Framework Partnership Agreements for operating grants to support non-profit organisations

Topic description

Expected Impact: Framework Partnership Agreements for non-profit making entities under the LIFE programme aim to strengthen the participation of civil society in the EU policy dialogue, as well as to support implementation and enforcement of Union environmental and climate objectives, including clean energy transition, by the beneficiaries. Objective: LIFE Framework Partnership Agreements with non-profit making entities aim to strengthen the participation of civil society in the EU policy dialogue, as well as to support implementation and enforcement of Union environmental and climate objectives by the beneficiaries. The present call for proposals targets framework partnerships aimed at achieving the objectives of the Circular Economy and Quality of Life, Nature and Biodiversity, Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation and Clean Energy Transition LIFE sub-programmes. In line with Recital 23 of the LIFE Regulation, the LIFE Framework Partnership Agreements aim at “support[ing] a broad range of NGOs [non-governmental organisations] as well as networks of non-profit-making entities that pursue an aim which is of general Union interest, and that are primarily active in the area of the environment or climate action, by awarding, in a competitive and transparent manner, operating grants, in order to help such NGOs, networks and entities, to make effective contributions to Union policy, and to build and strengthen their capacity to become more efficient partners.” Applicants to the LIFE-2026-NGO-OG-FPA call for proposals MUST ALSO APPLY under the LIFE-2026-NGO-OG-SGA Call for proposals to be considered for an operating grant for FY2026. Scope: Framework Partnership Agreements (FPAs) under the LIFE Programme are long-term cooperation instruments that serve as umbrella for regular or recurrent operating grants to non-profit making entities which are involved in the development, implementation and enforcement of EU legislation and policy and which are primarily active in the field of environment or climate action, including clean energy transition, in line with the objectives of the LIFE Programme. They are a prerequisite for being able to sign annual Specific Operating Grant Agreements (SGAs), but do not create any legitimate expectations or entitlement to get them. Framework Partnership Agreements that will be concluded following the 2026 Call for Proposals for LIFE Operating Grant Framework Partnership Agreements will cover the following two financial years of beneficiary organisations (i.e. FY 2027 and FY 2028). Framework Partnerships are always mono-beneficiary. Further details can be found in the call document.

Conditions and documents

Conditions 1. Admissibility conditions: Proposal page limit and layout described in section 5 of the call document . Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. 2. Eligible countries described in section 6 of the call document . 3. Other eligibility conditions described in section 6 of the call document . 4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion described in section 7 of the call document . 5a. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes described section 8 of the call document and the Online Manual . 5b. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds described in section 9 of the call document . 5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement described in section 4 of the call document . 6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants described in section 10 of the call document . Call document and annexes: Call document Application form templates Standard application form (LIF E FPA OG FR NGOs) — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System Mandatory Annexes to the application form Statutes of the non-profit entity Applicant’s activity report of previous year – if the applicant is a newly created entity that has less than one year of existence, it is acceptable that the activity report covers less than 12 months Participant information (LIFE) (template available in the Submission System) A list of the members of the executive board or administration (names and title/function within the applicant organisation) Model Grant Agreements (MGA) Framework Partnership Agreement FPA Additional documents: LIFE Multiannual Work Programme 2025-2027 LIFE Regulation 2021/783 EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement

Budget overview

{
  "budgetTopicActionMap": {
    "114297": [
      {
        "action": "LIFE-2026-NGO-OG-FPA - LIFE-FPA-OG LIFE Operating Grants Framework Partnerships",
        "budgetYearMap": {
          "2026": "0"
        },
        "deadlineDates": [
          "2026-09-08"
        ],
        "deadlineModel": "single-stage",
        "expectedGrants": 0,
        "maxContribution": 0,
        "minContribution": 0,
        "plannedOpeningDate": "2026-05-12"
      }
    ]
  },
  "budgetYearsColumns": [
    "2026"
  ]
}