Human Rights Democracy and CSO support to Sri Lanka and the Maldives

The European Commission invites restricted two-stage proposals (concept note then full application) under reference EuropeAid for Human Rights, Democracy and CSO support to Sri Lanka and the Maldives with a total indicative budget of €2,784,500. The call comprises two lots: Lot 1 (Human Rights & Democracy) prioritising digital rights, AI and fundamental freedoms, and Lot 2 (Civil Society) strengthening CSO capacity for climate action and policy dialogue. Grant sizes per action range from a minimum of €1,000,000 to a maximum of €1,260,000 for Lot 1 and €1,500,000 for Lot 2, with EU contributions between 70% and 95% of eligible costs and project durations of 24 to 36 months. Eligible lead applicants are non-profit NGOs (local partners encouraged), concept notes must be submitted via PROSPECT by 25/05/2026 13:00 Brussels time and applicants must register in PADOR.

What it funds

Scope and priorities

Action grants to strengthen human rights, democracy and civil society organisations (CSOs) in Sri Lanka and/or the Maldives. Lot 1 focuses on human rights and safeguarding fundamental freedoms, including digital rights and AI in the context of green and digital transitions. Lot 2 focuses on strengthening CSO capacity for climate action, environmental protection and green transition, and policy dialogue.

Total budget:€2,784,500 total; indicative allocation Lot €1 1,260,000, Lot €2 1,524,500 ¹

Who can apply

Non-profit legal persons (NGOs) are eligible as lead applicants. Projects proposed by organisations based in Sri Lanka and/or the Maldives are encouraged; international applicants must include at least one Sri Lankan or Maldivian co-applicant. Co-applicants and affiliated entities may participate; PADOR registration and online submission via PROSPECT are mandatory.

Grant size and co-financing

Grants are action grants (reimbursement of costs and/or financing not linked to costs). Minimum and maximum request per lot: Lot €1 1,000,000–1,260,000; Lot €2 1,000,000–1,500,000. EU contribution must cover between 70% and 95% of total eligible costs.

Eligibility and timing

1. 1Location: activities must take place in Sri Lanka and/or the Maldives (covering both countries is encouraged).
2. 2Project duration: minimum 24 months, maximum 36 months.
3. 3Call type: restricted two-step procedure (concept note; shortlisted applicants invited to full application).
4. 4Mandatory registration: PADOR (organisation) and online submission in PROSPECT; IT helpdesk available.

Applicants must follow the Guidelines for Applicants and use the official annex templates (application form, budget, logical framework, annexes). Full applications are by invitation after concept-note pre-selection. Administrative and eligibility checks, evaluation grids and possible contractual expenditure verification or third-party assessment apply.

Footnotes

1. 1Detailed call documentation, templates and submission are on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: Funding & Tenders Portal.

Key facts and administrative data

Opportunity title:Human Rights Democracy and CSO support to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Reference: EuropeAid/186264/DD/ACT/Multi. Publication date: 08/04/2026. Deadline for submission of concept notes: 25/05/2026 at 13:00 Brussels time. Total indicative budget for the call: €2,784,500. Lot 1 allocation: €1,260,000. Lot 2 allocation: €1,524,500. Call type: restricted call for proposals (two-stage procedure: concept note then full application). Submission system: online submission via PROSPECT is mandatory; PADOR registration obligatory. Geographic zone: Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Action type: Action grants under NDICI - Global Europe thematic programmes (Human Rights & Democracy and Civil Society).

Deadlines and timetable:Concept note deadline: 25/05/2026 at 13:00 (Brussels time). Indicative invitation to submit full application: 30/06/2026. Indicative deadline for full applications: 14/08/2026. Notification of contracting authority decision: 28/09/2026. Contract signature: 27/11/2026.

Financial details, grant sizes and co-financing

Total indicative call budget €2,784,500 distributed by lot. Lot 1 (Human Rights & Democracy Thematic Programme) indicative allocation €1,260,000. Lot 2 (Civil Society Thematic Programme) indicative allocation €1,524,500. Size of grants and eligibility percentages are explicitly defined per lot and for the call.

1. 1Lot 1 (NDICI - Human Rights & Democracy): grant size must be between €1,000,000 (minimum) and €1,260,000 (maximum).
2. 2Lot 2 (NDICI - Civil Society): grant size must be between €1,000,000 (minimum) and €1,500,000 (maximum).
3. 3Co-financing (applicant contribution) requirement: minimum 70% and maximum 95% of total eligible costs of the action (i.e. the EU contribution must be between 70% and 95% of total eligible costs). The remaining balance must be financed from sources other than the EU general budget or EDF unless full financing is justified and accepted.
4. 4Contingency reserve: permitted up to 5% of direct eligible costs and requires prior written authorisation from the contracting authority to use.
5. 5Indirect costs: flat rate up to maximum 7% of estimated total eligible direct costs (excluding volunteer costs and project office costs) where reimbursement of costs applies.

Programme focus, objectives and eligible activities

The call comprises two complementary lots with distinct but related objectives and priority themes, focused on Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Lot 1 supports human rights, democracy and safeguarding fundamental freedoms with a particular focus on digitalisation, data, AI and their human-rights impacts in the Global Gateway context. Lot 2 supports civil society organisations to strengthen their role in good governance and to engage in climate action, environmental protection and green transition, while strengthening capacities for policy dialogue and use of digital and data tools for climate/environmental work.

1. 1Lot 1 thematic priorities: safeguarding fundamental freedoms, human-centric and rights-based approaches to digitalisation and AI, data protection and privacy, inclusivity in technical development, human rights implications of digital and clean technologies, digital security and mitigation of threats.
2. 2Lot 2 thematic priorities: strengthen CSO institutional and operational capacity to engage in climate action (adaptation and mitigation) and green transition; support inclusive policy dialogue; promote digital tools and open data for environmental monitoring and evidence-based dialogue; awareness raising and behavioural change for green transition; strengthen CSO digital security when working on climate/environmental issues.

Eligible action types:projects implementing coherent sets of activities designed to achieve measurable results within 24 to 36 months (minimum 24 months; maximum 36 months). Actions must take place in Sri Lanka and/or the Maldives; actions covering both countries are strongly encouraged. Ineligible: activities contrary to EU values, purely one-off conferences, operating grants (core funding), work contracts or feasibility/works supervision, actions discriminating or involving proselytism, or activities causing human-rights or environmental harm.

Eligibility: applicants, partners, affiliated entities, roles

Lead applicant requirements vary slightly by lot, but generally the lead applicant must be a legal person, non-profit making, and a non-governmental organisation (NGO). The lead applicant must be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action and not act as an intermediary. Projects submitted by Sri Lankan and/or Maldivian organisations are encouraged to promote local ownership. Applicants with nationality other than Sri Lanka and/or the Maldives must act together with at least one Sri Lankan and/or Maldivian organisation as co-applicant. No nationality restriction otherwise applies for applicants, co-applicants and affiliated entities.

1. 1Eligible applicant types explicitly listed: non-governmental organisations (NGOs), non-profit organisations. For Lot 2 the lead applicant must be effectively established in a Member State of the EU or in Sri Lanka or the Maldives or in an NDICI-Global Europe eligible country as specified in NDICI rules.
2. 2Co-applicants: allowed and must meet same eligibility criteria as lead applicant; they participate in design and implementation and sign a mandate authorising the lead applicant to submit the application and sign the contract.
3. 3Affiliated entities: permitted where a structural link exists (control or membership), must sign affiliated entity statement and satisfy eligibility criteria. Affiliated entities do not become beneficiaries under the contract but costs they incur can be eligible under conditions.
4. 4Associates and contractors: associates (not funded except per diems/travel) may be involved; contractors (procurement) are allowed but cannot be beneficiaries/affiliated entities simultaneously; recipients of financial support (sub-grants) are allowed under conditions and are distinct roles.

Registration requirements:lead applicants, co-applicants and affiliated entities must register in PADOR and submit applications via PROSPECT. Participant Register / PIC registration is mandatory for organisations. PADOR registration at concept note stage is mandatory for lead applicants; co-applicants and affiliated entities register at full application stage.

Consortium and partners

Consortia are allowed. The lead applicant may submit an application alone or with co-applicants. A sole applicant may be an entity formed by several entities (e.g., association) that together comply with eligibility. The lead applicant becomes coordinator (beneficiary identified as coordinator) and is the single interlocutor with the contracting authority. Co-applicants become beneficiaries if the grant is awarded. Co-applicant and affiliated entity restrictions: a co-applicant/affiliated entity may not be co-applicant/affiliated entity for more than one application per lot. The lead applicant may be co-applicant or affiliated entity in other applications.

Application procedure and stages

This is a restricted two-stage call for proposals. Stage 1:submission of concept note (Annex A.1 form). Stage 1 administrative checks and evaluation use an evaluation grid with maximum 50 points; proposals must score at least 30 to be pre-selected. The contracting authority will pre-select concept notes up to 300% of available budget per lot based on ranking. Stage 2: invited lead applicants (pre-selected) submit full applications (Annex A.2). Full applications are evaluated against selection and award criteria. Provisional selection is followed by verification of eligibility (supporting documents) for provisionally selected proposals. Online submission is mandatory via PROSPECT; PADOR registration is required. IT helpdesk details and a public information session are provided by the contracting authority.

Application submission method:Online submission via PROSPECT only. During concept note step applicants must use Annex A.1 (Concept note form). Full applicants must use Annex A.2 (Full application form), Annex B (budget, spreadsheets), Annex C (logical framework) and other annexes as specified in guidelines. All correspondence will be through PROSPECT profile.

Evaluation, scoring and selection

Step 1:Administrative checks and concept note evaluation. Concept notes passing checklist are scored out of 50 (relevance 20; design 30). Minimum pass 30. Pre-selection uses ranking and aggregate requested amounts up to 300% of budget. Step 2: Full application evaluation (selection and award criteria) scored out of 100 covering financial and operational capacity (20), relevance (20), design (15), implementation approach (15), sustainability (15) and budget/cost-effectiveness (15). Section 1 (financial and operational capacity) must score at least 12 (out of 20) and no subsection may score 1 or the application is rejected. Step 3: Verification of eligibility and supporting documents for provisionally selected proposals. Final award decision follows.

Selection and award criteria highlights

1. 1Selection criteria: operational/technical capacity and financial capacity of lead applicant and co-applicants/affiliated entities (experience, staff, equipment, management capacity; for lead applicant financial capacity evidence for specific thresholds).
2. 2Award criteria: relevance to call objectives and country needs; clarity of target groups; intervention logic and results chain; robust context analysis and risk mitigation; feasible activities and implementation plan; monitoring, reporting and evaluation; sustainability and potential multiplier effects; cost-effectiveness and budget realism.
3. 3For actions exceeding €500,000 an external evaluation is recommended and for grants over €5,000,000 additional contractual expenditure verifications apply.

Reporting, audits, expenditure verification and compliance

Reporting:narrative and financial reports must be submitted using Annex VI templates. Reporting periods are normally 12 months; final report due within 3 months after end of implementation (6 months if coordinator headquartered outside implementation country). Financial checks: contractual expenditure verification (AUP) is required for grants above specified thresholds per Annex VII-A. For financing not linked to costs (FNLC) a third-party assessment verifying achievement of results is required for grants above thresholds (Annex VII-B). Beneficiaries must keep records and supporting documents for at least five years after payment of balance (three years for grants up to €60,000) and must allow on-the-spot checks, audits by the Commission, OLAF, EPPO and Court of Auditors. Visibility and communication rules apply and derogations for visibility may be agreed in exceptional security-sensitive cases.

Eligible costs and financial modalities

Grant modality:reimbursement of eligible costs (actual costs) and/or financing not linked to costs (FNLC) or combination of both depending on Annex III. Eligible direct costs include staff, travel and subsistence, equipment, supplies, subcontracts, project office costs (subject to conditions), service contracts, evaluation and contractual expenditure verification costs. Indirect costs may be claimed as a flat rate up to 7% of direct eligible costs (excluding project office and volunteers) where applicable. Volunteers' work may be declared as unit cost within defined limits (up to 50% of all sources of financing). Ineligible costs include debts, provisions, purchases of land/buildings (except when necessary and subject to transfer rules), currency exchange losses, in-kind contributions as costs (except authorised volunteer costs), bonuses in staff costs and salary costs of national administrations in most cases.

Financial guarantees:contracting authority may request an original financial guarantee for the initial pre-financing payment for grants exceeding €60,000. The guarantee model and provider requirements are given in Annex VIII.

Project maturity expectations and stage

The call targets actions at implementation/scale-up stage where civil society organisations and human-rights actors already have an operational base and seek to strengthen institutional, operational and policy-engagement capacities. Expected maturity: implementation-ready projects with demonstrated operational capacity and experience (development, advocacy, digital tools for rights/climate work), or programmes that will scale up validated approaches. Research-only or purely idea-stage proposals are not appropriate. Projects must include robust intervention logic, measurable outputs/outcomes, monitoring and sustainability measures.

Target sectors and cross-cutting issues

Target sectors:human rights, democracy, rule of law, civil society strengthening, digital governance and AI ethics, environmental protection, climate change adaptation and mitigation, green transition, and digital tools for environmental monitoring and participation. Cross-cutting issues required to be mainstreamed: human rights-based approach, gender equality, disability inclusion, youth inclusion, environmental sustainability, SEA-H (sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment) policies and self-evaluation requirements (Annex L for actions above certain thresholds).

SEA-H and safeguarding:Successful applicants (and affiliated entities), other than natural persons, pillar-assessed entities and public bodies, must complete the SEA-H self-evaluation questionnaire (Annex L) for grants above €60,000. Actions must adopt survivor-centred approaches and internal procedures for prevention, reporting and response to SEA-H.

Geographic and beneficiary scope

Location of activities:Sri Lanka and/or the Maldives only. Target beneficiaries: local CSOs, human-rights defenders, democracy actors, policymakers, communities affected by climate/environmental impacts, youth, women, persons with disabilities and marginalised groups. Final beneficiaries are individuals, groups or organisations benefiting from the action at societal or sector level (distinct from the beneficiary of the grant contract).

Eligibility checklist and mandatory documents for full application

1. 1PADOR registration (lead applicant must register at concept note stage; co-applicants and affiliated entities must register at full application stage or provide PADOR offline form Annex F).
2. 2Annex A.2 full application form completed in same language as concept note if invited.
3. 3Annex B budget worksheets (Excel) and justification (worksheets 1a/€1B/1c, 2, 3), Annex C logical framework (Excel).
4. 4Statutes/articles of association for lead applicant and co-applicants, unless eligibility already recognised by contracting authority in previous call within 2 years.
5. 5Declaration on honour on exclusion and selection criteria (Annex H) signed for lead applicant and, if requested, co-applicants and affiliated entities where grant > €15,000.
6. 6Latest accounts and external audit report where applicable thresholds are met (audit report required for action grants exceeding €750,000).
7. 7Self-evaluation questionnaire on SEA-H (Annex L) for grants > €60,000 (administrative requirement).
8. 8Any additional supporting documents requested in the guidelines for applicants, uploaded in PADOR where required.

Risk, ethics, values and procurement

Applicants must respect EU values (human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, rule of law and human rights), avoid conflicts of interest, comply with anti-bribery and anti-corruption rules, environmental legislation and core labour standards. Procurement carried out by beneficiaries must respect procurement rules in Annex IV. Beneficiaries are responsible for ensuring suppliers/contractors are not designated under EU restrictive measures. The call includes strict confidentiality and visibility requirements; derogations on visibility are possible in exceptional security-sensitive situations by written agreement with the EU.

Templates and application form structure (what to prepare)

Applicants must use the published model application forms and annexes. The key templates and their structure are provided in the call documentation and must be followed exactly. The most important elements to prepare are the Concept Note (Annex A.1) and, for invited applicants, the Full Application (Annex A.2) together with Annex B Budget, Annex C Logical Framework and Annex F PADOR form where necessary.

1. 1Concept note (Annex A.1) structure: summary table of the action (objectives, final beneficiaries, expected outputs, main activities, target groups), short description addressing seven instructions (max 2 pages), relevance (max 3 pages), lead applicant and partner information, indicative budget and duration. Strict format requirements (A4, Arial 10, single line spacing, margins).
2. 2Full application (Annex A.2) structure: general information, detailed description of the action (max 18 pages), methodology (max 5 pages), indicative action plan (max 4 pages), sustainability (max 3 pages), logical framework (Annex C), full budget and justification (Annex B worksheets) and experience sections (projects in past 3 years), plus declarations, mandates for co-applicants and affiliated entity statements. Supporting documents as listed in guidelines must be uploaded. Follow checklist in Annex A.2.
3. 3Budget templates (Annex B worksheets): 1a cost-based, €1Bcost-based + FNLC, 1c FNLC only, budget justification worksheet 2 (narrative), expected sources of funding worksheet 3. Use the Excel sheets provided and ensure internal consistency with logical framework outputs and FNLC indicators where relevant.
4. 4Logical Framework (Annex C): results chain listing impact, outcomes and outputs with indicators (mark which indicators are FNLC where used), units, baselines, targets, data sources and assumptions. The logframe is the monitoring tool and must be updated in interim and final reports.
5. 5Contractual expenditure verification terms of reference (Annex VII-A) and model AUP report: prepare to procure an independent practitioner meeting the required qualifications if your grant will trigger expenditure verification obligations.
6. 6For actions with FNLC: prepare third-party assessment terms (Annex VII-B) and specify the indicators that will be measured and the validation method in Annex I and Annex III.

Practical application tips:adhere strictly to page limits and format in the concept note and full application instructions; include required declarations and signed mandates; ensure PADOR and Participant Register (PIC) registration ahead of submission; use the PROSPECT user manual and contact the IT helpdesk early for technical problems; consult FAQs and published Q&A on the call web page; provide thorough logical framework, monitoring and sustainability planning; budget must be realistic and consistent with activities and logframe indicators.

Categorisation and structured answers

The following fields summarise the opportunity classification and structured extraction of key information requested.

1. 1Eligible Applicant Types: non-profit organisations, NGOs, civil society organisations, universities or research institutes are not explicitly excluded but the call emphasises NGOs/CSOs as lead applicants. Public bodies and governments may be involved in some roles but lead applicant eligibility for Lot 1 specifies NGO non-profit legal persons; Lot 2 allows NGOs effectively established in EU Member State or Sri Lanka/Maldives or eligible NDICI countries. Affiliated entities, co-applicants, associates, contractors, and recipients of financial support to third parties are permitted under defined conditions.
2. 2Funding Type: primary mechanism is grant (Action Grants). Grants may take the form of reimbursement of eligible costs and/or financing not linked to costs (FNLC) or a combination. FNLC is authorised where indicated in Annex III and Annex I; third-party assessment is required for FNLC above thresholds.
3. 3Consortium Requirement: consortium is allowed but not mandatory. The call is open to single legal entities or consortia. Co-applicants and affiliated entities are permitted; consortium agreements are possible but affiliated entities do not become signatories of contract (they participate under affiliated entity statements).
4. 4Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): the action must take place in Sri Lanka and/or the Maldives. Lead applicants may be from anywhere with the stipulation that non-local lead applicants are encouraged to act with at least one Sri Lankan and/or Maldivian co-applicant to promote local ownership. Lot 2 requires lead applicant effectively established in EU Member State or Sri Lanka/Maldives or NDICI-eligible country.
5. 5Target Sector: human rights, democracy and rule of law (Lot 1); civil society strengthening, climate action, environment, green transition and digital tools for climate/environmental engagement (Lot 2). Cross-cutting ICT/digital rights, AI, data governance and digital security are central to Lot 1; digital tools and open data for environmental monitoring are central to Lot 2.
6. 6Mentioned Countries: Sri Lanka, Maldives. Europe (EU) referenced as funder/eligibility for lead applicants; Member States referenced for establishment requirements in Lot 2.
7. 7Project Stage: expected maturity is implementation/scale-up (applicants should have prior operational experience and capacity; projects must be implementation-ready and designed for 24–36 months). Activities such as capacity building, policy dialogue, and demonstration/roll-out of digital tools are expected.
8. 8Funding Amount: overall call budget €2,784,500; Lot €1 1,260,000; Lot €2 1,524,500. Per-project grant ranges: Lot €1 1,000,000–1,260,000; Lot €2 1,000,000–1,500,000. Minimum EU contribution percentage of total eligible costs 70%; maximum 95%.
9. 9Application Type: restricted call; two-stage (concept note then full application). Submission mandatory via PROSPECT; PADOR registration obligatory. Applicants submit Annex A.1 (concept note) in first stage; shortlisted applicants invited to Annex A.2 full application.
10. 10Nature of Support: monetary grant funding (reimbursement of eligible costs and/or financing not linked to costs); grants may include financial support to third parties (sub-grants) up to €60,000 per third party, with exceptional scope to exceed this threshold only if explicitly justified and authorised.
11. 11Application Stages: 2 (concept note screening and evaluation; full application evaluation and eligibility verification). After full evaluation a reserve list will be drawn and final checks performed for provisionally selected applicants.
12. 12Success Rates: not specified in call documents. The guidance describes a pre-selection stage limiting invitations to an aggregate amount equal to 300% of available budgets; therefore success rate depends on number of applicants and requested amounts. No numerical success rate provided by contracting authority.
13. 13Co-funding Requirement: co-financing is required such that EU contribution represents between 70% and 95% of total eligible costs; balance must come from other sources not from EU general budget or EDF unless justified for full financing cases. Applicants must describe other expected sources of funding in Annex 3 of budget worksheet.

How applications are assessed and practical requirements

Evaluation rounds and key checks:Stage 1 administrative compliance (deadline met, concept note checklist), concept note scored using a 50-point grid. Only concept notes scoring at least 30 and within the financial envelope limits proceed. Successful concept-note applicants are invited to submit full applications which are scored against selection and award criteria (financial and operational capacity plus quality criteria) out of 100 points; minimum thresholds apply for selection criteria. Provisionally selected applicants undergo an eligibility verification including review of legal/statutory documents, declarations on honour, financial statements and audit reports where applicable. Contracts follow the standard grant contract format (Annex G) and General Conditions (Annex II).

Application templates, forms and structure (detailed)

Applicants must strictly use the provided forms and annex templates. Key templates and structure details extracted from the call documentation are summarised below to help applicants prepare compliant submissions.

1. 1Annex A.1 Concept note: includes cover page (title, lead applicant), summary table (overall objective, specific objective, final beneficiaries, outputs, main activities, target groups), Description of the action (seven points in instructions, max 2 pages), Relevance (max 3 pages), lead applicant and partner details, project details (duration, indicative requested EU contribution and percent). Concept note must follow formatting instructions: A4, 2 cm margins, Arial 10, single line spacing.
2. 2Annex A.2 Full application: structured sections including General information; The action (description max 18 pages, methodology max 5 pages, indicative action plan max 4 pages, sustainability max 3 pages, logical framework Annex C, budget Annex B); Experience (past 3 years, projects of comparable scale); Lead applicant/co-applicants/affiliated entities (statutes, mandates, signed statements); Associates and procurement details; Declarations (signed). Attachments: statutes, accounts, audit reports where applicable, Annex H declaration on honour, Annex F PADOR if offline needed.
3. 3Annex B Budget: Excel worksheets 1a (cost-based), €1B (cost-based + FNLC), 1c (FNLC only), budget justification worksheet 2 (narrative cost justification) and worksheet 3 (expected sources of funding). Budget must be realistic, balanced and in EUR; contingency reserve up to 5% and indirect costs up to 7% have ceiling rules.
4. 4Annex C Logical Framework: fill Result chain (impact, outcomes, outputs), indicators, specify which indicators are used for financing not linked to costs (mark FNLC YES/NO), units of measure, baseline, targets with years, sources of data and assumptions. The Logframe is the basis of monitoring and, in FNLC, of payments.
5. 5Annex VII-A (AUP ToR) and model report: for contractual expenditure verification where required; the coordinator must procure an eligible independent practitioner complying with ISRS 4400 and ToR qualifications. Annex VII-B (third-party assessment) is used for FNLC validation where required.

Administrative checklist highlights for full application:ensure PADOR registration, sign and include mandates and affiliated entity statements, upload statutes/articles of association, provide lead applicant latest accounts and external audit reports if thresholds apply, sign Annex H declaration of honour for exclusion criteria, include SEA-H self-evaluation where required, include detailed logical framework and budget justification, and any procurement or sub-granting procedures documentation as applicable.

Mandatory compliance items and specialised rules

1. 1Respect and demonstrate alignment with EU values (human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, rule of law, human rights) across activities and beneficiaries.
2. 2Comply with SEA-H prevention and response requirements and complete Annex L self-evaluation for grants above €60,000.
3. 3Procurement rules and the nationality/origin rules set out in Annex IV must be followed for all purchases and contracts procured by beneficiaries under the grant.
4. 4Visibility rules and EU emblem usage must be respected; derogations for visibility are possible on request for security-sensitive contexts and must be documented and approved.
5. 5Anti-fraud, anti-corruption, conflict-of-interest measures and record-keeping obligations apply; beneficiaries must allow Commission, OLAF, EPPO and Court of Auditors access for verifications and audits.

Success rate and competition context

The call does not publish explicit historical success-rate figures. The concept note pre-selection step restricts invitations to an aggregate requested amount equal to 300% of the available budget per lot. Consequently, competitiveness will depend on the number of concept notes and requested amounts. Applicants should assume high competition given budgets and minimum request sizes of €1,000,000 per proposal.

Practical checklist for applicants (summary)

1. 1Register lead applicant in PADOR and the Participant Register; obtain PIC prior to full application.
2. 2Prepare a concise concept note following Annex A.1 instructions and format requirements; include logical framework summary and indicative budget figure and percentage.
3. 3If shortlisted, prepare the full application with Annex A.2, full Annex B budget Excel worksheets, Annex C logical framework Excel, supporting documents (statutes, accounts, audit reports if needed), Annex H declaration, mandates from co-applicants and affiliated entity statements, Annex F PADOR offline if needed.
4. 4If proposing financial support to third parties, define selection criteria, eligible activities, amounts and maximum per third party (standard maximum €60,000 unless exceptional justification applies) in Annex A.2 Section 2.1.1.
5. 5Plan for contractual expenditure verification AUP (Annex VII-A) if requested (procure qualified practitioner) and for third-party assessment for FNLC where required.
6. 6Ensure SEA-H self-evaluation (Annex L) is completed when required.
7. 7Submit all documents and applications via PROSPECT by deadlines; do not wait until last day; use PROSPECT user manual and IT helpdesk contacts if needed.

Mentioned reference documents and links

Primary call documentation published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal includes:Guidelines for applicants, Annexes (A.1, A.2, B, C, G, H, L, VII-A, IX, etc.), PROSPECT user manual and PADOR registration guidance. All calls and Q&A are published on the Funding & Tenders Portal. See PROSPECT for online submission and PADOR for registration. ¹

Success factors and recommended applicant profile

Competitive applicants should be established NGOs or civil society networks with a track record of managing EU-funded grants or comparable donor projects in Sri Lanka and/or the Maldives, demonstrable operational and financial capacity to implement a multi-year programme of €1–€1.5M, credible local partnerships (preferably Sri Lankan or Maldivian co-applicants), strong monitoring and evaluation systems (robust logical framework and indicators), experience in human rights and democracy or climate/environmental advocacy and use of digital/data tools, and strong risk and safeguarding policies (including SEA-H procedures).

Final summary: What is this opportunity about?

This restricted two-stage EU call for proposals finances Action Grants for civil society and human-rights actors working in Sri Lanka and the Maldives to promote and protect human rights, democratic freedoms and to strengthen civil society engagement in climate action and green transition. It funds substantial projects (minimum €1M per grant) that run for 24–36 months. Lot 1 targets human rights, democracy and the rights implications of digitalisation and new technologies; Lot 2 targets CSO capacity for climate action and environmental protection with emphasis on policy dialogue and digital/data-enabled approaches. Applicants must be NGOs or civil society actors with proven operational capacity, register in PADOR and submit concept notes via PROSPECT by the stated deadline. The process is competitive, with a concept-note pre-selection stage followed by full application invitations. Funding can take the form of reimbursement of eligible costs, financing not linked to costs, or a combination, subject to the budget and payment rules. Strong compliance, safeguards, robust logical framework and monitoring arrangements, local partnership and realistic budgets increase the chances of success.

Footnotes

1. 1EU Funding & Tenders Portal entry and PROSPECT submission: ec.europa.eu

This EU grant opportunity under reference EuropeAid provides €2,784,500 for action grants targeting Sri Lanka and the Maldives. It is divided into two lots focusing on human rights, democracy, and civil society strengthening, with activities aligned to EU priorities including the Global Gateway strategy on sustainable connectivity.

Programme Objectives and Lots

Lot 1: NDICI - Global Europe Human Rights & Democracy Thematic Programme

Global objective:Increase protection and promotion of human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy, and rule of law worldwide. Specific objective: Safeguarding fundamental freedoms, including harnessing opportunities and addressing challenges of digital and new technologies in the context of Global Gateway. Priority: Address how digitalisation, data, and emerging technologies impact human rights, supporting human-centric approaches to digitalisation and green recovery.

Lot 2: NDICI - Global Europe Civil Society Thematic Programme

Global objective:Strengthen CSOs as independent actors of good governance and development. Specific objective: Strengthen capacity of local CSOs to engage in climate action (adaptation, mitigation, environmental protection, green transition), using policy dialogue as main modality. Priority: Support CSOs in promoting inclusive, climate-resilient development pathways aligned with Global Gateway.

Activities must complement Multiannual Indicative Programme (MIP) priorities:Sri Lanka (green recovery, inclusive society); Maldives (green recovery, good governance, rule of law, security). Actions covering both countries strongly encouraged. Specify regions/districts/atolls with justification.

Financial Allocations and Grant Size

Total Budget:€2,784,500. Indicative: Lot €1 1,260,000; Lot €2 1,524,500.

Grant Amounts:Lot 1: Minimum €1,000,000, maximum €1,260,000. Lot 2: Minimum €1,000,000, maximum €1,500,000.

Funding Rates:Minimum 70%, maximum 95% of total eligible costs. Balance from sources other than EU general budget or EDF. Full financing possible if justified as essential.

Eligibility Criteria

• Lead applicant: Legal person, non-profit, NGO (voluntary, independent from government, non-political, non-trade union).
• Lot 1: No nationality restriction.
• Lot 2: Established in EU Member State, Sri Lanka, Maldives, or eligible NDICI-Global Europe country.
• Local applicants (Sri Lanka/Maldives) encouraged. Non-local lead applicants must partner with at least one local co-applicant.
• Co-applicants: Same criteria as lead applicant.
• Affiliated entities: Structural link (control/membership) with applicants.
• Lead applicant/co-applicant cannot submit more than one application per lot.

Actions:24-36 months duration, in Sri Lanka and/or Maldives (both encouraged). Project form with SMART indicators. Ineligible: breaching EU values, individual sponsorships/scholarships, one-off conferences, discrimination, religious proselytism, political parties/violence, equipment procurement only, core funding, works.

Eligible Activities

Lot 1 Activities:

• Enhance knowledge of digital technologies' impact on human rights, environmental justice.
• Educate youth on open internet, digital tools for public debate/green recovery.
• Counter harmful effects on data protection/privacy/security.
• Promote human-rights-based AI, ethical conduct.
• Ensure inclusivity for women, youth, disabled, marginalised in digital/green solutions.
• Align digital/AI regulations with human rights norms.

Lot 2 Activities:

• Build CSO capacities for policy dialogue on climate/environment/green transition.
• Use digital tools for climate data collection/sharing.
• Raise awareness on green recovery/transition opportunities/challenges.
• Facilitate participatory climate dialogue.
• Enhance CSO organisational capacities for sustainability.
• Develop digital communication/education on climate/environment.
• Strengthen CSO digital security.

Activities targeting women, youth, marginalised groups/gender equality/non-discrimination strongly encouraged. Financial support to third parties allowed (max €60,000/third party unless impossible otherwise).

Application Procedure

1. 1Restricted call: Submit concept note (Annex A.1) by 25/05/2026, 01:00 p.m. Brussels time via PROSPECT.
2. 2Pre-selected applicants submit full application (Annex A.2).
3. 3Online submission mandatory via PROSPECT (register in PADOR/Participant Register).
4. 4English only. Concept note: max 5 pages (summary + description + relevance). Full: detailed narrative, logframe, budget.

Information session:30/04/2026, 10:00 a.m. Brussels time (Webex link in guidelines). Questions: DELEGATION-SRI-LANKA-EIDHR@eeas.europa.eu (by 04/05/2026).

Evaluation Criteria

Reserve list possible. Eligibility verified post-evaluation.

Key Deadlines and Timetable

1. 1Concept notes: 25/05/2026, 01:00 p.m. Brussels time.
2. 2Full applications: ~14/08/2026.
3. 3Notification: ~28/09/2026.
4. 4Contract signature: ~27/11/2026.

Apply via PROSPECT:EU Funding Portal. Guidelines and templates available there.

Other Requirements

• Visibility: EU emblem/funding statement; comply with guidelines Communication Requirements.
• Ethics/SEA-H: Self-evaluation questionnaire (Annex L); zero tolerance.
• Procurement: Annex IV rules.
• Audit: Expenditure verification for larger grants.

Detailed documents:Guidelines (Annex), templates (Annexes A-L). Contracting authority: European Commission. Primary Source.

Footnotes

1. 1All data from official EU portal scraping and documents (08/04/2026). Dates in Brussels time.