Protecting and supporting victims and survivors of gender-based violence.

CERV-2026 is an EU call under the CERV programme to fund projects that set up or adapt integrated victim support services (one-stop shops, specialist centres, rape crisis centres, Barnahus models) and develop tools and capacity-building to protect and support victims and survivors of gender-based violence. Individual grants must request between €200,000 and €600,000 (indicative envelope for Priority 2: approx. €4,000,000) and will be awarded as lump sum grants for projects of 12 to 24 months. Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of at least two beneficiaries established in eligible countries, with public authorities and specialist victim-support organisations encouraged as partners to enhance sustainability and impact. The call opened 7 July 2026, the submission deadline is 3 November 2026 (17:00 CET) via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, with evaluation expected November 2026–May 2027 and grant signatures June–July 2027.

Call at a glance (CERV-2026-DAPHNE)

Essential facts

What it funds:EU action grants to prevent and combat gender-based violence and violence against children under the CERV programme. This topic CERV-2026 focuses on setting up or adapting coordinated victim support and protection services (one-stop shops, specialist centres, rape crisis/sexual violence referral centres), tools for immediate protection, risk assessment and victim-sensitive investigation, and tailored support for groups at heightened risk.

Who can apply:Eligible applicants are legal entities (public or private bodies, non-profit organisations, international organisations) established in eligible countries (EU Member States and countries associated to CERV). For this priority, consortia are required (minimum two beneficiaries) and involvement of victim-support specialists and public authorities is encouraged. Participants must register in the Participant Register (PIC) before submission. Projects may include partners, affiliated entities and associated partners as described in the call document Call document. ¹

Deadlines & timeline:Call opening: 07 July 2026. Submission deadline: 03 November 2026, 17:00 (Brussels time). Evaluation: Nov 2026–May 2027; information to applicants May 2027; grant signature June–July 2027.

1. 1Grant type: CERV Lump Sum Grants (single-stage submission).
2. 2Form of grant: lump sum at 90% funding rate (details in Model Grant Agreement).
3. 3Project duration for this priority: 12–24 months (priority 2 protection falls in this range).

Who the action should reach:victims and survivors of gender-based violence including groups facing intersectional vulnerabilities (migrants, LGBTIQ people, Roma, people with disabilities, children). Projects should be trauma-informed, gender-sensitive and compliant with child protection rules where relevant.

Budget and grant sizes (high level):Total indicative call budget €21,000,000 across five priorities; indicative funding for the Protection priority is €4,000,000.

Requested grant amounts per project:Priority 1: €1,000,000–2,500,000 (project duration 36 months); Priorities 2–5: €200,000–600,000 (duration 12–24 months). Note: for Priority 1 regranting, intermediaries are expected to dedicate most funds to third-party grants (typical 60–70%) and max per third party is €60,000.

Eligibility & key requirements (summary):projects must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal; applicants must meet legal, financial and operational capacity checks; proposals must respect EU values, child safeguarding rules and include mandatory annexes (detailed budget table, CVs, activity reports, child protection policy where applicable).

Evaluation and scoring:three award criteria (Relevance 40 pts, Quality 40 pts, Impact 20 pts). Individual threshold for Relevance 25/40; overall pass score 70/100. Only one proposal as coordinator per entity is allowed.

Footnotes

1. 1Full call documentation, templates and detailed conditions are in the call fiche and the call document on the Funding & Tenders Portal Call fiche CERV-2026-DAPHNE.

Call for proposals to prevent and combat gender-based violence and violence against children (CERV-2026-DAPHNE)

Topic: CERV-2026-DAPHNE-PROTECTION

Scope:This topic is one of five priorities under the CERV-2026-DAPHNE call for EU action grants within the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV). It seeks projects focused on protecting and supporting victims and survivors of gender-based violence by setting up or adapting integrated, coordinated, specialist victim support services (one-stop-shops in person and/or online, coordinated specialist-support centres, Barnahus or Family Justice Centre models, rape crisis/sexual violence referral centres), developing tools for immediate protection and support, and delivering capacity-building to strengthen protection, investigation and prosecution responses. Projects may be national or transnational and must comply with the call document conditions, including child protection and EU values requirements ¹.

Deadline:2026-11-03 17:00 Brussels time (single-stage electronic submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal).

Available budget for this priority:Indicative funding available for Topic CERV-2026: €4,000,000. Overall call budget €21,000,000 across five priorities ¹.

Structured opportunity details and eligibility

The following sections extract and summarise all relevant factual details from the call documentation for Topic CERV-2026 and the wider CERV-2026-DAPHNE call. This includes eligibility, application mechanics, expected activities and outputs, award criteria, timing and grant modalities.

Eligible Applicant Types:Eligible applicants are legal entities established in eligible countries (EU Member States including OCTs and non-EU participating countries associated to CERV or in the process of association). The topic encourages consortium proposals and the involvement of public authorities but does not restrict participation to specific organisational types beyond legal entity status. The call text explicitly references and expects participation from: public authorities, non-profit organisations including civil society organisations and NGOs, grassroots CSOs, women’s rights organisations, specialised victim support organisations, research organisations and international organisations. Natural persons are not eligible (except self-employed sole traders under specific conditions). EU bodies (other than international organisations) cannot be beneficiaries. In summary, eligible applicant types relevant to this priority include:

1. 1Public authorities (national, regional, local) acting as beneficiaries or consortium leads when relevant; involvement recommended to improve sustainability of results.
2. 2Non-profit organisations (NGOs, associations), including specialist victim-support organisations and women’s rights organisations.
3. 3Grassroots civil society organisations active in victim support (typically as partners or third parties under regranting in Priority 1; but here as partners/beneficiaries).
4. 4Research institutions, universities and think-tanks (as partners for evaluation, tool development, or training components).
5. 5International organisations.
6. 6Private non-profit entities and non-governmental actors.
7. 7Private for-profit organisations may participate as partners (where allowed) but cannot act as lead applicants in certain priorities; for this priority consortium submission is required and the lead must be a beneficiary organisation (see call eligibility).

Funding Type:Form of funding: CERV Lump Sum Grants. The grant will be awarded as a lump sum using the Lump Sum Model Grant Agreement approach. The funding rate is up to 90% of the lump sum and the lump sum itself is fixed in the Grant Agreement based on the estimated project budget and the supporting detailed budget table supplied with the application ¹.

Consortium Requirement:For Topic CERV-2026 (Priority 2) proposals must be submitted by a consortium of at least two applicants (beneficiaries). Single-beneficiary submissions are not permitted for priorities 2, 3 and 5. The call encourages inclusion of consortium partners specialised in victim support and recommends involving a public authority (either as beneficiary or associated partner) to enhance sustainability; involvement of a public authority will be positively evaluated under Impact. Therefore: consortium required (minimum two beneficiaries).

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Eligible participants must be established in one of the participating/eligible countries: EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories) and non-EU countries associated to the CERV Programme or countries in the process of association where association enters into force before grant signature. Activities supported under the grant must take place in eligible countries. The programme period is 2021-2027; country lists are maintained on the Funding & Tenders Portal and applicants must check current participating countries during preparation ¹.

Target Sector(s):Thematic sectors targeted by this priority are social policy and human rights with a strong focus on gender equality, victim support services, justice and protection systems, social and health services, child protection where relevant, and cyberviolence mitigation. Cross-cutting policy areas include: gender, children’s rights, victims' rights, digital safety (cyberviolence), mental health support, social services, law enforcement and judicial training, and multi-agency integrated services.

Mentioned Countries:The call text does not list individual Member States by name in the topic description but applies to all EU Member States (including OCTs) and countries associated to the CERV programme. Therefore the geographic scope is: EU Member States, associated non-EU participating countries (as published on the Portal).

Project Stage / Expected Maturity:Expected maturity: demonstration, implementation and service delivery. The call prioritises concrete projects that design, set up or adapt services (one-stop-shops, specialist support centres, Barnahus/Family Justice Centre models, rape crisis/sexual violence referral centres), develop operational tools and protocols (investigative tools, risk assessments, guidelines), deliver targeted training and capacity-building for frontline professionals, and implement coordinated victim support models. Research is allowed but cannot be the main focus.

Funding Amount (project budget range):For Priorities 2, 3, 4 and 5 (including Priority 2 Protective projects): requested grant amounts must be between €200,000 and €600,000 per project. The call uses lump sum grants and the funding rate is typically 90% of the eligible lump sum. Indicative budget for Priority 2 is €4,000,000 overall ¹.

Application Type and Submission Method:Open call published 07 July 2026 with a single-stage electronic submission (one-step evaluation). Proposals must be submitted online via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System. No paper submissions accepted. Submission procedure: single-stage; one proposal per coordinator as lead applicant across the entire call. Drafts and templates available in the Submission System; applicants must complete Part A online and upload Part B and annexes as PDF/XLSX where requested ¹.

Nature of Support:Beneficiaries receive monetary support in the form of lump sum grants (financial assistance). The programme also expects non-monetary support elements embedded in projects (training, capacity-building, development of tools, multi-agency cooperation) but the primary modality is monetary grant funding.

Application Stages:Number of stages in the selection process: 1 (single-stage submission), followed by evaluation and possible invitation to grant preparation. Timetable: call opening 07 July 2026; submission deadline 03 November 2026; evaluation November 2026 – May 2027; information to applicants May 2027; grant signature June–July 2027. Grant preparation involves legal entity validation, financial capacity checks and potential adjustments prior to signature ¹.

Success Rates:The call document does not publish exact historical success rates for this specific topic. Success rate will depend on the number and quality of eligible proposals and available budget. The topic has an indicative envelope of €4,000,000; with individual grants ranging between €200,000–600,000, a very rough maximum theoretical count is between 6 and 20 projects, but actual awards will depend on evaluation scores and cross-priority redistribution. Applicants should assume competitive selection and that only proposals meeting thresholds will be funded.

Co-funding Requirement:There is no explicit mandatory co-financing requirement for beneficiaries under this priority in terms of third-party co-funding; the grant funding rate is up to 90% of the lump sum, so applicants are expected to demonstrate financial capacity and may include own resources or other non-EU contributions where relevant. Third parties (in Priority 1) cannot be required to co-finance. Financial capacity checks will be performed for coordinators and possibly other beneficiaries; public bodies and international organisations are typically exempt from financial capacity checks ¹.

Application Templates and Required Documents:Applicants must use the Portal Submission System templates. Required application elements include: Part A (administrative data entered online); Part B (technical description using the standard CERV application form template uploaded as PDF); KPI tool (online); detailed budget table (Excel .xlsx) even for lump sums as the basis for setting lump sums; CVs of core project team; activity report(s) of last year for coordinator (and partners for Priority 1); list of previous projects (last 4 years) where mandatory; child protection policy or declaration if project activities involve children; mandatory annexes and supporting documents specified in the call document. Page limits: 45 pages for Part B for this priority (other than Priority 1 which has 70 pages). Formatting rules (Arial 9, A4, margins) must be respected ¹.

Evaluation and Award Criteria:Proposals passing admissibility and eligibility checks are evaluated by experts against three award criteria: Relevance (40 points), Quality (40 points), Impact (20 points). Individual threshold for Relevance is 25/40 and overall threshold is 70/100. The call emphasises the coherence of consortium size/composition, added value, EU policy alignment (VAW Directive, Istanbul Convention, Commission Recommendations), mainstreaming gender and children’s rights, feasibility, monitoring/evaluation, and sustainability. Inclusion of public authority support and specialist victim-support partners is encouraged and scored positively under Quality and Impact ¹.

Project Duration:For Priorities 2, 3, 4 and 5 (this includes Priority 2 protection projects) the permitted duration is between 12 and 24 months. Projects under Priority 1 have a fixed 36-month duration. Extensions may be possible but require amendment justification and approval ¹.

Mandatory Policies and Safeguards:All projects must comply with EU values and legal frameworks (Article 2 TEU, EU Charter, GDPR, EU Financial Regulation). Projects involving children require a Child Protection Policy (private entities supply full CPP; public entities may provide the Child Protection Policy Declaration). Child safeguarding, do-no-harm, background checks for staff working with children, data protection measures and ethical compliance must be described and will be evaluated under Quality. Projects must avoid discrimination, victimisation and stereotyping, and mainstream gender and children’s rights throughout design and implementation ¹.

Mandatory Deliverables and Reporting:Deliverables include mid-term progress reports (not linked to payment), final impact report, participation in the EU Survey on Justice, Rights and Values, and project-specific deliverables listed in Annex 1 of the Grant Agreement. For Priority 2 standard deliverables include progress and final reports, dissemination materials and digital outputs as appropriate. Reporting and payments adhere to the Lump Sum Model Grant Agreement rules with pre-financing and final payment upon acceptance of deliverables and reporting ¹.

Risks, Controls and Audit:Lump sum grants reduce detailed cost reporting but beneficiaries must implement sound management, monitoring and risk control systems. The Commission reserves audit and control rights (OLAF, ECA), and beneficiaries must ensure contractual clauses apply to subcontractors and third parties. The intermediary’s (Priority 1) management and control system is particularly prescriptive; while Priority 2 beneficiaries must ensure compliance, ethical safeguards and data protection are robust ¹.

Application structure and recommended content (templates and guidance)

Applicants must use the standard CERV application templates available in the Funding & Tenders Portal Submission System. Part A is completed online (administrative data and budget summary). Part B is uploaded as a PDF using the CERV Part B template. The detailed budget table (Excel) is required to justify the lump sum estimate and to serve as the basis for the lump sum determination during grant preparation. CVs, activity reports, child protection policy/declaration (if relevant), list of previous projects, letters of support from public authorities (recommended), and other supporting documents must be uploaded in the slots provided.

1. 1Part A: online administrative data and Part A declarations (coordinator and all beneficiaries).
2. 2Part B: Technical description using the CERV Part B template (sections: relevance, quality, impact, work plan, ethics, security, declarations).
3. 3KPI tool: online data on programme indicators (mandatory).
4. 4Detailed budget table (.xlsx): used to justify the lump sum calculation (mandatory).
5. 5CVs of core team members and other annexes requested in the call (activity reports, list of previous projects).
6. 6Child Protection Policy (CPP) or Child Protection Policy Declaration for public entities if project involves children.
7. 7Letters of support from public authorities where relevant (annex) to demonstrate sustainability and buy-in.

Evaluation checklist (recommended for applicants):Ensure compliance with the following before submission: eligible participants and partner composition (consortium of at least two beneficiaries); Part B page limit (max 45 pages); required annexes uploaded; child protection documents if children involved; KPI tool completed; detailed budget table uploaded; Part A fully completed with accurate PICs; at least one public authority partner or letter of support recommended; adherence to award criteria structure (relevance, quality, impact) and EU values, including GDPR and child safeguarding ¹.

What this opportunity is about and how to explain it:This is an EU-funded competitive grant opportunity under the CERV programme designed to improve protection and support for victims and survivors of gender-based violence. Funded projects must set up or adapt integrated, multi-disciplinary support services (in-person and/or online), design and deliver immediate protection and investigative support tools (including tailored risk assessment and investigative training), strengthen access to justice and specialist support for groups facing intersectional discrimination, and increase the accessibility and quality of services for victims including in remote and rural areas. The call explicitly links to the VAW Directive and the Istanbul Convention implementation and places high emphasis on trauma-informed, victim-centred approaches, child safeguarding where children are involved, gender mainstreaming, and sustainability of services through engagement with public authorities and specialist partners. Projects are evaluated on relevance to call objectives, quality and feasibility of the approach, and potential long-term impact and sustainability. Funding is delivered as lump sums within defined budget ranges and managed through the Funding & Tenders Portal submission and grant management systems ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Call document and topic details available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: Topic CERV-2026 — Protecting and supporting victims and survivors of gender-based violence. Full call documentation, application templates and Model Grant Agreements available at the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page CERV-2026-DAPHNE Call and Topic details.

Funding Opportunity Overview

This opportunity is Priority 2 of the CERV-2026-DAPHNE call under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme, specifically targeting the protection and support of victims and survivors of gender-based violence ¹. The call aims to establish or adapt services such as one-stop shops, specialist support centers, and rape crisis centers to address the multiple needs of victims, including those facing intersectional discrimination ².

Key Financial Details

Who Should Apply

Applicants must form a consortium of at least two beneficiaries (public entities or private non-profit organizations). Profit-oriented organizations can only participate as partners alongside public entities or non-profits ³. The consortium must be established in an EU Member State or a country associated with the CERV Programme.

Recommended Partners:The call strongly encourages including partners specialized in victim support, such as women's rights organizations and NGOs providing specialist services, to enhance the project's quality score ⁴.

Public Authority Involvement:While not mandatory, involving a public authority (e.g., Ministry, police, judicial, or health authority) is highly recommended to ensure the sustainability of results and will positively impact the 'Impact' score ⁵. This can be done as a consortium partner or via a Letter of Support.

Eligibility and Scope Highlights

1. 1Focus on setting up or adapting one-stop shops, specialist support centers, or rape crisis centers in line with Article 26 of the VAW Directive
2. 2Development of tools for immediate protection, risk assessment of offenders, and targeted training for authorities to prevent femicides
3. 3Support for victims in vulnerable situations, including migrants, LGBTIQ persons, Roma people, and those with disabilities
4. 4Projects can be national or transnational, with transnational projects particularly encouraged

Application Timeline and Process

The call opened on July 7, 2026, and the deadline for submission is November 3, 2026, at 17:00 CET (Brussels time) ⁶. Proposals must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The evaluation period runs from November 2026 to May 2027, with grant agreements expected to be signed between June and July 2027.

Evaluation Criteria:Proposals are scored on Relevance (40 points), Quality (40 points), and Impact (20 points). A minimum of 25 points is required for Relevance, and a total of 70 points is needed to pass ⁷.

Important Requirements

Applicants must adhere to a maximum page limit of 45 pages for Part B of the application form. If the project involves activities with children, a Child Protection Policy (for private bodies) or a Declaration of Honour (for public bodies) covering the Keeping Children Safe standards is mandatory ⁸. The grant is awarded as a Lump Sum, meaning no detailed cost reporting is required, but the budget table must be reliable and based on eligible actual costs.

Footnotes

1. 1Official Call Document: CERV-2026-DAPHNE Call for proposals to prevent and combat gender-based violence and violence against children, published July 7, 2026.
2. 2Priority 2 Scope: Setting up one-stop shops and specialist support centers, including Barnahus models for child victims, as detailed in the CERV-2026-DAPHNE Call Fiche.
3. 3Consortium Composition Rules: Priority 2 requires a consortium of at least 2 beneficiaries; profit-oriented entities cannot be lead applicants.
4. 4Quality Criterion: Inclusion of specialized victim support partners is explicitly taken into account for scoring under the Quality criterion.
5. 5Impact Criterion: Involvement of public authorities is assessed under the Impact criterion to ensure sustainability of project results.
6. 6Deadline: November 3, 2026, 17:00 CET (Brussels time), as per the CERV-2026-DAPHNE Timetable.
7. 7Award Criteria Thresholds: Minimum 25/40 for Relevance and 70/100 overall score required for funding eligibility.
8. 8Child Protection Policy: Mandatory for any participant with activities involving children, based on Keeping Children Safe Child Safeguarding Standards.