Supporting the Network of National Contact Points (NCPs) of the Digital Europe Programme

The grant opportunity titled "Supporting the Network of National Contact Points (NCPs) of the Digital Europe Programme" is identified by the reference DIGITAL-2026-SUPPORT-09-NCP-NETWORK. It falls under the DIGITAL Coordination and Support Actions category and is currently open for proposals, with a start date of November 4, 2025, and an application deadline of March 3, 2026. The total budget allocated for this initiative is €1.8 million, with one expected grant recipient. The initiative aims to enhance the coordination and capacity of National Contact Points facilitating the Digital Europe Programme across EU Member States and associated countries.

Eligible applicants primarily include public sector organizations, government agencies, and research/support organizations capable of coordinating national contact point networks. It primarily focuses on fostering transnational cooperation and improving the services provided by NCPs throughout Europe. The funding structure is a non-repayable grant designed specifically for coordination activities and support services rather than research or product development.

A consortium comprising multiple applicants from various countries is required to ensure comprehensive geographical coverage. The geographic scope includes EU Member States, countries associated with the Digital Europe Programme, and EEA EFTA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway).

This grant is focused on the digital technology sector, covering areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, advanced computing, and digital skills. Key activities of the selected consortium will involve capacity building, enhancing NCP service delivery quality, and promoting the Digital Europe Programme to wider audiences. The initiative aims to improve access to funding opportunities for potential applicants, particularly those from regions with lower participation rates, thus enhancing overall effectiveness and inclusiveness in engagement with the programme.

The application process follows a single-stage submission procedure, with the intent of selecting one consortium to execute the outlined support and coordination tasks. The success rate is expected to be low, likely below 10%, given the competitive nature of the funding. Additionally, at least 50% co-funding from consortium partners is required, aligning with general EU funding regulations. The overarching goal is to strengthen the NCP network's infrastructure, ensuring effective dissemination, training, and operational support to maximize the impact of the Digital Europe Programme.

Overall, this call seeks to create an effective network of NCPs capable of bolstering EU digital policies and increasing the quality of proposals submitted for the Digital Europe Programme through improved communication and capacity-building efforts.

The DIGITAL-2026-SUPPORT-09-NCP-NETWORK call, under the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL), aims to bolster the network of National Contact Points (NCPs) to enhance the reach and effectiveness of EU digital policies. This call falls under the Programme Support Actions (DIGITAL-2026-SUPPORT-09) and is classified as a DIGITAL Coordination and Support Action (DIGITAL-CSA). It utilizes a DIGITAL Action Grant Budget-Based [DIGITAL-AG] model.

The expected outcomes of this call include improved and professionalized NCP services across Europe, leading to effective and efficient access to Digital Europe Programme calls. This involves adapting services to the different Specific Objectives of the programme, including matchmaking activities, online and in-situ meetings, and disseminating information regarding security and ownership control rules. The call also aims to increase the participation of new applicants, raise the average quality of proposals, and promote the dissemination and exploitation of results, fostering synergies with other communication initiatives. Optimal transnational cooperation and exchange of best practices among NCPs are also key objectives. The call facilitates the participation of DEP NCPs in annual meetings with the European Commission, organized as hybrid events with a focus on physical presence, supported by a dedicated budget for travel and organization. Furthermore, it seeks to strengthen outreach through improved tools, platforms, and communication channels to enhance the visibility of the programme and stakeholder engagement.

The objective of this call is to support the coordination and capacity-building of NCPs for the Digital Europe Programme. This includes preparing and executing actions that maximize awareness of funding opportunities, boosting the implementation of EU digital policies, and enhancing the visibility and impact of the programme, as well as the long-term dissemination and exploitation of results. The action should strengthen the capacity of all NCPs to deliver on their mandate, enhance peer learning and knowledge-sharing, and foster the development of an interactive and cohesive community of practice. Inclusiveness and comprehensive geographical coverage are particularly emphasized. The action will reinforce the transnational character of network activities, encouraging collaboration among NCPs and potential applicants. It will also support NCPs in amplifying awareness of the Digital Europe Programme and EU digital policies within their domains of competence. The selected project will provide support for all specific objectives of the Digital Europe Programme.

The scope of this call requires proposals to contribute to the NCPs network for the Digital Europe Programme. Proposals should facilitate transnational cooperation amongst NCPs, encouraging cross-border activities, sharing good practices, and raising the general standard of support to programme applicants. The consortium should provide a framework that supports participation in and maximizes overall awareness of the Programme, also facilitating the participation of new applicants. This includes tailored activities supporting Digital Europe Programme communication, such as info days for stakeholders, dissemination and exploitation activities, and related material. Special attention should be given to enhancing the competence of NCPs, including helping less experienced NCPs rapidly acquire the know-how built up in other countries, and seeking synergies with existing networks where relevant.

Regarding conditions, admissibility conditions related to proposal page limits and layout are described in section 5 of the call document and Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. Eligible countries are described in section 6 of the call document, as are other eligible conditions. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are detailed in section 7 of the call document. The submission and evaluation processes are described in section 8 of the call document and the Online Manual. Award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in section 9 of the call document. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in section 4 of the call document. The legal and financial set-up of the grants is described in section 10 of the call document.

The call document and annexes include the call document itself, application form templates (Standard application form (DEP), available in the Submission System), and Model Grant Agreements (MGA) including the DEP MGA. Additional documents include DEP Work Programmes, DEP Regulation 2021/964, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, guidance on completing the ethics self-assessment, classification of information in Digital Europe projects, rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, the EU Grants AGA (Annotated Model Grant Agreement), the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and the Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The budget overview indicates that the DIGITAL-2026-SUPPORT-09-NCP-NETWORK DIGITAL-CSA DIGITAL Coordination and Support Actions has a budget of 1,800,000 EUR for the year 2026. The call follows a single-stage submission process. The planned opening date is 04 November 2025, and the deadline for submission is 03 March 2026 at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The indicative number of grants is 1.

There are 4 partner search announcements available. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics.

The submission system is planned to open on the date stated in the topic header. For help related to this call, applicants are advised to consult the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ – Submission of proposals and contact the IT Helpdesk for technical issues. The Online Manual provides a step-by-step guide through the Portal processes.

In summary, this Digital Europe Programme call seeks to enhance the network of National Contact Points to better support the implementation of EU digital policies. It aims to improve NCP services, increase participation in the Digital Europe Programme, and foster transnational cooperation. The call provides funding for coordination and support actions, with a focus on capacity building, knowledge sharing, and awareness raising. Applicants need to form a consortium and submit a proposal that adheres to the specified conditions and guidelines, with a deadline of March 3, 2026. The call is designed to create a more effective and inclusive network of NCPs that can contribute to the success of the Digital Europe Programme.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, given the nature of the call, it is highly likely that eligible applicants include National Contact Points (NCPs) for the Digital Europe Programme, as well as consortia that include NCPs. Other potential applicants could include research institutions, universities, and organizations with expertise in digital policies and program support.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a DIGITAL Action Grant Budget-Based [DIGITAL-AG]. The call is for DIGITAL Coordination and Support Actions (DIGITAL-CSA).

Consortium Requirement: The call requires a consortium. The text explicitly mentions that "The consortium should provide a framework that will support participation in and will maximize overall awareness of the Programme".

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is described as "across Europe," with an emphasis on "comprehensive geographical coverage in relation to membership of the network." This suggests that applicants from all EU member states and potentially associated countries are eligible. The call aims to improve and professionalize NCP services across Europe.

Target Sector: The target sector is digital, specifically focusing on the Digital Europe Programme and EU digital policies. The call aims to support the coordination and capacity-building of National Contact Points (NCPs) for this program, maximize awareness of funding opportunities, and boost the implementation of EU digital policies.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the call targets "across Europe" and emphasizes "comprehensive geographical coverage." This implies that all EU member states and associated countries within the Digital Europe Programme are relevant.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on coordination and support actions. It is not about basic research or early-stage development, but rather about enhancing the network of NCPs, improving their services, and promoting the Digital Europe Programme. The expected activities include capacity-building, dissemination, exploitation of results, and transnational cooperation.

Funding Amount: The budget for the topic DIGITAL-2026-SUPPORT-09-NCP-NETWORK is EUR 1,800,000. The indicative number of grants is 1.

Application Type: The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process. The planned opening date is 04 November 2025, and the deadline date is 03 March 2026 at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant to support their activities related to the coordination and capacity-building of NCPs, dissemination of information, and promotion of the Digital Europe Programme.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The indicative number of grants is 1, which suggests that the success rate is likely to be low, potentially below 10%, depending on the number of applications received.

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

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for proposals under the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL), specifically targeting the support and coordination of the network of National Contact Points (NCPs). The call, titled DIGITAL-2026-SUPPORT-09-NCP-NETWORK, aims to improve and professionalize NCP services across Europe, enhance transnational cooperation, and maximize awareness of funding opportunities within the Digital Europe Programme. The selected project will receive a grant of EUR 1,800,000 to support activities such as capacity-building, dissemination of information, organization of info days, and promotion of EU digital policies. The call is open to consortia that include NCPs and other relevant organizations with expertise in digital policies and program support. The application process is single-stage, with a deadline of 03 March 2026. The expected outcomes include more effective and efficient access to Digital Europe Programme calls, better participation of new applicants, and strengthened outreach through improved communication channels. The overall objective is to reinforce the role of NCPs in supporting the implementation of EU digital policies and maximizing the impact of the Digital Europe Programme.