[European Commission](https://commission.europa.eu/index_en)

January 31, 2025 | May 31, 2025 | September 30, 2025

€6,000–€60,000 per project (6–18 months); €1,000,000 total available

Supports CSOs combating gender-based violence, with a focus on LGBTQIA+ survivors, through services, training, and advocacy in Italy and across Europe.

Lead applicants must be small/medium Italian CSOs; partnerships must include at least three CERV-eligible countries.

--- ## Description This grant funds Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and their networks to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV), with a strong emphasis on supporting LGBTQIA+ survivors and those at risk. The action aims to strengthen CSOs in Italy and scale impact at the European level by involving organisations in at least three other CERV-eligible countries. Activities supported include direct services for GBV survivors, training and awareness-raising, technical and thematic capacity building, peer learning, multilevel networking, and advocacy at both national and European levels. The program seeks to promote equal societies from diverse gender perspectives, ensuring that LGBTQIA+ individuals can live free from violence, and supports CSOs in providing access to protection systems, fostering inclusion, and promoting anti-discriminatory cultural change. --- ## Due Dates - January 31, 2025 (23:59 Brussels time) - May 31, 2025 (23:59 Brussels time) - September 30, 2025 (23:59 Brussels time) --- ## Funding Amount - Minimum grant per proposal: €6,000 - Maximum grant per proposal: €60,000 - Project duration: 6 to 18 months - Total funding available: €1,000,000 --- ## Eligibility - **Lead Applicant/Single Applicant:** - Must be a small or medium-sized CSO (average income ≤ €500,000 in the last 2 years) legally established for at least 2 years. - Must be a non-corporate Third Sector Entity (TSE) as defined by Italian law, or a foundation, association, committee, or similar; registered office in Italy. - Must not have benefited from previous Connecting Spheres funding or related grants. - Must have operational capacity in Italy and optionally in other European countries. - Must be directly responsible for project implementation and reporting. - Must adhere to EU values (Lisbon Treaty, EU Charter of Fundamental Rights). - Must not have political affiliations or conflicts of interest as specified in the call. - Must be up to date with tax and social security obligations or be legally tax-exempt. - **Co-applicant:** - Similar requirements as Lead Applicant, but may be based in Italy or any CERV-eligible country. - Must be a non-profit third sector entity under respective national/EU law. - **Consortium:** - At least one member must show 2+ years’ experience in prevention/combating GBV, women’s rights, or LGBTQIA+ rights. - **Associated Partners:** - Non-profit entities, public bodies, universities, or research centres. --- ## Application Process - Applications must be submitted via the [EU Funding & Tenders Portal](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/competitive-calls-cs/9064?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&order=DESC&pageNumber=16&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate). - Call documentation is available in English and Italian. - Detailed guidance, templates, and FAQs are provided on the [Connecting Spheres call page](https://connectingspheres.oxfam.it/en/call-for-proposals/). - Proposals are evaluated on relevance, impact, quality, and operational capacity. --- ## Additional Information - Thematic streams include direct survivor support, awareness-raising, community mobilization, policy advocacy, and research. - Projects must include activities in at least three CERV-eligible countries (in addition to Italy for Streams 1 & 2). - The grant program operates a cascade funding model, allowing intermediary CSOs to support smaller third-party organisations. - All applicants must comply with EU financial regulations and adhere to Oxfam’s Code of Conduct. - The call supports a broad range of activities, from direct victim services to policy research and network-building. --- ## External Links - [EU Funding & Tenders Portal (Call page)](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/competitive-calls-cs/9064?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&order=DESC&pageNumber=16&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate) - [Connecting Spheres call information and templates](https://connectingspheres.oxfam.it/en/call-for-proposals/) - [List of CERV eligible countries](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/cerv/guidance/list-3rd-country-participation_cerv_en.pdf) - [EU Financial Regulation 2018/1046](https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/e9488da5-d66f-11e8-9424-01aa75ed71a1/language-en) - [Oxfam’s Code of Conduct](https://d1tn3vj7xz9fdh.cloudfront.net/s3fs-public/file_attachments/oxfam_employee_code_of_conduct.pdf) - [EU Charter of Fundamental Rights](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:12012P/TXT) - [Lisbon Treaty, Article 2](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:12016ME/TXT&from=EN#d1e302-13-1) --- ## Contact Information | Purpose | Contact | |-------------------|--------------------------------------------| | General queries | [info.connectingspheres@oxfam.it](mailto:info.connectingspheres@oxfam.it) | | Funder contact | [European Commission Contact](https://commission.europa.eu/about-european-commission/contact_en) | | Portal helpdesk | [EU Funding & Tenders Helpdesk](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/helpdesks) | ---

Connecting Spheres

Sign in to see full grant listing