Connecting the Dots Grant 2026 is now open for applications, supporting civil society organisations, grassroots movements, and youth groups across Europe. This funding opportunity promotes climate, gender, and economic justice as interconnected solutions to global challenges.
Backed by the EU DEAR programme, the initiative offers grants of up to €60,000 to strengthen mobilisation, advocacy, and awareness-raising efforts across Europe. If your organisation works on justice, sustainability, or youth engagement, this is a major opportunity to scale your impact.
Brief Information
The Connecting the Dots Grant 2026 is part of a four-year EU-funded project empowering European citizens—especially young people—to tackle global challenges through economic, gender, and climate justice.
Small and medium organisations, youth-led initiatives, and grassroots movements are encouraged to apply. The deadline is 26 March 2026 (23:59 CEST).
Key Dates & Details
- Application Deadline: 26 March 2026, 23:59 CEST
- Project Duration: Up to 18 months (depending on grant type)
- Project Period: 1 June 2026 – 31 December 2027
- Grant Size: €5,000 – €60,000
- Co-financing Requirement: Minimum 10% (non-EU sources)
- Eligible Countries: EU Member States, EU candidate countries, Annex M countries
- Priority Countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Croatia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia
- Lead Organisation: Eurodad
- Funding Programme: EU DEAR (Development Education and Awareness Raising)
For more information about the EU DEAR programme, visit the official European Commission development page:
https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/index_en.
Table of Contents
Overview
The Connecting the Dots Grant 2026 is part of a broader four-year project launched in June 2024. Funded by the EU DEAR programme, it aims to educate and empower EU citizens—particularly youth activists—to respond to global challenges through the interconnected lenses of:
- Economic justice
- Climate justice
- Gender justice
The project promotes:
- Knowledge-building
- Campaigning and advocacy
- Capacity building
- Networking and coalition building
- Media engagement
- Pan-European mobilisation
In 2026, the joint campaign will focus on tax and climate justice, followed by a gender justice campaign in 2027.
The project is implemented by a consortium of nine organisations across Europe, including partners from Portugal, France, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Hungary, Bulgaria, and a pan-European network led by Eurodad.
Through the Connecting the Dots Grant 2026, selected organisations will receive financial support and capacity-building opportunities to strengthen Europe-wide mobilisation and advocacy efforts.
Eligibility
To apply for the Connecting the Dots Grant 2026, applicants must:
- Be a legally established non-profit CSO OR allied with a registered organisation
- Be established in an eligible EU or candidate country
- Have at least 1 year of experience in:
- Economic justice
- Climate or environmental justice
- Gender justice
- Social justice
- Human rights or migrant solidarity
- Demonstrate operational and financial capacity
- Commit to participating in capacity-building activities
- Not be a beneficiary of previous EC DEAR 2022 grants
⚠ High-capacity organisations able to directly compete for institutional EU funding are not the target group of this call.
Youth-led and grassroots initiatives are particularly encouraged to apply.
Grant Categories & Funding
The Connecting the Dots Grant 2026 offers three funding categories:
1️⃣ Macro Grant
- €40,000 – €60,000
- Up to 18 months
- Minimum 3 activity types
2️⃣ Meso Grant
- €20,000 – €35,000
- Up to 18 months
- Minimum 2 activity types
3️⃣ Micro Grant
- €5,000 – €15,000
- Up to 12 months
- Focused activities (e.g., workshops or campaigns)
All proposals must include at least 10% co-financing from non-EU sources.
Eligible Activities
Projects under the Connecting the Dots Grant 2026 may include:
- Educational materials (toolkits, podcasts, infographics, videos)
- Webinars, seminars, workshops
- Networking & coalition building
- Local campaigns & mobilisation
- Media partnerships
- Advocacy at EU and international level
- Participation in joint pan-European campaigns
Activities must link economic, gender, and climate justice in an integrated approach.
Application Details
To apply for the Connecting the Dots Grant 2026, submit:
- Completed Application Form
- Budget Template
📧 Email to: [email protected]
🗓 Deadline: 26 March 2026, 23:59 CEST
📌 Language: English
Questions may be submitted before 26 February 2026 (17:00 CET).
Selection Process
Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee.
Evaluation criteria include:
- Thematic alignment
- Realistic deliverables and budget
- Expected outreach impact
- Capacity to collaborate
- Commitment to capacity-building
- Added value
Applicants will be notified by 15 May 2026.
FAQ
1. Who should apply for the Connecting the Dots Grant 2026?
Youth-led organisations, grassroots movements, student groups, and small-to-medium CSOs working on justice and sustainability issues.
2. What is the maximum funding available?
Up to €60,000 (including 10% co-financing).
3. Can organisations outside priority countries apply?
Yes, all eligible EU and candidate country organisations can apply.
4. When must projects start?
Projects must begin no earlier than 1 June 2026.
Official Link
For full guidelines and application documents, visit the official page:
👉 https://www.eurodad.org
Apply before 26 March 2026 and join the movement for climate, gender, and economic justice across Europe.
Visit More Opportunities – oppotify.com
Discover more global grants, fellowships, and youth opportunities at Oppotify – oppotify.com
