Tackling gender stereotypes in media and advertising.

The CERV-2026-GE-GENDER-STEREO grant opportunity is part of the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme, focusing on addressing gender stereotypes in media and advertising. The funding amounts to 23 million euros for 2026, directed specifically to national and local authorities, social partners, civil society organizations, and equality bodies, especially those specializing in women's rights and gender equality. The funding is in the form of lump sum grants, indicating that beneficiaries will receive a fixed amount regardless of their actual spending on project costs.

The application process allows for single applicants, although consortiums are not excluded. The geographical eligibility includes EU member states and participating third countries. Projects must focus on advocacy, awareness-raising, and knowledge-sharing activities related to media and advertising, as the initiative seeks to influence policy and promote gender equality in these sectors.

The call for proposals is an open opportunity, with submissions starting on January 29, 2026, and closing on April 28, 2026. Proposals will be evaluated in a single-stage process, with results expected by October 2026. The grant agreements are anticipated to be signed between November 2026 and February 2027.

Specific activities that might be supported under this grant include monitoring media content, developing best practice standards, training for media professionals, conducting public awareness campaigns, and enhancing institutional capacities within media regulatory bodies. While co-funding requirements are not explicitly stated, they can vary depending on individual grant agreements. Historical success rates for CERV grants typically range between 10% and 39%, but this specific call does not disclose its rates.

Additional resources are available for applicants, including documents related to the proposal format and guidelines for specific eligibility criteria and requirements for demonstrating financial and operational capacity. This initiative aligns with the broader EU Gender Equality Strategy, emphasizing the importance of tackling gender stereotypes comprehensively to achieve a more gender-equal society in Europe.

This EU funding opportunity is a call for proposals for EU action grants under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Value Programme (CERV) to promote gender equality. This is one of the four priorities of the call. The call is titled "Call for proposals to promote gender equality (CERV-2026-GE)". The specific topic highlighted is "Tackling gender stereotypes in media and advertising" with the identifier CERV-2026-GE-GENDER-STEREO.

The type of action is CERV-LS, which stands for CERV Lump Sum Grants, and the type of Model Grant Agreement (MGA) is CERV Lump Sum Grant [CERV-AG-LS]. The call is currently open for submission.

Key dates are:
Publication of the call: 29 January 2026
Deadline for submitting applications: 28 April 2026 17:00 (Brussels time)
Evaluation period: April - October 2026
Information to applicants: October 2026
Signature of grant agreement: November - February 2026

The total budget for the topics CERV-2026-GE-WORK-LIFE, CERV-2026-GE-PAY-TRANSP-DIR, CERV-2026-GE-GENDER-STEREO, and CERV-2026-GE-EQUAL-PART-REP is 23,000,000 EUR. The call follows a single-stage submission process.

Admissibility conditions include proposal page limits and layout, which are described in the call document, specifically in section 5. Eligible countries are described in section 6 of the call document and in the list of participating countries. Other eligible conditions are also described in section 6 of the call document.

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. 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 setup of the grants is described in section 10 of the call document.

Applicants are advised to carefully read all provisions of the call document and familiarize themselves with the proposal template, its annexes, and the submission system before preparing their application.

The following documents are available:
Call document
Standard application form (CERV) available in the Submission System
Detailed budget table (CERV LSII)
Lump Sum MGA
CERV Work Programmes
CERV Regulation 2021/692
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Decision authorising the use of lump sums for actions under the CERV programme (2021-2027)
Guidance: How to manage your lump sum grants
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

For IT-related questions, applicants should contact the IT Helpdesk. For non-IT related questions, applicants can contact the CERV Contact Point of their country or EC-CERV-CALLS@ec.europa.eu, clearly indicating the reference of the call and topic in the email subject.

There are 14 partner search announcements available for collaboration on this topic. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests on the Funding & Tenders Portal.

In summary, this funding opportunity aims to promote gender equality by providing EU action grants for projects that address gender stereotypes in media and advertising. It falls under the broader Citizens, Equality, Rights and Value Programme (CERV). The application process involves a single stage submission with a deadline of April 28, 2026. Applicants need to adhere to specific admissibility criteria, demonstrate financial and operational capacity, and follow the guidelines provided in the call document and related annexes. The evaluation process will take place between April and October 2026, with grant agreements expected to be signed between November 2026 and February 2027. The funding is provided as lump sum grants, and a total budget of 23 million EUR is allocated for several related topics, including the one specifically targeting gender stereotypes.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, based on the program name "Citizens, Equality, Rights and Value Programme (CERV)", it can be inferred that eligible applicants may include NGOs, public organizations, research institutions, universities, and other entities working in the fields of citizens' rights, equality, and related areas. The call document (section 6) and the list of participating countries should be consulted for a definitive list.

Funding Type: The funding type is an EU action grant, specifically CERV Lump Sum Grants (CERV-LS).

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if single applicants are allowed. However, the presence of a "Partner search announcements" section suggests that consortia are possible and perhaps encouraged. Section 6 of the call document should be consulted for more information.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The eligible countries are described in section 6 of the call document and in the list of participating countries.

Target Sector: The target sector is gender equality. The specific topics mentioned are: work-life balance, pay transparency, gender stereotypes in media and advertising, and equal participation and representation.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned in the provided text, but the "list of participating countries" is referenced, implying that eligibility is defined by country participation in the CERV program.

Project Stage: The project stage is not explicitly mentioned, but given that it is an action grant, it is likely to support development, validation, demonstration, or implementation projects rather than basic research or early-stage ideas.

Funding Amount: The total budget for the topics CERV-2026-GE-WORK-LIFE, CERV-2026-GE-PAY-TRANSP-DIR, CERV-2026-GE-GENDER-STEREO, and CERV-2026-GE-EQUAL-PART-REP is EUR 23,000,000. The indicative number of grants is not specified.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.

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

Application Stages: The application process consists of a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not mentioned in the provided text.

Summary: This opportunity is a call for proposals for EU action grants under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Value Programme (CERV), specifically targeting projects that promote gender equality. The call focuses on four key priorities: work-life balance, pay transparency, tackling gender stereotypes in media and advertising, and promoting equal participation and representation. The funding is provided as lump sum grants, and the total budget allocated to these topics is EUR 23 million. The call is open for submission with a deadline of April 28, 2026. Applicants should consult the call document and related annexes for detailed information on eligibility criteria, proposal requirements, and the evaluation process. The submission process is electronic, and applicants can find support and guidance through the Funding & Tenders Portal, including FAQs and an IT helpdesk. Partner search announcements are available to facilitate the formation of consortia. The evaluation period is expected to take place between April and October 2026, with information to applicants provided in October 2026, and grant agreements signed between November 2026 and February 2027.