With the long-term goal of strengthening an open, rights-based, democratic, equal, and inclusive society in the EU through culture and cultural diplomacy, the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC) invites applications from its EU-based member organisations.
The call supports initiatives that challenge negative narratives about Roma in Europe and boost self-esteem within Roma communities through arts, culture, history, education, media, advocacy, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural exchange between Roma and non-Roma communities.
We are looking for projects with a clear European dimension that:
- strengthen capacity to protect and promote EU rights and values and increase citizen awareness of EU rights and values
- contribute to the fight and prevention of antigypsyism, by employing counter-narratives through arts, culture, history, education and the media and a higher degree of Roma participation and self-representation
- advocate for Roma cultural inclusion and a holistic and preventive approach to fighting antigypsyism and in doing so contribute to policy-making processes affecting the Roma
- strengthen the organisations and leaders in the Roma movement through networking and collaboration between Roma and non-Roma led civil society organisations
- challenge dominant, harmful narratives about Roma and present alternate narratives that incorporate culture and Romani contribution to the EU and seek to broaden the base of supportive allies, as well as foster a sense of pride and positive identity among Roma
- Boost a sense of self-esteem, ethnic pride and belonging among Roma communities
- Use arts and culture to encourage civic participation and reinforce democratic values.
General Objective:
Strengthen the capacity to protect and promote EU rights and values while increasing citizen awareness of these fundamental principles.
Specific Objectives:
- Foster an open, rights-based, democratic, equal, and inclusive society in the EU through cultural initiatives and cultural diplomacy at local and regional levels.
- Challenge and transform dominant, harmful narratives about Roma by highlighting their cultural contributions and engaging Roma and non-Roma stakeholders in intercultural dialogue.
- Strengthen a sense of pride, unity, positive identity and ethnic belonging among Roma through arts, culture, history, education and the media and a higher degree of Roma participation and self-representation.
- Build on the achievements of ERIACNET4EU by launching a targeted regranting scheme designed to scale and amplify initiatives that directly reach grassroots Roma communities, strengthening on-the-ground impact and embedding EU values into local actions and community-led activities.
- Strengthen Roma organizations and leaders through collaborative networks and partnerships with civil society organizations.
- Promote gender equality and combat gender-based stereotypes, especially through targeted initiatives for Roma women and girls.
- Provide financial support to grassroots Roma-led and pro-Roma initiatives that promote civic participation and help implement EU values at the local level.
The call for projects will be launched respecting the principles of transparency, equal treatment, non-conflict of interest, and confidentiality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Purpose and funding priorities
The main goal is to provide project-based support to ERIAC member organisations based in the EU, enabling them to develop cultural activities focusing on awareness raising, commemoration, remembrance, research and education, with aim to explore shared European aspects of Romani history to further discuss current European challenges and Roma experience as a shared European narrative that defines European values of diversity, tolerance and fundamental rights. The projects should employ broadly understood arts and culture to strengthen democratic values and civic behaviour. Special attention will be given to initiatives which engage with large Roma communities, either physically or digitally, ensuring access to quality cultural programming on the grassroots community level.
FUNDING PRIORITIES
Projects must align with the following objectives:
- Protect and promote EU values, non-discrimination, and equality.
- Encourage civic engagement and raise awareness of Roma contributions to European identity and culture.
- Address antigypsyism through educational initiatives, public campaigns, and cultural diplomacy.
- Promote greater awareness of Roma history, culture, heritage, and experiences.
- Strengthen the inclusion of Roma in mainstream cultural institutions and events.
- Enhance leadership and civic participation within Roma communities, focusing on Roma women and youth.
Grant Structure and Eligibility Grant Categories:
- Large scale projects: Up to €15,000 each.
- Medium scale projects: Up to €10,000 each.
Indicative number of grants awarded: 8-10, with the total investment of 100.000,00 EUR
The number of grants awarded will depend on both the quantity and quality of received applications. The Jury may decide on granting contributions that are less than the originally applied amount, provided that the potential beneficiaries give their prior consent.
The rate of the project funding is 100%. Grantees are not required to provide self-contribution. The granted amount will be paid upon signing of the grant contract.The project should be budget-based, with the actual costs calculation method.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Only ERIAC member organizations based in EU Member States are eligible.
- Applicants must be legal, non-profit entities with demonstrated adherence to EU values as outlined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union.
- Projects must be implemented within the EU or its overseas territories.
- Applications should explicitly address one or more of the program’s funding priorities, with clear, achievable objectives and measurable outcomes.
- Proposals must integrate a gender-sensitive approach during design and implementation.
- Projects must include KPIs and impact assessment elements.
Eligible Activities (non-exhaustive list):
- Cultural and commemorative events (exhibitions, performances, workshops, and conferences)
- Permanent or temporary interventions in public spaces that aim to document and commemorate local histories and personalities
- Research and educational initiatives, including the development of teaching materials and community-level educational initiatives
- Awareness-raising campaigns and public communication efforts
- Training, capacity-building activities, and cross-border learning exchanges
- Initiatives promoting Roma visibility in arts and public spaces
- Community-centered grassroots initiatives
Duration of projects:
All projects need to conclude by December 31, 2026
TIMELINE
01 May, 2026 Deadline for application submission
15 May, 2026 Jury meeting
20 May 2026 Grantees informed of decision
25 May 2026 Deadline to submit eventual changes requested by the jury
29 May 2026 Signing of the grant contracts
12 June 2026 Grant Management Training to be delivered to the grant recipients
Application Procedure
Applicants will be required to submit an application in English via an online application form. The applicant will also be required to provide a declaration of absence of conflict of interest and a declaration of adhering to EU values and rights and the respect of ERIAC founding principles.
Applicants must submit:
- Project description with the detailed activity plan
- Financial plan for the project costs for audit purposes
- Yearly Financial Report
- Previous Project Management Experience Report
<<Application Form – ERIACNET4EU GRANT 2026>>
Evaluation and Selection Process
The selection procedure will comply with the principles of proportionality, sound financial management, equal treatment and non-discrimination. The procedure will also prevent the existence of conflicts of interest. The beneficiaries will be selected on a competitive basis, evaluated on the relevance of the application, quality of the proposed initiative and originality of their proposal.
REVIEW, RANKING AND DIAGNOSIS: ERIAC will analyze, on a weekly basis, the number of applications registered in order to find out if additional support actions are needed.
PROPOSALS RECEPTION BY ERIAC MANAGEMENT: Proposals will be only submitted through ERIAC website. On the receipt of each proposal, the system will send an Acknowledgement of receipt. Late submissions will not be accepted.
ELIGIBILITY CHECKS BY THE ERIAC STAFF: The system will generate a ‘List of Applications’ received. Proposals will be reviewed according to the ‘eligibility criteria’. Proposals which do not comply with the ‘eligibility criteria’ will be excluded from shortlisting at ‘Eligible Applicants List’. All applications will be reviewed considering the possibilities of conflicts of interest.
- Submission and Eligibility Check:
- Applications will be submitted via the ERIAC online platform.
- An initial eligibility check will be conducted by the ERIAC management team.
- Evaluation Committee Review:
SELECTION COMMITTEE REVIEW:
The package with all eligible applications will be forwarded to the Selection Committee. The Selection Committee members will be invited to review all applications, working independently. Selection Committee members will be provided with an evaluation form and an online surface to work. Once all the individual evaluations are done – based on the ‘selection criteria’ – the final score will be calculated as an average of the individual assessments provided by the Evaluators. As a result, the ‘Ranking List’ for the Call will be elaborated. The Selection Committee will meet to discuss the results and reach a consensus on the final list of winners.
Proposals meeting eligibility criteria will be evaluated based on:
- Alignment with EU policy objectives and funding priorities.
- Innovation, creativity, and originality of the proposal.
- Potential for sustainable, long-term impact and contribution to EU values.
- Attention to gender and diversity.
- Collaborative, cross-thematic, and interdisciplinary approaches.
- European dimension;
- Collaborative projects which strengthen cooperation and different Roma groups identities, and reinforce intra-ethnic solidarity;
- Multiplier effect, benefiting directly or indirectly, Roma families, communities and majority society at large, including through contributions to other ongoing Roma-led initiatives in the field.
- Ranking and Selection:
- Applications will be scored, and a ranking list will be developed based on evaluation criteria.
- The final selection will be confirmed by the Evaluation Committee.
- Announcement of Winners:
- Results will be published on the ERIAC website, detailing project descriptions, awarded amounts, and project durations.
GRANT CALCULATION CRITERIA
During the selection procedure of the project, the evaluators will pay special attention if the content follows the financial framework given in the project application. The selection committee has extensive experience in both grant awarding the implementation, which ensures the relevance of their skills and knowledge when it comes to the relevant budgetary need for the activities proposed. In addition, all project components will be valued separately according to the eligibility criteria of the grant calls. In case of noneligible activities, the grant amount will be adapted in line with the accepted activities. Calculating criteria will be based on the cost of each project activity from the holistic perspective, including all activity costs arising and consequently if needed adapted.
The selection committee is composed by 4 members delegated by the Barvalipe Academy and 1 member delegated by ERIAC Management.
GRANT DISTRIBUTION AND MONITORING
Grant Agreements:
- Upon selection, grant agreements will be signed between ERIAC and the beneficiaries.
- The 100% of the grant amount will be disbursed upon signing.
Monitoring and Reporting:
- ERIAC will conduct interim and final evaluations to track progress, ensure financial accountability, and identify challenges.
- Beneficiaries will submit regular reports detailing project milestones, financial expenditures, and measurable outcomes.
Indicators for Success:
- Number of cultural and commemorative events organized.
- Number of participants in educational and training activities.
- Media coverage and reach of awareness-raising campaigns.
- Increased visibility of Roma contributions in arts and public spaces.
- Impact assessments, including feedback from participants and stakeholders.
Ensuring Alignment with EU Priorities:
The grant-making program is directly aligned with the EU’s core objectives, including the promotion of equality, combating discrimination, and enhancing civic engagement.
The initiatives supported will feed into broader EU strategies, such as:
- The EU Roma Strategic Framework (2020-2030), emphasizing the importance of Roma cultural inclusion.
- The European Anti-Racism Action Plan, through targeted efforts to combat antigypsyism.
- The New European Agenda for Culture, by promoting Roma heritage as part of Europe’s cultural diversity.
- The Gender Equality Strategy, through initiatives that uplift Roma women and address intersecting forms of discrimination.
Sustainability and Long-Term Impact:
- Projects funded under the grant will be designed for long-term impact, with an emphasis on creating sustainable networks and collaborations.
- Lessons learned and best practices will be documented and shared across the ERIAC network to foster replication and scalability.
By leveraging the power of culture, history, and community engagement, this grantmaking initiative will contribute to a more inclusive, tolerant, and rights-based European society, ensuring Roma voices are heard and valued across Europe.
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