Strategic Integrated Projects - Climate Action

The LIFE Strategic Integrated Projects - Climate Action LIFE-2026 funds large multi-stakeholder projects to implement national, regional and urban climate and energy plans and strategies. The topic has an indicative budget of €30,000,000 with expected project awards of €10–€25 million, a maximum EU co-financing rate of 60% and typical durations of 60–120 months. Applications follow a two-stage process with a concept note deadline of 3 September 2026 and invited full proposals due 4 March 2027. Eligible applicants are legal entities established in eligible countries, must form consortia (minimum two beneficiaries), and demonstrate mobilisation of non-LIFE complementary funding, stakeholder involvement, capacity building and an After-LIFE plan.

What it funds

Scope and objectives (high level)

Grants to support Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) that drive full implementation of climate plans and strategies: updated NECPs and LTS, national or regional adaptation strategies and plans, urban/community climate action plans (incl. climate-neutral cities and sustainable urban mobility), and national/sector greenhouse gas mitigation roadmaps. SIPs must mobilise complementary funding sources and build governance and stakeholder capacity to ensure sustained implementation.

Funding rate and typical project size:Maximum EU co-financing up to 60% of eligible costs. Indicative project budgets for Climate SIPs: typically €10–€25 million; project duration normally 60–120 months.

Who can apply

Public or private legal entities established in eligible countries (EU Member States, OCTs and countries associated to the LIFE programme). Coordinator should in principle be the authority responsible for the targeted plan/strategy or otherwise be part of the consortium. Natural persons are not eligible. Third-country entities not associated to LIFE may participate only where strictly necessary for effectiveness.

Eligibility highlights:Applicants must form consortia (minimum two beneficiaries), actively involve key stakeholders (e.g. managing authorities as beneficiaries or associated beneficiaries), and include a complementary funding plan demonstrating mobilisation/coordination of other Union, national or private funds (at least one non-LIFE fund mobilisation is expected).

1. 1Type of action: LIFE Project Grants (two-stage call)
2. 2Application model: two-stage (concept note then full proposal)
3. 3Key deliverables expected: capacity building plan, After-LIFE plan, complementary funding declarations

Deadlines and timetable

Call planned opening 21 April 2026. Stage 1 (concept note) deadline:03 September 2026 17:00 Brussels time. Invited full proposals (stage 2) deadline (indicative): 04 March 2027 17:00 Brussels time. Evaluation and grant signature follow per call timetable.

Budget overview (indicative for 2026)

Apply via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal topic page or consult the Call Document and application templates for full requirements and admissibility rules. See the official topic page for documents and submission system entry EU Funding & Tenders Portal ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Call document, templates and guidance are published on the Portal topic page. Consult the Call Document and Annexes for detailed eligibility, admissibility, evaluation and required annexes (implementation overview, complementary funding plan, detailed budget table, participant information, complementary funding declarations).

Call and Administrative Data

Core identifiers, programme and deadlines

Call title:Strategic Nature and Integrated Projects (SNAP/SIP). Topic identifier: LIFE-2026. Type of action: LIFE Project Grants (LIFE-PJG). Type of Model Grant Agreement: LIFE Action Grant Budget-Based (LIFE-AG). Opening date: 21 April 2026. Deadlines (two-stage): concept note 3 September 2026 17:00 CET; full proposal stage (invited applicants) 4 March 2027 17:00 CET. Planned evaluation timeline: concept note results November 2026 (indicative); full proposal results June 2027 (indicative); Grant Agreement signature November 2027 (indicative).

Available budget and indicative project size:Indicative contribution to this topic: €30,000,000. Indicative project budget range: €10,000,000 to €25,000,000. Indicative number of projects to be funded under the Climate SIP topic: 2–3 projects. Expected project duration: typically 60 to 120 months; each implementation phase should normally last at least 3 years ¹.

What this opportunity funds

Purpose:Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) for Climate Action target the full implementation (or catalysing full implementation) of official plans, strategies or action plans in the climate and energy domain. Eligible targeted plans include final updated National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) and Long-Term Strategies (LTS) pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/1999, national or regional adaptation strategies and plans under Article 5 of the European Climate Law (Regulation 2021/1119), urban or community-based plans (including climate-neutral and smart cities plans and Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans), and national/regional/sectoral greenhouse gas mitigation strategies and roadmaps contributing to climate neutrality. SIPs must include strategic actions funded by LIFE plus mobilisation and coordination of complementary funding (EU, national or private, giving preference to EU funding) for complementary measures outside the LIFE-funded SIP itself. SIPs will be implemented using a revolving programming mechanism structured in phases (Phase 1, Phase 2, …) with the expectation that each phase normally lasts at least 3 years to reduce administrative burden. SIPs must actively involve the key stakeholders required to implement the targeted plan and build long-term capacities among competent authorities and stakeholders to secure sustainability and co-delivery beyond the SIP lifetime ¹.

Eligibility and consortium requirements

Eligible applicant types:Public authorities (national, regional, local), universities and higher education institutions, public research institutes, research organisations, large enterprises, SMEs, non-profit organisations (NGOs, foundations), international organisations, public-private partnerships, and other legal entities established in eligible countries may apply. Natural persons are not eligible except where the beneficiary is a natural person as a legal entity (e.g. self-employed) in Member States where that legal form exists. The authority responsible for implementation of the targeted plan/strategy/action plan should in principle participate in the consortium and normally coordinate the SIP; in well-justified cases it may be a partner rather than the coordinator. Associated partners, affiliated entities, subcontractors and recipients of financial support to third parties can participate as defined in the call documentation ¹.

Eligible countries / geographic scope:Eligibility is governed by the LIFE call document and EU Funding & Tenders Portal rules: applicants must be legal entities established in eligible countries: EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories where applicable), countries associated to the LIFE Programme and listed EEA countries. Entities established in non-associated third countries may exceptionally participate only if their involvement is essential for the action. Activities must primarily take place in eligible countries; actions outside eligible countries are allowed only where necessary to achieve EU environmental and climate objectives and the effectiveness of interventions (for example migratory species, transboundary basins, or linked measures) ¹.

Consortium requirement:Minimum 2 participating applicants (beneficiaries) required. The coordinating beneficiary is typically the authority responsible for the implementation of the targeted plan/strategy/action plan, except in well-justified cases. The consortium must include the main stakeholders instrumental for the plan’s implementation; stakeholders should be included as associated beneficiaries where possible, or otherwise clearly engaged and committed via letters of support and/or formal complementary funding declarations. Affiliated entities may participate under the same conditions as beneficiaries where appropriate and indicated in the Application Form annexes ¹.

Financial and administrative features

Funding type and modality:Primary financial mechanism: budget-based grant (LIFE Project Grant; action grant under the LIFE Action Grant Budget-Based Model Grant Agreement). Funding is budget-based using actual eligible costs and may include unit costs and flat rates where specified in the call and model grant agreement. LIFE funding rate for SIPs: maximum 60% of eligible costs. The beneficiary co-financing share must be at least 40% of eligible costs; co-financing may come from national, private or other non-EU sources. Within the SIP itself, co-funding may not come from other EU funding sources (complementary funding sources must be mobilised and coordinated but cannot provide the SIP’s co-financing).

Application model:Two-stage call procedure: stage 1 concept note (short application) — shortlisted applicants invited to submit full proposals at stage 2. Submission is electronic only via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (eSubmission). Applicants must use the Portal application templates (Part A online, Part B PDF upload) and mandatory annex templates (detailed budget table, participant information, implementation overview for the plan/strategy/action plan, complementary funding plan, complementary funding declaration, etc.). Page limits: 45 pages for Part B at concept note stage; 200 pages for Part B at full proposal stage.

Budget and grant amounts:Indicative total budget allocation for the Climate SIP topic: €30,000,000 for the 2026 budget year. Indicative project award range: €10–€25 millionper project. Expected number of awards: 2–3. Funding rate: up to 60% of eligible costs; beneficiaries must provide at least 40% co-financing (may include national, private or other non-EU funds). Applicants must provide a detailed budget table (Excel template) at full proposal stage. The final grant amount is computed from admitted eligible costs and the applicable funding rate in the Grant Agreement ¹.

Funding of complementary measures:A core requirement of SIPs: they must mobilise and coordinate complementary funding sources (at least one confirmed non-LIFE funding source at full proposal stage evidenced by a Complementary Funding Declaration from the competent authority). Complementary funds are expected to finance measures outside the LIFE-funded SIP but necessary for the full implementation of the targeted plan/strategy. Mobilised complementary funding can include EU structural funds, national budgets, private investment, EAFRD, ERDF, CEF, Horizon, EMFAF, regional funds, or private co-financing. Complementary funding must be newly mobilised for the plan (not previously spent by a beneficiary before the launch of the call) unless explicitly justified; funds granted or spent before the launch of the LIFE 2025 call (24/04/2025) are generally not accepted. Letters of intent or commitments must be provided; at least one signed Complementary Funding Declaration must be submitted with the full proposal and other letters of intent or commitments are strongly recommended ¹.

What the application must demonstrate

SIP applications are evaluated against standard LIFE award criteria (relevance, impact, quality of implementation/resources). Applicants must define, calculate and justify expected impacts consistent with Award criterion Impact in the full proposal evaluation. Proposals must: target the implementation of a listed plan/strategy; include strategic actions to catalyse processes that will lead to full implementation; mobilise and coordinate complementary funding; actively involve key stakeholders (preferably as associated beneficiaries); include capacity building, a mobilisation/coordination mechanism for complementary funding, and an After-LIFE plan; set measurable indicators and complete the LIFE Project Indicators (LPIs) in Part C of the application; provide GIS mapping where relevant; and upload mandatory annexes (implementation overview for the plan/strategy/action plan, complementary funding plan and declarations) ¹.

1. 1Applications must target one eligible plan/strategy and explain the contribution to its implementation.
2. 2Provide a coherent SIP design selecting a set of measures where LIFE financing is most appropriate and complementary measures financed by other sources.
3. 3Provide a comprehensive complementary funding plan and at least one signed Complementary Funding Declaration at full proposal stage.
4. 4Demonstrate stakeholder involvement, capacity building activities and long-term sustainability (After-LIFE plan).
5. 5Define measurable impacts, LPIs and, where appropriate, upload GIS files to show spatial impacts.

Application process and documentation

Submission is electronic via the Funding & Tenders Portal. Do not use call page templates from the topic page to submit — use the templates available inside the Submission System. Required documents at stage 1: Part A (online), Part B (Part B PDF using the LIFE SIP & SNAP template — limited to 45 pages), targeted plan/strategy/action plan (or draft if not adopted yet), implementation overview for the plan/strategy/action plan and complementary funding plan. Required documents at stage 2 (full proposal, invited applicants): detailed budget table (mandatory Excel template), participant information, targeted plan/strategy/action plan, implementation overview for the plan/strategy/action plan, complementary funding plan and complementary funding declarations (at least one signed declaration). Optional annexes and letters of support may be uploaded as needed but essential information must be in Part B. For partner search, use Portal partner search, LIFE partner search announcements, National Contact Points and Enterprise Europe Network. The Portal opens the submission system on the date in the topic header.

Templates and required annexes:Mandatory templates are provided in the Submission System (use them exactly): Standard application form (LIFE SIP and SNAP), Detailed budget table (LIFE) (Excel), Participant information form (Word), Implementation overview for the plan/strategy/action plan (Excel), Complementary funding plan and Complementary funding declaration templates (Word). Model Grant Agreement (LIFE MGA) and LIFE annexes are available on the Portal Reference Documents. The Application Form Part B (technical description) includes mandatory sections: relevance, impact, implementation (work packages and timetable), resources (consortium, management), risk management, complementary funding and sustainability, plus After-LIFE plan deliverable details.

Evaluation, financing conditions and post-award

Evaluation stages and award criteria:Two-stage evaluation: Stage 1 concept note admissibility, eligibility and strategic fit screening; invited full proposals are evaluated against Award criteria: 1) Relevance, 2) Impact (including quantified LPIs and mobilisation of complementary funds), 3) Quality of implementation (workplan, delivery, capacity) and 4) Resources and management. Scoring and thresholds are described in Section 9 of the Call Document; evaluators will verify the mobilisation and likelihood of complementary funding and the real EU added value of coordination. Only proposals invited after Stage 1 may submit a Stage 2 full proposal ¹.

Funding rate, co-financing and ineligible sources:Maximum funding rate for SIPs: 60% of eligible costs. Beneficiaries must provide at least 40% co-financing. Co-financing may come from national, private or other non-EU sources; within the SIP itself, co-funding may not come from other EU funding sources. Complementary actions outside the SIP may be financed by other EU funds and are expected to be mobilised and coordinated, but may not be used as LIFE SIP co-financing. At full proposal stage, complementary funding must be supported by declarations confirming availability or potential eligibility, and at least one complementary funding declaration signed by a competent authority is required ¹.

Audit, reporting and checks:Grant implementation will be subject to continuous reporting (deliverables and progress in Portal continuous reporting), periodic technical and financial reports and KPIs (Part C), and checks, reviews, audits and investigations by the granting authority, Commission services, OLAF and the ECA. Beneficiaries must keep records and supporting documents for a minimum period (typically 5 years after final payment, or 3 years for small grants) and must provide certificates on financial statements where thresholds set in the Data Sheet require them. Non-compliance can trigger rejections of costs, grant reductions, suspension or termination and enforced recoveries as described in the LIFE Model Grant Agreement ¹.

Project maturity and expected stage

Target project maturity:demonstration, implementation and scale-up. SIPs require readiness to implement large-scale measures and to coordinate complementary funding and stakeholders. Applicants should demonstrate strategic capacity at institutional level and ability to deliver policy/administrative reforms, investment programming and long-term governance changes to catalyse full implementation of the targeted plan/strategy within and beyond the SIP lifecycle ¹.

Target sectors and thematic scope:This Climate SIP topic targets climate mitigation and adaptation and cross-sectoral measures aligned with NECPs, LTS, adaptation strategies and urban/community climate action plans. Sector relevance includes energy systems decarbonisation, buildings renovation and energy efficiency, district heating, small-scale renewables, transport and sustainable mobility, urban planning and resilient infrastructure, nature-based solutions for adaptation, and industry or sectoral roadmaps to net-zero. Interactions with water, land use, biodiversity and circular economy measures are expected where relevant.

Application mechanics, templates and checklist

How the application looks and essential file checklist:Use the Part B LIFE SIP & SNAP template (PDF upload). Do not delete template instructions. Stage 1 concept note: complete Part A online and Part B limited sections (background, objectives, concept and methodology, stakeholder engagement, short implementation overview, complementary funding plan). Mandatory annexes at stage 1: targeted plan/strategy (final or draft) and implementation overview for the plan/strategy/action plan and complementary funding plan. Stage 2 full proposal (invited applicants): complete full Part B, Part C (LPIs), detailed budget table (Excel template), participant information form, complementary funding declarations (signed by competent authorities), implementation overview and all required annexes.

1. 1Part A — administrative forms in the Portal (online).
2. 2Part B — Technical description (LIFE SIP & SNAP PDF template) uploaded in the Submission System.
3. 3Part C — Programme indicators and LPIs (online fields in the Portal) filled at full proposal stage.
4. 4Annex: Detailed budget table (Excel template) — mandatory at full proposal stage.
5. 5Annex: Implementation overview for the targeted plan/strategy/action plan (Excel template).
6. 6Annex: Complementary funding plan (Excel template) and Complementary funding declaration(s) (signed).
7. 7Annex: Participant information (Word template) and any maps/GIS files required.

Success rate, application stages and co-funding

Application stages:Two-stage call: 1) Concept note (stage 1) — strategic screening and selection for invitation to full proposal; 2) Full proposal (stage 2) — detailed technical and financial evaluation and award. Only concept notes invited at stage 1 may submit stage 2 full proposals.

Success rates:Success rates vary by year, topic and quality of submissions; for very large strategic calls the selection is competitive and the number of awards is limited (Climate SIP: indicative 2–3 projects). Historically, strategic and integrated project calls are highly competitive; applicants should expect low single-digit to low double-digit percentage success rates depending on quality and geographic distribution of proposals.

Co-funding requirement:Yes. SIPs have a mandatory co-financing requirement: LIFE funds up to 60% of eligible costs and beneficiaries must secure at least 40% of eligible costs from non-LIFE sources. Complementary actions financed by other EU funds are expected and mobilised but cannot be used as co-financing for costs inside the SIP itself.

Key applicant and technical requirements

Applicants must:be legal entities registered in eligible countries; be able to demonstrate financial and operational capacity (financial capacity checks during grant preparation; public bodies and small grants may be exempted from some checks); supply Participant Register validation documents (LEAR appointment and legal entity validation); provide detailed budgets and cost justifications; provide at full proposal stage signed complementary funding declarations; demonstrate institutional mandate or authority to implement the targeted plan; show stakeholder engagement and capacity building plans; prepare an After-LIFE plan; commit to LIFE reporting, KPI reporting and making deliverables and data available for EU dissemination; and comply with EU rules on ethics, data protection, procurement and state aid where applicable ¹.

1. 1Coordinator: normally the authority responsible for the targeted plan/strategy (or a delegated body with an explicit mandate).
2. 2Minimum consortium: at least two beneficiaries; relevant stakeholders and implementation authorities included as beneficiaries or associated partners.
3. 3Mandatory annexes: implementation overview for the plan, complementary funding plan, complementary funding declaration(s).
4. 4Financial checks: legal entity validation and financial capacity assessment may be requested; some public bodies are exempt from financial capacity checks.
5. 5Deliverables and obligations: capacity building plan, After-LIFE plan, LIFE KPI reporting (Part C), GIS deliverables where relevant.

Templates and form structure

Application forms:Part A (administrative forms) is filled online in the Portal; Part B (technical description) is uploaded in PDF using the LIFE SIP & SNAP template; Part C (indicators) is filled online and must be consistent with Part B. Mandatory annex templates are available in the Submission System: detailed budget table (Excel), participant information (Word), implementation overview for the plan/strategy/action plan (Excel), complementary funding plan (Excel), complementary funding declaration (Word). The Model Grant Agreement (LIFE MGA) and guidance documents (Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual; LIFE Call Document) apply and must be consulted for financial rules, eligible costs, reporting templates and contractual provisions ¹.

Final summary — What is this opportunity about?

This LIFE Call topic (Strategic Integrated Projects - Climate Action) funds large, multi-stakeholder, phased projects designed to catalyse and coordinate the full implementation of national, regional, sectoral or urban climate and energy plans and strategies (NECPs/LTS, adaptation strategies and plans, climate-neutral cities plans, sectoral mitigation roadmaps). The objective of Climate SIPs is not only to finance a set of LIFE-appropriate measures, but crucially to establish mechanisms, mobilise and coordinate other public and private funding sources, and build governance and operational capacity to achieve durable, large-scale implementation of the targeted plan. Projects are two-stage, highly strategic, require institutional leadership and stakeholder engagement, and must present a detailed complementary funding plan with at least one confirmed non-LIFE funding commitment at full proposal stage. Indicative funding for the Climate SIP topic in 2026 is €30 million; project awards are expected in the €10–€25 millionrange and will co-finance up to 60% of eligible project costs. Applicants should read the full Call Document, templates and LIFE Model Grant Agreement and plan to submit a concise, evidence-based concept note at stage 1 and a comprehensive full proposal if invited to stage 2 ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Call Document: LIFE-2026-STRAT-two-stage — Call fiche and full call documentation including the LIFE Model Grant Agreement, application form templates (LIFE SIP and SNAP), detailed budget table, implementation overview template and complementary funding plan and declaration templates are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page. Applicants must follow the guidance and templates available in the Portal Submission System. See also the LIFE Multiannual Work Programme 2024-2027 and LIFE Regulation (EU) 2021/783 for programme rules.

Funding Opportunity Overview

The Strategic Integrated Projects - Climate Action LIFE-2026 is a major EU funding opportunity under the Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE). This call supports the full implementation of climate-related strategies and plans at national, regional, and urban levels across EU Member States and associated countries. The opportunity is structured as a two-stage application process with substantial funding available for large-scale climate action initiatives.

Call Details and Timeline

Call Reference:LIFE-2026

Opening Date:21 April 2026

Submission Deadlines:Stage 1 (Concept Note): 3 September 2026 at 17:00 CET. Stage 2 (Full Proposal): 4 March 2027 at 17:00 CET. Only proposals selected after Stage 1 evaluation are eligible for Stage 2 submission.

Expected Grant Agreement Signature:November 2027

Funding Budget and Project Scope

Total Available Budget:€30,000,000

Indicative Project Budget Range:€10,000,000 to €25,000,000 per project

Estimated Number of Projects to be Funded:2 to 3 projects

Funding Rate:Maximum 60% of eligible costs. Beneficiaries must provide at least 40% co-financing from their own resources or other non-EU sources.

Project Duration:60 to 120 months (5 to 10 years). Projects are typically implemented in phases, with each phase lasting at least 3 years to reduce administrative burden.

Eligible Targeted Plans and Strategies

Applicants must target the implementation of one or more of the following plans or strategies:

• Final updated National Energy and Climate Plans (NECP) and Long-Term Strategies (LTS) pursuant to EU Regulation 2018/1999 on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action
• National adaptation strategies and plans pursuant to Article 5 of the European Climate Law (Regulation 2021/1119), or regional adaptation strategies or action plans
• Urban or community-based action plans pioneering the transition to a climate neutral and/or climate resilient society, including climate-neutral cities plans and actions in the context of the EU Mission Climate Neutral and Smart Cities and Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans
• National, regional or industry-/sector-specific greenhouse gas mitigation strategies or roadmaps contributing to climate neutrality

Project Categories and Activities

Climate Change Adaptation SIPs

These projects should help achieve the objectives of the European Climate Law and the EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change. They must support the implementation of national climate change adaptation strategies or plans, or comparable regional, multi-regional or transnational strategies. Projects should select and implement a clearly defined set of actions from the adaptation strategy or plan to be financed by LIFE, while mobilising complementary funding from other EU, national or private sources for additional adaptation actions.

Urban Climate Change Mitigation and/or Adaptation SIPs

These projects must cover several cities and support the implementation of whole urban action plans. They should address urban adaptation and/or mitigation strategies, develop and deploy innovative climate solutions including blue and green infrastructure, and implement low-carbon strategies covering transport, renewable energy, energy efficiency and building decarbonisation. Projects must integrate climate change mitigation and adaptation objectives simultaneously and include measures to integrate climate considerations in private investment decisions.

Climate Change Mitigation SIPs

These projects should support the implementation of greenhouse gas mitigation strategies, action plans or roadmaps contributing to climate neutrality. They should contribute to the implementation and development of relevant plans and strategies in sectors included in National Energy and Climate Plans and their regional or multi-regional equivalents. Potential stakeholders include industry associations, companies, research institutions, public authorities and NGOs.

Who Can Apply

Eligible Applicants

Applicants must be legal entities (public or private bodies) established in one of the eligible countries. Eligible countries include all EU Member States, overseas countries and territories (OCTs), EEA countries and countries associated to the LIFE Programme. Natural persons are not eligible except self-employed persons (sole traders) where the company does not have legal personality separate from the natural person.

Eligible Entity Types

• Public authorities at national, regional and local levels
• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
• Non-profit organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
• Research institutions and universities
• Educational and training institutions
• Private companies and associations
• International organisations

Consortium Requirements

Proposals must be submitted by a minimum of 2 applicants (beneficiaries, not affiliated entities) working in collaboration. The authority responsible for implementation of the targeted plan/strategy/action plan should in principle participate as the coordinator. In well-justified cases, this authority may participate as a non-coordinator beneficiary, but must be part of the consortium. This requirement must be clearly demonstrated at Stage 1 (concept note).

Key Project Requirements and Conditions

Complementary Funding Mobilisation

A fundamental characteristic of Strategic Integrated Projects is the requirement to mobilise and coordinate other EU, national or private funds for financing complementary measures or actions implementing the targeted plan or strategy, but outside the SIP itself. Within the SIP, co-funding may not come from other EU funding sources. Projects must demonstrate coordination mechanisms with managers of different funding instruments and describe activities to mobilise additional funds. At least one letter of intent from a competent authority confirming availability or commitment of complementary funding must be submitted with the full proposal.

Stakeholder Involvement

Appropriate involvement of all concerned stakeholders is essential for successful implementation. Stakeholders should be involved in both project design and implementation, either as associated beneficiaries or through active participation in implementation and complementary actions. Applicants must identify key stakeholders and explain how they will be mobilised to contribute to project activities.

Capacity Building

Projects must develop a training programme for relevant stakeholders within and outside public administration to build capacity to manage complementary funding and bring the target plan/strategy to full implementation. A mandatory capacity building plan must be delivered, encompassing both human and digital structures to retain and store knowledge disseminated via training, and structures capable of continuing training additional personnel when necessary.

Project Management

The workload linked to management, coordination and reporting is frequently underestimated by applicants. Sufficient human resources must be allocated from both the coordinator and other beneficiaries. Technical project management may be partially outsourced provided the coordinating beneficiary retains full day-to-day control. The project management structure must be clearly presented with an organigram and details of responsibilities. Project management staff should have previous experience in comparable projects, and the project manager should ideally be employed full-time. A Coordination/Working Group with managers of relevant complementary funds is expected to be established.

Replicability and Transferability

Projects must demonstrate potential for replication in other regions of the same Member State and potentially in other Member States or neighbouring countries. Successful replication requires active dissemination and engagement with external stakeholders, a clear engagement strategy, a capacity building strategy covering skills, communication and funding, and a legacy strategy reaching critical mass during or shortly after project end.

Sustainability and After-LIFE Plan

An After-LIFE plan is a mandatory deliverable specifying the roadmap, actions and funding envisaged to bring the targeted plan/strategy to full implementation. The competent authorities responsible for strategy implementation should be actively involved in developing and implementing After-LIFE plans to ensure improvement of impacts and sustainability of project results. Projects must describe how sustainability of project impact will be ensured and which parts should be continued or maintained after EU funding ends.

Expected Impacts and Outcomes

By the end of the project, applicants must achieve at least substantial contribution to the implementation of the targeted plan/strategy/action plan, with mechanisms established to ensure full implementation. After the project ends (3-5 years later), the project should catalyse full implementation of the targeted plan(s)/strategy(ies)/action plan(s). Applicants must define, calculate and explain expected impacts in quantified terms using relevant indicators and targets, with clear baseline data and assumptions. Impacts should be monitored and reported through the LIFE KPI web tool at month 9, mid-term and project end.

Application Process and Documentation

Two-Stage Submission Process

Stage 1 requires submission of a concept note (maximum 45 pages) by 3 September 2026. Only proposals selected after Stage 1 evaluation are invited to submit a full proposal by 4 March 2027 (maximum 200 pages). Evaluation results for Stage 1 are expected in November 2026, with a consultation/Q&A phase from January to March 2027.

Required Documents and Annexes

For Stage 1 (Concept Note), applicants must submit:Application Form Part A (administrative information), Application Form Part B (technical description), targeted plan/strategy/action plan, implementation overview for the plan/strategy/action plan, and complementary funding plan. For Stage 2 (Full Proposal), additional mandatory annexes include: detailed budget table (Excel template), participant information, complementary funding declarations (at least one), and optional annexes such as letters of support, co-financing declarations and maps.

Submission Requirements

All proposals must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. Paper submissions are not accepted. Proposals must use the correct templates provided in the Submission System. Project acronyms must include the word LIFE. Proposals must be complete, readable, accessible and printable. Failure to comply with formatting requirements, page limits or use of incorrect templates may result in inadmissibility. At proposal submission, applicants must confirm they have the mandate to act for all applicants and that all participants comply with conditions for receiving EU funding.

Financial and Operational Capacity Requirements

Applicants must have stable and sufficient resources to successfully implement projects and contribute their share. Organisations participating in multiple projects must have sufficient capacity to implement all of them. Financial capacity checks will be conducted based on documents uploaded to the Participant Register, including profit and loss accounts, balance sheets, audit reports and business plans. The analysis considers neutral financial indicators and other aspects such as dependency on EU funding and deficit/revenue history. Public bodies and international organisations are generally exempt from financial capacity checks, as are projects requesting grants of not more than €60,000.

Eligible Activities and Costs

Eligible activities are those set out in the call document targeting implementation of the specified climate plans and strategies. Projects must comply with EU policy interests and priorities regarding environment, social, security and industrial policy. Projects must respect EU values and European Commission policy on reputational matters. Financial support to third parties is allowed under specific conditions: calls must be open, published widely and conform to EU standards concerning transparency, equal treatment, conflict of interest and confidentiality. Projects must clearly specify why financial support to third parties is needed, how it will be managed, provide a list of activity types, and describe expected results.

Geographic Scope and Eligibility

Proposals must relate to activities taking place in eligible countries. Activities outside eligible countries are permitted only if necessary to achieve EU environmental and climate objectives and ensure effectiveness of interventions within eligible countries. Examples include actions for conservation of migratory birds in wintering areas, actions on transboundary rivers, or projects addressing environmental problems that cannot be solved successfully unless actions are carried out in non-eligible countries.

Support and Guidance

Applicants should consult the EU Funding and Tenders Portal Online Manual for step-by-step guidance through proposal preparation and evaluation processes. National Contact Points (NCPs) provide support and can be added as contact persons in the application. The IT Helpdesk assists with technical questions regarding forgotten passwords, access rights and submission aspects. Frequently Asked Questions are available on the LIFE website. All guidance documents, application form templates, model grant agreements and reference documents are available on the Portal Reference Documents section.

Key Evaluation Criteria

At Stage 2 (full proposal), applications are evaluated on five criteria, each scored 0-20 with equal weighting: Relevance (how well the project addresses the call objectives and targeted plan/strategy), Quality (technical soundness and feasibility), Complementary Funding (mobilisation and coordination of additional funds), Impact (expected results and contribution to plan implementation), and Resources (consortium composition, management structure and budget adequacy). To pass evaluation, proposals must achieve a minimum score on each criterion and an overall minimum score.

Important Conditions and Restrictions

The targeted plan/strategy/action plan must be approved by relevant authorities by the time of full proposal submission. If not already approved, at least a draft must be submitted with the concept note at Stage 1. If the targeted plan has a legal obligation to be submitted to the European Commission, it should be reviewed by the Commission and considered at least of acceptable quality. Double funding from the EU budget is strictly prohibited except under EU Synergies actions. Proposals must confirm that neither the project nor any parts have benefitted from or will be submitted for other EU grants.

Grant Agreement and Implementation

Successful applicants will sign a Model Grant Agreement (MGA) setting out rights, obligations and terms and conditions. The grant is an action grant taking the form of a budget-based mixed actual cost grant. Beneficiaries must implement the action under their own responsibility in accordance with the Agreement. All beneficiaries must register in the Participant Register and be validated by the Central Validation Service before grant signature. The Agreement includes provisions for reporting, payments, recoveries, audits, checks and investigations, with standard time-limits of 5 years after final payment for record-keeping, reviews and audits.

Footnotes

1. 1For detailed information on all aspects of this funding opportunity, applicants should consult the full Call Document LIFE-2026-STRAT-two-stage available on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal, the LIFE Regulation 2021/783, the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, the Model Grant Agreement, and the Online Manual. Additional guidance is available from National Contact Points and the IT Helpdesk.