THEPS Newsletter #15: This is Our Biggest Issue Ever with Amazing Funding Opportunities for Everyone
Your weekly guide to writing better EU projects!
Hello,
Yes, we slept less for some stupid reason, but you’re not daydreaming, it’s really been 15 issues of the newsletter already. Funny how time flies when you’re having fun trying to dismantle the corruption in some EU programs, and you enjoy the good company of people who want a better Europe!
It’s been almost a month since the end of the last Erasmus+ calls, and it’s so frustrating because every NA has their own internal rules even after the call ends. What do you mean apart from having the accession forms digitally signed… you want a physical signature and a stamp?!?!? Leave us alone with the useless bureaucracy!
Another question for you: Did you check Zenodo from issue #14? It’s the best way to disseminate your tangible inputs! It proves you’re a serious organisation that actually did what they were paid for. Also, we are in no way affiliated with them, but we give credit where credit is due.
Speaking of which, we will soon begin to roll out the opportunities to share your badges of excellence! In the meantime, we’ve prepared the following:
- Erasmus+ European Policy Experimentations
- Green Deal Funding
- Artistic Collaboration & Dissemination (Africa-Europe)
- Funding Opportunities for Malta, Serbia, Spain & Hungary
- Quick News
- What the Future Holds
Erasmus+ European Policy Experimentations
According to the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), the European Policy
Experimentations are transnational cooperation projects that:
- develop and test innovative policy measures,
- evaluate their impact,
- compare results across countries, and
- provide evidence for future EU‑level policy decisions.
They require strategic leadership, methodological rigour, and a strong European dimension. They are not pilots for one, they are multi‑country experiments designed to influence EU‑wide education policy.
Most Erasmus+ actions (KA1, KA2, youth mobility, small partnerships, etc.) focus on:
- exchanges,
- training,
- cooperation,
- capacity‑building, and
- local innovation.
Erasmus+ Policy Experimentations are a different beast… but still tameable. Here’s what you need to know:
-> They are large‑scale, high‑budget projects. Funding can reach up to €1,000,000 per project. Normal Erasmus+ projects rarely reach this scale. As in, never.
-> They require big consortia. At least 5 applicants from 3 different EU/associated countries. This is not for small NGOs or schools acting alone. But we have different subscribers, so this might be suitable for some of you (check below).
-> They test policy, not activities. The goal is to generate evidence for EU‑level policy decisions, not just to run a project.
-> They include rigorous evaluation. Baseline–midline–endline assessments, quasi‑experimental designs, and cross‑country comparisons are expected. Normal Erasmus+ projects do not require this level of scientific evaluation.
-> They influence the future of EU education. The results feed directly into EU strategies like the Action Plan on Basic Skills and the Digital Education Action Plan.
The topics are as follows:
T01 – DIGITAL‑CONTENT
Digital Content in Education
Best for: Ministries of Education, digital‑content agencies, EdTech‑regulating bodies, inspectorates.
If you work on: How schools choose, approve, or use digital learning materials, this is your topic.
T02 – DIGITAL‑ETHICSAI
Ethical AI in Education
Best for: Ministries, AI ethics councils, digital‑policy authorities, research institutes.
If you work on: Ethical AI, governance, transparency, or public‑private partnerships in education, this is your playground.
T03 – DIGITAL‑BS
AI for Basic Skills
Best for: Ministries, digital‑education agencies, AI‑in‑schools taskforces, research centres.
If you work on: AI‑powered personalised learning pathways for basic skills, this is exactly your topic.
T04 – MICRO‑CRED
Micro‑credentials Ecosystems
Best for: Higher‑education authorities, qualification agencies, ministries, universities, VET authorities.
If you work on: Micro‑credentials, recognition, portability, or national frameworks, this is your match.
T05 – SCHOOL‑STEM
STEM Education Centres
Best for: Ministries, STEM centres, teacher‑training institutes, science agencies.
If you work on: STEM ecosystems, hubs, teacher support, or national STEM strategies, this is your home.
T06 – SCHOOL‑BS
Basic Skills in Schools
Best for: Ministries, curriculum agencies, inspectorates, literacy/numeracy taskforces.
If you work on: Improving basic skills in schools (non‑AI!), this is your topic.
T07 – VET‑BS
Basic Skills in VET
Best for: VET authorities, ministries, chambers of commerce, and VET research institutes.
If you work on: Literacy/numeracy in vocational education, this is the right fit
T08 – VET‑QUALIFICATIONS
VET Qualifications Recognition
Best for: National qualification authorities, ministries, EQF/NQF bodies, VET agencies.
If you work on: Recognition, transparency, or comparability of VET qualifications, this is your topic.
T09 – ADULT‑LEARNING
Adult Learning / Upskilling Pathways
Best for: Adult‑learning authorities, ministries, employment agencies, guidance centres.
If you work on: Upskilling pathways for low‑skilled adults, this is your perfect match.
T10 – HIGHER‑ED‑INNOVATION
Higher Education Innovation
Best for: Ministries, universities, HE associations, digital‑transformation units.
If you work on: Innovative teaching, digital transformation, or institutional change in higher education, this one is yours.
As you can see, the eligible applicants in general include:
- ministries of education,
- national/regional authorities,
- public bodies with policy competence,
- universities and research institutes,
- organisations active in education, training, research, or innovation.
Schools and VET centres can participate, but usually as pilot sites, not as coordinators. But do check the requirements for each call!
Green Deal Funding
While the EU is rolling out climate‑adaptation support, soil‑health missions, and €2‑million innovation pilots, the United States of Orange America is… having a national debate about whether climate change is real enough to fund. The contrast is almost poetic:
EU: “Here’s money to help your city survive extreme weather.” USA: “Extreme weather? Fake news! Danger? No such thing! Wind turbines make the scenery look ugly, so let’s frack with huge rigs instead!”
This edition of the EU Green Deal Funding highlights three big openings:
- Custom support for climate‑adaptation projects (Deadline: 17 April 2026): tailored help to get local adaptation ideas investor‑ready.
- EUI Innovative Actions: 4th Call (Deadline: 15 June 2026), €60 million available for bold urban‑innovation pilots, offering up to €2 million per project.
- Horizon Europe climate & soil projects: €10 million for innovation actions supporting healthier soils and climate adaptation.
In short, if your municipality has a climate idea, the EU currently has a wallet and a deadline for it. Read more here.
Visual Arts – Artistic Collaboration & Dissemination (Africa–Europe)
If you’ve been dreaming of a cross‑continental art adventure, the EU just opened the door. The Africa–Europe Partnership for Culture has launched a brand‑new call for Visual Arts – Artistic Collaboration and Dissemination, supporting teams who want to co‑create, produce, and publicly present visual‑arts work across Sub‑Saharan Africa and Europe. Grants go up to €20,000, covering everything from artistic fees to production materials and even travel. This call is perfect for artists, collectives, cultural operators, and anyone who believes creativity travels better than luggage.
The call funds the entire artistic journey (from concept development to the final exhibition moment, where everyone nods thoughtfully and pretends they fully understand the symbolism)!
It’s open now and runs until 17 April 2026.
Apply via the Goethe Application Portal (GAP).
The full call details are here.
Funding Opportunities for Malta, Serbia, Spain & Hungary
-> Hungary wants more of its researchers and innovators inside Horizon Europe, and they’re putting money behind it. This call supports organisations that want to join EU research consortia, level up their proposal skills, or strengthen their innovation capacity. Think of it as Hungary saying: “Let’s collaborate, Brussels is waiting, despite the mess we’re in.” We said it, we don’t care.
Deadline: 30 April 2026
Apply here.
-> This next one might sound a bit weird to you, but here it is. The Slovak Agency for International Development Cooperation (SAIDC), in collaboration with the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Belgrade, launches the Call for Proposals for Small Grants 2026 in the Republic of Serbia. But this is the beauty of the EU and the future of the EU! This is perfect for grassroots groups, local NGOs, and anyone who believes small actions can spark big change.
Deadline: 30 April 2026
Apply here.
-> Extremadura is funding social projects that improve the lives of local communities (from inclusion and well-being to education and community development). If your organisation has a project that makes people smile, feel supported, or simply makes daily life less chaotic, this call is for you.
Deadline: 15 May 2026
Apply here.
-> La Rioja isn’t just about wine, it’s also about funding social initiatives that strengthen communities, support vulnerable groups, and improve the quality of life. If your NGO has a project that brings people together or tackles local challenges, La Rioja wants to hear from you.
Deadline: 20 May 2026
Apply here.
-> Malta is investing in projects that make the island greener, fairer, and more sustainable. Whether you’re working on environmental protection, community wellbeing, or long‑term social impact, this fund is basically Malta’s way of saying: “Let’s build a future we’re proud of.”
Deadline: 10 June 2026
Apply here.
Quick News
One: The EU just secured a better trade deal with Australia than the UK managed post‑Brexit… and let’s say British commentators are… not thrilled. The whole thing reads like a diplomatic version of: “You left us, we don’t have to deal with your nonsense anymore.” The EU gets smoother market access, stronger protections, and fewer headaches. The UK gets a reminder that breaking up with someone who handles your paperwork might not have been the power move they thought it was.
Let’s say it again. Don’t leave the EU because it will get worse for you. It’s a simple, proven fact.
Two: The European Commission has approved €2.7 billion under the Innovation Fund to support 54 major clean‑tech and industrial‑decarbonisation projects across the EU. SOUNDS BORING, we know! Here’s more of the difficult words: hydrogen, renewable fuels, green steel, and carbon capture. Basically, everything you need to make our industry less “19th century” and more “future‑proof.” This is one of the biggest waves of green‑industry investment the EU has ever launched, and it shows Brussels is still very serious about climate action - spreadsheets, funding calls, and all. Where’s the US in all of this? Ah, yeah, again. Behind the EU!
Why does this piece of news matter for us as small organisations? Because people need to be more educated on how to be green! Get to writing more green projects!
Three: Creative Europe has announced the 46 winning projects under the 2025 “Circulation of European Literary Works” call, which is about supporting translations, publishing, and cross‑border promotion of European books. Expect more novels, poetry, essays, and literary gems travelling across languages and borders. Check out more, and we mean it, MORE opportunities.
If you have missed THEPS #13, check out the archived version. It's quite a comprehensive piece on the new Creative Europe call.
What the Future Holds
We reached more than 12,000 of you last week. Are you one of the new subscribers? We promise you, we’re cool. We know, we know, this is something the uncool kids might say, but we really are worth your time. What do you mean THEPS is not the right newsletter for you? We’ve just shared about 20 funding opportunities!
Starting from April, we will share with you
- a report on the funding statistics for the Erasmus+ Programme,
- a survey that will help us shape the newsletter, the future platform, and will actually be the first opportunity to tell us what you think about the way things are when it comes to the EU’s funding mechanisms,
- and, as always, a little bit of humour because working should be funny ha-ha and not funny weird.
We begin next week. Stay tuned! In the meantime, try to get some sleep.