EU Programme · 2021–2027

LIFE Programme funding

LIFE Programme

The EU instrument for environment and climate action. Funds nature conservation, circular economy, climate change mitigation, and clean energy transition projects.

Budget: €5.4 billionPeriod: 2021–2027
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Part of our complete EU funding guide.

Who LIFE Programme is for

Typical eligible applicant profiles. Each guide links through to open calls and eligibility notes.

How to apply

The standard EU funding process. Each LIFE Programme call publishes its own detailed requirements.

  1. 1

    Find open calls that match your profile

    Search by country, sector, applicant type, and deadline. EU funding is published across dozens of portals, so consolidation saves significant time.

  2. 2

    Check eligibility before investing effort

    Review applicant mode (single vs consortium), entity type requirements, geographic restrictions, and co-financing obligations. Disqualify early to protect team bandwidth.

  3. 3

    Build your consortium if required

    Many Horizon Europe calls require partners from multiple EU countries. Identify complementary organisations early — consortium formation often takes longer than proposal writing.

  4. 4

    Write and submit your proposal

    Follow the call documentation precisely. Most EU proposals require a work plan, budget breakdown, impact statement, and consortium description. Submit via the Funding & Tenders Portal.

  5. 5

    Evaluation and grant agreement

    Proposals are evaluated by independent experts against published criteria. Successful applicants negotiate a grant agreement that defines deliverables, reporting, and payment schedule.

Common questions

What does the LIFE Programme fund?

LIFE funds projects across four sub-programmes: Nature and Biodiversity, Circular Economy and Quality of Life, Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, and Clean Energy Transition. Both demonstration and best-practice projects are eligible, alongside strategic integrated projects and technical assistance.

Who is eligible to apply for LIFE funding?

LIFE is open to public bodies, private commercial organisations, and NGOs registered in EU member states. Most calls also accept entities from EEA and LIFE-associated third countries. Single applicants and consortia are both accepted depending on call type.

What is the LIFE co-financing rate?

Standard LIFE projects receive 60% co-funding from the EU. Projects targeting priority habitats or species under the Birds and Habitats directives can receive up to 75%. Strategic projects and capacity-building actions have specific rates published per call.

How long do LIFE projects typically last?

Standard Action Projects run 2–5 years. Strategic Integrated Projects and Strategic Nature Projects can extend to 10 years given their broader policy alignment objectives. Technical assistance actions are shorter, typically 1–2 years.

When does the LIFE call open each year?

LIFE call openings are typically published in April or May each year, with deadlines in September for Standard Action Projects. Strategic projects follow a different annual cycle. The exact dates appear in the LIFE annual work programme on the CINEA website.

What is the typical LIFE project budget?

Standard Action Projects range from €1M to €10M total budget. Strategic Integrated Projects can exceed €20M. Technical assistance actions are smaller, typically €0.1M to €0.5M, and prepare applicants for future SIP submissions.

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One workflow for monitoring, qualifying, and shortlisting LIFE Programme opportunities.

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