Observation electorale et éducation civique, politique, média relative à l'élection

Open call EuropeAid under the EU Human Rights and Democracy programme for an action grant to support electoral observation, civic and political education, media monitoring and media literacy in Madagascar, with projects implemented in Analamanga, Vakinankaratra, Haute Matsiatra, Diana and Atsimo-Atsinanana. The portal lists an indicative total budget of €2,060,000 and the specific grant for a selected action is fixed at €770,000, covering 80–95% of eligible costs with required co-financing for the remainder. Eligible lead applicants are non-profit organisations, public sector operators, local authorities or international organisations established in an EU Member State or Madagascar and must meet experience and financial capacity criteria; consortia with local partners are required. Submission is online via PROSPECT in French, deadline 28 July 2026 at 15:00 Brussels time, and planned action duration is 24–36 months.

What this funds

Action grants to support civic and political education, election-related media access and monitoring, media literacy and misinformation monitoring, capacity building of civil society organisations, community outreach and communication campaigns in preparation for referendum, presidential, legislative and communal elections in Madagascar.

Who can apply

Non-profit legal entities (NGOs), public sector operators, local authorities and eligible international organisations established in an EU Member State or Madagascar, acting as coordinator with at least one co-applicant established in the other jurisdiction (i.e. coordinator in EU must have co-applicant in Madagascar and vice versa). Applicants must have at least three years of relevant experience and the coordinator must meet detailed experience and financial capacity requirements described in the call.

Geographical focus:Madagascar, specifically the regions Analamanga, Vakinankaratra, Haute Matsiatra, Diana and Atsimo-Atsinanana.

Indicative EU contribution:Total budget published on the portal €2,060,000; the call indicates an indicative envelope of €770,000 for the grant(s). Grant requests must be exactly between €770,000 (minimum) and €770,000 (maximum) and EU co-financing may cover 80% to 95% of eligible costs.

1. 1Deadline for submission: 28 July 2026 (Brussels time).
2. 2Action duration: 24 to 36 months.
3. 3Eligible costs: detailed cost-based rules apply; indirect costs capped (max 7%), contingency max 5% and rules for volunteers, in-kind and FNLC explained in annexes.

Selection and key requirements

Two‑step submission:short application (only initial screening) then invited full application. Mandatory registration in PADOR and submission via PROSPECT. Coordinator must demonstrate specific election and civic education experience (minimum two projects in Africa in last five years) and meet turnover/capacity thresholds. Contracting authority may require contractual expenditure verification and third‑party assessment for FNLC components.

1. 1One application per coordinator; coordinator cannot be co-applicant in another proposal under this call.
2. 2Consortium: coordinator plus up to 4 co‑applicants; affiliated entities allowed under strict conditions.
3. 3Procurement, visibility, ethics, safeguarding and anti‑fraud provisions are mandatory.

Apply through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal PROSPECT system and ensure PADOR registration before submission. See annexes (budget, logframe, standard contract and templates) for full rules and required forms Guidelines and Annexes. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Detailed applicant instructions, budget templates, logframe and contractual annexes are in the call documents downloadable from the opportunity page on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Key administrative facts

Call reference:EuropeAid. Publication date: 27 April 2026. Latest update: 01 April 2026. Deadline for submission (online via PROSPECT): 28 July 2026 (Brussels time). Programme: Human rights and democracy (Instrument/IVCDCI – Europe in the world). Geographical zone and location of implementation: Southern Africa Region; action to be implemented in Madagascar (regions: Analamanga, Vakinankaratra, Haute Matsiatra, Diana and Atsimo-Atsinanana).

Total budget and indicative grant amounts:Portal header shows Budget: €2,060,000 (portal listing header). The detailed Guidelines to applicants for this specific call state that the indicative global envelope available for this specific call is €770,000, and that each grant requested must be equal to €770,000 (minimum = maximum = €770,000). The contracting authority reserves the right not to award the full amount ¹.

Purpose, objectives and thematic scope

This action targets electoral preparedness and civic/political/media education in Madagascar in the context of the political ‘refondation’ process (2026–2027) and upcoming referendum and electoral cycles (referendum, presidential, legislative, communal). It is anchored under the thematic programme on human rights and democracy and specifically the EU priority: build resilient, inclusive and democratic societies. The general objective: improve electoral integrity and inclusive participation, promote active citizenship and full participation in public and political life. Specific objectives: 1) strengthen organisational and operational capacities of civil society organisations (CSOs) to deliver civic and electoral education; 2) implement a civic and electoral education campaign by CSOs for the four upcoming elections; 3) strengthen information resilience and electoral credibility by improving media monitoring/regulation, equity of public information access, media and information literacy (EMI), and media capacity for verified, pluralist, responsible information (including investigative journalism).

Who can apply (eligibility of applicants)

Eligible lead applicants (coordinator/demandeur chef de file):non-profit legal entities, including non-governmental organisations, public sector operators, local authorities, and international organisations as defined in the PRAG/Guidelines. Natural persons may be eligible only where the guidelines explicitly permit it (generally not the case here). Essential requirements for the coordinator: established effectively in an EU Member State or in Madagascar (or in countries eligible under the EU development cooperation instrument – see PRAG annex), have no profit motive, have at least three years’ operation in relevant sectors (election and civic education in Africa), and demonstrable experience as lead coordinator: in the last five years, at least two projects on elections/electoral education in Africa and experience coordinating a consortium involving at least two co-applicants/partners. If the coordinator is not established in Madagascar, it must include at least one co-applicant established in Madagascar. If the coordinator is established in Madagascar, it must include at least one co-applicant established in an EU Member State. Co-applicants (codemandeurs) must satisfy the same eligibility criteria as the coordinator. Number of codemandeurs allowed: up to four (maximum). Affiliated entities may participate (subject to strict definition of affiliation and documentation).

Eligible applicant types (summary):NGOs and civil society organisations, public sector operators, local authorities, international organisations, non-profit organisations, research institutes or consortia of these. Universities and other legal persons that meet non-profit and experience criteria may be eligible. The call excludes applicants with a profit motive.

Consortium, partners and operational rules

The call requires a coordinator acting on behalf of the consortium. The coordinator is the single contracting interlocutor. The coordinator must act with at least one co-applicant established in Madagascar (if the coordinator is not established in Madagascar) or at least one co-applicant established in an EU Member State (if the coordinator is established in Madagascar). Up to four co-applicants are permitted. Co-applicants participate in design and implementation and share eligibility of costs. Entities may participate as affiliated entities, associates, contractors, or recipients of financial support to third parties; each role has different legal/contractual implications. The coordinator cannot submit more than one application to the call and cannot be a co-applicant or affiliated entity in another application to the same call. Co-applicants cannot be listed in more than one application.

Funding modality and type

Primary funding mechanism:Action grants (grant). The call contemplates reimbursement of eligible costs (cost-based) and may include financing not linked to costs (FNLC) components in hybrid forms, and simplified cost options where authorised. The Guidelines specify the grant can take forms: (i) reimbursement of eligible costs (actual costs and/or simplified cost options), (ii) financing not linked to costs (FNLC), or (iii) a combination (hybrid). The present call details and budget template include FNLC options and associated third party assessment and contractual expenditure verification requirements.

Budget, co-funding and financial rules

The call text contains different budget references:portal header lists €2,060,000 for Action Grants overall, but the applicant guidance for this specific call states an indicative global envelope of €770,000 and that each grant requested must be between €770,000 (minimum) and €770,000 (maximum). The EU contribution must represent between 80% and 95% of the total eligible costs of the action. Therefore co-funding (sources other than EU/FED) must cover the balance: minimum co-funding required = 5% of total eligible costs (if EU funds cover max 95%); maximum co-funding required = 20% of total eligible costs (if EU funds cover min 80%). The budget must be detailed in Annex B (budget worksheets 1a/€1B/1c for cost-based, hybrid or FNLC) and include a logical framework (Annex C) and supporting documentation. Reserve for contingencies: up to 5% of direct eligible costs (only with prior written authorisation by the contracting authority). Indirect costs: up to 7% of total direct eligible costs (excluding volunteers’ work and project office costs) where applicable and provided for. Costs must be eligible, reasonable, necessary and verifiable and comply with EU and national tax/labour law. Grants may require a financial guarantee for the initial pre-financing (typically requested for grants > €60,000) unless exempted by special conditions. The call requires visibility measures and compliance with EU communication guidelines; visibility costs must be minimal and integrated in project activities (not a separate budget line).

Action duration, scheduling and priorities

Action duration must be at least 24 months and no more than 36 months. The intervention shall focus on the five EU regions of intervention in Madagascar (Analamanga, Vakinankaratra, Haute Matsiatra, Diana and Atsimo-Atsinanana) and address the three main cross-cutting principles required by the call: (1) build synergies with EU-funded and state programmes in Madagascar (capitalise on past EU electoral projects and avoid duplication); (2) actor-centred approach and mobilisation of civil society (strengthen CSO capacities, gender and youth inclusion, community-based approaches and participatory methods); (3) behaviour change communication approaches adapted to local contexts (innovative, culturally and gender-sensitive methods, use of popular art and technologies, targeted approaches to women, youth, persons with disabilities and minorities). The action must include SMART indicators disaggregated as relevant, and values for baseline and targets in the logical framework.

Eligible actions and non-eligible actions

Eligible actions:activities across electoral civic education, public information access, media monitoring, EMI and investigative journalism support, awareness and behaviour change campaigns, capacity building of CSOs and media, development and dissemination of tools and teaching materials, training-of-trainers and cascade approaches, community mobilisation using popular arts and technology, monitoring and evaluation systems, monitoring of misinformation/disinformation/hate speech, support for equitable access to public media during electoral cycles, small-scale grants/financial support to third parties (sub-granting) where allowed and defined in Annex I. Actions must prioritise inclusion of women, youth, persons with disabilities and minority groups. Non-eligible actions: activities that are primarily travel for participation in seminars for individuals, purely individual scholarships, actions producing or enabling human rights violations, actions with significant negative environmental or climate impact not mitigated, and costs that are ineligible under Article 14 (debts, provisions, interest, non-recoverable taxes unless special conditions allow, purchases of land/buildings except where specified, currency losses, in-kind contributions except volunteers when explicitly authorised, etc.).

Application process, templates and required supporting documents

Submission is mandatory online via PROSPECT. Organisations must be registered in PADOR (or use the PADOR offline form if technical reasons prevent online registration). The call is an open call for proposals. The procedure is two-stage: (1) submission and evaluation of a concise concept note (note succincte de présentation) used for pre-selection; (2) shortlisted applicants (based on concept notes scoring) will be invited to submit a full application (demande complète) including Annexes (budget Annex B, logical framework Annex C, contractual templates). All required documents (Annex A forms — A.1 concept note and A.2 full application, Annex B budget Excel templates 1a/€1B/1c, Annex C logical framework, Annex D identification forms, Annex F PADOR offline registration form, Annex H declaration on exclusion, Annex L SEA-H self-evaluation, Standard Grant Contract Annex G, Annex J tax info, Annex VII terms for expenditure verification/third-party assessment, Annex IX transfer of ownership template, etc.) are provided in the call package and must be completed according to guidance. Submission timeline: initial concept notes evaluated first; shortlisted applicants will be requested to submit the full application and supporting legal and financial documents. The contracting authority organises an information session and makes user manuals available for PROSPECT.

Templates and application structure (what to prepare):Applicants must complete the following core documents: Annex A.1 (note succincte/concept note) and Annex A.2 (full application form) in French, Annex B budget (Excel) using the correct worksheet(s) (1a cost-based, €1Bcost-based + FNLC, 1c FNLC-only), Annex C logical framework (monitoring matrix including indicators, baselines and targets), Annex D identification forms for legal entities/natural persons, Annex H declaration on exclusion, Annex F PADOR offline form if needed, Annex L SEA-H self-evaluation for grants > €60,000. The budget must show direct costs by headings 1–6, project office heading, indirect costs (max 7%), contingency (max 5%) and the FNLC components where applicable. For FNLC components, Annexes require pre-agreed performance indicators, unit values and targets to be included in the FNLC budget and Annex I. The forms and instructions (PRAG/ePRAG/e-PRAG links) must be followed exactly; the contracting authority will not accept additional unsolicited annexes. Supporting legal & financial documents: statutes, legal acts, recent audited accounts (for grants > €750,000 audit report required), or declaration on honor for smaller grants, recent bank statements, proof of registration, mandates signed by co-applicants, proof of eligibility for affiliated entities, etc.

Evaluation, selection and timeframe

Evaluation is in three stages:Stage 1 — administrative opening and verification and evaluation of concept notes (shortlisting). Concept notes are scored on relevance and design (max 50 points); only notes scoring ≥ 70/100 and passing administrative checks proceed. The number of shortlisted notes will cover at least 200% of the available budget (ranking by score). Stage 2 — evaluation of full applications (technical quality, capacity and budget) using a detailed scoring grid (capacity, relevance, design, implementation approach, sustainability, cost-effectiveness). Minimum thresholds apply for capacity section (section 1) which if not met leads to rejection. Stage 3 — verification of eligibility and documentation for shortlisted applicants (including supporting legal/financial documents and declarations). Successful applicants will be provisionally selected pending verification. The contracting authority notifies applicants via PROSPECT. Indicative calendar (as published): deadline for questions 23 June 2026; contracting authority replies by 3 July 2026; deadline for submission 28 July 2026 (as published in the call body/Guidelines draft—applicants must verify PROSPECT dates). Notification of opening/evaluation of concept notes: approximately 14 August 2026; decision notification: 15 October 2026; signature of grant contract: 15 December 2026 (indicative).

Evaluation criteria and scoring (high-level)

Concept notes:scored on relevance and design (maximum 50 points; threshold to proceed to full application is typically 70/100). Full applications: scored across sections: (1) Capacity (financial and operational) — 20 points; (2) Relevance — 20 points; (3) Design of the action — 15 points; (4) Implementation approach and management — 15 points; (5) Sustainability — 15 points; (6) Budget & cost-effectiveness — 15 points (weighting and double-weighting applied to specific sub-sections as per guidance). Minimum score thresholds apply for capacity sections (if below threshold the proposal is rejected).

Due diligence, verification and controls required if selected

Selected applicants must provide supporting documentation for eligibility and capacity checks before signature. For grants > €60,000 and/or where FNLC or large amounts are involved, the contracting authority may request: contractual expenditure verification (Agreed-Upon Procedures – AUP) by an approved practitioner; and/or for FNLC components, a third-party assessment validating achievement of pre-agreed results/indicators (third-party assessor; terms in Annex VII-A and VII-B). The contracting authority may also require a financial guarantee for pre-financing where stipulated in the special conditions. All checks, audits and investigations by the contracting authority, European Commission, OLAF, EPPO and the European Court of Auditors are permitted under the contract, and beneficiaries must keep accounting records and supporting documents for a minimum of five years after final payment (three years if grant ≤ €60,000), or longer if audits ongoing.

Geographic and beneficiary scope (who/where)

Target country for implementation:Madagascar (specific regions listed: Analamanga, Vakinankaratra, Haute Matsiatra, Diana, Atsimo-Atsinanana). Coordinator eligibility: must be established either in an EU Member State or Madagascar (or in countries eligible under IVCDCI - Europe in the world). Co-applicants must be established either in EU Member States, Madagascar or other eligible countries (see PRAG Annex A2a1 for list). The action must prioritise national/regional civil society and local actors and coordinate with EU-funded projects onsite and national authorities.

Target sectors and project maturity

Target thematic sectors:governance and electoral processes, civic and political education, media and information literacy (EMI), media monitoring and regulation, countering misinformation/disinformation/hate speech, capacity building for CSOs and media, community mobilisation and behaviour change communications. Expected project stage: implementation-ready (development and delivery of civic education campaigns, media capacity-building and monitoring activities), demonstration and scaling within 24–36 months. Proposals must include monitoring frameworks (Logframe) with SMART indicators and baselines.

Application stages, timeline and selection likelihood

Number of application stages:two-stage competitive open call process (1. concept note pre-selection; 2. full application and verification). After selection, signature and contracting and pre-financing steps follow. The call’s evaluation uses clear scoring thresholds; shortlisted concept notes must achieve at least 70/100. There is no explicit published success rate; the contracting authority will shortlist concept notes so that cumulative requested amounts reach at least 200% of the available budget for the call. Final success rates depend on number/quality of submissions; applicants should plan for competitive selection and assume a modest probability of award unless the application is very strong and well aligned with priorities.

Co-financing and cost sharing

Co-financing requirement:the grant requested must represent between 80% and 95% of total eligible costs; therefore applicants must provide co-financing for at least 5% and up to 20% of total eligible costs (source of co-funding may be applicant resources, other donors, income or in-kind contributions where allowed). Volunteers’ work may be declared as in-kind contributions following EC unit-cost rules but excluded from calculation of indirect costs and subject to limits (volunteers’ work may comprise up to 50% of all sources of financing in exceptional arrangements).

Assessment, audits and reporting requirements

Reporting:interim narrative and financial reports and final narrative and financial report per templates in Annex VI (including updated Logframe, activities matrix, visibility reporting, and SEA-H self-evaluation where applicable). Contractual expenditure verification (AUP) and third-party assessment (for FNLC) are required for higher-value grants (thresholds specified in the Guidelines). Accounting records, procurement files and supporting documents must be retained and made available for checks and audits under Article 16. Reporting language: French. All applicants must register in PADOR and submit applications via PROSPECT (user manuals and helpdesk available).

Risks, ethics and safeguarding

Applicants must respect EU values, human rights, labour standards and environmental obligations. Applicants must adopt measures for prevention and response to sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEA-H). Organisations selected for grants > €60,000 must complete the SEA-H self-evaluation (Annex L). The call applies a zero tolerance policy for sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment and corruption; breaches may lead to suspension, termination and recovery actions. Conflict of interest rules and code of conduct apply; undue commercial commissions and irregular payments render expenditures ineligible and may lead to contract termination and exclusion from EU funding. Beneficiaries must ensure compliance with EU restrictive measures and the EU regime of conditionality for protection of the Union budget.

Practical checklist for applicants

1. 1Register organisation in the EU Participant Register (PIC) and in PADOR early and ensure profile is up to date (Annex F PADOR offline if necessary).
2. 2Prepare and submit a concept note (Annex A.1) in French via PROSPECT by the deadline.
3. 3If shortlisted, prepare full application (Annex A.2) including Annex B (budget Excel worksheet 1a/€1B/1c as appropriate), Annex C (Logframe), Annex D identification forms, Annex H declaration on exclusion, Annex L SEA-H questionnaire (if > €60K), and supporting legal/financial documents (statutes, last accounts or audit report where required).
4. 4If proposing FNLC components, include pre-agreed performance indicators, units, targets and unit values in Annex I/III and budget worksheet €1B/1c; be prepared for third-party assessment (Annex VII-B) to validate achieved results at payment milestones.
5. 5Ensure consortium agreements, mandates and signed declarations by co-applicants/affiliated entities are prepared and uploaded as required.
6. 6Complete visibility and communication plan where requested and respect EU visibility rules.
7. 7If requested, be ready to provide a financial guarantee for pre-financing (model in Annex VIII) and to facilitate contractual expenditure verification (Annex VII-A).

Mentioned countries and region

Primary implementation country specifically named:Madagascar. Geographical zone: Southern Africa Region. Establishment eligibility for coordinator: EU Member States or Madagascar (and other countries eligible under IVCDCI - see PRAG A2a1).

Project stage and expected maturity

The call expects implementable, operational projects ready to enter the implementation phase (development/delivery of campaigns, capacity-building, media monitoring and FNLC-linked results if used). TRL-style maturity: development and demonstration to scale-up within 24–36 months; proposals should include monitoring systems, sustainability plan and exit/continuity arrangements.

Success factors (how to maximise chance of award)

1. 1Clear alignment with the call’s three principles (EU synergies, actor-driven CSO mobilisation, behaviour change approaches).
2. 2Strong, documented consortium including local Madagascar partner(s) and EU partner(s) as required; proven experience in electoral education and civic engagement in Africa.
3. 3Detailed Logframe with SMART indicators, baselines and credible targets, including FNLC indicators if applicable.
4. 4Robust budget narrative and realistic cost estimates (use Annex 1a/€1B/1c templates); evidence of capacity to manage the requested budget including audited accounts where required.
5. 5Protection and safeguarding measures (SEA-H), gender and inclusion mainstreaming and accessibility for persons with disabilities.

Success rates and competitiveness

The call publishes evaluation thresholds (e.g. minimum score of 70/100 at concept note stage) and shortlisting rules but does not publish an historic success rate. The contracting authority will shortlist a pool whose total requested amount covers at least 200% of the available budget. Therefore expect a competitive selection process with potentially low success rates unless proposals are strongly aligned, technically robust and demonstrate high implementation capacity.

Application submission logistics and help

All applications must be submitted online via PROSPECT. Applicants must register in PADOR and optionally obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC) via the EU Participant Register. PROSPECT and PADOR manuals and the PROSPECT helpdesk (ec-external-relations-application-support@ec.europa.eu) are available; support languages: English, French and Spanish. The call organises an information session (date published in the Guidelines) — register in advance by emailing the Delegation address indicated. If technical or security reasons prevent online submission, the call describes an exceptional procedure for physical sealed submission but online submission is mandatory normally.

Co-funding and budget note

Required EU contribution share:between 80% and 95% of total eligible costs. Applicants must therefore provide co-financing of 5%–20%. For grants of €770,000 requested, the applicant must show matching co-financing sources and a realistic budget. The coordinator must ensure its average annual turnover (three-year average) is at least equal to the annualised budget amount of the grant based on a 24-month implementation period. For grants > €750,000 the coordinator must provide an audit report for the last three financial years if available; otherwise a signed declaration on honor is required.

Primary risks and compliance items applicants must manage

1. 1Security and confidentiality risks during electoral periods — applicants must design measures to protect staff and beneficiaries and may request visibility derogations where appropriate.
2. 2Safeguarding and SEA-H compliance — mandatory self-evaluation and mitigation measures for grants > €60,000 (Annex L).
3. 3Conflict of interest avoidance and procurement integrity — transparent procurement files must be maintained and available for audits.
4. 4Tax and VAT treatment — applicants must verify national tax regimes and document whether taxes and VAT are recoverable or eligible; Annex J provides guidance.
5. 5Compliance with EU restrictive measures and conditionality — beneficiaries must ensure no funds are made available to sanctioned persons/entities.

Templates and annexes provided with the call

Key annexes and templates included with the call documentation:Annex A (application form: A.1 concept note; A.2 full application), Annex B (budget Excel templates 1a/€1B/1c), Annex C (logical framework matrix), Annex D (identification forms), Annex F (PADOR offline registration), Annex G (standard grant contract and Annexes II, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX), Annex H (declaration on exclusion), Annex J (tax regime information), Annex L (SEA-H self-evaluation questionnaire), terms of reference for contractual expenditure verification (Annex VII-A) and third party assessment (Annex VII-B), model financial guarantee (Annex VIII), and guidance documents (PRAG / ePRAG links). Use the exact Annex B worksheets and Logframe template supplied by the contracting authority.

Summary: what this opportunity is and what applicants must do

This is an EU action grant call to finance a single large action (€770,000) aimed at strengthening electoral integrity and inclusive participation in Madagascar through civic/political and media education, media monitoring and information resilience ahead of a major national process of political 'refondation' and multiple electoral events (referendum and elections). Eligible lead applicants are non-profit legal entities, public operators or international organisations established in the EU or Madagascar (with mandatory local partner rules). The procedure is an open two-stage competitive call submitted online in French via PROSPECT; PADOR registration (or PADOR offline form in exceptional cases) is mandatory. Concept notes will be scored and only shortlisted applicants invited to submit full applications. The grant finances eligible costs (cost-based) and may include financing not linked to costs (FNLC) components; budget templates and logical frameworks supplied in Annexes must be used. Applicants must demonstrate thematic expertise in electoral civic education and media/EMI, a strong partnership with local CSOs and authorities, clear methodologies for behaviour change and media monitoring, robust monitoring frameworks and safeguards (gender, inclusion, SEA-H), and financial/administrative capacity for managing the requested grant. Shortlisted applicants will undergo eligibility and financial verifications; grants > €100,000 or with FNLC components require additional contractual expenditure verification and third party assessment steps. The call is competitive; careful alignment with the call principles and complete, well-documented submissions increase chances of success ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Official call documents and submission are available via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (PROSPECT). See the opportunity record on the Funding & Tenders Portal for the full call text, Annexes and submission via PROSPECT EU Funding & Tenders Portal - Opportunity Page.

Opportunity Overview

This is an open call for proposals under the European Union's Human Rights and Democracy programme, specifically targeting electoral observation, civic education, and media-related activities in Madagascar. The opportunity is managed by the European Commission through the PROSPECT online submission system and is part of the EU's broader commitment to supporting democratic processes and human rights in the Southern Africa region.

Reference Information:Opportunity Reference: EuropeAid. Programme: Human rights and democracy. Geographical Zone: Southern Africa Region. Publication Date: 27 April 2026. Deadline for Submission: 28 July 2026 at 15:00 Brussels time.

Funding Amount and Budget Details

Total Budget Available:The total indicative budget for this call is €2,060,000. However, the European Commission reserves the right not to allocate the full amount. The budget is divided into action grants with specific financial parameters for individual proposals.

Grant Amount Requirements:Each proposal must request a minimum of €770,000 and a maximum of €770,000. This means there is a fixed grant amount per selected proposal. The grant must represent between 80 percent and 95 percent of total eligible action costs, with the remaining 5 to 20 percent coming from other sources such as co-financing from applicants or other donors.

Eligibility Criteria for Applicants

Lead Applicant Requirements

The lead applicant (demandeur chef de file) must be a non-profit organization, public sector operator, local authority, or international organization. The organization must be effectively established in an EU member state, Madagascar, or any country eligible under the EU's international cooperation financing instrument for 2021-2027. The lead applicant must have no profit-making objective and must not be a political party or trade union.

Critical experience requirements for the lead applicant include:minimum three years of operation in Africa on election and electoral education themes; implementation of at least two projects on election and electoral education topics in Africa within the past five years as lead coordinator; coordination of a consortium with at least two co-applicants; and an average annual turnover or revenue for the last three fiscal years that is not less than the annualized budget of the requested grant over 24 months of implementation.

Consortium Requirements

If the lead applicant is not based in Madagascar, it must work with at least one co-applicant established in Madagascar. If the lead applicant is based in Madagascar, it must work with at least one co-applicant from an EU member state. The maximum number of co-applicants is four. All co-applicants must meet the same eligibility criteria as the lead applicant.

Affiliated Entities

Lead applicants and co-applicants may work with affiliated entities, which must have a structural link such as control relationships or membership in the same network or federation. Affiliated entities cannot be contractors, subcontractors, or recipients of financial support from the applicants. They must meet the same eligibility criteria as the lead applicant.

Project Scope and Thematic Focus

Overall Objective

The overall objective is to improve the integrity and inclusive participation of electoral processes and promote active citizenship and full participation of all citizens without discrimination in public and political life.

Specific Objectives

• Strengthen the organizational and operational capacities of civil society organizations to conduct civic and political education activities for citizens in the context of upcoming elections
• Implement civic and electoral education campaigns by beneficiary civil society organizations for four upcoming elections: referendum, presidential, legislative, and communal
• Strengthen information resilience and electoral process credibility in Madagascar by improving media regulation and monitoring, ensuring equitable access to public information, developing media and information literacy skills among citizens, and enhancing media capacity to produce and disseminate verified, pluralistic, and responsible information

Thematic Areas

Eligible thematic areas include mass awareness campaigns, civic dialogue and consultation spaces, civic and citizen engagement, media monitoring, equitable access to public media, media and information literacy education, civic and political education, community education and behavior change, and political participation and leadership development.

Geographic Implementation Areas

Projects must be implemented in five specific regions of Madagascar:Atsimo-Atsinanana, Vakinankaratra, Haute Matsiatra, Diana, and Analamanga. Implementation should take into account regional participation rates in previous elections.

Project Duration and Implementation

Implementation Period:The initial planned duration of an action must be between 24 and 36 months. Projects must be designed to support Madagascar's electoral refoundation process, which is scheduled to occur between 2026 and 2027, including a referendum, presidential election, legislative election, and communal election.

Key Principles and Approaches

Proposals must clearly integrate and reference three key principles. First, develop synergies with other EU-supported programmes in Madagascar and with government programmes on election-related themes, avoiding duplication and harmonizing approaches. Second, promote an actor-focused approach that mobilizes civil society organizations, including women's and youth organizations, to strengthen their capacity for electoral education adapted to cultural contexts. Third, promote behavior change approaches using original tools and messages adapted to local contexts, including popular art forms such as music, dance, and theater.

Proposals must apply a human rights-based methodology and must particularly target women, children, youth, persons with disabilities, minorities, indigenous peoples, and other vulnerable groups. Gender equality is a fundamental principle and must be reflected in sex-disaggregated indicators aligned with the EU Gender Action Plan 2021-2025. Proposals must include SMART indicators to measure results and must provide baseline values in the logical framework.

Eligible Activities and Costs

Eligible Activity Types

• Situation assessments of civic and political education activities conducted by various organizations
• Stakeholder analysis for electoral education
• Development of civic and political education strategies
• Creation of educational tools and materials
• Distribution and dissemination of educational content
• Use of interactive and popular tools for social mobilization and behavior change
• Capacity building for civil society organizations
• Community and social awareness activities
• Media communication activities
• Training of trainers and cascading training
• Partnerships with relevant stakeholders
• Use of new technologies for social mobilization
• Media monitoring related to misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech
• Media and information literacy education during electoral cycles
• Production and dissemination of media literacy tools
• Debates and exchanges on elections and electoral education targeting citizens, youth, women, and persons with disabilities
• Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for electoral education strategies

Ineligible Activities

Activities that are ineligible include those consisting solely or primarily of financing individual participation in workshops, seminars, conferences, or congresses; financing individual study or training scholarships; and actions that could lead to human rights violations or have significant negative environmental or climate impacts.

Eligible Costs

Eligible costs include direct costs such as personnel salaries, travel, equipment and supplies, project office costs, and other services. Indirect costs are eligible at a maximum rate of 7 percent of total direct eligible costs excluding project office and volunteer costs. A contingency reserve of up to 5 percent of direct eligible costs may be included but requires prior written authorization from the contracting authority to use.

Personnel costs must be based on actual gross salaries including social security charges. Travel costs must comply with the applicant's usual travel policy. Equipment costs must be acquired through competitive procurement procedures. Project office costs including rent, utilities, and supplies are eligible. Costs for studies, evaluations, audits, translations, and conferences are eligible. Visibility costs to promote EU funding must be minimal and integrated into activity budgets.

Ineligible Costs

Ineligible costs include debts and debt charges, provisions for future losses, costs already financed by another EU action, land or building purchases unless essential to direct action implementation, exchange losses, in-kind contributions except volunteer work, bonuses in personnel costs, negative interest charges, and salaries of national government administration staff.

Financial Support to Third Parties

Applicants may provide financial support to third parties to contribute to action objectives. The maximum support per third party is €60,000, unless achieving action objectives would otherwise be impossible or excessively difficult. Applicants must clearly specify in the proposal the objectives, eligible activity types, eligible beneficiary categories, selection criteria, amount determination criteria, and maximum redistribution amount for such support.

Application Process and Submission Requirements

Registration Requirements

Lead applicants, co-applicants, and affiliated entities (except natural persons) must register in PADOR, the EU's online organization database, and obtain a unique EuropeAid ID. Registration in the EU Participant Register is mandatory for lead applicants and co-applicants. The Participant Identification Code (PIC) registration is currently recommended but will soon become mandatory.

Submission Method

Online submission via PROSPECT is mandatory for this call. Applicants must submit both a brief presentation note and a complete application form simultaneously. The PROSPECT system will provide an automatic receipt confirmation. Supporting documents must be uploaded to PADOR. In exceptional cases where online submission is impossible due to technical or security reasons, paper submission to the specified address is permitted, but this must be clearly indicated on the envelope.

Required Documents

• Brief presentation note using the specified template
• Complete application form with narrative description and logical framework
• Detailed budget in Excel format with cost breakdown by category and year
• Logical framework matrix with indicators, baselines, targets, and data sources
• Statutes or founding documents of lead applicant, co-applicants, and affiliated entities
• Declaration of honor regarding exclusion criteria (if grant exceeds €15,000)
• External audit report or signed declaration certifying financial accounts (if grant exceeds €750,000)
• Copies of most recent financial statements
• PADOR registration forms if online registration is not possible
• Identification forms for all banking details

All documents must be submitted in French. If supporting documents are in other official EU languages, French translations of relevant sections are strongly recommended. If documents are in non-EU languages, French translations are mandatory.

Evaluation and Selection Process

Three-Stage Evaluation

Proposals are evaluated in three stages. Stage 1 involves administrative verification and evaluation of brief presentation notes on a 50-point scale. Only proposals scoring at least 70 points advance. Stage 2 involves detailed evaluation of complete applications on a 100-point scale covering financial and operational capacity, relevance, design, implementation approach, sustainability, and budget efficiency. Stage 3 involves final eligibility verification of provisionally selected proposals.

Evaluation Criteria for Brief Presentations

• Relevance of the action (20 points): alignment with call objectives and priorities, relevance to country and regional needs, clear definition of target groups and beneficiaries, value-added elements
• Action design (30 points): intervention logic and results chain, contextual analysis, risk and assumption identification, activity coherence, cross-cutting issues integration

Evaluation Criteria for Complete Applications

• Financial and operational capacity (20 points): project management experience, technical expertise, management capacity, stable funding sources
• Relevance (20 points): alignment with call objectives, country and regional needs, target group definition
• Action design (15 points): intervention logic, logical framework quality, contextual analysis
• Implementation approach (15 points): action plan clarity, monitoring and evaluation systems, project management
• Sustainability (15 points): durable benefits, multiplier effects, financial and institutional sustainability
• Budget and cost-effectiveness (15 points): adequate relationship between costs and results, proper budget reflection of activities

Proposals scoring below 12 points on financial and operational capacity or receiving a score of 1 on any sub-criterion are rejected. After evaluation, proposals are ranked by score. Those with the highest scores are provisionally selected until the available budget is exhausted. A reserve list is established for potential future funding.

Key Deadlines and Timeline

Applicants are strongly advised not to wait until the last day to submit proposals, as internet congestion or technical failures could prevent timely submission. The contracting authority is not responsible for delays caused by technical issues. Questions must be submitted at least 21 days before the deadline. Responses will be published on the EU funding portal and are not provided individually.

Ethical and Compliance Requirements

Applicants must comply with EU values including human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, rule of law, and human rights. Organizations must respect environmental legislation and fundamental labor standards as defined by International Labour Organization conventions. The EU applies a zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment, and other misconduct affecting professional credibility.

Applicants must comply with anti-corruption laws and regulations. The EU reserves the right to suspend or cancel funding if corruption practices are discovered. Extraordinary commercial fees are prohibited. Any instance of fraud, irregularities, or violations of obligations can result in contract termination and exclusion from future EU funding.

Visibility and Communication Requirements

Applicants must ensure visibility of EU funding through prominent and correct display of the EU emblem and funding statement. All materials and activities must comply with EU communication and visibility guidelines for external actions. In exceptional cases where visibility could create security risks or political sensitivities, derogations may be negotiated with the EU before implementation. Visibility costs must be minimal and integrated into activity budgets rather than budgeted separately.

Contract and Implementation

Successful applicants will be offered a grant contract based on the standard EU grant contract template. By signing the application form, applicants accept the contractual conditions. The lead applicant becomes the coordinator and sole contact point with the EU. The budget may be corrected for arithmetic errors and ineligible costs before contract signature. Minor clarifications or corrections may be requested without changing the award decision or increasing the grant amount.

Grant contracts will include standard conditions on financial management, reporting, monitoring, audit, and evaluation. Beneficiaries must maintain accounting records and supporting documentation for at least five years after final payment. Financial reports must be submitted according to the schedule specified in the contract. External expenditure verification may be required for larger grants.

Contact Information and Support

For technical questions about PADOR or PROSPECT systems, contact the IT helpdesk at ec-external-relations-application-support@ec.europa.eu using the online support form. Technical support is available Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 18:30 Brussels time (excluding EU holidays). Support is provided in English, French, and Spanish.

For substantive questions about the call, submit inquiries by email to DELEGATION-MADAGASCAR-MARCHES-1@eeas.europa.eu at least 21 days before the deadline. Questions and answers will be published on the EU funding portal and the DG International Partnerships website. An information session will be held on a date to be announced.

Important Notes for Applicants

The proposal title will become the contract subject and will be published in the EU financial transparency system. Applicants should ensure the title clearly describes the project content and objectives. Incomplete proposals may be rejected. Applicants should use the provided checklists to verify completeness before submission. The EU reserves the right to cancel the call at any stage without compensation to applicants.

Applicants should register in PADOR and PROSPECT well in advance of the deadline to avoid technical difficulties. All documents must be submitted simultaneously through the specified channels. Late submissions will be rejected. The EU may request additional information or clarifications during evaluation, but only for clearly identified issues that do not prevent objective assessment.

Footnotes

1. 1The specific deadline date of 28 July 2026 at 15:00 Brussels time is confirmed in the opportunity metadata. Applicants should convert this to their local time using an online converter accounting for daylight saving time.