THEPS Newsletter #7: Green Deal Alerts, Brave Partners & Why We’re Still Angry
Your weekly guide to writing better EU projects!
Hello,
It’s… February already! But as we say here at the THEPS office, minimum stress.
Did we rock your boat last week with our lovingly strict suggestions for partners? Good. That’s the point. There should be no room for laziness or unprofessionalism. Talk to the partners you love about it.
Speaking of unprofessionalism, are you a tiny bit angry about the way different National Agencies treat project proposals? This NA requires this, that NA insists on that, a third NA doesn’t even bother reading the attached documents, even though the Erasmus+ Programme allows us to support the project idea further. You might be a tiny bit angry, but we are very, very angry. This is our money. Many NAs are corrupt to the point that they don’t even hide it anymore.
Let’s take a breath now. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Minimum stress. Maximum opportunities:
- Green Deal Funding Alert
- Quick News (and local funding for the German subscribers)
- Statistical Data from France
- Tips & Tricks
- What the Future Holds
Green Deal Funding Alert
The European Committee of the Regions has released the January 2026 edition of the Green Deal Funding Alert. This monthly update highlights EU funding streams that support climate neutrality, sustainability, and local green transition. The opportunities are particularly relevant for municipalities, civil society organisations, and anyone working on environmental or circular‑economy projects.
Cities and towns across Europe can now apply for the 2028 European Green Capital Award (for cities over 100,000 inhabitants) and the European Green Leaf Award (for towns between 20,000 and 100,000 inhabitants). These awards recognise local authorities that demonstrate strong environmental performance, ambitious climate goals, and innovative green initiatives.
Several Horizon Europe calls aligned with the Green Deal are now open, covering areas such as:
- climate adaptation
- biodiversity and ecosystem restoration
- water management
- sustainable food systems
- clean energy and green innovation
These calls are particularly relevant for universities, research institutes, municipalities, and NGOs looking to build cross‑border consortia. So, spread the word.
More about the deadlines can be found here.
Quick News
One: This is so exciting!!! (yes, three exclamation points, we sort of balanced our breathing) Montenegro has provisionally closed its 13th negotiation chapter, Chapter 32 (Financial Control), during the Intergovernmental Conference on 26 January 2026. This is a major milestone: more than one‑third of all chapters are now closed, and Montenegro aims to finish all technical negotiations by the end of 2026 and become the EU’s 28th member in 2028.
What does this mean for Erasmus+ and project funding, you might ask? Here’s how we see things. Montenegro is already a Programme Country in Erasmus+, but EU membership would bring:
- More stable long‑term participation
- Higher national allocations in future Erasmus+ cycles
- Full access to cohesion funds, ESF+, ERDF, and other programmes currently unavailable
- More attractive partnerships for KA220, KA210, and CERV projects
And for us, as possible consortia, Montenegro becomes a strategic partner in the Western Balkans, especially for youth, VET, democracy, and local development projects.
Two: Are you a cultural institution or a collective (museums, theatres, festivals, etc.) or another socially relevant organisation that is based in Germany? The Martin Roth Initiative (MRI) has opened a new call supporting artists and cultural workers at risk, offering temporary relocation grants and safe residencies in partnership with host organisations. The programme funds living costs, artistic work, and professional integration for individuals facing threats due to their creative or political expression.
Deadline: varies by round (rolling windows throughout 2026) Budget: support covers relocation, accommodation, living expenses, and project‑related costs
Eligible applicants:
- Individuals: artists, writers, performers, cultural workers under threat
- Organisations: NGOs, cultural institutions, art centres, and municipalities willing to host and support an at‑risk artist
This is a strong opportunity for organisations active in arts, culture, human rights, and community development to provide meaningful, life‑changing support. Learn more here.
Three: Yup. Not all National Agencies have published the results from the October 2025 call. How are we expected to rewrite the whole project based on the feedback in such a short time?
Statistical Data from France
It’s no wonder that France sees 42% approval of KA210-ADU (56 approved projects) in March 2025. Emily is in Paris, and she’s still struggling with transversal skills. We’re joking, we’re joking.
We love this because KA210-ADU is designed for smaller organisations, and, honestly, smaller organisations can be so impactful. Please include smaller partners in your projects!
Interestingly enough, KA220-VET sees only 18 approved projects, which is 22% of all submissions.
We’ll provide you with a full-on report soon.
Tips & Tricks
Structure, structure, structure!
A project proposal is not an essay. Nobody cares about how eloquent you are in the language you’re submitting your proposal in. Make it easy for the evaluator to read.
Here are some clues that should save space and keep your proposal well-written.
O1, O2, O3
N1, N2, N3
1.
-
-
-
2.
-
-
3.
That’s it.
What the Future Holds
Some of you have already sent us messages of support! We’re happy to have you on board our vessel that takes us to the Revolution! She’s a beauty, isn’t she, this THEPS party ship! We’ll ask you a few important questions in a few weeks.
In the meantime, don’t forget that we put the fun in funding opportunities, so please follow us on LinkedIn, it’s where we will announce news too.