Funding opportunities for social projects in 2026

A guide to understanding the EU funding landscape for initiatives with an impact on citizens

April 21, 2026
European project funding

At a glance: the essentials of this article

European funding for initiatives with an impact on citizens continues to offer relevant opportunities, although access increasingly depends on correctly identifying where each proposal fits. Programmes such as Horizon Europe, the New European Bauhaus and CERV shape a more diverse EU funding landscape, where social research, urban transformation and projects driven from the ground up all coexist.

Each project needs its own channel. The European Commission distributes funding across different programmes, making it necessary to choose the right route for each initiative.

Social research is gaining ground. Horizon Europe’s Cluster 2 is strengthening its role within the EU’s R&D agenda.

Innovation is reaching the street. The New European Bauhaus brings urban transformation into practice through visible, cross-cutting projects.

More actors can take the lead. CERV creates room for public authorities and social organisations to lead projects that are closely connected to citizens.

The social dimension is expanding. Brussels is bringing this approach into areas such as energy, mobility and industry, among others.

In 2026, the European Union continues to offer a broad range of funding for initiatives with a social impact, from projects focused on inclusion and citizen participation to innovative proposals capable of addressing complex social challenges. However, this support is not channelled through a single programme, nor does it follow one single logic: the EU funding landscape is becoming increasingly diverse, requiring a more precise understanding of how each project fits within it.

This is the point made by Silvia Agrafojo, Head of the Social Innovation Area for European Projects at Zabala Innovation, who stresses that Brussels “diversifies funding instruments according to their disciplinary focus and scope”. This logic can be seen in programmes such as Horizon Europe, through Cluster 2; in initiatives such as the New European Bauhaus, with a stronger focus on inclusive urban development; and in calls such as CERV, which open up concrete opportunities for public authorities and civil society organisations.
In this context, Agrafojo underlines that “understanding what kind of projects each instrument is designed to support will be essential to identifying genuine funding opportunities over the remainder of the year”.

Funding for social projects in 2026

Horizon Europe – Cluster 2 – Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society

Cluster 2 of the Horizon Europe framework programme funds research and innovation projects aimed at strengthening democratic governance and citizen participation, promoting cultural heritage, and responding to social, economic and cultural transformations that have an impact across Europe.

Agrafojo considers this cluster, which forms part of Pillar II of Horizon Europe, to be particularly important, since “it is one of the main routes for funding applied social research projects, placing social research at the centre of budget lines dedicated to R&D”.

Horizon Europe – New European Bauhaus (NEB) Facility

Also integrated into Horizon Europe, the New European Bauhaus (NEB) Facility promotes projects that combine sustainability, social inclusion and aesthetic quality in order to transform urban spaces and improve living environments.

“This initiative stands out above all for its interdisciplinary approach, bringing together a range of sectors, and for its ability to bring social innovation into the urban sphere in a tangible way,” Agrafojo notes.

Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) and Justice (JUST)

The Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme aims to strengthen European democratic societies through projects focused on equality, the protection of rights and civic participation. It is also one of the clearest funding routes for public authorities and civil society organisations interested in launching initiatives with a direct impact on citizens. As Agrafojo points out, these programmes “allow actors such as public authorities and civil society organisations to lead projects with a direct impact on citizens, bringing policies closer to the real needs of society”.

In 2026, some calls linked to democratic participation still remain to be published, including CERV-2026-CITIZENS-TOWN-TT and CERV-2026-CITIZENS-REM; calls related to the protection and promotion of Union values, such as CERV-2026-CHAR-LITI and CERV-2026-CITIZENS-VALUES; and the call focused on combating gender-based violence, CERV-2026-DAPHNE.

Other funding opportunities

There are also other opportunities, such as the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), dedicated to the management of migration flows, asylum and the integration of third-country nationals, and the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), which is aimed at improving employment, social inclusion, education and training.
“The European Commission is becoming increasingly committed to incorporating social aspects into technical projects such as those linked to energy, mobility and industry, among others. This allows us to broaden our perspective and consider interdisciplinary approaches across a wide range of projects,” Agrafojo suggests. “This new perspective encourages us to include the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) in projects, or even to consider developing social readiness pilots” she concludes.