EU NDICI Global Europe - Thematic Programme for Civil Society Organisations & Thematic Programme for Human Rights and Democracy – Israel 2026

This restricted EU NDICI Global Europe call EuropeAid funds action grants to strengthen civil society, democratic participation and human rights in Israel, with limited activities in the oPt under Lot 2, and has an indicative total budget of €3,850,000 across two lots (Lot 1: €2,850,000; Lot 2: €1,000,000). Grants must be between €350,000 and €650,000, with EU co-financing of 55–95% and a requirement for grants over €500,000 to include financial support to third parties. Eligible lead applicants are non-profit civil society organisations, universities or research institutions established in an EU Member State or in Israel (non-Israeli leads must include at least one Israeli co-applicant), actions should run 24–36 months. Concept notes must be submitted online via PROSPECT by 26 May 2026 at 22:00 Brussels time and applications must follow the call guidelines and annex templates, including PADOR registration and required supporting documents.

What it funds

Scope and priorities

Action grants to strengthen civil society, democratic participation and human rights in Israel and, where explicitly allowed, activities related to Israel's obligations in occupied territories. Two lots: Lot 1 Civil Society Organisations (capacity, inclusion, resilience, countering disinformation); Lot 2 Human Rights and Democracy (protection of minorities, IHL and accountability, women and youth participation).

Total budget:€3,850,000 (indicative allocation: Lot €1 2,850,000; Lot €2 1,000,000) ¹

1. 1Grant size per project: €350,000 minimum — €650,000 maximum
2. 2Grants above €500,000 must include financial support to third parties
3. 3EU co-financing: between 55% and 95% of total eligible costs

Who can apply

Lead applicants must be non-profit civil society organisations, universities/research institutes or similar non-governmental entities established in an EU Member State or in Israel. Co-applicants and affiliated entities are allowed; applicants established outside Israel must include at least one Israeli co-applicant. PADOR registration and online submission via PROSPECT are mandatory.

Key practical details

This is a restricted two-stage call:submit a concept note first; only pre-selected applicants are invited to submit a full application. Online submission only via PROSPECT. Information session 15 April 2026. Applications and budgets must follow the published templates and PRAG rules.

Deadline:Concept notes due 26 May 2026 at 22:00 Brussels time (applicants invited to submit full applications after pre-selection).

Applications must follow the call-specific Guidelines for Grant Applicants and use Annex A.1 (concept note) and Annex A.2 (full application) templates; financial templates and contract terms are in the published annexes. Detailed eligibility, evaluation and reporting rules apply and are in the guidelines ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Full call documentation, templates and procedural rules are in the Guidelines for Grant Applicants and annexes available on the Funding & Tenders Portal Call page.

Opportunity snapshot

Call type:Restricted call for proposals (two-stage: concept note then full application). Published: 26 March 2026. Concept note deadline: 26 May 2026 at 22:00 Brussels time. Total indicative budget: €3,850,000 split across two lots (Lot 1: €2,850,000; Lot 2: €1,000,000). Grant instrument: Action grants. Reference: EuropeAid. Online submission mandatory via PROSPECT; PADOR registration required.

Eligible Applicant Types

Eligible lead applicants:legal persons, non-profit-making, non-governmental civil society organisations (CSOs) including community-based organisations, faith-based organisations, universities and research institutions, and private sector non-profit agencies. Lead applicants must be established in an EU Member State or in Israel. Co-applicants must meet the same eligibility requirements. Applicants established outside Israel must include at least one co-applicant established in Israel. Affiliated entities (structural link by control or membership) may participate and must meet the same eligibility criteria. Associates, contractors and recipients of financial support (third parties) may be involved under specified rules but are not applicants nor affiliated entities.

Funding Type and Form of Grant

Primary financial mechanism:Grant (Action grants) to CSOs. Grants may take the form of reimbursement of eligible costs (actual costs and/or simplified cost options) and may include financing not linked to costs (FNLC) where specified. Financial support to third parties (sub-granting) is allowed under strict conditions.

Consortium Requirement

Either single lead applicant acting alone or lead applicant acting with co-applicant(s). Co-applicants participate in design and implementation and their costs are eligible. Affiliated entities may be included. For applicants established outside Israel at least one Israeli co-applicant is required.

Geographic Eligibility (Beneficiary Scope)

Actions must take place in Israel. Under Lot 2 Priority 2, activities addressing human rights issues in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) are allowed where Israel is the duty bearer. Lead applicants must be established in an EU Member State or in Israel. Co-applicants can be established in other countries but requirements apply (Israeli partner required for non-Israeli lead applicants).

Target Sectors and Thematic Focus

This call targets civil society strengthening, human rights, democracy, rule of law, inclusion, political participation, protection of minorities, resilience of civil society, countering disinformation, and support to accountability and IHL compliance. It is sectorally aligned with civil society development, human rights & democracy, governance, media and information ecosystems, social inclusion, and rights‑based policy work.

Mentioned Countries

Israel (primary country). The occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) is explicitly mentioned for Lot 2 Priority 2 activities addressing IHL and human rights accountability. Eligible lead applicant countries: EU Member States and Israel. Co-applicants may be from other countries but must include an Israeli co-applicant if not established in Israel.

Project Stage and Types of Activities Supported

Expected maturity:implementation-ready civil society actions (development, capacity building, advocacy, documentation, monitoring, legal work, service provision where justified) typically at development, implementation, validation and demonstration stages. Activities supported include capacity building, networking, advocacy, fact-checking and media literacy, monitoring/documentation of rights violations, legal/policy work, MEL, communication, and financial support to third parties (sub-grants) where specified.

Project duration:Minimum 24 months; maximum 36 months.

Funding Amount and Financial Conditions

Indicative overall allocation:€3,850,000. Lot 1 (Civil Society Organisations): €2,850,000 (€1,000,000 from 2026 budget; indicative €1,850,000 from 2027 subject to appropriations). Lot 2 (Human Rights & Democracy): €1,000,000 (split across 2025 and 2026 budgets subject to appropriations).

Grant size per project:Any grant requested must be between €350,000 (minimum) and €650,000 (maximum). Grants above €500,000 must include financial support to third parties (sub-granting).

EU co-financing rate:Minimum EU contribution: 55% of total eligible costs. Maximum EU contribution: 95% of total eligible costs. Balance must be financed by other sources (applicant contribution, other donors).

Application Type and Submission Process

This is a restricted two-stage call:concept note (Annex A.1) first; only pre-selected concept note lead applicants are invited to submit full applications (Annex A.2). Submission is online via PROSPECT. PADOR registration is mandatory for lead applicants (and required for co-applicants/affiliated entities at full application stage). An online information session was scheduled on 15 April 2026 (applicants could register by email).

Nature of Support

Monetary support in the form of grants (reimbursement of eligible costs and, where applicable, financing not linked to costs). Grants may also include financial support to third parties (sub-grants). Non-monetary support: programme guidance documents, MEL and reporting templates, contractual templates, and possible technical information sessions and helpdesk support for PROSPECT and PADOR.

Application Stages and Evaluation Process

1. 1Stage 1: Submission of concept note (Annex A.1) via PROSPECT. Administrative check and concept note evaluation using the concept note evaluation grid (max score 50). Minimum score to be considered: 30/50. The shortlist is drawn until requested indicative budget coverage (300% of available budget) is reached.
2. 2Stage 2: Invitation to submit full application (Annex A.2) for pre-selected applicants. Submission via PROSPECT; supporting documents uploaded in PADOR.
3. 3Stage 3: Full application evaluation (selection and award criteria; score out of 100 with Section 1 financial/operational capacity threshold). Provisional selection and reserve list according to ranking and available funds.
4. 4Stage 4: Verification of eligibility and supporting documents for provisionally selected applicants (including Declaration on Honour, statutes, financial documents, SEA-H self-evaluation for grants > €60,000).
5. 5Stage 5: Award decision and contracting (signature of standard grant contract or contribution agreement for pillar-assessed organisations).

Administrative and evaluation timetables are indicative. Contracting authority reserves right not to award all funds and to invite reserve list candidates subject to availability of additional funds.

Success Rates and Selection Rules

No explicit success-rate percentage published. Selection uses ranked scores and available budget. Only concept notes scoring at least 30/50 are considered for pre-selection. For the full application step, lead applicants must pass financial and operational capacity checks (Section 1 threshold: minimum 12/20 and no subsection score of 1) and achieve strong scores across award criteria to be shortlisted and funded.

Co-funding Requirement

Yes. Co-financing from other sources is required to reach the total eligible costs if EU contribution does not cover 100% (EU co-financing between 55% and 95%). The balance must come from other donors, applicant resources, or in-kind contributions (volunteers' work allowed under conditions up to 50% of all sources of financing). Details must be shown in Annex B (budget) and in the full application.

Eligible and Ineligible Costs

Eligible costs follow Annex II General Conditions and Annex B budget templates:direct eligible costs (personnel, travel, equipment, supplies, conferences, audits, translation, FSTP), indirect costs via flat rate up to 7% of direct eligible costs (excluding volunteers and project office costs), contingency reserve up to 5% with prior authorisation. Ineligible costs include debts, provisions for losses, costs financed by other EU grants, purchases of land except where necessary and ownership transferred as required, currency exchange losses, in-kind contributions except volunteers' work, bonuses in staff costs, and other exclusions listed in the guidelines.

Financial Support to Third Parties (Sub-granting)

Permitted where the application defines in Section 2.1.1 of Annex A.2 the objectives, outputs, eligible activities, recipient categories, selection criteria, amount calculation criteria, and maximum amounts. Maximum per third party normally €60,000 unless higher amounts are justified and necessary. Recipients must not appear in EU restrictive measures lists. Use of FSTP must be carefully described and fully compliant with contractual provisions.

Methodological Priorities and Cross-cutting Requirements

1. 1Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) and mainstreaming of human rights and democracy throughout the action.
2. 2Gender equality and gender-sensitive or gender-responsive design; reporting against sex-disaggregated indicators and GAP III where applicable.
3. 3Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) requirement: robust MEL plan, gender-performance components, possible third-party evaluations for larger grants.
4. 4Added-value: preference for Israeli lead and/or co-applicants, local grassroots engagement, and use of financial support to third parties where appropriate.
5. 5Conflict sensitivity, environmental considerations, child protection policy for activities involving children, and adherence to EU values and non-incitement rules.

Restrictions, Safeguards and Exclusions

Actions inciting violence, hatred, or boycott activities are ineligible. Activities focusing only on one-off conferences, academic research, equipment procurement alone, or direct recurrent social services are generally ineligible unless part of a wider programme and justified. All applicants must sign Declaration on Honour and comply with exclusion criteria; SEA-H self-evaluation required for grants above €60,000. Procurement rules of Annex IV apply to beneficiaries. Visibility rules apply; derogation possible for security reasons but must be negotiated and documented.

Selection & Award Criteria Summary

Concept note evaluation focuses on relevance (20 points) and design (30 points) — total 50 points. Full application evaluation uses selection (financial and operational capacity) and award criteria with a maximum of 100 points across relevance, design, sustainability, MEL, implementation approach, budget and cost-effectiveness. Financial and operational capacity Section threshold: 12/20 minimum and no subsection score of 1.

Reporting, Verification and Contractual Requirements

Grant contracts follow EU standard templates (Annex G Standard Grant Contract and Annex II General Conditions). Reporting: interim and final narrative and financial reports, logical framework updates, forecast budget, and contractual expenditure verification (AUP) where relevant. Expenditure verification terms and templates (Annex G – AUP ToR and report format) and final/interim narrative report templates (Annex VI) are provided. Payment requests and contractual rules on visibility, procurement, taxes, contingency reserve and volunteers' work are specified in the guidelines and annexes.

Templates, Forms and Mandatory Annexes

Mandatory documents and templates provided by the contracting authority:Annex A.1 Concept note (submission at stage 1); Annex A.2 Full application form and instructions (stage 2); Annex B Budget (Excel cost templates with worksheets for cost-based, justification and sources of funding); Annex C Logical Framework (Excel); Annex G Standard Grant Contract and annexes (General Conditions Annex II, Procurement rules Annex IV, Request for payment Annex V, Narrative & financial report templates Annex VI, AUP ToR and model reports Annex VII-A etc.); Annex H Declaration on Honour; Annex L SEA-H self-evaluation questionnaire; Annex J tax regime information. Applicants must follow the exact annex templates and upload supporting documents in PADOR/PROSPECT as instructed.

Where to apply:Online via PROSPECT (webgate.ec.europa.eu). PADOR registration required (webgate.ec.europa.eu). Technical helpdesk: ec-external-relations-application-support@ec.europa.eu and PROSPECT online support form. General call information published on DG International Partnerships and Funding & Tenders portal.

Compliance, Ethics and Safeguards

Applicants must adhere to EU values and Charter of Fundamental Rights; Declaration of Honour attesting eligibility and absence of exclusion grounds is mandatory. Zero tolerance policy on sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment applies; SEA-H self-evaluation mandatory for grants > €60,000. Anti-corruption/anti-bribery rules, restrictions on unusual commercial expenses, and obligations under EU restrictive measures apply. The contracting authority reserves rights to perform checks, audits, expenditure verifications, and to request remedial measures.

Templates: Application structure and key sections

Concept note (Annex A.1) structure:summary table, 2-page action description, 3-page relevance, lead applicant/co-applicant details, project details and indicative budget share. Full application (Annex A.2) structure: General information; detailed description (max 18 pages) and methodology (max 5 pages); indicative action plan (max 4 pages); sustainability (max 3 pages); logical framework (Annex C); detailed budget and justification (Annex B); experience and organisational capacity; declarations and mandates; and supporting documents (statutes, latest accounts, audit report if applicable). Mandatory checklists and templates must be followed precisely.

1. 1Annex A.1: Concept Note (strict format; only concept note evaluated at stage 1).
2. 2Annex A.2: Full Application Form (only by invited applicants), includes Annexes B (Budget) and C (Logframe).
3. 3Annex H: Declaration on Honour (exclusion criteria).
4. 4Annex L: SEA-H self-evaluation questionnaire (required for grants > €60,000).
5. 5Annex G and Annex II: Contract templates and General Conditions (to be accepted by successful applicants).

Templates and Budget specifics (from Annex B worksheets)

Budget templates include worksheets for cost-based budgets (1a), fixed nominal lump costs if applicable (€1B/1c), justification (worksheet 2), expected sources of funding (worksheet 3), interim and final reporting structures, forecasts, contingency and volunteers' work line (10.2). Indirect costs are eligible as a flat rate (max 7% of direct eligible costs excluding project office and volunteers). Contingency reserve limited to 5% of direct eligible costs and subject to prior authorisation. Volunteers’ work may count as in‑kind co‑financing and be declared as unit cost per the Commission’s unit-cost decision.

Risk management, monitoring and verification

Robust MEL plan is required; for FNLC components, results and verification means must be carefully documented in the logframe and budget. Expenditure verification (Agreed-Upon Procedures - AUP) templates and ToR are provided in Annex VII-A for contractual expenditure verification where required. Interim and final narrative and financial reports must reconcile with breakdown of expenditure and logframe. The contracting authority may require contractual expenditure verification and third-party assessments (e.g., for FNLC) before further payments.

How would you summarise this opportunity?

This restricted EU NDICI Global Europe call funds action grants for civil society strengthening and human rights promotion in Israel (with limited scope for oPt in Lot 2 Priority 2). It seeks to support projects that empower under-represented groups, strengthen CSO resilience and networking, counter disinformation, protect human rights and democracy, document and pursue accountability, and enhance democratic participation of women and youth. The call uses a two-stage selection process (concept note then full application) with stringent eligibility, financial, contractual and ethical safeguards (Declaration on Honour, SEA-H self-evaluation, procurement rules, visibility, and expenditure verification). Grants range €350,000–650,000, with EU co-financing 55–95%. Applicants must register in PADOR, submit via PROSPECT, and follow the provided Annex templates and PRAG/ePRAG rules. The contracting authority provides detailed templates for budgeting, reporting and verification and reserves the right to award grants from a ranked reserve list as funds become available.

Key call documents and guidance (annexes, application forms, budget templates, contractual templates and verification terms of reference) are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal and in the call’s document list. The full 'Guidelines for grant applicants' contains the administrative, technical and financial rules for this call and should be read in full prior to preparing submissions Guidelines for grant applicants (Israel 2026). ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Full guidelines, annexes and templates (Annex A1 Concept note, Annex A2 Full application, Annex B Budget, Annex C Logframe, Annex G Standard Grant Contract, Annex II General Conditions, Annex IV Procurement rules, Annex VI reporting templates, Annex VII expenditure verification ToR, Annex L SEA-H self-evaluation, Annex H Declaration of Honour) are published with the call on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and in the call document pack. See the Guidelines for grant applicants for complete procedural and contractual details Guidelines for grant applicants (Israel 2026).

This grant opportunity under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) - Global Europe supports civil society initiatives in Israel focused on strengthening democratic principles, promoting human rights, and enhancing civil society organisations as independent actors of good governance and development. The total budget is €3,850,000, divided into two lots: Lot 1 (€2,850,000) for Civil Society Organisations and Lot 2 (€1,000,000) for Human Rights and Democracy.

Key Dates and Budget Details

Publication Date:26 March 2026.

Concept Note Deadline:26 May 2026 at 22:00 Brussels time (20:00:48 UTC).¹

Total Budget:€3,850,000 (Lot 1: €2,850,000; Lot 2: €1,000,000). Funds from 2025-2027 budgets, subject to availability.

Grant Size:Minimum €350,000; maximum €650,000 per grant. EU co-financing: 55-95% of total eligible costs. Grants over €500,000 must include financial support to third parties.

Objectives and Priorities

Global objective:Uphold democratic principles, promote/protect human rights, strengthen Israeli CSOs in governance and development.

Lot 1: Civil Society Organisations (EUR 2,850,000)

Specific objective:Strengthen local CSOs' capacity for enabling environment and participation of under-represented groups in decision-making.

• Priority 1: Reduce socio-economic inequalities and enhance political inclusion of Arabic-speaking communities (e.g., leadership empowerment, advocacy, social cohesion).
• Priority 2: Enhance CSO resilience via networking, advocacy capacities, digital security.
• Priority 3: Combat disinformation/delegitimization against CSOs (e.g., fact-checking, media literacy).

Lot 2: Human Rights and Democracy (EUR 1,000,000)

Specific objective:Uphold democratic principles and promote/protect human rights in Israel and territories where Israel is duty bearer, per international standards.

• Priority 1: Reduce inequalities/discrimination for marginalized minorities (e.g., access to justice, HR defenders).
• Priority 2: Reinforce IHL/human rights in occupied territories (e.g., documentation, accountability).²
• Priority 3: Strengthen women/youth democratic participation (e.g., navigating information environments).

Eligibility Criteria

Lead applicant:Legal person, non-profit, non-governmental CSO (incl. NGOs, community/faith-based orgs, universities, research institutions, private non-profits) established in EU Member State or Israel. Must be directly responsible for action implementation. Israeli entities must comply with EU guidelines on occupied territories.

• Co-applicants: Same criteria as lead; non-Israeli applicants need at least 1 Israeli co-applicant.
• Affiliated entities: Structural link (control/membership) with applicants; same eligibility.
• Action duration: 24-36 months; location: Primarily Israel (Lot 2 Priority 2 allows oPt activities where Israel is duty bearer).
• Ineligible: Individual scholarships/sponsorships, one-off events, direct aid/social services (except limited cases), boycott activities.

Financial Support to Third Parties

Allowed; max €60,000 per third party (exceedable if essential). Must define objectives, activities, selection/criteria, amounts in full application. Recipients cannot be on EU restrictive lists.

Eligible Costs and Rates

• Actual costs (human resources, travel, equipment, etc.) per Annex B template.
• Indirect costs: Max 7% of direct eligible costs (excl. project office/volunteers).
• Contingency reserve: Max 5% of direct eligible costs.
• Volunteers' work: Unit costs per EC decision; max 50% of all financing sources; separate budget line.
• Taxes: Eligible if non-reclaimable (proof required); visibility costs ineligible as separate line.

Application Process

1. 1Submit concept note via PROSPECT by 26 May 2026.
2. 2Pre-selected applicants submit full application (invited ~July 2026).
3. 3Evaluation: Concept (relevance/design, min 30/50); Full (capacity/relevance/design/etc., min thresholds).
4. 4Supporting docs: Statutes, accounts, audit (if >€750K), Declaration of Honour.

Mandatory online submission via PROSPECT; register in PADOR/Participant Register. Info session: 15 April 2026 (register by 13 April).

Methodological Priorities

• HRBA integration (gender-responsive, conflict-sensitive, environmental).
• Robust MEL plan with gender/HRBA components.
• Added value: Grassroots/marginalised involvement, sub-granting, Israeli lead/co-applicant.

Key Documents and Links

Primary portal:EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Guidelines, templates (Annexes A-C, H, L), standard contract (Annex G) available there.

Footnotes

1. 1Convert via timeanddate.com; submissions after deadline rejected.
2. 2Excludes issues under Palestinian Authority jurisdiction.