Technical Assistance preparation of ENV SIPs

The EU grant opportunity under the LIFE Programme aims to provide significant financial support for environmental and climate action initiatives, specifically focusing on the Technical Assistance for the Preparation of Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) and Strategic Nature Projects (SNAPs). The total funding available for this call is €600 million, targeting various aspects of Circular Economy, Waste, Water, and Air quality improvements.

Eligible applicants include NGOs, non-profit organizations, public/private entities, and research institutions located in EU member states or associated countries. The application process is defined as single-stage, with an opening date of April 24, 2025, and a submission deadline of September 23, 2025, at 17:00 Brussels time. The funding will be allocated as LIFE Project Grants, with varying amounts depending on the specific topic; for example, €200,000 for climate-related projects, €300,000 for environmental initiatives, and €500,000 for nature-focused projects.

Although the call encourages a consortium approach to promote multi-stakeholder involvement and effective project execution, specific references indicate flexibility with single applicants allowed in some cases. The overarching goal is to facilitate the implementation of national or regional action plans related to Circular Economy strategies, Waste Management, River Basin Management, and Air Quality plans.

Application requirements include adherence to specific admissibility conditions outlined in the call document, which stipulates the proposal format and content guidelines. Additionally, applicants must demonstrate financial and operational capacity, and co-funding may be encouraged though not explicitly required.

The grant process focuses on scalability and the innovative implementation of sustainable practices, with a competitive evaluation based on selection criteria such as policy alignment and replicability. Resources for applicants include direct access to support materials such as FAQs, reference documents, and the opportunity to consult National Contact Points for assistance. Overall, the LIFE Programme's 2025 call represents a key mechanism for advancing ecological and sustainable developments across Europe.

This EU grant opportunity, under the Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE) and specifically the call Technical Assistance for Preparation of SIPs/SNAPs (LIFE-2025-TA-PP), aims to provide financial support for the preparation of proposals for Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs). These projects fall under the sub-programme Circular Economy and Quality of Life, focusing on the areas of Circular Economy, Waste, Water, and Air. The goal is to facilitate the implementation of various national or regional plans and strategies, including Circular Economy Action Plans, Waste Management Plans, River Basin Management Plans, Air Quality Plans, and Noise Action Plans. The projects are intended to operate at a large territorial scale, involve all relevant stakeholders, and include a coordination mechanism for funding complementary measures that are essential for the comprehensive implementation of the targeted plan or strategy.

The call is for LIFE Project Grants (LIFE-PJG) and uses a LIFE Action Grant Budget-Based [LIFE-AG] model. The submission process is single-stage, with the opening date for submissions being April 24, 2025, and the deadline for submissions being September 23, 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The conditions for application include:

1. Admissibility Conditions: The proposal page limit and layout must adhere to the guidelines described in section 5 of the call document and Part B of the Application Form, which is available in the Submission System.
2. Eligible Countries: Eligibility is determined as described in section 6 of the call document.
3. Other Eligible Conditions: Additional eligibility conditions are detailed in section 6 of the call document.
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: Requirements related to financial and operational capacity, as well as exclusion criteria, are outlined in section 7 of the call document.
5a. Submission and evaluation processes: The submission and evaluation processes are described in section 8 of the call document and the Online Manual.
5b. Award criteria, scoring and thresholds: The award criteria, scoring methodology, and thresholds are detailed in section 9 of the call document.
5c. Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement: The indicative timeline for the evaluation process and grant agreement is provided in section 4 of the call document.
6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants: The legal and financial aspects of the grants are described in section 10 of the call document.

Applicants must submit a standard application form, which is available as a writeable form in the Submission System. Mandatory annexes include a detailed budget table (LIFE). Optional annexes can include letters of support, co-financing declarations, and other relevant documents. Additional documents such as FAQs, LIFE Reference Documents, the Annotated Grant Agreement, the LIFE General MGA v1.0, EU Financial Regulation 2018/1046, the LIFE Work Programme 2025-2027, and the LIFE Regulation 2021/783 are also available.

The budget overview for the year 2025 includes the following topics:

LIFE-2025-TA-PP-CLIMA-SIP: LIFE Project Grants with a budget of 200,000 EUR.
LIFE-2025-TA-PP-ENV-SIP: LIFE Project Grants with a budget of 300,000 EUR.
LIFE-2025-TA-PP-NAT-SNAP: LIFE Project Grants with a budget of 500,000 EUR.

The call is a single-stage process, with the opening date for all topics being April 24, 2025, and the deadline being September 23, 2025.

The Funding & Tenders Portal provides access to the Electronic Submission Service. Applicants are advised to carefully read all provisions before preparing their application, consult the FAQs on the LIFE website, and contact their National Contact Point (NCP) for support. The IT Helpdesk and Online Manual are also available for technical assistance and guidance.

In summary, this LIFE call offers financial support for preparing Strategic Integrated Project proposals that aim to implement national or regional environmental and climate action plans related to circular economy, waste management, water resources, and air quality. The projects should be large-scale, involve all relevant stakeholders, and include a funding coordination mechanism. The application process is single-stage, with a deadline of September 23, 2025. Applicants need to adhere to specific admissibility criteria, including proposal page limits and layout, and must provide a detailed budget table along with their application. Several support resources are available, including FAQs, National Contact Points, and the Funding & Tenders Portal's IT Helpdesk and Online Manual.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, the call targets the preparation of proposals for Strategic Integrated Projects, suggesting that eligible applicants could include national or regional authorities, public bodies, or other organizations responsible for implementing National or regional Circular Economy Action Plans, National and regional Waste Management Plans, River Basin Management Plans, Air Quality Plans or Noise Action Plans. The involvement of all concerned stakeholders is also mentioned, implying a broad range of potential applicants.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a LIFE Project Grant (LIFE-PJG) and a LIFE Action Grant Budget-Based [LIFE-AG]. The call provides financial support for the preparation of a proposal for a Strategic Integrated Project.

Consortium Requirement: The text mentions the involvement of all concerned stakeholders and a coordination mechanism, suggesting that a consortium approach is favored, although not explicitly stated as a requirement. The reference to partner search announcements further supports the possibility of forming a consortium.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly mentioned, but the call targets the implementation of National or regional plans, suggesting that the beneficiaries should be located in the EU member states or regions implementing such plans. The LIFE program generally targets EU countries.

Target Sector: The target sectors are Circular Economy, Waste, Water, and Air. The call aims to support the preparation of proposals for Strategic Integrated Projects under the sub-programme Circular Economy and Quality of Life. It focuses on implementing National or regional Circular Economy Action Plans, National and regional Waste Management Plans, River Basin Management Plans, Air Quality Plans, or Noise Action Plans.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the call is part of the LIFE Programme, which generally targets EU member states.

Project Stage: The project stage is the preparation of a proposal. The funding supports technical assistance for the preparation of Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) and Strategic Nature Projects (SNAPs).

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic: LIFE-2025-TA-PP-CLIMA-SIP offers EUR 200,000, LIFE-2025-TA-PP-ENV-SIP offers EUR 300,000, and LIFE-2025-TA-PP-NAT-SNAP offers EUR 500,000.

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 a grant to support the preparation of project proposals.

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 need for co-financing is not explicitly stated, but a "Cofinancing declaration" is listed as an optional annex to the application form, suggesting that co-funding may be beneficial or even required in some cases.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call under the LIFE Programme, specifically targeting Technical Assistance for the Preparation of Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) and Strategic Nature Projects (SNAPs) within the sub-programme Circular Economy and Quality of Life. The call aims to provide financial support for the preparation of project proposals that will implement National or regional action plans related to Circular Economy, Waste Management, River Basin Management, Air Quality, or Noise Action Plans. The funding is provided as a grant, with varying amounts depending on the specific topic, ranging from EUR 200,000 to EUR 500,000. The application process is a single-stage open call, with a deadline of September 23, 2025. While the eligibility criteria are not explicitly detailed, the call is likely targeted at national or regional authorities and other stakeholders involved in the implementation of relevant environmental and climate action plans within the EU. A consortium approach is encouraged, and co-funding may be required. The call provides access to various resources, including FAQs, reference documents, and support from National Contact Points, to assist applicants in preparing their proposals.