The European Civic Forum (ECF) is pleased to announce that the European Civic Micro-Grants are returning in 2026! As a framework partner of the EU’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme, we are re-granting a total of €50,000 to our member organisations to support civic groups, and movements across the European Union.
The focus of this call is to bridge the gap between local action and European policy. We are seeking projects that strengthen the European dimension of your work, whether through Rule of Law monitoring, alliance-building with social movements, or high-level advocacy. We specifically encourage applications that demonstrate a clear link to the activities of the European Civic Forum, building bridges between the secretariat and the network members, and organisations that reach out to community groups or (informal/grassroots) social movements to capture and articulate their demands and/or build capacities and expertise on specific issues and needs related to European policies.
Eligible applicants must be Full Members of the European Civic Forum and registered non-profit entities. Grants between €1,000 and €10,000 are available to cover staff, travel, accommodation, subsistence, equipment, and other goods, works and services. We particularly welcome proposals from members with difficulties to access big funding schemes and, consequently, with smaller annual budgets. And members in countries that typically receive less CERV funding, including Lithuania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Portugal, Sweden, Cyprus, Denmark, Luxembourg, Ireland, Finland, Malta, Latvia, and Estonia. But not exclusively (all member organisations within an EU Member State are eligible).
The deadline for applications is 8 March 2026, with projects running from 16 March until 30 November.