation

The LIFE-2025-SAP-CLIMA grant opportunity is part of the EU's Programme for the Environment and Climate Action, aimed at climate change adaptation. This call seeks to fund projects that contribute to the EU's vision of climate resilience by 2050. The grant is open to legal entities, both public and private, including universities, research institutions, NGOs, and businesses located in EU Member States, EEA countries, and certain candidate countries like Moldova, North Macedonia, and Ukraine.

The primary funding type is a grant, providing financial support of up to 60% of project costs. Projects can receive funding between €1 million and €5 million, with a total budget of €28 million allocated for this specific call. Applications must be submitted by September 23, 2025, in a single-stage process.

The grant targets various sectors, including nature-based solutions, water resource management, and climate governance. Projects must demonstrate innovative techniques at an operational scale, focusing on the implementation of climate adaptation policies and strategies. It calls for scalable projects that enhance resilience against climate threats.

There is a mandatory co-funding requirement where applicants must cover at least 40% of the project costs. The success rate for funding is not explicitly stated, but it is competitive, with expectations to fund around 12 projects.

To apply, interested parties need to follow procedural guidelines outlined in the call document, which include eligibility criteria, admissibility conditions, and evaluation processes. Applicants are encouraged to utilize resources such as FAQs and contact points for assistance. The overall goal is to support effective climate adaptation measures that align with European climate strategies.

The EU Funding & Tenders Portal presents a call for proposals under the Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE). This call, titled "LIFE Climate Action - Standard Action Projects (SAP)" and identified as LIFE-2025-SAP-CLIMA, seeks to support projects that contribute to the EU's long-term vision of climate resilience by 2050, as outlined in the new EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change. The call aims to reinforce adaptive capacity, strengthen resilience, and reduce vulnerability in line with the Paris Agreement and the European Climate Law.

The call is structured around LIFE Project Grants (LIFE-PJG) and utilizes a LIFE Action Grant Budget-Based [LIFE-AG] model. The submission process is single-stage, with the call opening on April 24, 2025, and closing on September 23, 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcome is the efficient delivery of quantified objectives by the end of the project. The scope of the call includes several areas of intervention:

1. Support to the implementation of climate adaptation policies and the revision of national, regional, or local climate adaptation strategies and plans.
2. Implementing state-of-the-art tools for climate risk assessments or selection of cost-effective adaptation measures for dealing with climate threats and solutions for adaptation.
3. Development and implementation of nature-based solutions for different types of areas (rural, urban, and coastal).
4. Climate-proofing and resilience of infrastructure and buildings.
5. Adaptation solutions for agriculture and forestry.
6. Water management.
7. Climate adaptation and health.
8. Preparedness for compound risks and cascading risks.
9. Financial instruments, innovative solutions, and public-private collaboration on insurance and loss data.

The call includes three specific topics with dedicated budgets:

1. LIFE-2025-SAP-CLIMA-CCA: LIFE Project Grants with a budget of 28,000,000 EUR.
2. LIFE-2025-SAP-CLIMA-CCM: LIFE Project Grants with a budget of 28,000,000 EUR.
3. LIFE-2025-SAP-CLIMA-GOV: LIFE Project Grants with a budget of 5,500,000 EUR.

The conditions for application include:

1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout, as described in section 5 of the call document and Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
2. Eligible Countries: Described in section 6 of the call document.
3. Other Eligible Conditions: Described in section 6 of the call document.
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: Described in section 7 of the call document.
5. Evaluation and award:
 a. Submission and evaluation processes: Described in section 8 of the call document and the Online Manual.
 b. Award criteria, scoring, and thresholds: Described in section 9 of the call document.
 c. Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement: Described in section 4 of the call document.
6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants: Described in section 10 of the call document.

Applicants are required to submit their proposals electronically through the Electronic Submission Service, accessible via the submission button next to the relevant action type and model grant agreement.

The call provides several supporting documents and resources:

1. Call document.
2. Application form templates:
 a. Standard application form (LIFE) available in the Submission System.
 b. Detailed budget table (LIFE).
 c. Participant information (LIFE).
 d. Maps (LIFE).
 e. Description of sites (LIFE).
 f. Description of species and habitats (LIFE).
3. Model Grant Agreements (MGA): LIFE MGA.
4. Additional documents:
 a. FAQs in LIFE website.
 b. LIFE Regulation 2021/783.
 c. EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509.
 d. EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement.
 e. Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual.
 f. Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions.
 g. Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.
 h. LIFE Multiannual Work Programme 2025-2027.

Applicants are encouraged to consult the FAQs, contact their National Contact Point (NCP) for support, and utilize the IT Helpdesk and Online Manual for technical assistance.

In summary, this LIFE Climate Action call invites proposals for projects that actively contribute to climate change adaptation in line with EU strategies and regulations. It provides funding for various intervention areas, from policy implementation to nature-based solutions and financial instruments. The application process is detailed, with specific conditions and requirements outlined in the call documents and supporting materials. The call aims to foster a climate-resilient society by 2050 through innovative and effective adaptation measures.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, given that it is a LIFE Project Grant, eligible applicants are likely to include a range of entities such as public bodies, private commercial and non-commercial organizations, including NGOs, research institutions, universities, and other actors involved in environmental and climate action. The specific eligibility criteria will be detailed in section 6 of the call document.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a LIFE Project Grant (LIFE-PJG) and a LIFE Action Grant Budget-Based [LIFE-AG].

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if single applicants are allowed. This information is likely detailed in the call document, specifically in sections 6 and 8.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The eligible countries are described in section 6 of the call document. Without accessing the call document, it is assumed that the geographic eligibility includes EU member states and potentially other countries associated with the LIFE Programme.

Target Sector: The program targets the climate sector, specifically climate change adaptation. The areas of intervention include: implementation of climate adaptation policies, climate risk assessments, nature-based solutions, climate-proofing of infrastructure, adaptation solutions for agriculture and forestry, water management, climate adaptation and health, preparedness for compound and cascading risks, and financial instruments for insurance and loss data.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned in the provided text. The focus is on the EU's climate adaptation strategy.

Project Stage: The project stage is not explicitly defined, but it appears to support projects from the development and implementation stages, including implementing state-of-the-art tools, developing and implementing nature-based solutions, and climate-proofing infrastructure. The call aims for efficient delivery of quantified objectives, suggesting projects should be ready for implementation and demonstration.

Funding Amount: The budget overview indicates that for the year 2025:
LIFE-2025-SAP-CLIMA-CCA has a budget of EUR 28,000,000.
LIFE-2025-SAP-CLIMA-CCM has a budget of EUR 28,000,000.
LIFE-2025-SAP-CLIMA-GOV has a budget of EUR 5,500,000.
The funding range is variable, depending on the specific project and topic.

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

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

Application Stages: The application process is a single-stage process.

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. This information is likely detailed in the call document.

Summary:
This opportunity is a call for proposals under the LIFE Programme, specifically targeting climate change adaptation through Standard Action Projects (SAP). The call, LIFE-2025-SAP-CLIMA, aims to support projects that contribute to the EU's long-term vision of becoming a climate-resilient society by 2050. The call is divided into three topics: LIFE-2025-SAP-CLIMA-CCA, LIFE-2025-SAP-CLIMA-CCM, and LIFE-2025-SAP-CLIMA-GOV, with a total budget of EUR 61.5 million for the year 2025. The call opened on April 24, 2025, and has a deadline of September 23, 2025.

The projects should focus on areas of intervention such as implementing climate adaptation policies, developing nature-based solutions, climate-proofing infrastructure, and improving water management. Applicants need to submit their proposals through the Funding & Tenders Portal, following the guidelines and templates provided in the call document and annexes. The evaluation process will consider admissibility conditions, eligibility criteria, and award criteria, as detailed in the call document. Applicants are encouraged to consult the FAQs, contact their National Contact Point (NCP), and use the IT Helpdesk and Online Manual for support. The submission process is single-stage, and applicants should carefully review all provisions before preparing their application. The overall objective is to support projects that efficiently deliver quantified objectives and contribute to the EU's climate adaptation goals.