ERA invites civil society organisations, collectives and networks in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia to apply for grants of up to €9,000 and optional mentoring support. Applications are open until 25 August 2026.
ERA – LGBTI Equal Rights Association for the Western Balkans and Türkiye is launching a Call for Proposals to support advocacy and awareness-raising initiatives that advance the rights, visibility and inclusion of LGBTIQ+ people.
The call is intended to support locally rooted initiatives that respond to identified needs and challenges, strengthen public awareness, encourage informed dialogue, influence policies and practices, combat discrimination and create opportunities for meaningful change.
What can be supported?
Proposed initiatives may include:
- advocacy and strategic communication campaigns;
- media and digital awareness-raising campaigns;
- policy papers, advocacy briefs and recommendations;
- research directly linked to advocacy objectives;
- public debates, roundtables and community discussions;
- public education and outreach initiatives;
- cultural events, exhibitions and creative advocacy;
- film screenings and festivals;
- human rights fairs and community events;
- Pride marches and other public events promoting LGBTIQ+ rights and visibility; and
- other innovative advocacy or awareness-raising initiatives aligned with the objectives of the call.
All proposed actions must be non-profit and rights-based and must respect the principles of equality, non-discrimination, participation and human rights.
Who can apply?
The call is open to civil society organisations, collectives and networks based in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia or Serbia that:
- work with or for LGBTIQ+ communities;
- have a mission and activities consistent with democratic principles, human rights and non-discrimination;
- have been active for at least two years in fields relevant to LGBTIQ+ rights, human rights or related areas; and
- demonstrate the experience and capacity needed to implement the proposed initiative.
Each applicant may submit only one application.
Political parties and party-affiliated organisations, for-profit entities, religious organisations and public institutions are not eligible to apply.
Funding and implementation
Selected applicants may receive a grant of up to €9,000.
Projects are expected to begin in October 2026 and may be implemented over a period of up to 10 months. Proposed budgets must be reasonable, proportionate and clearly linked to the planned activities.
Optional mentoring support
Applicants may also request tailored mentoring to support the development or implementation of their initiative.
Depending on the applicant’s needs, mentoring may cover project design, advocacy strategies, activity planning, monitoring, visibility or other implementation-related areas.
Mentoring is optional and will not affect the evaluation of the application. It will be paid for directly by ERA and will not reduce the grant amount awarded to the selected organisation.
How to apply
The application package must include:
- a completed Application Form; and
- a completed Budget Form.
Applications may be submitted in English, Bosnian, Serbian, Montenegrin or Macedonian. Applications completed in a language other than English must be accompanied by an online English translation prepared using Google Translate or DeepL.
Send the completed documents to grants@lgbti-era.org with the following email subject:
Application – Advocacy & Awareness Raising Call – [Country]
The deadline for applications is: 25 August 2026 at 23:59 CEST.
Incomplete applications or applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
[Download the full Call for Proposals]
[Download the Application Form]
[Download the Budget Form]
The present call for application is launched by ERA within the framework of the FIER·ES programme (Fostering the Inclusion, Equality and Resilience of LGBTQIA+ people). FIER·ES aims to support LGBTQIA+ CSOs and initiatives so that they are better able to carry out their mandate and mission and promote respect, inclusion, dignity and equality for LGBTQIA+ people in the Eastern Partnership countries and the Western Balkans. It is coordinated by ERIM and implemented together with ERA and Genderdoc – M (Moldova). The programme is co-funded by Agence française de développement.
