Operating grants to framework partners active in the area of Union values

Opened

Programme Category

EU Competitive Programmes

Programme Name

Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) (2021-2027)

Programme Description

Funding through CERV programme aims at protecting rights and values enshrined in the EU treaties in order to sustain open, democratic and inclusive societies.

Programme Details

Identifier Code

CERV-2025-OG-SGA

Call

Operating grants to framework partners active in the area of Union values

Summary

The objective of this call is to protect, promote and raise awareness of rights, as laid down in the EU Treaties, in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (“the Charter”) and in the applicable international human rights conventions by providing financial support to European networks, civil society organisations active at EU level, and European think tanks in promoting and cultivating those rights. The call thereby also aims at strengthening the protection and promotion of Union values including respect for the rule of law and contributing to the construction of a more democratic Union, democratic dialogue, transparency as well as good governance.
The call aims to support the strive for a Union where there is no place for hate, racism, discrimination, or violence in any of its forms.

Detailed Call Description

The call intends to increase the capacities of the framework partners to contribute actively to the development and implementation of EU policies in areas such as:

  • promoting and protecting fundamental rights as enshrined in the Charter; combating hate speech and hate crime, including hate speech online,
  • fight against specific forms of intolerance and discrimination, such as antiBlack racism, anti-Muslim hatred, antigypsyism, anti-Asian racism, and antimigrant sentiments, and promoting equal opportunities for racial and ethnic groups,
  • promoting LGBTIQ equality and fighting discrimination against LGBTIQ people (including intersectional discrimination and inequality experienced on grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics),
  • promoting diversity and inclusion at the workplace,
  • promoting equality on the grounds of age and fighting against ageism,
  • fighting antisemitism, fostering Jewish life and promoting Holocaust education, research and remembrance,
  • Ensuring remembrance of enslavement and legacy of colonialism and diverse European cultural heritage, as well as promoting awareness about Roma culture and history, including the memory of the Roma Holocaust.
  • supporting, advancing and implementing comprehensive policies to promote women’s full enjoyment of rights, gender equality, including work-life balance, equal pay between women and men, women’s empowerment and gender mainstreaming,
  • promoting and protecting the rights of the child, including children’s right to protection and care as well as their right to express their views and participate in decisions in matters that concern them,
  • combating violence, including gender-based violence and violence against children by (1) preventing and combating at all levels all forms of genderbased violence, (2) preventing and combating all forms of violence against children, young people and other groups at risk and (3) supporting and protecting all direct and indirect victims of violence,
  • promoting democratic standards, including free, fair, resilient and inclusive electoral processes, promoting election integrity, fighting disinformation, information manipulation and foreign interference,
  • promoting EU citizenship rights,
  • promoting citizens’ engagement, and democratic participation.

This call will support European networks, civil society organisations active at EU level and European think tanks whose activities contribute to the implementation of the objectives of the programme and which will implement among others:

  • policy analysis and advice;
  • advocacy;
  • research and data collection/sharing/analysis;
  • citizens education at different levels and age groups;
  • capacity building;
  • for European networks: network activities, network development, and procedural improvements to increase clarity, transparency, respect of EU values, and equal treatment;
  • mutual learning, training, and exchange of good practices;
  • awareness raising;
  • critical thinking and media literacy activities (including pre-bunking) to fight hate speech and disinformation, information manipulation and foreign interference;
  • citizens’ (including children) engagement activities inspired by methods of participatory and representative democracy;
  • information and dissemination activities with EU added value.

The costs of general administrative expenditure necessary for the running of the applicant organisation may also be covered.

Framework partners that qualify as European networks have the possibility to re-grant (i.e. Financial Support to Third Parties, FSTP) to their member organisations.

Information regarding the budget:

  • Specific budget information per priority can be found in the table in the call document: p. 11.
  • The availability of the call budget still depends on the adoption of the budget 2025 by the EU budgetary authority.

Financial support to third parties
Under the re-granting option, network members that receive a grant from a framework partner are expected to help to achieve at least one of the following objectives:

  • Strengthened capacity to protect and promote rights and EU values;
  • A more supportive environment for CSOs and human rights defenders, such as national human rights institutions;
  • A more developed advocacy and watchdog role for CSOs;
  • Increased involvement of CSOs in policy- and decision-making processes with local, regional, and national governments;
  • Increased citizens’ awareness of EU rights and values;
  • Strengthened national, regional and local cooperation within civil society.

Financial Support to Third Parties:

  • The maximum amount of financial support per third party per financial year shall not exceed €60.000.
  • The budget dedicated to financial support to third parties should not exceed in any case 25% of the CERV annual operating grant of the framework partner.

For further details regarding the ”Financial Support to Third Parties” please visit the call document: p. 16 – 19.

Call Total Budget

€36.000.000

Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan

80%

Project budgets (maximum grant amount) are expected to be in line with the multiannual budget estimate as indicated in your proposal for a framework partnership agreement.

The grant awarded may be lower than the amount requested.

Thematic Categories

  • Education and training
  • Public Administration
  • Social Affairs & Human Rights

Eligibility for Participation

  • Associations
  • Natual person / Citizen / Individual
  • Non Profit Organisations
  • Other Beneficiaries
  • Private Bodies
  • State-owned Enterprises

Eligibility For Participation Notes

Applications will only be considered eligible if their content corresponds wholly (or at least in part) to the topic description for which they are submitted.

Eligible participants (eligible countries):
Eligibility criteria – In order to be eligible, applicants must:

  • be legal entities (private bodies).
  • be non-profit organisations.
  • be established in one of the Member States of the European Union (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs).
  • be a European network, or a civil society organisation active at EU level, or a European think tank.
  • have signed a Framework Partnership Agreement for the same priority within the Call CERV-2025-OG-FPA.19
  • be a single applicant; in case of European networks: only the network may submit an application; the member organisations are not eligible to apply.

Further eligibility criteria:

  • For the priorities (1) – (7) (see section 2 – “themes/ priorities”), only European networks can apply.
  • For European networks: European networks must be an established formal network (with own legal personality) organised at European level with member organisations from at least 14 EU Member States.

If a European network applies under the priority (4) “Preventing and combating gender-based violence” and is active in the area of female genital mutilation (FGM), then the established formal network (with own legal personality) must have member organisations in at least 12 EU Member States.

  • For applicants applying under the priority (8) “Promoting citizens engagement”: if the applicant is a civil society organisation active at EU level, then the applicant needs to have partner organisations in at least 14 EU Member States.

Consortium composition: Only applications by single applicants are allowed (single beneficiaries; affiliated entities and other participants are NOT allowed).

Call Opening Date

24/10/2024

Call Closing Date

05/02/2025

National Contact Point(s)

Organisation for European Programmes and Cultural Relations

Head of CERV Contact Point
Nenad Bogdanovic
Email: nb@epcr.org.cy

EU Contact Point

For help related to this call, please contact: EACEA-CERV@ec.europa.eu