Technical Assistance preparation of SNAPs

The LIFE-2025-TA-PP-NAT-SNAP grant is part of the EU's LIFE programme, designed to provide financial support for the preparation of Strategic Nature Projects (SNAPs). Eligible applicants include public authorities, non-governmental organizations, research institutes, and other legal entities registered within the EU. This grant is classified as a monetary grant, specifically a LIFE Action Grant, aimed at aiding the development of proposals that align with EU biodiversity and nature policies.

The application process is structured as a single-stage open call, with a submission deadline of September 23, 2025. The initiative focuses geographically on EU member states, with potential to include other EEA countries and EU candidate nations. The target sector is nature conservation, as the grant is intended to facilitate the implementation of Priority Action Frameworks and National Restoration Plans.

The maximum funding amount per project is set at €70,000, with a total budget of €500,000 available for 2025. While individual projects can receive up to €70,000, the overall budget allows for a range of projects to be funded. Applicants are required to secure at least 40% of project costs through co-funding, which is customary in LIFE programme grants.

Successful projects should focus on the preparatory phase, emphasizing proposal development over implementation. Although specific success rates are not detailed, LIFE grants generally exhibit competitive acceptance rates, roughly between 10% and 39%. The application must encompass a detailed budget and may include optional documents such as letters of support and a co-financing declaration.

Overall, the grant is designed to support large-scale conservation efforts, involving a collaborative approach with various stakeholders to ensure comprehensive environmental initiatives that align with EU objectives. Interested applicants are encouraged to consult relevant documents and guidelines provided by the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for comprehensive information on the application process and eligibility criteria.

The EU Funding & Tenders Portal provides financial support for the preparation of a proposal for a Strategic Nature Project. This funding aims to facilitate the implementation of a Priority Action Framework (PAF), National Restoration Plans, or other relevant strategies at the international, national, regional, or multiregional level. These strategies should align with EU nature and/or biodiversity policy or legislation. The projects should be implemented at a large territorial scale, involve all concerned stakeholders, and include a coordination mechanism for funding supporting complementary measures necessary for the full implementation of the targeted PAF or other eligible strategy.

The call falls under the Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE) and is specifically for Technical Assistance for the Preparation of SIPs/SNAPs (LIFE-2025-TA-PP). The type of action is a LIFE Project Grant (LIFE-PJG), and the Model Grant Agreement (MGA) is a LIFE Action Grant Budget-Based [LIFE-AG]. The call is currently open for submission with a single-stage deadline model. The opening date for submissions was April 24, 2025, and the deadline for submissions is September 23, 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The admissibility conditions include proposal page limits and layout, which 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. 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.

Applicants must submit a standard application form, which is available in the Submission System. Mandatory annexes include a detailed budget table (LIFE). Optional annexes include letters of support, a cofinancing declaration, and other relevant annexes. Additional documents include FAQs on the LIFE website, 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 LIFE Regulation 2021/783.

There are three specific topics under this call: LIFE-2025-TA-PP-CLIMA-SIP, LIFE-2025-TA-PP-ENV-SIP, and LIFE-2025-TA-PP-NAT-SNAP. All are LIFE Project Grants (LIFE-PJG) and follow a single-stage submission process with the same opening and deadline dates. The budget for LIFE-2025-TA-PP-CLIMA-SIP is 200,000 EUR, for LIFE-2025-TA-PP-ENV-SIP is 300,000 EUR, and for LIFE-2025-TA-PP-NAT-SNAP is 500,000 EUR.

There are 21 partner search announcements available for collaboration on this topic. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics after logging into the Portal, as can any user with an active public Person profile.

To start the submission process, applicants must access the Electronic Submission Service by clicking the submission button next to the appropriate type of action and model grant agreement. Applicants should carefully read all provisions before preparing their application. They are encouraged to consult the FAQs on the LIFE website and contact their National Contact Point (NCP) for support. The Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ provides information on proposal submission. The IT Helpdesk can assist with technical issues, and the Online Manual offers a step-by-step guide through the Portal processes.

In summary, this opportunity is a call for proposals under the LIFE Programme, specifically targeting technical assistance for the preparation of Strategic Nature Projects (SNAPs) and Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs). The goal is to support projects that contribute to the implementation of EU nature and biodiversity policies through large-scale, stakeholder-inclusive initiatives. The funding covers the preparation phase of these projects, including the development of comprehensive plans and coordination mechanisms. The call is structured into three specific topics, each with a different budget allocation, focusing on climate, environment, and nature, respectively. Applicants need to adhere to specific admissibility and eligibility conditions, use the standard application form, and provide detailed budget information. The EU Funding & Tenders Portal provides all the necessary resources and support for applicants throughout the submission process.

Eligible Applicant Types: The document does not explicitly list eligible applicant types. However, it mentions LEARs (Legal Entity Appointed Representatives), Account Administrators, and self-registrants, suggesting that legal entities such as organizations, institutions, or companies are eligible. 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 Nature Project.

Consortium Requirement: The text mentions the involvement of "all concerned stakeholders" and partner search announcements, suggesting that a consortium is possible, and perhaps even preferred, but it is not explicitly stated whether a single applicant is sufficient.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The document refers to the implementation of strategies on international, national, regional, or multiregional levels, implying that the geographic eligibility is broad and likely includes EU member states and potentially other countries participating in the LIFE Programme. The "Eligible Countries" are described in section 6 of the call document, which is not provided in the raw scraped content.

Target Sector: The target sector is environment and climate action, specifically focusing on nature and biodiversity. The call aims to implement EU nature and/or biodiversity policy or legislation through Strategic Nature Projects. The specific topics mentioned are climate, environment, and nature.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned in the provided text. The opportunity refers to international, national, regional, or multiregional levels, suggesting a broad geographic scope potentially including EU member states and other countries participating in the LIFE Programme.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on the preparation of a proposal for a Strategic Nature Project. This suggests an early stage, specifically the "idea" or "research" phase, as the funding supports the development of a project proposal rather than the implementation of an existing project.

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

Application Type: The application type is an open call, as indicated by "Open For Submission" and a specified deadline. The submission process is single-stage.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant to support the preparation of a proposal for a Strategic Nature Project.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage, as indicated in the budget overview section.

Success Rates: The document does not provide information on success rates.

Co-funding Requirement: The document includes "Cofinancing declaration" as an optional annex, suggesting that co-funding may be required or beneficial, but it is not explicitly stated as a mandatory requirement.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call under the EU's LIFE Programme, specifically targeting Technical Assistance for the Preparation of SIPs/SNAPs (Strategic Integrated Projects/Strategic Nature Projects). It provides financial support for applicants to develop project proposals that align with EU nature and biodiversity policies, National Restoration Plans, and Priority Action Frameworks. The projects should be large-scale and involve all relevant stakeholders, including a coordination mechanism for funding complementary measures.

The call is structured around three main topics: climate (LIFE-2025-TA-PP-CLIMA-SIP), environment (LIFE-2025-TA-PP-ENV-SIP), and nature (LIFE-2025-TA-PP-NAT-SNAP), with corresponding grant amounts of EUR 200,000, EUR 300,000, and EUR 500,000, respectively. The application process is a single-stage submission with a deadline of September 23, 2025.

Eligible applicants are likely to be organizations, institutions, or companies capable of managing large-scale projects and coordinating multiple stakeholders. While a consortium is not explicitly required, the emphasis on stakeholder involvement suggests that collaborative projects are encouraged. The geographic scope is broad, potentially including EU member states and other countries participating in the LIFE Programme.

The application process involves submitting a standard application form along with a detailed budget table and optional annexes such as letters of support and a co-financing declaration. Applicants are advised to consult the call document, FAQs, and their National Contact Point (NCP) for guidance. The submission is electronic through the Funding & Tenders Portal.

In essence, this call aims to bolster the development of high-quality Strategic Nature Projects that contribute to the EU's environmental and climate objectives by providing financial assistance for the crucial proposal preparation phase.