Promoting an enabling civic space

This call CERV-2026 under the CERV programme funds projects that strengthen monitoring of civic space and enhance protection and resilience of civil society organisations and human rights defenders. The indicative topic budget is €16,500,000 (€26,000,000 for the broader call), minimum grant request €75,000, funding rate approximately 90 percent, and projects should normally run 12 to 24 months. Lead applicants must be private non-profit legal entities established in eligible EU countries, co-applicants may include public or private bodies, and transnational partnerships are encouraged. The application deadline is 15 September 2026 at 17:00 CET, submissions are electronic via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal, and proposals are evaluated against Relevance, Quality and Impact with minimum thresholds including Relevance ≥25/40 and overall ≥70/100.

What it funds

Grants for projects strengthening monitoring of civic space and for protecting and increasing the resilience of civil society organisations and human rights defenders. Activities include national or transnational monitoring systems, data collection and reporting (including SLAPPs and transnational repression), capacity-building (digital and cyber-security), platforms or tools centralising protection services, coordination of protection efforts, victim support, awareness-raising, training and strategic litigation related to enforcement of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Who can apply

Lead applicants must be non-profit legal entities established in eligible countries (EU Member States). Co-applicants can be public or private bodies; for-profit organisations may participate only in partnership with a private non-profit lead. Transnational consortia and partnerships with National Human Rights Institutions, equality bodies, ombuds institutions and Charter focal points are encouraged.

Budget and scale:Total indicative call budget €26,000,000 with €16,500,000 indicative for the civic space topic. Project grants are budget-based; minimum requested EU grant is €75,000. Funding rate and final amounts set in the Grant Agreement ¹.

1. 1Deadline and key dates: call opens 20 May 2026; deadline 15 September 2026 17:00 Brussels time; evaluation Oct 2026–Feb 2027; grant signature from June 2027.
2. 2Eligible project duration normally 12 to 24 months; activities must take place in eligible countries (EU Member States).

Applications are submitted electronically through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal; proposals must follow the call document, use the standard Application Form and comply with eligibility, admissibility and reporting requirements set out by the Agency ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Call document and annexes, including detailed rules on eligibility, eligible costs, evaluation and grant agreement templates, are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page and in the call fiche: Call document.

Call overview and administrative data

Call for proposals to support the application of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (CERV-2026-CHAR-LITI). Topic: Promoting an enabling civic space CERV-2026. Programme: Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV). Type of action: CERV Project Grants (CERV-PJG). Type of MGA: CERV Action Grant Budget-Based (CERV-AG). Planned opening date: 20 May 2026. Deadline for submission: 15 September 2026, 17:00 Brussels time. Deadline model: single-stage. Submission channel: Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System (online only).

Planned timetable (indicative):Call publication: 29 April 2026; Call opening: 20 May 2026; Submission deadline: 15 September 2026 (17:00 CET/Brussels); Evaluation: October 2026 – February 2027; Information to applicants: March 2027; Signature of grant agreement: June 2027 ¹.

Topic scope and objectives

This topic aims to reinforce conditions for an enabling civic space by supporting actions that strengthen (1) monitoring of civic space and (2) protection and resilience of civil society organisations (CSOs) and human rights defenders. Projects may address monitoring, protection, resilience, or strategic litigation to advance enforcement of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and to strengthen strategic litigation capacity. Transnational partnerships across EU Member States are particularly encouraged; projects can be national or transnational.

1. 1Monitoring of civic space: establish or enhance systematic, comprehensive national monitoring systems aligned with existing frameworks (e.g. FRA indicators, other international data, national systems) to ensure comparability and consistency.
2. 2Monitoring focal areas: breaches of fundamental rights affecting CSOs and human rights defenders (including freedom of association); emerging issues such as digital threats and transnational repression; improved data collection, analysis and reporting to enable early identification of risks including SLAPPs; support coordinated, evidence-based responses.
3. 3Protection and resilience: facilitate access to support services (reporting channels, legal assistance, psychosocial support, emergency funding); address legal/administrative pressures, physical/verbal attacks, online harassment, smear campaigns, cybersecurity risks and SLAPPs.
4. 4Coordination and access: create or strengthen platforms, tools and cooperation mechanisms to centralise information and coordinate protection efforts at national and cross-border level.
5. 5Strategic litigation: proposals can focus exclusively on strategic litigation to enforce the Charter, strengthen litigators’ specialised knowledge and strategic approaches, including on SLAPPs.

Eligible applicants and participation rules

Eligibility conditions and participant rules are set out in Section 6 of the Call document and the Participant Register requirements. Lead applicants (Coordinators) must be private non-profit legal entities. Co-applicants may be private or public legal entities, non-profit or for-profit; for-profit organisations may apply only in partnership with private non-profit organisations. Natural persons are not eligible except self-employed persons/sole traders. International organisations are eligible. Organisations must be formally established in eligible countries (EU Member States and OCTs as described in the Call document). Beneficiaries and affiliated entities must be registered in the Participant Register (PIC) and validated.

Eligible Applicant Types:The call explicitly permits: nonprofit organisations (lead applicants required to be private non-profit legal entities); co-applicants can be nonprofit or for-profit legal entities; public bodies and international organisations may participate; research institutes, universities, National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), equality bodies, ombuds institutions, NGOs and networks are indicated as relevant participants. Natural persons are NOT eligible except self-employed sole traders. Associated partners, subcontractors and affiliated entities may participate under the specific rules. The call strongly encourages transnational CSO consortia and networks including NHRIs, equality bodies and ombuds institutions.

Consortium requirement:Single-stage submission; projects can be single beneficiary (mono-beneficiary) or multi-beneficiary. The call allows national or transnational projects; transnational projects are particularly encouraged. There is no mandatory minimum number of partners set in the topic text, but consortium roles must follow the Grant Agreement rules (Coordinator, Beneficiaries, Affiliated Entities, Associated Partners).

Funding, budget and financial rules

This is an action grant under CERV (budget-based mixed actual cost grant). The grant funds eligible costs incurred during the project and may include unit costs, flat rates or other permitted forms where specified. Funding rate and maximum grant amount will be fixed in the Grant Agreement; the call sets a minimum grant request of €75 000. The overall indicative available budget for the call is €26 000 000: €16 500 000 allocated to CERV-2026 and €9 500 000 to the related CHARTER topic (CERV-2026-CHAR-LITI-CHARTER). The indicated funding rate in the general call framework is normally 90% but the precise rate and grant parameters will be fixed in the Grant Agreement. Indirect costs are normally reimbursed at a flat-rate 7% of eligible direct costs (A-D, excluding volunteers and exempted categories). VAT rules, prefinancing, certificates and guarantee rules follow the CERV Model Grant Agreement and Call document.

1. 1Available call budget: €26 000 000 (total for topics CERV-2026-CHAR-LITI-CHARTER and CERV-2026).
2. 2Topic budget: CERV-2026 indicative budget €16 500 000.
3. 3Minimum grant request allowed: €75 000; no upper project budget limit defined (project budget: no fixed maximum), final grant amount may be lower than requested.
4. 4Form of grant: Budget-based mixed actual cost grant (actual costs, unit costs, flat-rate elements where applicable).
5. 5Indirect costs: flat-rate 7% of eligible direct costs (categories A-D except volunteers and exempted categories).
6. 6Funding and payment schedule: prefinancing (typically up to 80% of maximum grant), interim and final payments; reporting and payment deadlines set in Data Sheet and Grant Agreement.
7. 7Prefinancing guarantees, certificates on financial statements (CFS) and other audit/certification rules apply based on thresholds and type of beneficiaries (see call documents).

Eligible activities, project duration and expected impact

Permitted activities are described in Section 2 of the Call document. Projects should be practical and focus on direct support to CSOs at risk or facing threats. Projects may focus on monitoring, protection, resilience, strategic litigation, or a combination.

1. 1Monitoring activities: develop methodologies and tools, align with FRA indicators and existing frameworks, capacity building for monitoring, data collection, analysis, reporting, early risk identification, SLAPPs and transnational repression monitoring, IT/digital tools to centralise monitoring data.
2. 2Protection and resilience activities: set up reporting channels, legal assistance, psychosocial support, emergency funding mechanisms, cyber/digital security capacity building, communication capacity for CSOs, victim support, cross-border coordination mechanisms and networks to provide coherent responses.
3. 3Strategic litigation activities: strengthen capacity of strategic litigators and CSOs to develop strategic cases under the EU Charter, including SLAPP-targeted litigation strategies.
4. 4Capacity-building, mutual learning and exchange of good practices, creation of platforms/tools to centralise information on protection mechanisms, development of cooperation protocols between actors (CSOs, NHRIs, equality bodies, Ombuds institutions, Charter Focal Points and authorities).

Project duration:Normally between 12 and 24 months. Extensions possible by amendment if justified.

Expected Impact:Improved evidence-based monitoring of civic space and comparable indicators across Member States; improved protection and resilience for CSOs and human rights defenders; increased awareness and reporting of attacks; strengthened cross-border coordination and networks; improved capacity for strategic litigation and litigation strategies; prevention of fundamental rights breaches and enhanced access to redress mechanisms.

Evaluation, award criteria and success thresholds

The evaluation procedure is one-stage (single-stage submission) and one-step evaluation. Admissibility, eligibility, operational and financial capacity checks are followed by evaluation by experts against the award criteria. The evaluation and award criteria, scoring and thresholds are set in Section 9 of the Call document.

1. 1Award criteria and scoring: Relevance (40 points) — individual threshold 25/40; Quality (40 points); Impact (20 points). Maximum total 100 points; overall pass mark 70 points.
2. 2Relevance focuses on alignment with call priorities, needs analysis, target groups (with gender perspective), European/transnational added value and transferability.
3. 3Quality assesses concept, methodology, workplan, consortium capacity, resources, risk management, ethical aspects and cost-effectiveness.
4. 4Impact assesses ambition, expected long-term effects, dissemination strategy, sustainability and multiplier effect.
5. 5Evaluation timeline (indicative): Evaluation October 2026 – February 2027; Information to applicants March 2027; Grant signature June 2027.

Application stages:Single-stage submission followed by evaluation and possible invitation to grant preparation (one main stage). Grant preparation includes legal entity validation, financial capacity checks and finalisation of the Grant Agreement. Overall number of formal stages from submission to signature: normally 2 (submission → evaluation/selection; selection → grant preparation and signature) though internal steps (validation, clarifications) occur during grant preparation.

Geographic and beneficiary scope

Eligible countries:EU Member States (including Overseas Countries and Territories where applicable) as listed in Section 6 of the Call document. Activities must take place in eligible countries. Transnational projects with partners in several EU Member States are particularly encouraged. International organisations may participate under specific rules. National Contact Points for CERV can provide country-level assistance.

Beneficiary scope (geographic eligibility):EU Member States (see Section 6). Transnational actions involving multiple Member States are encouraged. International organisations are eligible. Projects must operate within eligible countries; activities outside eligible countries require specific justification and compliance with call rules.

Mentioned countries:The topic text references EU Member States generally and encourages partnerships across several EU Member States. No specific Member States are mandated in the topic description. CERV National Contact Points span Member States and selected third jurisdictions for support.

Project stage and target sectors

Target sector:Primary sector: civil society and human rights protection. Thematic sectors include governance, rule of law, fundamental rights, civic space, legal services and capacity-building, digital security/cybersecurity for CSOs, communications and advocacy. Secondary intersections: justice, public policy, data and monitoring systems, digital tools and platforms.

Project stage:Expected maturity: development, validation and demonstration of systems, tools and services at national and transnational level; capacity-building and operational support-oriented activities targeted at CSOs and human rights defenders. Strategic litigation interventions expect legal practice and case work proficiency (development and application).

Application process, templates and documents

Applications must be submitted online via the Funding & Tenders Portal Submission System using the Portal forms. The application consists of Part A (administrative data filled online), Part B (technical description, template downloaded, completed and uploaded as PDF, max 45 pages), Part C (KPI tool) and required annexes (CVs, activity reports, list of previous projects, child protection policy or declaration where relevant). All applicants and affiliated entities must register in the Participant Register and obtain a PIC before submission. Proposals must be submitted before the deadline; paper submissions are not accepted. Use of generative AI in preparation is permitted if fully validated and declared by applicants.

1. 1Mandatory submission parts: Part A (online), Part B (PDF, 45-page limit), Part C (online KPIs), Annexes (CVs, activity reports, list of previous projects; child protection policy for entities working with children).
2. 2Formatting constraints: A4, Arial minimum 9pt, margins at least 15 mm; excess pages in Part B will be disregarded.
3. 3Application forms: Standard application form (CERV) available in the Submission System. Use the Portal templates and slots for annexes — do not upload documents in the wrong category.
4. 4Ethics and child protection: private entities implementing activities with children must have a child protection policy in line with Keeping Children Safe standards; public entities must provide a declaration of honour or CPP if available.

Templates and structure (Part B outline):Part B structure follows the CERV Application Form template: Cover page and project summary; 1) Relevance (background, needs analysis, complementarity, European added value); 2) Quality (concept/methodology, consortium set-up, project teams, management, monitoring & evaluation, cost-effectiveness, risk management); 3) Impact (expected changes, dissemination, sustainability); 4) Workplan and work packages (WP1 project management, WP2–n activities, deliverables, milestones, staff effort, subcontracting, timetable); 5) Other (ethics and EU values, security); 6) Declarations and annexes (CVs, detailed budget if required, activity reports, list of previous projects).

Evaluation, risk and compliance highlights

Key compliance and risk items to address in proposals:financial and operational capacity checks (Section 7 of the Call document); exclusion and ethics grounds; GDPR and data protection; conflict of interest avoidance and procurement/subcontracting procedures; no double funding rule; no financial support to third parties unless expressly allowed in the call conditions (the topic text indicates that financial support to third parties is not allowed for this topic); child protection policies where relevant; mainstreaming of fundamental rights, gender equality and non-discrimination across project design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

Co-funding and revenues:The call indicates the grant may cover up to the funding rate fixed in the Grant Agreement (Data Sheet). Applicants must demonstrate they have stable and sufficient resources to implement the project (financial capacity checks). Projects may declare other sources of income but must avoid double funding from EU sources. The no-profit rule applies: grants may not produce a profit; revenues generated by the action must be declared and may be deducted from the final grant if applicable.

Practical application advice and restrictions

1. 1Prepare registration (EULogin and Participant Register PIC) well in advance of the call opening.
2. 2Ensure the lead applicant does not submit more than one application under this call: multiple submissions by the same lead applicant lead to rejection of all proposals.
3. 3Describe in Part B how the project builds on existing monitoring frameworks (FRA indicators, international datasets) and clarify added value.
4. 4If proposing strategic litigation, detail capacity building for litigators, victim support pathways, and cross-border legal strategies and how support to victims (CSOs, NHRIs, equality bodies, Ombuds) is integrated.
5. 5Address fundamental rights mainstreaming and include sex-disaggregated and, where possible, disability- and age-disaggregated data in needs analysis and indicators.
6. 6If activities involve children, include child protection policy (for private entities) or declaration (public entities).

Success rates and competition

The Call document does not publish a specific success rate for this topic. The available indicative budgets (€16.5 million for this topic) and the number of grants to be awarded depend on the quality and size of proposals received. Award decisions will follow the ranking by evaluation scores and the available budget; tied scores are broken down by Relevance, Quality and Impact criteria order. The granting authority reserves the right not to award all funds.

Success rate estimate (guidance):No explicit success rate is provided. Applicants should assume high competition given CERV programme popularity and ensure proposals clearly meet thresholds: Relevance ≥ 25/40 and total ≥ 70/100.

Q&A, support and contact points

Applicants should consult the Topic page on the Funding & Tenders Portal for call updates, Q&A and partner search announcements. Non-IT questions should be directed to the CERV National Contact Point of the applicant’s country if available; otherwise contact EACEA-CERV@ec.europa.eu. Use the IT Helpdesk for portal and submission issues. An Online Manual and Portal reference documents (Call document, Model Grant Agreement, Application Form templates) are available on the Portal.

Tables and timelines

Checklist for applicants

1. 1Register and obtain PIC in the Participant Register well before submission.
2. 2Ensure lead applicant is a private non-profit legal entity and does not submit other applications under this call.
3. 3Prepare Part B (max 45 pages) following the CERV template and address award criteria explicitly.
4. 4Collect CVs, activity reports, list of previous projects and any child protection policy or declaration if relevant.
5. 5Demonstrate operational and financial capacity (upload supporting documents if requested during validation).
6. 6Describe monitoring methodology, alignment with FRA and other frameworks, and added value of proposed monitoring activities.
7. 7Detail protection/resilience measures, access to support services, victim support and cybersecurity capacity building where applicable.
8. 8Plan deliverables, milestones, indicators (including gender and non-discrimination indicators) and a realistic budget complying with eligibility rules.

For full, authoritative and legally binding details consult the Call document and Model Grant Agreement available on the Funding & Tenders Portal and the call topic page. The Call document (Call: CERV-2026-CHAR-LITI) contains the exhaustive rules on admissibility, eligibility, evaluation, financial set-up, certificates, reporting, payment, guarantees and legal obligations. Applicants are encouraged to read Section 5 (admissibility), Section 6 (eligibility), Section 7 (financial and operational capacity), Section 8 (evaluation), Section 9 (award criteria) and Section 10 (legal and financial set-up) of the Call document carefully.

Summary:This call funds projects that strengthen monitoring of civic space and strengthen protection and resilience of CSOs and human rights defenders. Projects should be practical, evidence-based, align with existing monitoring frameworks, provide direct support to CSOs at risk and may include strategic litigation capacity building. Transnational partnerships are encouraged. Applicants must apply via the Funding & Tenders Portal, meet eligibility and documentation requirements, and follow the Call and Grant Agreement rules for financial management, reporting and ethics. The topic is part of the CERV programme with an indicative topic budget of €16.5 million and a minimum grant request of €75 000. The application deadline is 15 September 2026.

Footnotes

1. 1Call document, timetable and full topic description available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Topic page: Promoting an enabling civic space CERV-2026 Call document.

Opportunity Overview

This call for proposals supports actions that strengthen the monitoring of civic space and enhance the protection and resilience of civil society organisations (CSOs) and human rights defenders working to uphold EU values. The call is part of the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme and aims to reinforce conditions for a thriving, safe and enabling civic space across EU Member States.

Call Reference:CERV-2026 under the broader call CERV-2026-CHAR-LITI for proposals to support the application of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Key Dates and Deadlines

Funding Information

Total Budget Available:€16,500,000 allocated specifically to the Promoting an Enabling Civic Space topic CERV-2026. The broader call budget totals €26,000,000 across both topics.

Minimum Grant Request:€75,000 per project. No maximum limit specified.

Funding Rate:90% of eligible costs. Grants are budget-based mixed actual cost grants reimbursing only eligible costs actually incurred.

Project Duration:Projects should normally range between 12 and 24 months. Extensions are possible if duly justified through an amendment.

Eligible Applicants

Lead Applicant (Coordinator):Must be a non-profit legal entity (private body) formally established in an EU Member State or eligible country.

Co-applicants:Can be non-profit or for-profit legal entities (public or private bodies). For-profit organisations may apply only in partnership with private non-profit organisations.

Eligible Countries:EU Member States and overseas countries and territories (OCTs). Activities must take place in eligible countries.

Consortium Composition:Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of at least one applicant (beneficiary). Transnational partnerships with mutual learning possibilities for partners in several EU Member States are particularly encouraged. Networks of relevant actors at national level such as National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), equality bodies, Ombuds institutions, and national Charter Focal Points are welcome.

Restrictions:The lead applicant (coordinator) cannot submit more than one application under this call across all topics. Multiple proposals from the same lead applicant will be rejected. Natural persons are not eligible except self-employed persons. EU bodies (except the Joint Research Centre) cannot be part of the consortium.

Scope and Eligible Activities

Projects must address one of two main areas:monitoring of civic space or protection and resilience of civil society organisations and human rights defenders. Projects may focus on only monitoring, only protection, only resilience, or propose actions addressing all these areas.

Monitoring of Civic Space

Projects should establish or enhance systematic and comprehensive monitoring systems to regularly assess the environment in which CSOs operate at national level. These should build on and align with existing frameworks such as indicators developed by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights and data from international organisations, as well as national monitoring systems, to ensure comparability and consistency.

Specific focus areas for monitoring include:breaches of fundamental rights affecting CSOs and human rights defenders including the right to freedom of association; emerging issues such as digital threats and transnational repression within the EU; improved data collection, analysis and reporting enabling early identification of risks including SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation); support for timely, coordinated and evidence-based responses to civic space threats by relevant actors.

Protection and Resilience of Civil Society Organisations and Human Rights Defenders

Projects should support and enhance the protection of CSOs, their members and human rights defenders under threat, including by facilitating access to dedicated support services such as reporting channels, legal assistance, psychosocial support and emergency funding. Actions may address a wide range of threats including legal and administrative pressures, verbal or physical attacks, online harassment, smear campaigns, cybersecurity risks and SLAPPs.

Eligible activities in this area include:strengthening the resilience of civil society actors through capacity-building on digital and cyber-security; strengthening capacity of CSOs to communicate effectively around their activities and build effective, visible and impactful advocacy activities; improving access to information on available protection mechanisms through platforms or tools centralising support services; setting up or strengthening coordination of protection efforts at national and cross-border level through cooperation mechanisms, networks or platforms; providing an overview of existing protection mechanisms at national level or creating platforms or tools to centralise information for relevant support services including digital and cyber threat support.

Activities may further include monitoring, awareness-raising, training and victim support for those targeted by SLAPPs, as well as efforts to overcome cross-border barriers to protection.

Strategic Litigation

Proposals can address exclusively strategic litigation to advance the enforcement of the Charter and build the capacity of CSOs and develop strategic approaches to cases. Strategic litigators are key to fostering the promotion and protection of Charter rights. Proposals should aim to strengthen their capacity and specialised knowledge on the Charter and on how to develop a strategic approach to cases, including on targeting SLAPPs in a strategic manner. Support and assistance to victims provided by civil society organisations, NHRIs and equality bodies and Ombuds institutions is instrumental.

Evaluation Criteria and Scoring

Proposals must achieve at least 25 points in the Relevance criterion AND an overall score of at least 70 points to be considered for funding. Proposals with equal scores are prioritised first by Relevance score, then by Quality score, then by Impact score.

Relevance Criterion (40 points)

Assessed on:extent to which the proposal matches the priorities and objectives of the call; clearly defined needs and robust needs assessment; clearly defined target group with gender perspective appropriately taken into account; contribution to EU strategic and legislative context; European/trans-national dimension; impact/interest for a number of countries; possibility to use results in other countries and potential for transfer of good practices; potential to develop mutual trust and cross-border cooperation, building synergies and avoiding duplication with previous projects.

Quality Criterion (40 points)

Assessed on:clarity and consistency of project; logical links between identified problems, needs and solutions proposed; methodology for implementing the project with gender perspective appropriately taken into account including organisation of work, timetable, allocation of resources and distribution of tasks between partners, risks and risk management, monitoring and evaluation; ethical issues and measures to guarantee compliance with EU values; feasibility of the project within the proposed timeframe; financial feasibility with sufficient and appropriate budget for proper implementation and cost-effectiveness.

Impact Criterion (20 points)

Assessed on:ambition and expected long-term impact of results on target groups and general public; appropriate dissemination strategy for ensuring sustainability and long-term impact; potential for positive multiplier effect; sustainability of results after EU funding ends.

Eligible Costs and Budget Categories

The grant is a budget-based mixed actual cost grant. Eligible costs are reimbursed at 90% of actual costs incurred. The following budget categories are available:

• A. Personnel costs (employees, natural persons under direct contract, seconded persons, SME owners, volunteers)
• B. Subcontracting costs
• C. Purchase costs (travel and subsistence, equipment, other goods/works/services)
• D. Financial support to third parties (if applicable)
• E. Indirect costs (7% flat-rate of eligible direct costs)

Ineligible costs include:return on capital and dividends; debt and debt service charges; provisions for future losses; interest owed; currency exchange losses; bank transfer costs; excessive or reckless expenditure; deductible or refundable VAT; costs incurred during grant suspension; costs declared under other EU grants (except in specific Synergy action cases); costs for staff of national administrations for their normal activities; travel and subsistence for EU institution staff.

Submission and Application Process

Submission Method:All proposals must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Paper submissions are not accepted.

Application Components:Part A (administrative information filled online), Part B (technical description downloaded template, completed and uploaded as PDF), Part C (additional project data filled online), and supporting documents (CVs, activity reports, list of previous projects, child protection policies if applicable).

Page Limit:Part B is limited to maximum 45 pages. Evaluators will not consider additional pages.

Pre-submission Requirements:All beneficiaries, affiliated entities and associated partners must be registered in the Participant Register before submitting the proposal and will receive a 9-digit participant identification code (PIC).

Submission Timing:Applicants are strongly advised to submit well in advance of the deadline to avoid technical problems. Call deadlines cannot be extended.

Financial and Operational Capacity Requirements

Financial Capacity:Applicants must have stable and sufficient resources to successfully implement projects and contribute their share. Financial capacity checks are normally conducted for coordinators unless they are public bodies or international organisations, or if the requested grant amount does not exceed €60,000. The check is based on neutral financial indicators and considers factors such as dependency on EU funding and deficit and revenue in previous years.

Operational Capacity:Applicants must have the know-how, qualifications and resources to successfully implement projects, including sufficient experience in projects of comparable size and nature. Capacity is assessed together with the Quality award criterion based on competence and experience of applicants and their project teams, including operational resources. Public bodies, Member State organisations and international organisations are exempted from the operational capacity check.

Exclusion Grounds:Applicants subject to EU exclusion decisions or in exclusion situations cannot participate. These include: bankruptcy or similar procedures; breach of social security or tax obligations; grave professional misconduct; fraud, corruption, links to criminal organisations, money laundering, terrorism-related crimes, child labour or human trafficking; significant deficiencies in complying with main obligations under EU contracts; irregularities; creation under different jurisdiction to circumvent legal obligations; intentional resistance to investigations or audits.

Grant Agreement and Payment Terms

Grant Form:Budget-based mixed actual cost grant (actual costs with unit costs and flat-rate elements).

Prefinancing:Normally 80% of the maximum grant amount, paid 30 days from entry into force or financial guarantee (whichever is latest). Prefinancing may be reduced or not provided if financial capacity is unsatisfactory.

Payment Schedule:Initial prefinancing followed by interim payments and final payment. Interim payments are capped at 90% of the maximum grant amount. Final payment is calculated after all costs are verified and may be subject to recovery if overpayment is identified.

Prefinancing Guarantees:May be required and will be set during grant preparation. Normally equal to or lower than the prefinancing amount. Must be in euro from an approved bank/financial institution in an EU Member State.

No-Profit Rule:Grants may not produce a profit (surplus of revenues plus EU grant over costs). For-profit organisations must declare revenues and any profit will be deducted from the final grant amount.

Reporting and Compliance Obligations

Continuous Reporting:Beneficiaries must report on project progress including deliverables, milestones, outputs/outcomes, critical risks and indicators in the Portal Continuous Reporting tool according to agreed timing and conditions.

Periodic Reporting:Technical and financial reports must be submitted according to the schedule set in the Data Sheet. Financial statements must detail eligible costs and contributions for each budget category and include revenues for final payment.

Record-Keeping:Beneficiaries must keep records and supporting documents for at least 5 years after final payment (or 3 years for grants not exceeding €60,000) to prove proper implementation and justify declared amounts.

Certificates:Certificates on financial statements may be required if the requested EU contribution to costs is €325,000 or more.

Checks and Audits:The granting authority, European Commission, OLAF, EPPO and European Court of Auditors may conduct checks, reviews, audits and investigations up to 5 years after final payment (or 3 years for grants not exceeding €60,000).

Ethics, Values and Gender Mainstreaming

Projects must comply with the highest ethical standards and EU values based on Article 2 of the Treaty on the European Union and Article 21 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. Projects must respect fundamental rights, democracy, equality, the rule of law and human rights including rights of minorities.

Gender equality and non-discrimination mainstreaming are mandatory. Projects must integrate gender equality and non-discrimination considerations in design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Activities should contribute to equal empowerment of women and men in all their diversity and seek to reduce discrimination suffered by particular groups. Data should be sex-disaggregated whenever possible and include age and disability breakdowns.

If projects have direct or indirect impact on children, they must be based on a child rights approach respecting all rights in the EU Charter and UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Private entities implementing activities involving children must provide a child protection policy covering recruitment, background checks, procedures and continuous training. Public entities must provide a declaration of honour or their child protection policy.

Communication, Dissemination and Visibility

Beneficiaries must promote the action and its results by providing targeted information to multiple audiences including media and the public in a strategic, coherent and effective manner. Before engaging in communication or dissemination activities expected to have major media impact, beneficiaries must inform the granting authority.

All communication activities related to the action must acknowledge EU support and display the European flag emblem and funding statement translated into local languages where appropriate. The emblem must remain distinct and separate and cannot be modified. When displayed with other logos, the emblem must be at least as prominent and visible as other logos.

All communication must use factually accurate information and include the disclaimer:Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Intellectual Property Rights

The granting authority does not obtain ownership of results produced under the action. Beneficiaries must give each other and other participants access to background identified as needed for implementing the action. If background is subject to third party rights, the beneficiary must ensure it can comply with its obligations under the Agreement.

The granting authority has the right to use non-sensitive information relating to the action and materials and documents received from beneficiaries for policy, information, communication, dissemination and publicity purposes during and after the action. This right is granted as a royalty-free, non-exclusive and irrevocable licence including rights to use, distribute, edit, translate, store, archive and process materials and produce derivative works.

Support and Contact Information

For IT-related questions about the Portal Submission System, applicants should contact the IT Helpdesk. For non-IT related questions, applicants should contact the CERV National Contact Point of their country if established, or otherwise contact EACEA-CERV@ec.europa.eu. Applicants should clearly indicate the call reference CERV-2026-CHAR-LITI in their communications.

Applicants are encouraged to consult the Online Manual for detailed procedures on registration, submission and grant management. The Portal Call and Topic pages should be consulted regularly for updates and information on info sessions for applicants.

Key Strategic Context

This call supports the European Commission's 2020 Strategy to strengthen the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, the EU Strategy for Civil Society, and the 2023 Recommendation on promoting the engagement and effective participation of civil society organisations in public policy-making. It responds to persistent measures restricting the environment in which CSOs operate and increasing threats including attacks on staff and premises, smear campaigns, SLAPPs, surveillance, digital threats and transnational repression. The call particularly focuses on CSOs working on democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights, and groups that are underrepresented, marginalised and in vulnerable situations.

Footnotes

1. 1The call document and all related templates are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal at [[ec.europa.eu. Applicants must register organisations in the Participant Register before submission and obtain a 9-digit PIC code.