Small-scale Partnerships

The EU Funding & Tenders Portal announces a proposal call under the Erasmus+ Programme, specifically focusing on Small-scale Partnerships in the Sport sector for 2026. This opportunity, identified as ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-SSCP, leverages the ERASMUS Lump Sum Grant mechanism, enabling simplified financial support for small-scale actors and grassroots organizations by offering predetermined grant amounts rather than reimbursement based on actual expenditures.

Eligible applicants include any public or private organizations from Programme Countries, which encompass EU Member States and associated third countries. These applicants can serve as lead entities in partnerships aimed at conducting transnational cooperation projects within the sport sector, welcoming newcomers and less experienced organizations.

The funding amounts are fixed at either EUR 30,000 or EUR 60,000, designed to fit the needs and scale of proposed activities. These partnerships typically run for durations of 12 to 36 months and focus on various thematic areas such as discrimination prevention in sport, promotion of dual careers for athletes, education and skills development, gender equality, good governance, social inclusion, and health-enhancing activities.

To qualify, partnerships must consist of at least two organizations from different countries within the Erasmus+ geographical area, highlighting an emphasis on participation from both small-scale actors and organizations that have previously faced barriers in accessing EU funding.

Applications must be submitted through a single-stage process via the Funding & Tenders Portal, with the call opening on December 18, 2025, and the application deadline set for March 5, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time. Evaluation results are anticipated by August 2026, with grant agreements expected to be signed in December 2026.

Notably, a co-funding requirement mandates that project budgets must exceed these lump sum amounts, compelling applicants to showcase additional financial commitment through other sources. Although there is no specified success rate, typically competitive EU funding calls yield success rates between 10%-39%.

This initiative aims not only to foster cooperation among sport organizations across Europe but also to encourage involvement from groups with fewer opportunities, aiming to enhance active European citizenship and local community engagement through sport. Interested applicants are encouraged to carefully review all related documentation for detailed guidelines on proposal requirements and processes.

The EU Funding & Tenders Portal presents a call for proposals under the Erasmus+ Programme, specifically the Sport 2026 call (ERASMUS-SPORT-2026). This call focuses on Small-scale Partnerships (ERASMUS-LS ERASMUS Lump Sum Grants) designed to broaden access to the program for small-scale actors and individuals who are hard to reach in the fields of school education, adult education, vocational education and training, youth, and sport. The type of Model Grant Agreement is ERASMUS Lump Sum Grant [ERASMUS-AG-LS].

The call employs a single-stage deadline model. The planned opening date for submissions is December 18, 2025, and the deadline for submitting applications is March 5, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time.

The scope of these Small-scale Partnerships involves lower grant amounts, shorter durations, and simpler administrative requirements compared to Cooperation Partnerships. The action aims to reach out to grassroots organizations, less experienced organizations, and newcomers to the Programme, reducing entry barriers for organizations with smaller organizational capacity. It supports flexible formats, mixing activities with transnational and national character but with a European dimension, allowing organizations to reach people with fewer opportunities. These partnerships can also contribute to the creation and development of transnational networks and foster synergies with local, regional, national, and international policies.

The objectives of the action are to attract and widen access for newcomers, less experienced organizations, and small-scale actors to the program, acting as a first step for organizations into cooperation at the European level. It also aims to support the inclusion of target groups with fewer opportunities and promote active European citizenship by bringing the European dimension to the local level.

Conditions for application include:

1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout, described in the call document and Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
2. Eligible Countries, described in the call document.
3. Other Eligible Conditions, described in the call document.
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion, described in the call document.
5a. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes, described in the call document.
5b. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring, and thresholds, described in the call document.
5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement, described in the call document. The publication of the call is scheduled for November 12, 2025. The deadline for submitting applications is March 5, 2026, at 17:00 (Brussels time). The evaluation period will take place from March to August 2026. Information to applicants will be provided in August 2026, and the signature of the grant agreement is expected between November and December 2026.
6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants, described in the call document.

The call document and annexes include:

Call document
Application form templates: Standard application form (ERASMUS LSI), Calculator (ERASMUS LS SPORT)
Guidance: ERASMUS Programme Guide
Model Grant Agreements (MGA): Lump Sum MGA
Additional documents: ERASMUS+ Work Programme, ERASMUS Regulation 2021/817, EU Financial Regulation 2018/1046, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA Annotated Model Grant Agreement, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement. Also, ERASMUS+ Work Programme, ERASMUS Regulation 2021/817, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA Annotated Model Grant Agreement, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The budget overview for the year 2026 includes:

ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-SCP - ERASMUS-LS ERASMUS Lump Sum Grants with a budget of 38,136,000 EUR.
ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-SNCESE - ERASMUS-LS ERASMUS Lump Sum Grants with a budget of 9,500,000 EUR.
ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-SSCP - ERASMUS-LS ERASMUS Lump Sum Grants with a budget of 10,000,000 EUR.

All topics follow a single-stage submission process. The opening date for all topics is December 18, 2025, and the deadline is March 5, 2026.

There are partner search announcements available, allowing LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants to publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics.

Applicants are advised to read all provisions carefully before preparing their application. For help related to the call, contact EACEA-SPORT@ec.europa.eu. Additional resources include the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, the IT Helpdesk for technical issues, and the Online Manual for a step-by-step guide through the Portal processes.

In summary, this Erasmus+ Sport 2026 call for Small-scale Partnerships aims to make the program more accessible to smaller, less experienced organizations working in education, training, youth, and sport. It provides funding and support for projects that promote European cooperation, inclusion, and active citizenship at the local level. The call uses a lump-sum grant system and has a single-stage application process with a deadline of March 5, 2026. Interested organizations should consult the call documents and annexes for detailed information on eligibility, evaluation criteria, and application procedures.

Eligible Applicant Types: The opportunity targets small-scale actors, individuals who are hard to reach, grassroots organizations, less experienced organizations, and newcomers to the Programme.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically an ERASMUS Lump Sum Grant (ERASMUS-LS).

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity is designed for small-scale partnerships, suggesting a consortium of multiple applicants is preferred or required.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The eligible countries are described in the call document, implying that eligibility is likely defined within the context of the ERASMUS programme, potentially including EU member states and associated countries.

Target Sector: The program targets the fields of school education, adult education, vocational education and training, youth, and sport.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the program falls under the ERASMUS programme, suggesting eligibility for EU member states and associated countries.

Project Stage: The opportunity aims to attract newcomers and less experienced organizations, suggesting projects can be at an early stage of development. The focus is on widening access and supporting inclusion, implying that projects may be in the idea, research, or development stages.

Funding Amount: The budget overview indicates the following: ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-SCP has a budget of EUR 38,136,000, ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-SNCESE has a budget of EUR 9,500,000, and ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-SSCP has a budget of EUR 10,000,000. These are overall topic budgets, and the grant amounts awarded to organizations are expected to be lower compared to Cooperation Partnerships, as this is a Small-scale Partnership action.

Application Type: The deadline model is single-stage, meaning applicants submit a complete proposal by the deadline.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of lump sum grants.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The indicative number of grants is not specified, so the success rate cannot be determined from the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This opportunity is part of the ERASMUS+ program and is specifically designed for Small-scale Partnerships in the fields of school education, adult education, vocational education and training, youth, and sport. It aims to widen access to the program for small-scale actors, grassroots organizations, less experienced organizations, and newcomers. The funding is provided as lump sum grants, and the application process is single-stage. The call emphasizes inclusion of target groups with fewer opportunities, active European citizenship, and bringing a European dimension to the local level. The total budget allocated to the three topics (ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-SCP, ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-SNCESE, and ERASMUS-SPORT-2026-SSCP) is EUR 57,636,000. The call opens on December 18, 2025, and the deadline for submitting applications is March 5, 2026. The evaluation period is from March to August 2026, and the grant agreements are expected to be signed between November and December 2026. Applicants should consult the call document for detailed information on eligibility criteria, proposal page limits, evaluation criteria, and the legal and financial setup of the grants. The ERASMUS Programme Guide, Model Grant Agreements, and other additional documents provide further guidance on the program requirements and application process.