CSO in-country call for proposals Uganda 2026

The European Union Delegation to Uganda is launching a CSO in-country call for proposals (EuropeAid/186375/DD/ACT/Multi) with a total budget of €5,100,000 split across two equal lots on forest/land governance and sustainable renewable energy; concept notes are due 4 June 2026 at 22:00 Brussels time. Grants must range between €1,700,000 and €2,550,000 with EU co-financing between 50% and 90% and mandatory financial support to third parties of 30%–60% of the total budget (third-party caps apply). Eligible applicants are non-profit civil society organisations established in an EU Member State, Uganda or eligible partner countries, lead applicants must demonstrate prior large-grant and cascade funding experience, and applications must be submitted online via the PROSPECT platform with PADOR/Participant Register registration. Full guidelines, templates and contact details are published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and enquiries can be sent to delegation-uganda-finance@eeas.europa.eu.

What this funds

Action grants to strengthen civil society role and capacities linked to Uganda’s just and clean energy transition and sustainable forest and land-use management. Two thematic lots: (1) indigenous forest conservation, restoration and non-wood forest value chains; (2) sustainable and renewable energy including clean cooking and productive use of energy.

Total budget:€5,100,000 in total; indicative allocation €2,550,000 per lot ¹.

Who can apply

Civil society organisations (CSOs) and non-profit legal entities. Lead applicants must be legal, non-profit CSOs established in an EU Member State or in Uganda/eligible partner countries and directly manage the action. The lead applicant must have previously managed at least one grant of similar scale (minimum €1,700,000) and prior experience managing cascade funding. A minimum of one co-applicant is required; if lead is not established in Uganda a Uganda-based co-applicant is mandatory.

Key applicant rules and requirements

1. 1Restricted two-step procedure: submit concept note first; invited leads submit full application.
2. 2Mandatory PADOR registration and online submission via PROSPECT.
3. 3Actions must be implemented in Uganda; duration 36–48 months.
4. 4Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) mandatory between 30–60% of action budget; max FSTP per third party normally €60,000 (exceptions possible).
5. 5Eligible costs and procurement must follow PRAG and annexed procurement rules; visibility and SEA-H requirements apply.

Grant amounts and financing conditions

Grants per project must fall between €1,700,000 (minimum) and €2,550,000 (maximum). Cost-based component of any grant must represent between 50% and 90% of total eligible costs. Beneficiary co-financing from other sources is required (balance of total costs not covered by EU contribution). ¹

Timetable and deadlines

1. 1Call published: 16 April 2026
2. 2Information session (online): 6 May 2026 (registration by email by 30 April 2026)
3. 3Deadline for concept notes: 4 June 2026 at 22:00 Brussels time
4. 4Indicative deadline for submission of full applications (for invited applicants): 26 August 2026 at 22:00 Brussels time
5. 5Contract signature (indicative): November 2026

How to apply

Submit concept note online via PROSPECT. Lead applicants, co-applicants and affiliated entities must register in PADOR (EuropeAid ID) and the Participant Register (PIC). Only the concept note is evaluated in the first step; invited leads will submit full application (Annex A.2) and supporting documents.

Selection and compliance

Concept notes are scored (max 50) on relevance and design; shortlisted applicants invited to full proposal evaluation (quality, capacity and cost-effectiveness). Eligibility, exclusion and financial checks apply; contractual, audit and reporting rules follow PRAG and the grant standard contract annexes. Actions must ensure EU visibility and comply with SEA-H and anti-corruption rules.

Contact and documents

Application documents, full guidelines, application forms (Annex A.1 concept note; Annex A.2 full application), budget templates, logical framework and annexes are published on the Funding & Tenders Portal; technical support through PROSPECT helpdesk and delegation email delegation-uganda-finance@eeas.europa.eu ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Full call guidelines, forms and annexes are published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (CSO in-country call for proposals Uganda 2026, EuropeAid). Applicants must consult the official documentation for complete eligibility, budget and submission rules before applying. F&T Portal

Basic opportunity facts

Call identifiers and administrative information

Title:CSO in-country call for proposals Uganda 2026. Reference: EuropeAid (also published as EuropeAid/186375/DD/ACT/Multi). Contracting authority: European Commission, Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) acting through the EU Delegation in Uganda. Publication date: 16 April 2026. Deadline for concept notes: 4 June 2026, 22:00 Brussels time. Deadline for full applications (for invited applicants): 26 August 2026, 22:00 Brussels time. Indicative timetable: invitation to submit full applications 3 July 2026; notification of contracting authority decision 30 September 2026; contract signature by 15 November 2026.

Total indicative budget:€5 100 000 total allocated to the call, split evenly between two lots (Lot 1: €2 550 000; Lot 2: €2 550 000). Any reallocation between lots is at the contracting authority's discretion.

Purpose, objectives and priorities

Global objective:strengthen the role and capacities of civil society organisations (CSOs) in promoting good governance, environmental and social sustainability and inclusive local development in forestry, land-use and renewable energy sectors during Uganda's just and clean energy transition. Specific objectives: 1) support civil society‑led initiatives promoting sustainable, inclusive and rights‑based management of environment and natural resources, focusing on forests, land use and related value chains; and 2) contribute to an inclusive and equitable local economy where the EU/Team Europe are engaged in Global Gateway renewable energy investments, including access to affordable, reliable and clean energy, decent work and diversified livelihoods.

Two priority lots:Lot 1 Conservation and restoration of indigenous forests, sustainable land governance, promotion of equitable economic opportunities and non‑wood forest value chains. Lot 2 Sustainable and renewable energy including clean cooking and productive uses of energy. All proposals must demonstrate synergies and complementarities with EU and Team Europe initiatives (Global Gateway, EU‑Uganda Forest Partnership, Prominigrid, Get.Access, Facility for Energy Inclusion, etc.) and mainstream cross-cutting themes (gender, youth, disability inclusion, human-rights based approach, digitalisation, OPSYS/corporate indicators monitoring).

Who may apply and partnership requirements

This is a restricted call for proposals addressed to Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). Lead applicants must be legal persons, non-profit making, specifically CSOs (e.g., NGOs) and must be effectively established in an EU Member State or in Uganda or in one of the countries eligible under Regulation (EU) 2021/947 (Global Europe). Lead applicants must: have directly managed at least one grant contract of similar budget (minimum €1 700 000); have prior experience managing cascade funding (at least one prior experience); register in PADOR and in the Participant Register; and act together with at least one co-applicant (minimum one co-applicant is required). If the lead applicant is not established in Uganda, at least one co-applicant must be established in Uganda.

Eligible applicant types:Civil society organisations: NGOs, non-profit organisations, community-based organisations, cooperatives, networks and federations; public law bodies are allowed provided they meet non-profit and CSO criteria. Lead applicants must be CSOs; co-applicants must satisfy similar eligibility but need not have prior experience managing grants of the same large size. Affiliated entities (legal or capital/control link or membership) may participate; their costs can be eligible following the rules and evidence requirements.

1. 1Lead applicant: non-profit legal entity, CSO, established in EU Member State or Uganda or eligible partner country; prior experience managing at least one grant of minimum €1 700 000; prior cascade funding experience mandatory.
2. 2Co-applicant(s): minimum 1; must meet eligibility criteria except the large-grant prior experience requirement; must sign mandated mandate form.
3. 3Affiliated entities: entities with structural link (control or membership) may participate; must sign affiliated entity statement and satisfy eligibility criteria except the large-grant prior experience requirement.
4. 4Associates: may take part in the action but cannot be funded (except per diems/travel).
5. 5Contractors: procurement rules apply; cannot be the same entity as beneficiaries, affiliated entities or recipients of financial support where conflicts apply.
6. 6Recipients of financial support to third parties (FSTP): eligible only as set out; third parties must be CSOs legally registered in Uganda.

Financial modalities, size and funding rules

Form of grant:action grants. Grants can take the form of reimbursement of eligible costs (actual costs and/or simplified cost options), financing not linked to costs (FNLC) or a hybrid combination where authorised. Financial support to third parties (cascade funding) is mandatory as part of any proposal and must be between 30% and 60% of the total budget. Maximum financial support to a single third party is €60 000 except where achieving objectives would otherwise be impossible; in such cases higher amounts can be proposed with justification.

Grant size and co-financing:Any requested grant must be between €1 700 000 (minimum) and €2 550 000 (maximum). Cost‑based component of the grant must represent at least 50% and at most 90% of total eligible costs. The balance must be financed from sources other than the EU general budget or European Development Fund. The contracting authority may refuse to award all available funds.

Indirect costs:flat-rate up to 7% of total eligible direct costs (excluding volunteer costs and project office costs). Contingency reserve: up to 5% of estimated direct eligible costs and may only be used with prior written authorisation. Volunteers' work may be declared as unit cost up to 50% of all sources of financing (special rules apply). In-kind contributions are not eligible as costs but may be foreseen; contributions in-kind cannot be treated as co-financing unless expressly accepted in special conditions.

Eligible actions, sectors and priority activities

Location:all activities must take place in Uganda. Special priority for proposals in well‑delimited areas or ecosystems where Global Gateway initiatives are ongoing or planned. Action duration: minimum 36 months, maximum 48 months.

1. 1Lot 1 — Forests and land-use: participatory forest management, community-based restoration of indigenous forests, community monitoring and advocacy on deforestation drivers, sustainable livelihoods and non-wood forest products value chains, conflict-sensitive land-use planning, CSO capacity building, synergies with EU‑Uganda Forest Partnership.
2. 2Lot 2 — Sustainable and renewable energy: community facilitation for uptake of clean cooking and off-grid/mini-grid electricity, support to MSMEs for productive use of energy (agro-processing, cold storage, irrigation), consumer finance and last-mile distribution, skills development for technicians, inclusive planning around energy infrastructure, social accountability and grievance mechanisms, linkage to EU Team Europe renewable energy investments.

Types of eligible activities include digital community monitoring (mobile apps, dashboards), participatory mapping and forest management plans, nursery/tree planting and restoration with indigenous species, non‑wood product value‑chain development (honey, shea, mushrooms), sustainable charcoal/briquette enterprises, community energy helpdesks, productive use pilots, vocational training for energy technicians, consumer‑finance schemes, and social accountability mechanisms for energy and forest investments.

Selection, evaluation and implementation process

Two‑stage restricted call:1) concept note submission and evaluation only; pre-selected lead applicants will be invited to submit full applications. Administrative checks and evaluation at concept note stage use a 50‑point grid; full applications are evaluated on financial & operational capacity and award criteria with a 100‑point grid. Concept note selection: only concept notes with a minimum threshold score (published in guidelines) are pre-selected; selection continues until requested amounts equal at least 200% of available budget to create a pipeline.

1. 1Step 1: Submission and administrative check of concept note; scoring (max 50). Pre-selection and invitation to full application (target: ~200% of available budget aggregated).
2. 2Step 2: Full application administrative check and quality evaluation (selection criteria: financial and operational capacity; award criteria: relevance, design, implementation approach, sustainability, budget/cost‑effectiveness). Scoring up to 100, with minimum thresholds in Section 1 financial & operational capacity.
3. 3Step 3: Final eligibility verification of supporting documents for provisionally selected applications; award decision; contracting and signature.

Applicants must register in PADOR for the concept note stage (co-applicants and affiliated entities must register at full application stage). Online submission via the PROSPECT platform is mandatory. An online information session on PROSPECT was scheduled for 6 May 2026 (registration by 30 April 2026 via delegation-uganda-finance@eeas.europa.eu). Technical IT helpdesk available for PROSPECT and PADOR.

Monitoring, control and audit / verification requirements

Reporting:consolidated narrative and financial interim and final reports using Annex VI templates are required. Contractual expenditure verification report (agreed‑upon procedures engagement) is required for grants exceeding specified thresholds (see guidelines) and conforms to Annex VII‑A model and ToR. For actions including financing not linked to costs (FNLC), a third party assessment validating achievement of FNLC results is required as per Article 14bis and Annex VII‑B. The contracting authority, the European Court of Auditors, OLAF, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and other authorised auditors may perform checks and on‑the‑spot audits; beneficiaries must keep records for at least five years after balance payment (three years for grants ≤ €60 000).

Financial support to third parties (FSTP) rules:FSTP must account for between 30% and 60% of total budget. Lead applicants must define objectives, eligible activities for FSTP, selection criteria, types of eligible recipients (only CSOs legally registered in Uganda), methodology for amounts and monitoring systems in the full application. Capacity building of third parties is mandatory and must be a substantial component of FSTP. Selection procedures for third parties must be transparent, avoid conflicts of interest and comply with no‑profit principle. All FSTP costs must be itemised in the budget and explained in the logical framework.

Eligibility of costs, audit thresholds and financial rules

Eligible costs criteria:must be actually incurred, necessary, identifiable/verifiable, incurred during the implementation period, compliant with tax and labour laws, reasonable and in compliance with sound financial management. Simplified cost options (unit costs, lump sums, flat rates) may be used if authorised. Ineligible costs include debts, provisions for future liabilities, costs financed by other EU grants, purchases of land/buildings (except where permitted), currency exchange losses, in‑kind contributions (except volunteer work where allowed) and performance bonuses for staff. Indirect costs capped at 7% of eligible direct costs (except volunteer and project office costs).

1. 1Contingency reserve: up to 5% of estimated direct eligible costs; use only with prior written authorisation.
2. 2Indirect costs: flat rate up to 7% of direct eligible costs (excluding volunteers and project office).
3. 3Volunteers' work: may be declared as unit cost if authorised; excluded from indirect cost base; volunteers may represent up to 50% of financing sources in specific conditions.
4. 4VAT and taxes: generally ineligible unless non‑recoverable; rules depend on special conditions and national recoverability.

Administrative and contractual requirements

Lead applicant must sign the Declaration by the lead applicant (Annex A.2 Section 5). Co‑applicants must sign mandates. Affiliated entities must sign affiliated entity statements. Supporting documents required with full application include statutes/articles of association, proof of establishment (for Ugandan HQ: URSB incorporation certificate and/or NGO Bureau permit), declaration on honour, financial accounts, external audit report where applicable, PADOR forms if online registration impossible. If requested, beneficiaries must complete the SEA‑H self‑evaluation questionnaire (Annex L).

Evaluation and scoring highlights

Concept notes evaluated against relevance and design (max 50 points). Full applications scored on Financial and operational capacity (20), Relevance (20), Design (15), Implementation approach (15), Sustainability (15) and Budget/cost-effectiveness (15) — total max 100 points. Minimum thresholds apply (e.g., Section 1 financial & operational capacity must reach minimum scores). Applicants scoring highest within available budget are provisionally selected; reserve list will be established.

Key compliance, ethics and safeguarding expectations

Applicants must respect EU values (human dignity, democracy, rule of law, human rights) and core labour standards (ILO conventions). Zero tolerance policy applies to sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEA‑H): successful applicants (except natural persons, pillar-assessed entities, governments/public bodies) must complete SEA‑H self‑evaluation (Annex L) and implement mitigation measures. Anti‑corruption and anti‑bribery compliance is mandatory; unusual commercial expenses and fraud will lead to rejection, contract termination and potential exclusion and penalties.

Visibility and communication:All beneficiaries must ensure EU visibility (EU emblem and funding statement) in line with Communication and Visibility Requirements for EU External Actions unless derogation for security or sensitivity is agreed. Visibility costs should be minimal and factored into activity budgets; separate visibility budgets are not eligible unless specified.

Practical application instructions and templates

Application is two‑stage:Annex A.1 Concept note (strict format, English only) is evaluated first. Pre‑selected lead applicants will be invited to submit Annex A.2 Full application with Annex B Budget (worksheets 1a/€1B/1c depending on cost/FNLC), Annex C Logical Framework (Logframe template), Annex F PADOR offline registration (if applicable), Annex H Declaration of honour and Annex L SEA‑H self‑evaluation. All templates and guidance documents are published together with the call on the F&T Portal and DG INTPA site. Online submission is via PROSPECT; organisations must register in PADOR and the EU Participant Register (PIC).

1. 1Concept note: use Annex A.1 template; summary table + max 2 pages description + max 3 pages relevance; follow formatting rules (A4, Arial 10, single spacing).
2. 2Full application: Annex A.2 template; Description (max 18 pages), Methodology (max 5 pages), Action plan (max 4 pages), Sustainability (max 3 pages), Logical Framework (Annex C) and Budget (Annex B Excel worksheets 1a/€1B/1c, 2, 3).
3. 3Budget: justify all items in worksheet 2. Include FSTP amounts (30–60% of total) and detailed FNLC indicators where applicable.
4. 4Logframe: include baseline, targets (with year), sources of data, assumptions and current values during reporting.
5. 5Reporting: Interim and final narrative and financial reports use Annex VI templates. Contractual expenditure verification (Annex VII‑A) and third party assessment (Annex VII‑B) templates and ToR must be followed when required.

Geographic and sectoral scope

Geographic eligibility:Actions must take place in Uganda. Lead applicants may be established in EU Member States, Uganda or other eligible partner countries under Regulation (EU) 2021/947. Priority will be given to interventions located where Global Gateway and Team Europe investments are already ongoing or planned.

Mentioned countries:Uganda (primary country). References to other regional examples and partner countries are illustrative (Senegal, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Eastern and Central Africa) but the call finances actions in Uganda only.

Project stage, target sectors and expected maturity

Project stage required:implementation-scale CSO actions ready for multi-year implementation (minimum 36 months). The call targets medium‑to‑advanced stages: development, validation, demonstration and scale-up of community, advocacy and capacity‑building interventions in forestry, land‑use and renewable energy sectors. Applicants must show operational capacity to manage large grants and cascade funding.

1. 1Target sectors: environment/forestry/land governance, renewable energy, clean cooking, energy access and productive use, sustainable livelihoods, governance and social accountability, green value chains.
2. 2Cross-cutting: gender equality, youth empowerment, disability inclusion, digitalisation, anti‑corruption, human rights.
3. 3Expected applicants' maturity: organisations with experience managing large grants, cascade funding, and the technical expertise to implement community, advocacy and private‑sector engagement activities.

Application modality, support and templates

Application modality:restricted call with two-stage submission through PROSPECT (concept note stage then full application for pre‑selected leads). Organisations must register in PADOR and Participant Register (PIC). Applicant support: PROSPECT user manuals, e‑learning videos, online PROSPECT info session (6 May 2026) and IT helpdesk support at ec-external-relations-application-support@ec.europa.eu. All required templates (Annex A.1 concept note, Annex A.2 full application, Annex B budget, Annex C logframe, Annex F PADOR form, Annex G standard contract, Annex H declaration on honour, Annex L SEA‑H questionnaire, Annex VII‑A expenditure verif ToR, Annex VII‑B TPA ToR, Annex IX transfer of assets, etc.) are published with the call documents on the F&T portal.

1. 1Do not submit additional annexes at concept note stage; concept note alone is evaluated.
2. 2Full application must include signed mandates from co‑applicants, affiliated entity statements, statutory documents, latest accounts, audit report where applicable, PADOR registration forms if required.
3. 3Budget worksheets (Annex B): 1a cost‑based, €1Bcost‑based + FNLC hybrid, 1c FNLC only. Logical framework (Annex C) mandatory.

Applicants are strongly advised to register in PADOR and the Participant Register well in advance and to allow time to gather supporting documents (statutes, audit reports, bank details, certificates). PROSPECT confirmations are sent on submission. Late submissions are automatically rejected.

Templates and application structure — practical checklist

Main documents to prepare and upload (concept note stage):Annex A.1 concept note (summary table + description + relevance), declaration by lead applicant (Annex A.1 section). If pre-selected, full application package (Annex A.2 full application) with Annex B budget (Excel), Annex C logframe (Excel), Annex H declaration on honour, Annex F PADOR as needed, statutes/articles, latest accounts, audit report (if required), mandate for co-applicants and affiliated entity statements.

1. 1Concept note: adhere strictly to page limits and format (A4, Arial 10, single spacing). Use the summary table exactly as provided.
2. 2Full application: complete all sections including Description (max 18 pages), Methodology (max 5 pages), Action plan (max 4 pages), Sustainability (max 3 pages), Logical Framework (Annex C), Budget (Annex B), Experience and Declarations.
3. 3FSTP: at full application stage define objectives, eligible activities, selection criteria, types of third-party recipients (only CSOs legally registered in Uganda), maximum amount per third party, methodology for selection and monitoring.

Applicants must ensure transparency and avoid conflicts of interest in FSTP selection. Selection procedures may use beneficiaries' own procedures but must be transparent, inclusive and competitively organised. Capacity building of third parties is required and monitoring arrangements for FSTP must be detailed in full application and budget.

Success rates, application stages and co‑funding

Application stages:2 (1: concept note selection; 2: full application evaluation + eligibility check). Success rates are not published; pre-selection will be made from concept notes scoring above threshold and to reach at least 200% of available budget to create a reserve. Because available budget is limited (€2.55M per lot), expected success rate at concept-note stage will be low relative to submissions; no explicit success percentage is provided.

Co‑funding requirement:Yes: the EU contribution cannot exceed the percentage limits set (minimum 50% and maximum 90% of total eligible costs for cost‑based component). The difference must be financed from other sources (applicant own funds, donors). Co‑financing sources must be clearly indicated in Annex B Worksheet 3 and in declarations.

Success factors and recommendations for applicants

Strong applications will:clearly demonstrate complementarity with EU/Team Europe investments (Global Gateway, EU‑Uganda Forest Partnership, Prominigrid, Get.Access etc.); present robust FSTP design (30–60% of budget) with transparent selection and capacity building; include a well-structured logical framework with RACER indicators and credible baselines/targets; present realistic budgets with justification and compliance with PRAG rules; show track record managing large grants and cascade funding; mainstream gender, youth, disability inclusion and digitalisation; include monitoring and reporting systems compatible with OPSYS/corporate indicators and propose a third party assessment approach if FNLC is used.

1. 1Demonstrate clear synergies and non‑duplication with EU/Team Europe investments.
2. 2Design FSTP selection and capacity building methodology at concept stage (details at full application).
3. 3Provide credible management and financial systems, evidence of comparable grant management experience and prior cascade funding.
4. 4Use the exact templates provided; follow page limits and format instructions.
5. 5Ensure PADOR and Participant Register registration (PIC) prior to submission.

Contacts:general call questions and clarifications to delegation-uganda-finance@eeas.europa.eu (questions must be submitted at least 21 days before the relevant deadline). IT support for PROSPECT and PADOR: ec-external-relations-application-support@ec.europa.eu. All Q&A and updates will be published on DG INTPA and F&T Portal and EUD Uganda websites.

For full procedural and contractual details consult the published Guidelines for applicants and annexes (Annex A.1, A.2, B, C, G, H, L, VII-A, VII-B, VIII, IX). The contract follows the standard grant contract model and the Practical Guide (PRAG) rules for procurement, eligibility and contract management PRAG Funding & Tenders Portal Call Guidelines for grant applicants Annex A.2 Full application Annex A.1 Concept note ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Full guidelines, templates and annexes are available in the Guidelines for grant applicants and annexes published with the call on the Funding & Tenders Portal and DG International Partnerships website.

Funding Opportunity Overview

The European Union Delegation to Uganda is launching a call for proposals to support civil society organisations in promoting sustainable, inclusive and rights-based management of environment and natural resources, with particular focus on forests, land use and renewable energy sectors. This call is part of the EU's broader commitment to supporting civil society as actors of good governance and development in Uganda, aligned with the EU's Global Gateway strategy and Uganda's just and clean energy transition objectives.

Call Reference:EuropeAid/186375/DD/ACT/Multi

Total Budget Available:€5,100,000

Deadline for Concept Note Submission:4 June 2026 at 22:00 Brussels time

Information Session:6 May 2026 at 10:00 AM (online)

Funding Structure and Allocation

The call is divided into two priority lots with equal budget allocation. Lot 1 focuses on conservation and restoration of indigenous forests, sustainable land governance and promotion of sustainable economic opportunities from forest and non-wood forest value chains, with €2,550,000 available. Lot 2 addresses sustainable and renewable energy including clean cooking and productive uses of energy, also with €2,550,000 available. If the allocation for a specific lot cannot be used due to insufficient quality or number of proposals, the contracting authority reserves the right to reallocate remaining funds to other lots.

Grant Size and Funding Rates

Minimum Grant Amount:€1,700,000

Maximum Grant Amount:€2,550,000

EU Co-Financing Rate:Minimum 50 percent and maximum 90 percent of total eligible costs. The balance must be financed from sources other than the general budget of the Union or the European Development Fund.

Mandatory Financial Support to Third Parties:Between 30 and 60 percent of the total budget must be allocated to financial support to third parties. The maximum amount per third party is €60,000 unless achieving the action objectives would otherwise be impossible or overly difficult. Only civil society organisations legally registered in Uganda are eligible as recipients of financial support.

Eligibility Criteria for Applicants

Lead Applicant Requirements

• Must be a legal person and non-profit-making civil society organisation
• Must be effectively established in an EU Member State or in Uganda or in countries eligible under Regulation EU 2021/947
• Must be directly responsible for preparation and management of the action with co-applicants and affiliated entities, not acting as an intermediary
• Must have already managed at least one grant contract with a similar budget to the requested amount under this call (minimum €1,700,000)
• Must have prior experience and capacity in managing cascade funding (at least one prior experience required)
• Must act with a minimum of one co-applicant; if not established in Uganda, must have at least one co-applicant established in Uganda

Co-Applicant Requirements

Co-applicants must satisfy the same eligibility criteria as the lead applicant except they are not required to have managed a grant contract with a similar budget. Co-applicants participate in designing and implementing the action, and costs they incur are eligible in the same way as those of the lead applicant. Co-applicants must sign a mandate in the application form.

Affiliated Entities

Lead applicants and co-applicants may work with affiliated entities that have a structural link with the applicants, either through control or membership. The structural link should exist independently of the award and should have existed before the call for proposals. Affiliated entities must satisfy the same eligibility criteria as lead applicants and co-applicants except they are not required to have managed a grant contract with a similar budget.

Eligible Actions and Priority Areas

Lot 1: Forest Conservation and Sustainable Land Governance

• Support to community-based forest management groups, cooperatives and local authorities to develop and implement participatory forest management and restoration plans, particularly for indigenous forests, including climate-resilient practices and benefit-sharing mechanisms
• Civil society-led monitoring, advocacy and awareness-raising on deforestation drivers, land-use change, illegal logging and unsustainable charcoal production, including use of digital tools and community-based monitoring
• Support to alternative and sustainable livelihoods for households dependent on unsustainable forest exploitation, particularly women and youth, such as sustainable agroforestry, non-wood forest products, ecotourism and sustainable charcoal or briquette production
• Support to conflict-sensitive land-use planning and mediation of land and resource-use disputes in forest and forest-fringe communities
• Capacity building for CSOs, community-based organisations and local authorities to engage effectively in policy dialogue and implementation of national forest, land and climate policies

Lot 2: Sustainable and Renewable Energy

• Community-based facilitation and outreach to increase uptake and sustained use of clean cooking solutions and off-grid or mini-grid electricity, including user education and gender-responsive approaches
• Support to MSMEs and cooperatives to develop productive-use applications of energy such as agro-processing, cold storage, irrigation and digital services, with focus on women- and youth-led enterprises
• Civil society-led monitoring and social accountability initiatives related to electricity access and clean cooking programmes, including support to grievance redress and rights-based approaches
• Support to inclusive planning and community engagement around energy and transmission infrastructure, addressing land, resettlement and environmental concerns in a conflict-sensitive manner
• Training and skills development programmes for local technicians, entrepreneurs and community leaders to participate in and benefit from the just and clean energy transition, with specific attention to women's participation

Cross-Cutting Themes

All proposals must mainstream digitalisation, gender equality, youth empowerment, persons with disabilities inclusion and human rights-based approaches. Actions should demonstrate synergies and complementarities with ongoing and planned EU and Team Europe interventions in Uganda, particularly in green and circular economy, sustainable land and forest management, energy access, renewable energy generation, clean cooking and regional energy connectivity, sustainable livelihoods and employment creation, and governance including gender equality and anti-corruption.

Action Duration

The initial planned duration of an action must be between 36 and 48 months.

Application Process

Two-Stage Procedure

This is a restricted call for proposals using a two-stage procedure. In the first instance, only concept notes must be submitted for evaluation. Lead applicants whose concept notes are pre-selected will be invited to submit full applications. After evaluation of full applications, an eligibility check will be performed for provisionally selected proposals.

Stage 1: Concept Note Submission

• Submission deadline: 4 June 2026 at 22:00 Brussels time
• Submission method: Online via PROSPECT system (mandatory)
• Lead applicants must register in PADOR and Participant Register before submission
• Concept note must not exceed 5 pages (2 pages description plus 3 pages relevance)
• Only the concept note form will be evaluated; no additional annexes should be sent
• Incomplete concept notes may be rejected

Stage 2: Full Application Submission

Lead applicants pre-selected at concept note stage will be invited to submit full applications. The deadline for full application submission will be indicated in the invitation letter. Full applications must include detailed description of the action, implementation approach, action plan, sustainability analysis, logical framework, budget and supporting documents. Co-applicants and affiliated entities must register in PADOR at this stage if not already registered.

Required Supporting Documents

• Statutes or articles of association of lead applicant, co-applicants and affiliated entities
• Proof of establishment in eligible country (for Uganda-based applicants: incorporation certificate from Uganda Registration Services Bureau and valid NGO permit)
• Declaration on honour certifying non-exclusion status (for grants exceeding €15,000)
• Audit report or self-declaration certifying validity of accounts for last three financial years
• Copy of lead applicant's latest accounts (profit and loss account and balance sheet)
• PADOR registration form (if online registration impossible)
• Mandate from each co-applicant
• Affiliated entity statement from each affiliated entity

Evaluation Criteria

Concept Note Evaluation (Maximum Score: 50)

• Relevance of the action (20 points): consistency with call objectives, relevance to country needs, target groups definition and added-value elements
• Design of the action (30 points): intervention logic, context analysis, risks and assumptions, activities consistency with outputs and cross-cutting issues integration

Only concept notes scoring at least a minimum threshold will be considered for pre-selection. The number of pre-selected concept notes will be reduced to those whose total requested contributions equal at least 200 percent of the available budget for the call.

Full Application Evaluation (Maximum Score: 100)

• Financial and operational capacity (20 points): project management experience, technical expertise, management capacity and financial stability
• Relevance of the action (20 points): consistency with call objectives, relevance to country needs, target groups and added-value elements
• Design of the action (15 points): context analysis, intervention logic and logical framework quality
• Implementation approach (15 points): action plan clarity, monitoring and evaluation systems, technical project management
• Sustainability of the action (15 points): long-lasting benefits, multiplier effects and financial, institutional, policy and environmental sustainability
• Budget and cost-effectiveness (15 points): budget appropriateness and efficiency of resource allocation

Applications scoring less than 12 points in financial and operational capacity section or scoring 1 in any subsection will be rejected. Highest scoring applications will be provisionally selected until available budget is reached, with a reserve list established for potential additional funding.

Eligible Costs

Eligible costs include human resources, travel, equipment and supplies, project office costs, other costs and services such as publications, studies, evaluation, translation and communication activities. Indirect costs are eligible up to 7 percent of estimated direct eligible costs. A contingency reserve up to 5 percent of estimated direct eligible costs may be included. Ineligible costs include debts and debt service, provisions for losses, costs financed by other EU actions, land or building purchases except where necessary for direct action implementation, currency exchange losses, in-kind contributions except volunteer work, bonuses in staff costs, negative interest charges and salary costs of national administration personnel.

Key Dates and Timeline

Special Conditions and Requirements

Visibility and Communication

Applicants must ensure visibility of European Union as funder through correct and prominent display of EU emblem and relevant funding statement in accordance with EU guidelines. Derogation from visibility obligations is permitted in exceptional situations due to security issues or local political sensitivities, to be determined case-by-case in consultation with the EU.

Ethics and Values

Applicants must comply with environmental legislation and core labour standards as defined in International Labour Organisation conventions. Applicants awarded grants must commit to and ensure respect of fundamental EU values including human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, rule of law and human rights. The European Commission applies zero tolerance policy regarding sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. Successful applicants other than natural persons, pillar-assessed entities and governments must complete a self-evaluation questionnaire on sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment for grants exceeding €60,000.

Anti-Corruption and Conflict of Interest

Applicants must comply with all applicable laws and regulations relating to anti-bribery and anti-corruption. The contracting authority reserves the right to suspend or cancel project financing if corrupt practices are discovered. Applicants must not be affected by any conflict of interest and must have no equivalent relation with other applicants or parties involved in the actions.

Multiple Applications

The lead applicant may not submit more than one application per lot and may not be awarded more than one grant under this call. The lead applicant may be a co-applicant or affiliated entity in one other application simultaneously. A co-applicant or affiliated entity may participate in maximum two applications under this call but may be awarded more than one grant.

Contact Information and Support

Questions and Clarifications:delegation-uganda-finance@eeas.europa.eu (deadline: 21 days before concept note submission deadline)

Technical Support for PADOR and PROSPECT:ec-external-relations-application-support@ec.europa.eu or via online support form in PROSPECT (working languages: English, French, Spanish)

Official Call Publication:EU Funding and Tenders Portal

EU Delegation to Uganda Website:EEAS Uganda

Strategic Context

This call is funded by the Civil Society Organisations Thematic Programme 2021-2027 under the Multiannual Action Plan 2025-2027. It contributes to Specific Objective 1.3 of supporting CSOs as actors of good governance and development in partner countries. The call is informed by the EU CSO Roadmap for Uganda 2021-2027 and aligns with Uganda's Energy Transition Plan and forest-related strategies. Actions should complement and reinforce country and regional programmes, particularly Global Gateway flagships, through support to CSOs working in EU priority areas including green and climate transition, sustainable and inclusive growth and jobs, and democratic governance and social inclusion. The call emphasises meaningful involvement of local communities and civil society in achieving just and clean energy transition, improved forest and land management and related value chains that are inclusive, gender-responsive and environmentally sustainable.

Footnotes

1. 1Applicants should note that the current date is 29 April 2026, providing approximately 36 days until the concept note submission deadline of 4 June 2026. Early registration in PADOR and the Participant Register is strongly recommended to avoid technical difficulties.