Connecting
Power.

No, a partnership is not mandatory.

A project may be submitted:

• by a single organisation (Single Applicant);
• by a consortium composed of 1 Lead Applicant and up to 2 Co-applicants.

The eligibility criteria for organisations can be found in paragraph 4.1 of the CoPower Call for Proposals.

In particular:

• the Lead Applicant/Single Applicant must have been legally established for at least 2 years and demonstrate at least 2 years of experience in the prevention and response to gender-based violence, the promotion of women’s rights and/or the promotion of human rights;
• the Co-applicant must have been legally established for at least 2 years and demonstrate at least 1 year of experience in the same fields.

Partnerships are particularly valuable for small and medium-sized organisations seeking to combine complementary expertise and experiences while promoting a feminist and intersectional understanding of GBV and the diverse needs of women, girls and children. Through partnership arrangements, organisations can bring together different areas of expertise, for example in disability inclusion, migration, social inclusion, age-related vulnerabilities, LGBTQIA+ rights, or child protection. This can strengthen the geographical reach, operational capacity, and sustainability of the proposed intervention.

In the case of a consortium, the budget may be distributed among the partner organisations; however, each organisation must independently comply with the eligibility requirements set out in the Call.

Applicants may also involve Associated Partners (such as public authorities, universities, social cooperatives, social enterprises, or other organisations). Associated Partners may contribute to project activities but cannot receive or manage project funds.

The amount that can be requested depends both on the organisation’s financial capacity and on the funding thresholds established under the Call. The eligibility criteria for proposals and the eligible amount can be found in the table in paragraph 4.2 and in Chapter 3 of the CoPower Call for Proposals.

As a general rule, the requested grant may not exceed 40% of the average income recorded in the organisation’s last two approved financial statements (which must not predate the 2023 financial year).

Examples:

• Average income of EUR 125,000 → eligible to request up to EUR 50,000;
• Average income of EUR 75,000 → eligible to request up to EUR 30,000;
• Average income of EUR 62,500 → eligible to request up to EUR 25,000;
• Average income of EUR 12,500 → eligible to request up to EUR 5,000.

Applicants should therefore choose the funding bracket that best corresponds both to their organisational capacity and to the scale of the proposed intervention.

The Call supports initiatives that contribute to preventing and responding to gender-based violence against women, girls and children, with particular attention to individuals facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and exclusion. Projects are expected to apply a victim-centred, survivor-centred, trauma-informed and intersectional approach, recognising that experiences of violence are often compounded by factors such as disability, age, migration background, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic status, or geographical isolation.  Organisations working with children must ensure full compliance with child safeguarding principles and procedures and promote meaningful and age-appropriate child participation.

More information on the specific streams and on the eligible activities can be found in Chapter 2 and in paragraph 4.3 of the CoPower Call for Proposals.

The list of eligible activities provided in the Call is not exhaustive. Additional project ideas may also be considered, provided they contribute clearly and concretely to the prevention of and response to GBV from an intersectional perspective and are aligned with the objectives of the CoPower Action and the EU Directive on combating violence against women.

The national Call includes two application rounds:

First Round

• Deadline: 23 November 2026, 15:00
• Maximum project duration: 20 months
• Available total budget: EUR 200,000

Second Round

• Deadline: 26 February 2027, 15:00
• Maximum project duration: 16 months
• Available total budget: EUR 100,000

More information on the opening of applications can be found in Chapter 2 and in paragraph 4.2 of the CoPower Call for Proposals.

Organisations that are not selected during the first round will receive feedback on their proposal and may submit a revised application in the second round, taking into account the recommendations received from the evaluation process.

For this reason, organisations are strongly encouraged to apply during the first round. Applying early offers several advantages:

• access to a larger overall funding envelope available in each participating country;
• the possibility of implementing longer projects (up to 20 months instead of 16);
• the opportunity to receive detailed feedback and resubmit an improved proposal in the second round if unsuccessful;
• earlier access to the CoPower capacity-sharing programme, peer learning opportunities, networking activities and exchanges with other civil society organisations.

Organisations are therefore encouraged to view the first round not only as a funding opportunity, but also as an opportunity to build partnerships, strengthen feminist and intersectional approaches, engage with the wider CoPower community.

Please, for national eligibility criteria of organisations (Applicant, Co-applicant) check paragraph 4.2 of the National Call for proposals CoPower in the country of intervention (Italy, Spain, or Greece).

The CoPower call for proposals does not require co-funding, so, it is not necessary to specify. However, the “broader awareness-raising activities” must be relevant to the project objectives and consistent with the analysis presented. Furthermore, their funding must not overlap with other funding received.

The “Human resources” spending category includes:

• Employees (or equivalent): Costs for employees are eligible if they work for the beneficiaries under an employment contract and are assigned to the action. This includes salaries, contributions, taxes and other mandatory costs, calculated on the basis of the daily rate and days worked. Additional payments are accepted if consistent with the beneficiary’s practices. The maximum eligible equivalent days per person is 215 per year.
• Direct contracts or secondment from third parties: Costs for personnel with direct contracts (not employment) or seconded from third parties are eligible if the working conditions are similar to those of employees and the result of the work belongs to the beneficiary. They must reflect the actual costs without significant differences compared to employees. This definition may include cases of professionals with VAT number, provided that they satisfy specific conditions:
  • Working conditions similar to those of an employee;
  • Work output belonging to the beneficiary;
  • The consultant, in carrying out his/her assignment, must be under the supervision of the beneficiary;
  • Costs based on effective, reasonable rates, in line with national regulations and in line with the company cost of an employee with equal duties and with a comparable contractual level to the employment performed by the consultant;
  • Hourly/daily rate clearly indicated;
  • Where foreseen by the project and the duties, the consultant must operate within the beneficiary’s premises.

No, only one proposal can be submitted per entity, per deadline. If the project is accepted and awarded, the entity can no longer apply in other proposals. On the other hand, if the proposal is rejected, the entity can try again with a new proposal at the next deadline.

No, each proposal must be submitted under a single Stream. The CoPower Call for Proposals requires applicants to classify their proposal under one specific Stream and ensure that all activities are consistent with the objectives of the selected Stream (Section 4.3 of the Call for Proposals).