The Opportunity and Innovation Grants are designed to enable CSOs to leverage modest funding into larger impacts, and to incubate promising new approaches — topics, methodologies, and formats for fostering dialogue between local communities in the Western Balkans.
\nSome examples may include preparing an application for larger funding opportunities, conducting pilot projects or feasibility studies, reacting to political developments within communities, or taking proactive action in response to anticipated developments.
\nApplicants will be asked to specify the local community and type of divide they would like to address. The latter may include identities such as national, ethnic, racial, religious, gender, or sexual orientation.
\n\nCivil society organizations working on peace, dialogue, and social cohesion in the Western Balkans registered in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia or Serbia. Informal (unregistered) organizations, collectives, or ad hoc groups may apply in a coalition with a registered organization, or with a fiscal host.
\n\nThe maximum grant amount is €4.500,00. There will be a total of 20 grants available in 2026.
\n\nThe Opportunity and Innovation Grants will be available on a rolling basis, subject to the maximum number available grants. The deadline for activity implementation will be November 1st 2026.
\n\nApplications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis internally by at least two EFB staff members based on the following criteria:
\n\nIn addition to the application form, applicants will be required to submit the following documentation:
\nIn principle, decisions should be communicated within five working days of the application submission. If there is a delay in processing the applications, applicants will be notified.
\n\nGrant recipients or their fiscal hosts will be asked to submit a narrative report on their activities with a special focus on the specific opportunity or innovation, along with a basic financial report. The deadline for final narrative and financial reporting will be December 1st, 2026.
","documents":[{"url":"/uploads/grants/20260629_OpportunityandInnovationgrantsBudgetTemplate_623eebc7264ebe5e.xlsx","name":"Budget Template","type":"XLSX"}],"formSteps":[{"title":"Section 0: Applicant Information","fields":[{"name":"organisation","type":"text","label":"Name of the Organization or Initiative","required":true},{"name":"partner_organisation","type":"text","label":"Name of the Partner Organization/Initiative (if applicable)","required":false},{"name":"legal_status","type":"select","label":"Legal Status","width":"1/2","options":["Registered NGO","Informal or Ad Hoc Group","Regional Network"],"required":true},{"name":"country","type":"select","label":"Country of Registration/Operation","width":"1/2","options":["Albania","Bosnia and Herzegovina","Croatia","Kosovo","Montenegro","North Macedonia","Serbia"],"required":true},{"name":"year_established","type":"text","label":"Year of Establishment/Formation","width":"1/2","required":true},{"name":"address","type":"text","label":"Physical Address","width":"1/2","required":true},{"name":"links","type":"text","label":"Website and Social Media Links","required":false},{"name":"applicant_name","type":"text","label":"Primary Contact Person (Full Name)","required":true},{"name":"email","type":"email","label":"Email Address","width":"1/2","required":true},{"name":"phone","type":"text","label":"Phone Number (include country code)","width":"1/2","required":true},{"name":"financial_mechanism","type":"select","label":"Financial Mechanism","options":["We have a legal entity and a bank account","We are an informal group and will use a Fiscal Host"],"required":true},{"name":"fiscal_host_name","type":"text","label":"Name of Fiscal Host (if applicable)","required":false},{"name":"budget_requested","type":"number","label":"Total Budget Requested (Gross) (€)","width":"1/2","required":true},{"name":"project_duration","type":"number","label":"Duration of Activity (Months)","width":"1/2","required":true},{"name":"project_title","type":"text","label":"Project Title","required":true}],"step_title":"Identity","description":"Please provide basic information about your organization or initiative."},{"title":"Section 1: Identity & Values","fields":[{"name":"community","type":"textarea","label":"Community","options":[""],"helpText":"Name the specific community, municipality, neighborhood, or region where the activity will take place.","required":true,"wordLimit":100},{"name":"divide","type":"checkboxes","label":"Type of Divide","width":"full","options":["National","Ethnic","Religious","Racial","Gender","Sexual orientation","Other"],"helpText":"What type of identity is the divide your project is addressing based on?","required":true},{"name":"context","type":"textarea","label":"Context Description","width":"full","options":[],"helpText":"Describe the specific situation, tension, or gap you are responding to. What is happening in this community that makes this intervention timely or necessary?","required":true,"wordLimit":300}],"step_title":"Community and Context"},{"title":"Section 2: The Pilot","fields":[{"name":"project_description","type":"textarea","label":"Project Description","helpText":"What will you do? Include format, target participants, and expected outputs.","required":true,"wordLimit":400},{"name":"opportunity_innovation","type":"textarea","label":"Opportunity & Innovation Argumentation","helpText":"What makes this approach innovative or a genuine opportunity? Explain clearly why this is a new, promising, or timely approach — and not your organization's routine work. What is different about the method, topic, format, or timing? ","required":true,"wordLimit":400},{"name":"expected_results","type":"text","label":"Expected Results and Larger Impact","width":"full","options":[],"helpText":"If this is a pilot or preparatory grant, what larger change or opportunity could it unlock? What will you learn or be able to do after this activity? ","required":false},{"name":"counterfactual","type":"textarea","label":"Counterfactual","helpText":"What would happen if you missed this opportunity to act?","required":true,"wordLimit":300}],"step_title":"Proposed Intervention"},{"title":"Section 3: Partnership","fields":[{"name":"beyond_funding","type":"textarea","label":"Beyond Funding","helpText":"What are your expectations from EFB regarding technical or regional support for this pilot? Do you need expertise that EFB could help you access through its network? Do you anticipate needing support in engaging the communities your innovation is designed to serve? If the pilot produces promising results, would EFB's support in documenting the model, capturing community impact stories, or presenting the approach to local institutions, policymakers, or other funders be helpful to you? Are there institutional resistances you foresee as barriers to uptake, where EFB could help with?","required":false,"wordLimit":200}],"step_title":"Support"},{"title":"Supporting Documents","fields":[{"name":"budget_doc","type":"file","label":"Detailed Budget (Excel)","helpText":"Please use the provided Excel template.","required":true},{"name":"registration_docs","type":"file","label":"Registration and statute","helpText":"Prepare and send your Registration and statute. If you are an initiative, then provide those of the fiscal host.","required":true},{"name":"staff_list","type":"file","label":"Staff List","width":"full","options":[],"helpText":"A list of current staff members and their roles. If available, please include an organigram.","required":true},{"name":"mou_docs","type":"file","label":"Signed MoU(s)","helpText":"Prepare and send a signed MoU(s) defining roles, responsibilities, and financial flows for an informal initiative or project implemented in a partnership.","required":false}],"step_title":"Upload","description":"Please upload the required documents. Max 10MB per file."}],"applicationFormId":25,"applicationFormTitle":"CGP: Opportunity & Innovation Grants","applicationFormDescription":null,"applicationFinalText":null,"applicationFinalCheckboxes":[{"label":"We are a registered, non-profit CSO headquartered and operating in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, or Serbia.","required":"1"},{"label":"If coalition: We confirm that we are the lead organization representing a coalition as an applicant for the Response Hub Grants 2026.","required":"0"},{"label":"The information provided in this application is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. We consent to the European Fund for the Balkans using the information from this application for assessment and due diligence purposes, sharing it on a need-to-know basis.","required":"1"}],"applicationFormStatus":1,"applicationStart":"2026-07-06 12:00:00","maxFileSizeMb":10,"maxTotalUploadSizeMb":70,"allowedFileTypes":"pdf,doc,docx,xls,xlsx"}}