No Child Left Behind: Inclusion and Protection for Children with Disabilities

Restricted EU action grant No Child Left Behind:Inclusion and Protection for Children with Disabilities supports rights based, community level and systems strengthening interventions for children with disabilities in Egypt. The total envelope is €3,900,000 with individual grants between €650,000 and €1,000,000, EU contribution between 51 percent and 95 percent and action duration of 24 to 36 months. Applications follow a two stage restricted procedure with concept notes submitted via PROSPECT by 30 September 2026 and mandatory PADOR and Participant Register registration. The call requires at least 60 percent of eligible costs to be delivered as financial support to third parties and is open to non profit NGOs established in Egypt, EU Member States or EEA contracting parties that meet eligibility and safeguarding requirements.

Call at a glance

Essential facts

EU action grant to support protection, inclusion and family/community capacity for children with disabilities in the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Total available / grant size:Indicative budget €3,900,000. Individual grants must request between €650,000 and €1,000,000; EU co-financing 51% to 95% of eligible costs ¹.

Deadline for concept notes (restricted two-stage procedure):30 September 2026, 12:00 Brussels time. Pre-selected lead applicants will be invited to submit full applications.

What the call funds

Rights-based programmes addressing one or more priority areas:(1) human rights and protection against violence/abuse; (2) social inclusion and participation (education, community engagement); (3) family- and community-based support and enabling environments. Actions must take place in Egypt and be designed around children with disabilities and their families.

Who can apply

1. 1Lead applicant: non-profit non-governmental legal persons established in Egypt, an EU Member State, or EEA contracting party and directly responsible for the action.
2. 2Co-applicants: mandatory if lead is established in an EU/EEA country (must include at least one co-applicant established in Egypt). Where lead is in Egypt, co-applicants are optional but encouraged.
3. 3Affiliated entities: permitted when structural link exists; recipients of financial support (third parties) must be non-profit entities established in Egypt (individuals and for-profit entities ineligible).

Key eligibility and implementation rules

This is a restricted (two-stage) call:only concept notes at first stage. Online submission via PROSPECT is mandatory; organisations must register in PADOR and the Participant Register (PIC) as required. Actions must run in Egypt and last 24 to 36 months.

1. 1Minimum 60% of total eligible costs must be delivered as financial support to third parties (sub-grants) unless otherwise justified; maximum per third party normally €60,000 unless higher amounts are justified.
2. 2Consortia are encouraged but to preserve manageability applicants are advised to limit to no more than two co-applicants unless justified.
3. 3Eligible direct costs and simplified cost options rules apply; indirect costs up to 7% may be claimed where allowed.

Apply only if you are a non-profit organisation with legal status and implementation capacity appropriate to manage large action grants in Egypt, including ability to manage financial support to third parties and to meet EU reporting, audit and visibility requirements.

How applications are evaluated:Two-step evaluation: administrative checks and scoring of concept notes (threshold score for pre-selection), then full application evaluation including financial and operational capacity, quality, cost-effectiveness and sustainability.

Footnotes

1. 1Guidelines for applicants, Annexes and application forms are published with the call on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: No Child Left Behind: Inclusion and Protection for Children with Disabilities. See the call page for full documents and submission instructions Call page.

Basic facts

Title:No Child Left Behind: Inclusion and Protection for Children with Disabilities. Reference: EuropeAid. Contracting authority: European Commission (DG International Partnerships / related Delegation). Publication date: 16 August 2026. Deadline for submission of concept notes: 30 September 2026 at 12:00 Brussels time. Indicative total budget for this call: €3,900,000. Size of grants available: minimum €650,000; maximum €1,000,000. Grant form: Action grants taking the form of reimbursement of eligible costs and may include financing not linked to costs where indicated. Duration of actions: minimum 24 months, maximum 36 months (unless otherwise specified in special conditions). Location of actions: Egypt (all activities must take place in Egypt).

Concept note procedure:This is a restricted call for proposals with a two-stage procedure. First, applicants submit a concept note (Annex A.1). Only concept notes will be evaluated in the first instance. Pre-selected lead applicants will be invited to submit a full application (Annex A.2). Full applications are required to supply supporting documents, budget (Annex B) and logical framework (Annex C). Online submission via PROSPECT is mandatory; PADOR registration is required for lead applicants at the concept note stage and for co-applicants/affiliated entities at full application stage. The contracting authority may require contractual guarantees or additional validations for selected proposals. Supporting guidance and templates (Annexes A–L, Annex G standard contract, PRAG) are published with the call.

Policy rationale, objective and priorities

Geographic and policy context:The call targets children with disabilities in the Arab Republic of Egypt. It responds to contextual needs including barriers to inclusive education, health and protection, social stigma, intersecting disadvantages (poverty, gender, geography) and limited family/community support. It aligns with Egypt's legal framework including Law No. 10/2018 on rights of persons with disabilities, national disability strategy 2026–2030, CRC and CRPD ratifications, and EU global disability inclusion strategies and international commitments.

Global objective:To contribute to the full realisation of the rights, dignity, and well-being of children with disabilities in Egypt by promoting inclusive social environments, strengthening families and communities, and enhancing institutional and systemic capacities to deliver equitable and accessible services.

Specific objectives (SO):SO1: Advance a rights-based approach to protect children with disabilities from discrimination, neglect, violence and abuse. SO2: Foster inclusion and participation of children with disabilities in school, peer and community life and address stigma and harmful norms. SO3: Strengthen capacity of parents, caregivers and other duty-bearers, and support family and community-based environments that enable well-being and participation.

Priority areas:Applicants must address at least one of the three Priority Areas. Proposals addressing multiple priority areas in an integrated manner are favourably scored.

1. 1Priority Area 1: Human Rights and Protection of Children with Disabilities. Example actions: non-discrimination campaigns; prevention and response to violence and abuse (including positive parenting and non-violent discipline); training for frontline actors (teachers, religious leaders, health workers); support to obtain integrated service cards and awareness of entitlements.
2. 2Priority Area 2: Social Inclusion and Participation. Example actions: support access to inclusive education, recreation and community participation; stigma reduction and community engagement; peer interaction, life skills, self-advocacy; inclusion in cultural, sports and social activities.
3. 3Priority Area 3: Family and Enabling Environment. Example actions: capacity building for caregivers (inclusive caregiving, counselling, peer support); community-based support and rehabilitation; improvements to physical and social accessibility of local services and spaces; strengthening linkages to social protection (Takaful & Karama, public health insurance) and integrating livelihoods support for caregiver resilience as a complementary component (livelihoods must not be the primary focus).

Eligibility and applicant requirements

Lead applicant eligibility, partnership rules, and affiliated entities are defined precisely in Section 2.1 of the guidelines. The call restricts eligible lead applicants to non-profit non-governmental organisations effectively established in Egypt, EU Member States, or EEA contracting parties. Lead applicant must be a legal person, non-profit, and an NGO. Lead applicant must be directly responsible for preparation and management of the action, and cannot act as an intermediary.

1. 1Lead applicant: non-profit NGO; legal entity; established in Egypt, an EU Member State or an EEA contracting party; directly responsible for the action.
2. 2Co-applicants: Obligatory where lead applicant is established in an EU Member State or EEA contracting party. In those cases, at least one co-applicant must be effectively established in Egypt. If the lead applicant is in Egypt, co-applicants are not obligatory but partnerships are encouraged. Consortium size is recommended to be limited to no more than two co-applicants unless justified.
3. 3Affiliated entities: permitted where there is a structural link (control or membership) with applicants; affiliated entities do not become beneficiaries on the contract but their costs can be eligible if affiliation is proven and declared; affiliated entities must sign an affiliated entity statement.
4. 4Associates, contractors, recipients of financial support: associates may be involved but may not receive funding except per diem/travel; contractors (procurement/subcontracting) follow Annex IV procurement rules; recipients of financial support (sub-grants) are allowed and must be non-profit entities established in Egypt meeting specified experience/mandate requirements. Individuals and for-profit entities are not eligible recipients of the financial support to third parties.

Number of applications:A lead applicant may not submit more than one application and may not be awarded more than one grant under this call. Lead applicants may not be co-applicants or affiliated entities in other applications simultaneously. Similar restrictions apply to co-applicants/affiliated entities.

Eligibility of actions and activities:Eligible actions must take place in Egypt, have a duration of 24–36 months, and be delivered primarily through financial support to third parties (sub-granting) representing at least 60% of total eligible costs. The lead applicant and co-applicants must provide capacity-building, technical accompaniment, oversight and complementary direct implementation activities. Financial support to third parties is compulsory under this call; maximum per third party is normally €60,000 (can be exceeded if justified).

Ineligible activities include actions primarily limited to individual sponsorships or scholarships, activities that violate human rights or breach EU values, or measures with significant adverse environmental/climate impacts.

Funding details, co-financing and eligible costs

Available funding and grant size:Total indicative allocation for the call: €3,900,000. Grant amounts per selected proposal must be between €650,000 and €1,000,000. The contracting authority reserves the right not to award all available funds.

EU contribution rate and co-financing:The EU contribution to eligible costs must be between 51% and 95% of total eligible costs. The balance must be financed from other sources than the EU general budget or EDF. Applicants must indicate an estimated EU contribution at the concept note stage; at full application stage the EU contribution cannot vary from the concept note estimate by more than 20%.

Eligible costs rules:Grants are reimbursement-based. Eligible costs follow Article 14 of Annex II. Eligible direct costs include staff (gross salaries and employer contributions), travel and subsistence, equipment and supplies dedicated to the action (purchase, depreciation, rental), consumables, contracts (services/works/supplies), and costs deriving directly from contract requirements (visibility, audits, contractual expenditure verification, evaluations, financial services). Indirect costs can be claimed as a flat rate not exceeding 7% of direct eligible costs (excluding volunteers and project office costs) if specified in the special conditions. A contingency reserve up to 5% of direct eligible costs may be included but used only with prior written authorisation.

Ineligible costs include debts/interest, provisions for losses, costs already financed by other EU grants, purchases of land/buildings except where strictly required by the action and ownership transferred in line with contract, currency exchange losses, in-kind contributions (except authorised volunteers' work), bonuses in staff costs and salary costs of national administration staff (except where allowed in special conditions).

Financial support to third parties (sub-granting) — mandatory modality

Financial support to third parties is compulsory and must represent at least 60% of total eligible costs. Eligible recipients of financial support: non-profit legal entities effectively established in Egypt with mandates aligned to action objectives and demonstrated experience working with children and/or children with disabilities and families. Individuals, for-profit entities, and entities affiliated with applicants are not eligible recipients of financial support. The lead applicant must define in the full application (Annex A.2 Section 2.1.1) the objectives and outputs linked to the financial support, types of eligible activities, categories of persons/entities eligible, selection criteria, criteria for amounts and maximum per third party (default €60,000). Mandatory conditions must be fixed in the grant contract to avoid discretionary allocation at implementation.

Application and selection process

Submission, systems and language:Applications must be submitted online via PROSPECT. Lead applicants, co-applicants and affiliated entities (except natural persons) must register in PADOR and the EU Participant Register (PIC) as required. Applications must be in English. Concept notes follow the Annex A.1 template and full applications follow Annex A.2 template. Only the concept note form will be evaluated at step 1; full application elements will be evaluated at step 2 when invited. Timetable published in the guidelines provides indicative dates for invitations, full application deadline and contract signature.

Evaluation steps and scoring:Evaluation is multi-stage. Step 1: administrative checks and concept note evaluation (score out of 50); passing score is at least 30. Concept notes are ranked and pre-selected up to 300% of available budget. Step 2: full application evaluation including selection (financial/operational capacity) and award criteria (quality, relevance, sustainability, cost-effectiveness) using a grid with total 100 points; rejection thresholds apply for Section 1 (financial and operational capacity). Step 3: verification of eligibility of applicants and submitted supporting documents (eligibility check before award).

1. 1Concept note evaluation: relevance (20), design (30) — total 50. Subscores use 1–5 scale; some items multiplied reflecting importance. Passing threshold: minimum 30/50.
2. 2Full application evaluation: Section 1 financial & operational capacity (20); Section 2 relevance (20); Section 3 design (15); Section 4 implementation approach (15); Section 5 sustainability (15); Section 6 budget & cost-effectiveness (15). Total 100. Section 1 minimum score 12 required or rejection; any subsection score of 1 triggers rejection.

After ranking full applications, provisional selection is made up to available budget and a reserve list is produced. Award decision follows eligibility verification and contracting authority decision. Notifications are made via PROSPECT.

Contracting, reporting, checks and audit

Successful applicants sign the standard grant contract (Annex G special conditions + Annex II general conditions). Grants are typically reimbursement-based. Reporting obligations include narrative and financial interim and final reports per Annex VI templates. Where the grant exceeds €100,000, a contractual expenditure verification (agreed-upon procedures) or third party assessment (for FNLC parts) may be required; for grants €5,000,000 or more additional checks apply. Beneficiaries must keep records for five years after payment of the balance (three years if grant ≤ €60,000) and allow on-site checks and audits by Commission, OLAF, EPPO, European Court of Auditors and other authorised auditors. The contract includes provisions for visibility, confidentiality, SEA-H self-evaluation (Annex L) and zero tolerance policies, and anti-corruption obligations.

Indicators, logframe and financial templates:Applicants must complete Annex C Logical Framework and Annex B Budget (worksheets 1a/€1B/1c as applicable). Where FNLC (financing not linked to costs) is used, Annex B includes FNLC components and pre-agreed performance indicators; third party assessment may validate results in such cases. The logframe indicators must be RACER and include baseline, target (with year) and data sources. Budget justification and activity-to-cost correspondence required.

Scoring, selection ratios and success likelihood

Selection process:concept notes scored out of 50 with threshold 30. Pre-selection proceeds until cumulative requested EU contributions equal 300% of available envelope. From pre-selected applicants, full applications are evaluated and ranked; highest scoring applications are provisionally selected until available budget is reached; a reserve list is produced. Exact success rates are not published for the call; selection is competitive and influenced by quality, compliance, geographic and thematic coverage and budget. Historically, restricted calls with budget ceilings and multi-stage evaluation frequently produce selection rates well below 20% at concept note stage depending on competition; applicants should assume competitive environment and craft high-quality, tightly costed proposals aligned to priorities.

Administrative requirements and templates

Mandatory submission platform:PROSPECT. Mandatory PADOR registration for lead applicant at concept note stage; co-applicants and affiliated entities register at full application stage. Required annexes at full application include: Annex B budget (Excel), Annex C logframe (Excel), Annex D identification form(s), Annex H declaration on honour, Annex L SEA-H self-evaluation, Annex F PADOR form if online registration impossible. All templates are published with the call and must be used without modification. Financial templates include cost-based and FNLC worksheets and guidance on unit calculations, depreciation, indirect costs, contingency, volunteers and third party assessment/contractual expenditure verification ToR (Annex VII-A and VII-B).

1. 1Annex A.1 — Concept note form (strict format: page limits, Arial 10, single spacing).
2. 2Annex A.2 — Full application form and instructions (Description up to 18 pages; Methodology 5 pages; Action plan 4 pages; Sustainability 3 pages).
3. 3Annex B — Budget (worksheets 1a cost-based, €1Bcost-based + FNLC, 1c FNLC only), budget justification and expected sources of funding.
4. 4Annex C — Logical framework matrix (indicators, baselines, targets, sources, assumptions).
5. 5Annex D — Identification forms for public/private legal entities.
6. 6Annex F — PADOR offline registration form (if online impossible).
7. 7Annex G — Standard grant contract templates (special conditions, general conditions), Annex IV procurement rules, Annex VII-A expenditure verification ToR, Annex VII-B third party assessment ToR, Annex VIII model financial guarantee, Annex IX asset transfer template.
8. 8Annex H — Declaration of honour on exclusion and selection criteria.
9. 9Annex L — Self-evaluation questionnaire on SEA-H (for grants > €60,000 administrative requirement).

Applicants must follow PRAG and ePRAG guidance for procurement, contracting and grant implementation; contractual templates must be accepted as they stand; amendments to contractual conditions are limited and exceptional.

Evaluation stages and number of stages

Application stages:two main stages (1) Concept note submission, administrative checks and concept note evaluation; (2) Full application submission, administrative and quality evaluation, selection and eligibility verification. After selection, contract signature and implementation follow. In addition, eligibility verification of documents for provisionally selected applicants (Step 3) is performed before final award. Practical steps: 1. Concept note submitted via PROSPECT; 2. Pre-selection communicates invitation to full application; 3. Full application submitted via PROSPECT; 4. Evaluation and provisional selection; 5. Eligibility verification of supporting documents; 6. Award decision and contract signature. Thus applicants pass through 2–3 evaluation stages before final award.

Success conditions, risks and compliance

Key success factors:strong rights-based design directly responding to priorities; clear and evidence-based context analysis for target groups (children with disabilities and families in Egypt); robust third-party financial support design and selection criteria; well-defined selection criteria and management arrangements for sub-grants; realistic and justified budget; credible monitoring, evaluation and safeguarding arrangements (SEA-H, child protection, do-no-harm); demonstrable operational and financial capacity and relevant experience; sound risk analysis and mitigation; visibility and EU alignment. Risks that can lead to rejection: incomplete concept note or full application, failure to satisfy eligibility criteria, missing PADOR/PIC registration, insufficient financial or operational capacity, failure to provide required supporting documents at full application, ethical or legal non-compliance, procurement irregularities or conflicts of interest.

Where and how to submit:All submissions via PROSPECT (webgate.ec.europa.eu). PADOR registration (webgate.ec.europa.eu) and EU Participant Register (PIC) registration are mandatory as specified. Contact for clarifications: delegation-egypt-children-inclusion@eeas.europa.eu. IT support for PROSPECT/PADOR: ec-external-relations-application-support@ec.europa.eu. Questions must be sent no later than 21 days before the concept note deadline; replies are published on the call web-page.

Templates and application structure guidance

Applicants must strictly follow the concept note (Annex A.1) and full application (Annex A.2) formats. Concept note: summary table, up to 2 pages description, up to 3 pages relevance, and other mandatory sections including Declaration by lead applicant. Full application: Description up to 18 pages (including context analysis, intervention logic, outputs, activities), methodology 5 pages, action plan (up to 4 pages arranged by half-years and months), sustainability (3 pages), logical framework (Annex C), and detailed budget worksheets (Annex B). The budget justification worksheet (Annex B Worksheet 2) must explain unit calculations and necessity of costs. Activity matrix (Annex E3d) must link activities to outputs and indicate indicative inputs and amounts. Where financing not linked to costs (FNLC) is used, the budget must show results, pre-agreed indicators, units, targets, unit values and maximum EU contribution per indicator. The standard request for payment, transfer of assets templates, and contractual expenditure verification and third party assessment ToR are published as annexes and must be used if applicable.

Eligible applicant types (summary)

Based on the call text, eligible applicant types and roles are the following.

1. 1Lead applicant: Non-profit non-governmental organisations (NGOs) established in the Arab Republic of Egypt, EU Member States or contracting parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area.
2. 2Co-applicants: Other eligible organisations (non-profit legal entities) joining as co-applicants when lead applicant is established in EU/EEA; at least one co-applicant must be effectively established in Egypt in that case. Co-applicants must satisfy same eligibility criteria and sign mandate.
3. 3Affiliated entities: Entities with a structural legal/capital or membership link to lead applicant or co-applicants; may implement activities and incur costs deemed eligible if declared and proven; they do not become contract signatories but sign an affiliated entity statement.
4. 4Recipients of financial support (sub-grantees): Non-profit legal entities effectively established in Egypt, with mandate and experience with children including children with disabilities (civil society organisations, community-based organisations, organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), associations, foundations). Individuals and for-profit entities are ineligible as sub-grant recipients.

Funding type:Primary financial mechanism: grant (action grants). Forms: reimbursement of eligible costs and, where indicated, financing not linked to costs (FNLC) for specific outputs/indicators.

Consortium requirement:Consortium required in specific cases: If lead applicant is established in an EU/EEA Member State then at least one co-applicant established in Egypt is obligatory. If lead applicant is established in Egypt, co-applicants are optional but encouraged. To preserve manageability consortia are encouraged to limit the number of co-applicants to no more than two unless clearly justified.

Beneficiary scope (geographic eligibility):Actions must take place in Egypt. Eligible lead applicants may be established in Egypt, EU Member States or EEA contracting parties. Eligible third-party recipients must be established in Egypt.

Target sector:Sectors targeted: child protection, disability inclusion, social protection, education inclusion, community-based rehabilitation, health/rehabilitation services, family support and livelihoods as complementary measures. Thematic focus: human rights, protection, social inclusion and family-enabling environment for children with disabilities.

Mentioned countries:Explicitly mentioned country: Egypt. Also references EU Member States and EEA contracting parties for applicant establishment eligibility.

Project stage expected:Expected project maturity: implementation and demonstration/scale-up of service delivery and systems-strengthening interventions. Actions must design and deliver financial support to third parties, capacity building and systemic interventions, therefore projects are expected at operational implementation maturity rather than purely research or ideation stages.

Funding amount (per project):Minimum grant: €650,000. Maximum grant: €1,000,000. Total envelope: €3,900,000.

Application type and timing:Application method: restricted call with two-stage open call process (Concept note stage followed by invitation-only full application). Submission channel: PROSPECT online portal. Deadline for concept notes: 30/09/2026 at 12:00 Brussels time. Indicative timetable: invitations to full applications by 10/11/2026; full application deadline 04/01/2027; award decisions by 15/02/2027; contract signature by 30/04/2027.

Nature of support:Beneficiaries will receive monetary support in the form of grants (reimbursement of eligible costs and potentially FNLC payments) and non-monetary services in-kind (capacity building, technical accompaniment, monitoring and oversight obligations). The majority of financing must be allocated as financial support to third parties (sub-grants).

Application stages:Number of distinct procedural stages to obtain award: three principal evaluation/selection stages: (1) Administrative checks and concept note evaluation; (2) Full application evaluation (selection and award criteria, capacity checks); (3) Eligibility verification of supporting documents and final verification prior to award. After award, contracting and pre-financing steps follow, and implementation monitoring, expenditure verification and reporting steps occur.

Success rates:Success rates are not provided by the call. The process selects concept notes scoring minimum 30/50 and subject to budget thresholds (pre-selection up to 300% of available budget), then selects full applications to available budget. Applicants should assume significant competition and craft high-quality, compliant proposals.

Co-funding requirement:Yes. Minimum EU contribution percentage to eligible costs is 51% and maximum 95%. The remainder must be financed from sources other than the EU general budget or the European Development Fund. Own contributions may be replaced by other donors' contributions, subject to justification.

Templates: structure and guidance for applicants

Key templates and the structure applicants must follow are provided as annexes to the Guidelines for Applicants and must be used without modification. Important elements applicants must prepare and how they look structurally:

1. 1Annex A.1 Concept note: cover page plus summary table (objectives, final beneficiaries, expected outputs, main activities, target groups, requested EU contribution and percentage), description (max 2 pages), relevance (max 3 pages), lead applicant and partners information, Declaration by the lead applicant. Strict formatting rules apply (A4, 2 cm margins, Arial 10, single spacing).
2. 2Annex A.2 Full application: General information; The Action (Description max 18 pages, Methodology max 5 pages, Action plan max 4 pages, Sustainability max 3 pages), Logical Framework (Annex C), Budget (Annex B) with detailed justification, Experience (past actions tables), Declarations (mandates, affiliated entity statements). Detailed checklists accompany the full application instructions. The full application can only be submitted if invited following pre-selection.
3. 3Annex B Budget: Worksheet 1a (cost-based), Worksheet €1B (cost-based + FNLC), Worksheet 1c (FNLC only), Worksheet 2 (justification of costs) and Worksheet 3 (expected sources of funding). Budgets must be in EUR, unit values and number of units must be explicitly indicated. Indirect costs flat-rate must not exceed 7% of eligible direct costs (except volunteers and project office). Contingency reserve up to 5% allowed with prior authorisation.
4. 4Annex C Logical Framework: Results chain (impact, outcomes, outputs), indicators, FNLC flag if an indicator is used for financing not linked to costs, unit of measure, baseline, target (with year), sources of data and assumptions. For FNLC, indicators in the logframe become sub-headings in the FNLC budget and require pre-agreed unit values/targets in Annex B.
5. 5Annex E Activities matrix: lists outputs and corresponding activities, indicative inputs and amounts and assumptions. Applicants must cluster activities by outputs and provide implementing bodies for each.
6. 6Annex G Standard grant contract and Annex II General Conditions: applicants commit to accept contractual terms if awarded. Annexes include procurement rules (Annex IV), model grant contract special conditions, model financial guarantee (Annex VIII) and model templates for asset transfer (Annex IX).
7. 7Annex VII-A and VII-B: Terms of Reference for contractual expenditure verification (AUP) and third party assessment respectively (mandatory where thresholds are exceeded or FNLC used).
8. 8Annex H Declaration of honour: declaration on exclusion grounds (signed by lead applicant and co-applicants/affiliated entities where applicable).
9. 9Annex L self-evaluation questionnaire on SEA-H: mandatory administrative requirement for grants above €60,000 (will be requested if provisionally selected).

Applicants must attach statutory documents (statutes/articles of association), latest accounts, and where applicable audit reports. Where documents are not in an EU official language, English translations of relevant parts must be provided. If PADOR registration is impossible for security reasons, Annex F PADOR offline form must be provided with the full application.

Compliance, ethics and safeguards

Applicants and beneficiaries must comply with EU values, human rights, environmental legislation and core ILO labour standards. The European Commission applies zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEA-H). Beneficiaries other than individuals, pillar-assessed entities or governments must complete the SEA-H self-evaluation questionnaire (Annex L) when requested. Applicants must avoid conflicts of interest, declare any potential conflicts, and ensure procurement and subcontracting follow Annex IV rules. Anti-corruption and anti-bribery obligations apply and unusual commercial expenses are prohibited and may lead to contract termination and exclusion from future EU funding.

Visibility obligations require prominent display of the EU emblem and funding statements according to communication guidelines. Derogations from visibility obligations may be permitted for security reasons, in which case the contracting authority must be consulted and agree prior to limiting visibility.

All necessary clarifications, Q&As and updates will be published on the DG International Partnerships website and/or the Funding & Tenders Portal. Applicants should check the call page regularly for updates and official clarifications ¹.

Final summary: what this opportunity is about

This restricted EU call for proposals finances action grants to improve inclusion, protection and well-being of children with disabilities in Egypt. It prioritises rights-based protection, social inclusion and family/enabling environments. Grants are substantial (€650,000–1,000,000) and require applicants to deliver actions primarily through financial support to third parties (sub-grants) and to provide capacity-building and systemic support. The two-stage process starts with a concept note (mandatory online via PROSPECT) followed by invitation to submit a full application. Eligibility is tightly defined: lead applicants must be non-profit NGOs established in Egypt, EU Member States or EEA contracting parties; where lead is in EU/EEA a co-applicant established in Egypt is required. Proposals are evaluated on relevance, design, capacity, sustainability and cost-effectiveness. Successful applicants sign the standard grant contract and must respect EU requirements for procurement, reporting, visibility, safeguarding (including SEA-H), record keeping and auditing. The call includes comprehensive templates (Annexes A–L, Annex G contract text, Annex B budget with FNLC options, Annex C logframe, Annex VII-A and VII-B for verification/assessment) that applicants must use. This opportunity is aimed at well-established non-profit civil society organisations with operational and financial capacity to manage sub-granting mechanisms in Egypt and to deliver measurable, rights-based, inclusive outcomes for children with disabilities and their families. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1See the Guidelines for Applicants and annexes available from the call page for full details and templates: webgate.ec.europa.eu and the documents linked there.

This is a restricted EU action grant call focused on improving the protection, inclusion, participation, and family support environment for children with disabilities in Egypt. It is designed around rights based, community level, and systems strengthening interventions, and requires applicants to use financial support to third parties as a core delivery mechanism.

The call sits within a broader EU engagement on child protection and disability inclusion in Egypt, including earlier EU and UNICEF cooperation on education and protection for vulnerable children[1].

Opportunity at a glance

What the funding is about

The global objective is to contribute to the full realisation of the rights, dignity, and well being of children with disabilities in Egypt by promoting inclusive social environments, strengthening families and communities, and enhancing institutional and systemic capacities to deliver equitable and accessible services. The specific objectives focus on protection from discrimination, neglect, violence, and abuse; inclusion and participation in school, peer, and community life; and stronger family and caregiver capacity.

Applicants must address at least one priority area, and proposals addressing more than one priority area in an integrated way are viewed more favourably. The three priority areas are human rights and protection, social inclusion and participation, and family and enabling environment.

• Priority Area 1 focuses on human rights, non discrimination, protection from violence, positive parenting, frontline actor awareness, and access to integrated service cards.
• Priority Area 2 focuses on inclusive education, recreation, community participation, anti stigma work, peer interaction, life skills, self advocacy, and participation in cultural and sports activities.
• Priority Area 3 focuses on caregiver and family support, community based care, rehabilitation linked support, accessibility of local services, social protection linkages, and caregiver economic resilience as a secondary component.

Who can apply

The lead applicant must be a legal person, non profit making, and a non governmental organisation. It must be effectively established in the Arab Republic of Egypt, a European Union Member State, or a country that is party to the European Economic Area agreement, and it must be directly responsible for preparing and managing the action.

• If the lead applicant is established in the EU or EEA, at least one co applicant established in Egypt is mandatory.
• If the lead applicant is established in Egypt, co applicants are not mandatory, but partnerships are encouraged.
• The consortium should normally be limited to no more than two co applicants unless a larger partnership is clearly justified.
• Affiliated entities are allowed only where there is a genuine structural link such as control or membership.
• Associates may participate in the action but cannot receive grant funding except for travel or per diem costs.
• Beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associates, contractors, and recipients of financial support must each play only one role in the project.

Eligible lead applicants and co applicants must also satisfy the exclusion criteria and other general eligibility rules in the practical guide.

Mandatory financial support to third parties:This call requires financial support to third parties, and this support must represent at least 60 percent of total eligible costs. The maximum financial support per third party is €60,000, unless the objectives of the action would otherwise be impossible or excessively difficult to achieve. Eligible recipients are non profit legal entities established in Egypt, such as civil society organisations, community based organisations, organisations of persons with disabilities, associations, and foundations.

Main financial and implementation conditions

• Eligible actions must take place in Egypt.
• Initial planned duration must be at least 24 months and no more than 36 months.
• The grant request must be between €650,000 and €1,000,000.
• The EU contribution must cover at least 51 percent and no more than 95 percent of total eligible costs.
• The remaining share must come from sources other than the EU budget or the European Development Fund.
• Indirect costs may be eligible as a flat rate of up to 7 percent of eligible direct costs, excluding volunteer costs and project office costs.
• A contingency reserve of up to 5 percent of estimated direct eligible costs may be included, subject to prior written approval.
• In kind contributions are generally not eligible costs, except volunteer work where authorised.
• The action must be implemented primarily through financial support to third parties, with capacity building, technical accompaniment, and systemic support forming a core part of the model.
• Actions mainly focused on individual sponsorships, scholarships, or activities that violate human rights, EU values, environmental standards, or labour standards are ineligible.

Application and evaluation process

This is a two stage restricted procedure. In the first stage, only a concept note is submitted for evaluation. Only pre selected applicants are then invited to submit a full application.

1. 1Concept notes are submitted online through PROSPECT together with the lead applicant declaration.
2. 2Lead applicants must register in the Participant Register and PADOR, and co applicants and affiliated entities must also be registered by the full application stage.
3. 3The concept note deadline is 30 September 2026 at 12:00 Brussels time.
4. 4The concept note may only be submitted in English.
5. 5Questions on the concept note were due by 8 September 2026, with replies due by 18 September 2026.
6. 6The full application deadline is set in the invitation letter sent after pre selection; the indicative timetable shows 4 January 2027.
7. 7Applications are evaluated first for admissibility and concept note quality, then for full application quality, capacity, budget, and eligibility verification.

For the concept note stage, the maximum score is 50 and a minimum score of 30 is required for pre selection. For the full application stage, the maximum score is 100, and the financial and operational capacity section must score at least 12 points with no subsection scored at 1.

What applicants should prepare

• A concept note in the prescribed form, with the requested EU contribution estimate and co financing percentage.
• A full application if invited, including the narrative, budget, logical framework, and required declarations.
• PADOR registration data for all relevant organisations.
• Participant Register registration and PIC numbers.
• Statutes or articles of association for the lead applicant, each co applicant, and each affiliated entity.
• Declaration on honour on exclusion criteria.
• Latest accounts and, for action grants above €750,000, an external audit report if available and where required.
• An SEA H self evaluation questionnaire for successful applicants and relevant linked entities where the grant exceeds €60,000.

Why this opportunity may be attractive

• It has a sizable envelope for a focused country specific child rights and disability inclusion intervention.
• It allows integrated work across protection, inclusion, family support, and community based service strengthening.
• It explicitly values multi priority proposals, which can support more ambitious and comprehensive designs.
• It allows NGO led partnerships with Egyptian and international capacity.