Preparatory Action - European Heritage Hub

The second edition of the European Heritage Hub Small Grants Scheme aims to encourage and empower civil society heritage stakeholders from EU candidate and other neighbouring countries (including Ukraine, Moldova, the Caucasus and the Western Balkans) to become active protagonists of the wider European heritage movement.

Led by Europa Nostra, co-funded by the European Union, and supported by the ALIPH Foundation, the scheme was created with the intent to strengthen the role of cultural heritage as a driver of sustainable development, democratic participation, and European cooperation. It encourages heritage stakeholders to enhance their capacity to respond to Europe's green, digital, and social transformation and to promote democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental rights.

PRIORITIES OF THE SMALL GRANTS SCHEME

Following the success of the first edition of the Small Grant Scheme, this edition will grant a maximum total amount of €250,000 to projects across EU candidate and neighbouring countries, continuing its commitment to supporting innovative, heritage-led initiatives. It will support projects aligned with the following overarching objectives:

1. Building the capacity of civil society;
2. Enhancing the key role of cultural heritage for the triple transformation (green, digital and social);
3. Strengthening democracy, the rule of law and other fundamental rights and values;
4. Building peace and stability, through enhancing intercultural and interreligious dialogue and reconciliation.

This second edition is organised around three regional strands, each with tailored priorities, with the aim of better addressing the needs of each region. The strands and main priorities are as follows:

1. Western Balkans: Focus on reconciliation, regional cooperation and social cohesion
2. Caucasus: Focus on heritage protection in fragile and diverse contexts
3. Ukraine/Moldova: Focus on capacity building and pilot initiatives supporting emergency response, recovery and resilience of the heritage sector.

If you have a project proposal that resonates with this, read on for more information on how to apply!

CONDITIONS OF THE CALL

The open call launches on 20 July 2026. Project proposals must be submitted through the Good Grants platform and follow a three-step selection process:

1. Proposal Submission (Eligibility assessment & full proposal) – Applicants are invited to first complete an eligibility assessment form. Applications are screened to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria. Only eligible applicants are invited to submit a full proposal via Good Grants.
2. Pre-selection by regional experts – Regional experts evaluate eligible full proposals against the selection criteria and recommend a shortlist to the Selection Committee. Applicants are not notified of the pre-selection results.
3. Final selection by the Selection Committee – The Selection Committee, made up of representatives of the European Heritage Hub consortium and experts from eligible countries, reviews the shortlisted proposals and selects the projects to be funded, ensuring a balanced portfolio across regional strands, grant sizes, action types, and participating countries.

FUNDING

The Small Grants Scheme will support initiatives of two sizes:

1. Grants up to 10,000 EUR
2. Grants ranging from 10,000 to 25,000 EUR

WHO CAN APPLY

Applications are open to civil society and not-for-profit organisations, including NGOs, charities, and grassroots organisations.

Projects may be submitted by a single organisation or a partnership. For partnerships, one organisation must act as the lead applicant, submitting the application, managing the grant, and taking financial and legal responsibility for the project. A single consolidated budget must be submitted.

The lead applicant must have legal status and a bank account in one of the following eligible countries: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo*, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, or Ukraine. Partner organisations may be based in other European countries.

Cross-border projects involving the eligible countries are eligible and encouraged.

* All references to Kosovo, whether the territory, institutions or population, in this document shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations’ Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.

TIMELINE 

1. 20 July 2026: Launch of the open call
2. 7 September 2026: Eligibility Assessment deadline
3. 20 September 2026: Full application deadline
4. September/October 2026: Selection of projects
5. November 2026: Signature of grant agreements
6. November 2026: Start of implementation
7. 31 August 2027: Final reporting deadline

GET READY TO APPLY 

1. Read the full Call for Applications before applying
2. Create an account on Good Grants and check your eligibility through the platform
3. Apply for the Eligibility Assessment before Monday, 7 September 2026 at 23:59 CEST 
4. If you are eligible, you will receive an invitation to submit the Full Proposal by Sunday, 20 September 2026 at 23:59 CEST.

DOCUMENTS

1. Call for Applications
2. PDF Sample of the forms:
3. Eligibility Assessment
4. Western Balkans Full Application
5. Caucasus Full Application
6. Ukraine/Moldova Full Application
7. Budget template
8. Grant Agreement template

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact by email: [email protected] 

To stay updated about all events and important news, visit our website at www.europeanheritagehub.eu, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media @EurHeritageHub.