CERV Programme 2026 — Complete Guide to EU Funding for Rights, Equality & Democracy

What is CERV?

If you know Erasmus+ but not CERV — think of it as the EU programme for rights, equality, democracy, and civic participation. Running 2021–2027 with ~€1.55 billion. It funds civil society, municipalities, NGOs, and public bodies to protect EU values and engage citizens.

Who can apply? Civil society organisations, NGOs, municipalities, public authorities, equality bodies, social partners, think-tanks, research institutions. Profit-oriented organisations only in partnership with non-profits. Projects are typically transnational (2+ countries), though some calls allow national projects. Funding rate is usually 90% (lump sum).

The 4 Strands

Equality & Rights

Gender equality, anti-discrimination, Roma inclusion, children's rights, data protection. €27M in 2026.

Citizens' Engagement

Town twinning, networks of towns, civic participation, European remembrance, democracy. €76M in 2026.

Daphne

Fight gender-based violence, violence against children and vulnerable groups. €21M in 2026.

Union Values

Protect EU values, support civil society, EU Charter rights. The biggest strand: €181M in 2026.

Timeline — 2026/2027

Hover for details. Red line = today.

Compare All Calls

Click column headers to sort.

Strand	Call	Status	Deadline	Budget	Per Project	Rate	Portal

Match Finder

Answer 3 questions. Get your best CERV matches.

What type of organisation are you?

NGO / Civil society organisationNon-profit, advocacy, rights, community

Municipality / local authorityCity, town, region

Public body / equality bodyGovernment agency, ombudsman

University / think-tankResearch, policy analysis

What is your primary focus?

Gender equality & women's rights

Fighting violence & protecting victims

Democracy & civic participation

Rights, rule of law & non-discrimination

European remembrance & history

What scale of project?

Small / localUnder €150K, short duration

Medium / transnational€150K–500K, 12–24 months

Large / EU-wide€500K+, operating grants, multi-year

Your top matches

Deadline Countdowns

Live countdowns. Red border = less than 15 days.

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Disclaimer: Based on CERV Work Programme 2026-2027 (C(2025) 8076) and EC indicative call planning (Dec 2025). Deadlines may change. Verify on the F&T Portal. Produced using advanced AI analysis and reviewed by an experienced EU grant engineer.

More EU Call Dashboards: Horizon Europe April 2026 (112 topics) → | EU Gaming Grants 2026 →