Papua New Guinea (PNG) – Civic Participation and Women’s Political and Decision-making Participation

The European Commission (Ref:EuropeAid) has launched an open call to strengthen civic participation and promote women’s political and decision-making participation in Papua New Guinea, with particular focus on the 2027 elections. The total budget is €1,381,333 divided into Lot 1 (€661,333) for civil society support and Lot 2 (€720,000) for women’s political participation, with grant ranges Lot €1 500,000–661,333 and Lot €2 600,000–720,000. Projects must run 24 to 36 months, EU co-financing ranges from 50% to 95%, and eligible applicants are non-profit legal persons forming a consortium that includes at least one PNG-based organisation and one organisation established outside PNG. Submission is mandatory via the PROSPECT platform and the full application deadline is 24 August 2026 at 16:00 Brussels time.

What it funds

Scope and priorities (summary)

Two lots:Lot 1 strengthens civic participation, public information disclosure, budget debates and social accountability; Lot 2 supports women’s political and decision-making participation before and after the 2027 elections (leadership, candidate support, addressing barriers, work with customary leaders, public awareness).

Funding range (per successful project):Lot 1: €500,000–€661,333. Lot 2: €600,000–€720,000. Total indicative call budget: €1,381,333 ¹.

1. 1Deadline (full application): 24 August 2026 (Brussels time)
2. 2Project duration: minimum 24 months, maximum 36 months
3. 3Submission mandatory via PROSPECT; PADOR registration required

Key exclusions include support to political parties, one-off conferences only, primarily capital expenditure (except in exceptional cases), proselytism, and actions causing human rights or significant environmental harm. Financial support to third parties is allowed (usually up to €60,000 per third party).

Footnotes

1. 1Guidelines, application forms, logframe and budget templates are in the call documentation: Information and Guidelines for applicants available on the call page Call details.

Basic call facts and timeline

Call reference:EuropeAid. Call title: Papua New Guinea (PNG) – Civic Participation and Women’s Political and Decision-making Participation. Publication and portals: EU Funding & Tenders Portal and PROSPECT (mandatory online submission). Call organised in two lots. Closing deadline for full applications (online submission via PROSPECT): 24 August 2026 at 16:00 Brussels time (the portal expresses times in Brussels time). Information session: 8 June 2026, Port Moresby (PNG) with online participation possibility. Deadline for questions: 3 August 2026, Q&A published via PROSPECT by 13 August 2026 at the latest.

Objective, lots and priorities

Global objective:promote human rights, democracy, the rule of law and inclusive, accountable governance, aligned with Global Gateway and NDICI priorities. The call is divided into two lots with distinct specific objectives and sets of eligible actions:

1. 1Lot 1: Support to civil society in Papua New Guinea: strengthening civic participation. Specific objective: strengthen civic participation for effective public information disclosure, timely access to reliable information and meaningful opportunities for public contribution to decision-making processes. Priority activities include civic participation for service delivery, public debates on budgets, inclusive social accountability, citizen monitoring and feedback mechanisms, youth and women empowerment in civic and budget processes, access to timely information, effective grievance mechanisms, engagement with customary structures, and entry points for marginalised groups.
2. 2Lot 2: Promoting and protecting human rights and democracy in PNG: women’s political and decision-making participation. Specific objective: support women’s political participation and decision-making before and after the 2027 elections at national and sub-national levels. Priority activities include platforms and caucuses for women and youth, leadership training and mentoring for women, legal and policy advocacy addressing barriers to women’s participation, engagement with customary leaders to increase women’s leadership, and public awareness and media campaigns to shift norms around women in politics.

Budget, grant size, duration and financing rates

Overall indicative EU budget available for the call:€1,381,333. Indicative allocation by lot: Lot €1 661,333; Lot €2 720,000. Project duration for successful applications: minimum 24 months, maximum 36 months.

Size of grants:Lot 1: minimum €500,000 — maximum €661,333. Lot 2: minimum €600,000 — maximum €720,000.

EU co-financing rate and co-funding requirement:Minimum EU contribution is 50% of total eligible costs; maximum EU contribution is 95% of total eligible costs. The balance of eligible costs must be financed by co-funding sources other than the EU general budget or EDF. The contracting authority may accept full EU financing only in duly justified exceptional cases, but applicants must provide justification in Annex A.2 Section 2.1 and this will be examined during evaluation.

Eligible applicant types and consortium requirement

Eligible lead applicants must be legal persons, non-profit-making and specific organisation types such as non-governmental organisations, public sector operators, local authorities or international (inter-governmental) organisations. Lead applicants and co-applicants must be established in Papua New Guinea and/or in one of the countries eligible under Regulation (EU) 2021/947 (NDICI–Global Europe) or the lists referenced in the Guidelines. The partnership must include at least one local organisation (established in PNG) and at least one organisation established outside PNG. The lead applicant shall act with co-applicant(s). International NGOs are expected to focus on knowledge transfer, mediation and amplifying local outreach. Affiliated entities are allowed where a structural link (control or membership) to an applicant exists.

Eligible applicant types (summary):Non-profit NGOs, local CSOs, public sector operators, local authorities, international organisations, research institutes and networks that meet the legal establishment requirements and are non-profit. The call excludes for-profit commercial applicants as lead applicants unless allowed under eligibility rules in special circumstances described in the Guidelines.

Geographic eligibility and location of activities

Location of action:Papua New Guinea. Lead applicants, co-applicants and affiliated entities must be established in PNG and/or in countries eligible under Regulation (EU) 2021/947 (NDICI – Global Europe) and related eligibility annexes. The partnership must include at least one Papua New Guinea-based organisation and one organisation established outside PNG. For participation rules and full lists of eligible countries consult the Eligibility Programmes and the Guidelines Eligibility programmes 2021-2027.

Project maturity and types of activity funded

Project stage:implementation/demonstration and civil society capacity-strengthening, advocacy, awareness raising, community monitoring, institutional engagement and electoral/post-electoral support. The call funds operational activities and outputs (capacity building, networks, monitoring mechanisms, grievance mechanisms, community engagement, public campaigns, research and advocacy) rather than basic research or commercial product development.

Ineligible actions and restrictions

1. 1Actions solely or mainly supporting individual sponsorships for attendance at workshops/conferences or individual scholarships for study.
2. 2One-off conferences unless part of a wider programme of activities.
3. 3Actions which may result in human rights violations or cause significant adverse environmental/climate effects.
4. 4Actions that breach EU values (human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, rule of law, human rights).
5. 5Actions which consist primarily of capital expenditure (land, buildings, large equipment, vehicles) except in special circumstances.
6. 6Actions supporting political parties or proselytism, or actions that discriminate against individuals or groups on protected grounds.

Application process, submission and templates

This is an open call managed via the PROSPECT platform. Participation requires mandatory registration in PADOR and in the Participant Register (PIC). Submission is online in PROSPECT by the deadline. Only in exceptional and justified technical/security cases may paper submissions be accepted; if so, full paper submission rules in the Guidelines apply. The call uses a two-step application process: concept note followed by a full application for pre-selected concept notes. Annexes and templates (Annex A.1 concept note, Annex A.2 full application, Annex B budget Excel, Annex C logical framework, Annex D identification forms, Annex F PADOR offline form, Annex H declaration on honour, Annex L SEA-H self-evaluation questionnaire, Annex G standard grant contract and annexes) are provided and mandatory where indicated.

Required application documents (key list):Concept note (Annex A.1), Full application (Annex A.2), Annex B budget Excel (detailed cost-based and FNLC worksheets), Annex C logical framework, signed declaration on honour (Annex H) where applicable, PADOR registration or offline form (Annex F) if unable to register online, statutes/articles of association, latest accounts and external audit report if required by thresholds, legal entity sheet and banking identification forms (Annex D variants).

Application structure, page limits and formatting

Concept note:maximum 5 pages A4, Arial 10, 2cm margins, single spacing, written in English; follow Annex A.1 template (Description of the action: max 2 pages; Relevance: max 3 pages). Full application uses Annex A.2 template with a maximum of 18 pages for the description (plus annexes). Budgets must be in EUR with detailed worksheets (Annex B with Tab 1a / €1B / 1c formats) and justifications. Logical framework (Annex C) and activities matrix (Annex E3d) are compulsory. Follow the checklists in the templates to ensure admissibility.

Evaluation and selection process

Step 1 (opening, administrative checks and concept note evaluation):concept notes screened for eligibility and evaluated against a 50 point grid (Relevance 20 pts, Design 30 pts). Minimum score for pre-selection: 30 points. Pre-selected concept notes are those ranked until the aggregate requested amount equals 200% of the available budget for the call. Step 2 (full application evaluation): full applications for pre-selected concept notes evaluated on selection (financial and operational capacity) and award criteria (quality, relevance, design, implementation approach, sustainability, cost-effectiveness). Minimum passing thresholds and detailed scoring grids are in the Guidelines. Step 3: verification of eligibility and supporting documents for provisionally selected applications, prior to award decision.

Evaluation stages and minimum scores:Concept notes receive up to 50 points; only concept notes scoring at least 30 are considered for pre-selection. Full application evaluation uses a 100-point grid with minimum thresholds for Section 1 (financial and operational capacity) and other sub-criteria; applications failing selection criteria will be rejected.

Application stages, number of steps and submission method

Application type:open call with a two-stage evaluation process. Submission method: mandatory online submission via PROSPECT. If PROSPECT unavailable and in exceptional cases, paper submission rules in the Guidelines apply. Application stages: 1) concept note (administration + scoring), 2) full application evaluation (technical, financial, capacity), 3) eligibility and supporting documents verification prior to award and contract signature. In effect applicants pass through three distinct review/selection steps.

Selection and award: scoring, reserve list and notification

Only concept notes scoring ≥30/50 will be pre-selected. From these, the contracting authority reduces to the number of concept notes whose aggregate requested EU contributions equals 200% of available budget. After full-application evaluation, the highest scoring proposals are provisionally selected until the budget is reached. A reserve list will be created. All applicants are informed via PROSPECT. Contracting authority reserves the right not to award all funds and may reallocate between lots. Contract signature is subject to final verification of supporting documents and possible need for a financial guarantee for pre-financing.

Success rates

The Guidelines do not publish an explicit overall success rate. The call reduces concept notes for full application phase to the aggregate amount equal to 200% of the available budget (i.e. roughly half the pre-selected pipeline will be invited to submit full applications subject to scoring and eligibility), and final awards are drawn from the highest scoring full applications within available budgets. No explicit numeric success rate from start to finish is specified in the published material.

Funding modalities, financial control and post-award obligations

Grants can be provided as reimbursement of eligible costs (actual costs and/or simplified cost options such as unit costs, lump sums or flat rates), as financing not linked to costs (FNLC) entirely or combined. Eligibility rules, eligible and ineligible costs, and accounting, reporting and audit requirements are described in the Guidelines and Annex II General Conditions. Contracting authority may require contractual expenditure verification (agreed-upon procedures) and for FNLC components a mandatory third-party assessment to validate results. Beneficiaries must keep records for at least five years after payment of the balance (three years where grants are ≤ €60,000) and allow on-the-spot checks and audits by the Commission, OLAF, EPPO and auditors.

Financial rules and examples from templates

Budget templates:Annex B includes worksheets 1a (cost-based), €1B (cost-based + FNLC), 1c (FNLC only), 2 (justification) and 3 (expected sources of funding). Budgets must be realistic, cost-effective, and in EUR. Eligible cost categories include staff, travel, equipment, project office, services and other direct costs. Indirect costs may be claimed as a flat rate up to 7% of direct eligible costs (except project office and volunteers). A contingency reserve up to 5% of direct eligible costs is allowed with prior written authorisation. Financial support to third parties is allowed (normally maximum €60,000 per third party unless otherwise justified). Volunteers’ work can be declared as a specific in-kind unit cost subject to Commission unit-cost rules and not included in indirect cost calculations. Per-diems, depreciation, and taxation clauses are specified in Annex B and its footnotes.

Templates and application form structure

Main templates provided:Annex A.1 Concept Note template; Annex A.2 Full Application Form; Annex B Budget Excel (worksheets 1a/€1B/1c + justification + expected sources); Annex C Logical Framework template; Annex E3d Activities Matrix; Annex D Identification Forms (public law body / private law body / natural person); Annex F PADOR offline registration; Annex H Declaration on Honour; Annex L SEA-H self-evaluation questionnaire; Annex G Standard Grant Contract (with Annex II General Conditions, Annex IV Procurement rules, Annex VII-A Terms of Reference for contractual expenditure verification, Annex VII-B Terms of Reference for third party assessment for FNLC, Annex VIII model financial guarantee, Annex IX transfer of ownership template).

How the application form looks and key sections:Concept note (Annex A.1): cover page with summary table (objectives, beneficiaries, outputs, activities, target groups), Description of the Action (max 2 pages), Relevance (max 3 pages), brief info on lead applicant and partners, project details (title, duration, requested EU contribution). Full application (Annex A.2): extended Description (up to 18 pages), Methodology, Detailed Activities Matrix and Action Plan, Logical Framework (Annex C), Budget Worksheets (Annex B) with justification (Worksheet 2) and expected sources of funding (Worksheet 3), organisational capacity and past experience sections, declarations and mandates from co-applicants and affiliated entities.

Eligibility, selection and exclusion declarations

Lead applicants, co-applicants and affiliated entities must be non-profit legal persons established in eligible countries and must not be in any of the exclusion situations (bankruptcy, serious breach of obligations, fraud, corruption, final judgements etc.). A signed Declaration on Honour (Annex H) is required for grants > €15,000. The contracting authority reserves the right to exclude applicants or to impose administrative sanctions in line with the Financial Regulation and EDES provisions. Applicants must ensure compliance with EU restrictive measures and the regime of conditionality for protection of the Union budget.

Project management, monitoring and verification requirements

Monitoring & evaluation:beneficiaries must maintain a logframe and update indicator current values in each report. The contracting authority reserves the right to carry out monitoring, evaluations, audits and third-party assessments. For FNLC parts, a third party assessment is required to validate that results and milestone indicators listed in Annex I and Annex III have been achieved prior to payments. Contracting authority may request contractual expenditure verification (AUP) for large grants or as per thresholds.

Reporting, audit and record-keeping

Reporting schedule:interim narrative and financial reports (every reporting period as set in the special conditions) and a final narrative and financial report within 3 months of contract end (6 months if coordinator HQ is outside action country). Reports must include logframe current values, updated activities matrix and evidence. For grants ≥ €5,000,000 contractual expenditure verification is required with interim reports; for grants > €100,000 a contractual expenditure verification or detailed breakdown is required with final report. Records and supporting documents must be kept at least 5 years after payment of the balance (3 years where grants ≤ €60,000) and be available for Commission/OLAF/EPPO/auditor checks.

Key risks, ethics and safeguarding

Applicants must assess and mitigate risks, including political, security, environmental, reputational and programmatic risks. They must comply with EU values, environmental legislation, core labour standards and demonstrate a survivor-centred policy for Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEA-H). Successful applicants (except natural persons, pillar-assessed entities and governments/public bodies) must complete the SEA-H self-evaluation questionnaire (Annex L) for grants > €60,000 prior to signature.

Submission support, helpdesk and Q&A

Applicants must register in PADOR and the Participant Register (PIC), and submit via PROSPECT. PROSPECT user manuals, e-learning and IT support address are provided. Technical issues with PROSPECT/PADOR: ec-external-relations-application-support@ec.europa.eu. Questions on the call: delegation-papua-new-guinea-cfp@eeas.europa.eu. Q&A will be published in PROSPECT for all applicants and individual answers are not provided. Deadline for questions: 3 August 2026, answers published by 13 August 2026.

Templates and mandatory annexes available (public documents)

• Information session presentation (pdf)
• Guidelines for grant applicants (full Guidelines, includes Annex II General Conditions)
• Annex A.1 Concept note template (rtf)
• Annex A.2 Full application form (rtf)
• Annex B Budget workbook (xlsx) including cost based and FNLC worksheets
• Annex C Logical framework template (docx)
• Annex D Identification forms for public law body, private law body with legal form, and natural person (pdf/doc)
• Annex F PADOR offline registration form (pdf)
• Annex H Declaration on honour on exclusion criteria (docx)
• Annex L Self-evaluation questionnaire on SEA-H (docx)
• Annex G Standard grant contract (zip) including Annexes VII-A (Expenditure verification ToR), VII-B (Third party assessment ToR), VIII Model financial guarantee, IX Transfer of asset ownership, Annex IV Procurement rules, Annex V Request for payment, Annex VI model narrative and financial reports

Applicants must download and use the exact annex templates provided with the call. The budget workbook includes detailed guidance, breakdown headings and calculation rules as well as templates for FNLC linkages between logframe indicators and budget FNLC sub-headings. The logical framework matrix and activities matrix are mandatory and will be used as monitoring tools and incorporated in the grant contract (Annex I).

Success tips and common pitfalls (from guidance)

1. 1Respect the partnership composition eligibility: include at least one PNG-based organisation and one entity outside PNG among applicants.
2. 2Use the correct templates and respect page/format limits; provide complete annexes; incomplete applications may be rejected.
3. 3Demonstrate clear intervention logic, realistic activities and timelines, robust risk analysis and mitigation measures and measurable indicators in the logframe.
4. 4Ensure PADOR profiles are up to date and required supporting documents are available well before the deadline (registration delays are common).
5. 5Prepare a realistic, justified and cost-effective budget with accurate formulas; check consistency between budget, activities and logframe.
6. 6Address cross-cutting issues (gender equality, inclusion of marginalised groups, environment) and include SEA-H measures.
7. 7If proposing financial support to third parties, specify selection criteria, amounts and mechanisms in the full application (Annex A.2 Section 2.1.1).
8. 8Submit early via PROSPECT and keep evidence of submission; 1 minute late is too late.

Assessment and control obligations after award (what to expect)

Contracting authority may request:contractual expenditure verification (agreed upon procedures) for large grants and/or with interim/final reports, third party assessments for FNLC results, on-the-spot checks, audits and evaluations. The Standard Grant Contract (Annex G) and Annex II General Conditions contain detailed provisions on reporting, record-keeping, audits, liability, confidentiality, visibility, procurement rules and recovery. The beneficiary must allow access to records, sites and databases to Commission services, OLAF, EPPO and Court of Auditors and implement corrective measures if requested.

Where to apply and submit documents:Mandatory online submission via PROSPECT: webgate.ec.europa.eu and PROSPECT portal links provided in the call. PADOR registration: webgate.ec.europa.eu. Information and downloads on the call: ec.europa.eu

Assessment of costs, audit and verification templates

Annex VII-A contains model Terms of Reference for contractual expenditure verification (agreed-upon procedures) including sampling rules and the AUP reporting template. Annex VII-B contains model Terms of Reference for third party assessment of FNLC results. Annex V supplies the standard request for payment template. Annex IX supplies the standard transfer of ownership template for equipment and assets. Annex IV sets procurement rules for beneficiaries. All templates are provided as part of Annex G Standard Grant Contract.

Success rates, co-funding and competition

The Guidelines do not state a numeric overall success rate. Concept notes must score at least 30/50 to be pre-selected; the contracting authority will invite full applications for concept notes up to an aggregate requested amount equal to 200% of available budget. Final awards will be made to the highest-scoring applications within available budget and after eligibility verification. Co-financing requirement: minimum 50% of total eligible costs must be covered by sources other than the EU; maximum EU contribution 95%.

Key contacts and help

Questions on the call:delegation-papua-new-guinea-cfp@eeas.europa.eu. PROSPECT/PADOR IT support: ec-external-relations-application-support@ec.europa.eu. Read the Guidelines carefully and consult the FAQ/Q&A published in PROSPECT; no individual replies will be given. Information session registration: send participant details by 2 June 2026 to delegation-papua-new-guinea-cfp@eeas.europa.eu.

Summary: what is this opportunity about and who should apply

This EU call funds civil society and gender-focused interventions in Papua New Guinea to strengthen civic participation, social accountability, public budget debate and to promote and protect human rights and democracy with a focus on women’s political and decision-making participation (including work linked to the 2027 elections). It is organised in two lots and supports civil society organisations, local and international NGOs, public sector operators and eligible international organisations under NDICI rules. Grants are substantial (minimum €500,000 to €600,000 per project depending on lot) and require partnerships including a local PNG organisation and at least one partner outside PNG. Applications follow a two-stage selection (concept note then full application) and require detailed technical, financial and organisational documentation including PADOR/PIC registration, a realistic budget, logical framework, and procurement and safeguarding measures. The call is competitive, demands full compliance with eligibility and procurement rules, and includes strong post-award control provisions (expenditure verification, possible third party assessment for FNLC, audits and on-the-spot checks).

For the full rules, award criteria, scoring methodology, templates, and legal terms applicants must consult the Guidelines for Grant Applicants and all annexes published on the PROSPECT portal. Guidelines and supporting documents Information session presentation Guidelines for applicants Annex B Budget workbook Annex C Logical framework Annex A.2 Full application form.

The contracting authority strongly recommends reading the full Guidelines and annexes and registering in PADOR and PROSPECT well in advance of the deadline to avoid technical registration issues.

Note on verification and audit:the call makes use of contractual expenditure verification and third party assessment for FNLC components and provides model ToR and templates for agreed-upon procedures and assessments which the beneficiary must budget and plan for in the proposal. These requirements are part of the standard grant contract Annexes and will be included in the final contracting stage. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Detailed terms of reference and report templates for contractual expenditure verification (AUP) and third party assessment for FNLC are included in Annex VII-A and VII-B of the Standard Grant Contract (Annex G). See Annex VII-A: Terms of Reference for contractual expenditure verification and Annex VII-B: Terms of Reference for Third Party Assessment (FNLC) in the published call documents.

Opportunity Summary

The European Commission has launched an open call for proposals (Ref:EuropeAid) to strengthen civic participation and promote women’s political and decision-making participation in Papua New Guinea, with a specific focus on the context of the 2027 elections ¹. The total budget available is €1,381,333, split into two distinct lots: Lot 1 for civil society support (€661,333) and Lot 2 for women’s political participation (€720,000) ².

Key Details

Who Should Apply

Eligible applicants must be legal, non-profit persons such as NGOs, public sector operators, local authorities, or international organizations ³. A mandatory partnership requirement exists: the consortium must include at least one local organization established in PNG and one organization established outside PNG ⁴. International NGOs must focus on knowledge transfer, mediation, and innovation to amplify local outreach.

Lot 1 Focus:Strengthening civic participation, public information disclosure, budget debates, and social accountability mechanisms, including empowering women and youth in civic processes ⁵.

Lot 2 Focus:Supporting women’s political participation and decision-making before and after the 2027 elections, addressing barriers to leadership, engaging customary structures, and raising public awareness on women’s leadership ⁶.

Eligibility & Ineligible Actions

1. 1Individual sponsorships for workshops or conferences are ineligible
2. 2Individual scholarships for studies or training are ineligible
3. 3One-off conferences (unless part of a wider activity range) are ineligible
4. 4Capital expenditure (land, buildings, vehicles) is generally ineligible
5. 5Actions supporting political parties or proselytism are strictly prohibited
6. 6Actions violating human rights or EU values are excluded

Application Process

Submission is mandatory via the online PROSPECT platform ⁷. Applicants must first register in PADOR to obtain a unique EuropeAid identifier. The application requires a Concept Note (max 5 pages) and a Full Application Form, including a detailed budget and logical framework ⁸. An information session is scheduled for 8 June 2026 in Port Moresby.

Evaluation Criteria

Concept notes are evaluated on Relevance (20 points) and Design (30 points), with a minimum score of 30 required for pre-selection ⁹. Full applications are scored on Financial/Operational Capacity (20), Relevance (20), Design (15), Implementation (15), Sustainability (15), and Budget/Cost-effectiveness (15), totaling 100 points ¹⁰.

Footnotes

1. 1Official Call Details: ec.europa.eu
2. 2Budget Allocation: Guidelines for Grant Applicants, Section 1.3
3. 3Eligibility Criteria: Guidelines for Grant Applicants, Section 2.1.1
4. 4Partnership Requirements: Guidelines for Grant Applicants, Section 2.1.1
5. 5Lot 1 Priorities: Guidelines for Grant Applicants, Section 1.2
6. 6Lot 2 Priorities: Guidelines for Grant Applicants, Section 1.2
7. 7Submission Platform: PROSPECT (webgate.ec.europa.eu)
8. 8Required Documents: Annex A.1 (Concept Note) and Annex A.2 (Full Application)
9. 9Concept Note Evaluation: Guidelines for Grant Applicants, Section 2.3.1
10. 10Full Application Evaluation: Guidelines for Grant Applicants, Section 2.3.2