The European Fund for the Balkans has announced the opening of the call for applications for the Core Programmatic Support Grants under its Common Ground Program. It invites civil society organizations from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia to submit their applications by December 19, 2025, at 5 p.m. CET.
Each award offers up to €20,000 for 12 months to maintain the stability and effectiveness of organizations—supporting activities such as retaining or training essential personnel, strengthening governance and financial systems, enhancing inclusion and implementing safeguarding measures, and upgrading communication or digital tools.
EFB emphasizes that this is not a project-specific grant; rather, its purpose is to sustain ongoing initiatives that have already demonstrated positive impact and to ensure that groups remain active within their communities.
Applicants should provide recent results: three examples from the past 18–24 months that demonstrate contributions to trust-building, dialogue, social cohesion, or cooperation across divides. Grassroots initiatives can apply through a coalition with a registered lead CSO with a signed memorandum of understanding outlining roles and financial flows.
Proposals will be assessed based on strategic alignment with EFB/CGP outcomes (30%), dialogue and bridge-building efforts (35%), feasibility and proportionality (25%), and resilience and ethics (10%). Funds are released as 80% upon signing and 20% after an approved progress report, with the final narrative and financial reports closing the grant.
The application form is available at:
https://www.balkanfund.org/download/CGP-Application-Form-2025.pdf
Completed applications with all requested documents should be emailed to cgp@balkanfund.org no later than December 19, 2025, at 5 pm CET. Questions can go to the same address with the subject line “Core Programmatic Support Grant 2026.”
The Common Ground Program supports organizations that work to maintain dialogue, solidarity, and cooperation in a region where political polarization has made that effort more difficult—and more essential.
Image: EFB/Workshop at EDI Convention 2025, Skopje, North Macedonia.
