The Gender Equality Fund for the Western Balkans is a Western Balkans Fund mechanism co-funded by the European Union and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. Its first open call supported cross-border nonprofit partnerships working on gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Projects had to address one of six priorities spanning economic and public life, violence prevention, digital equality, environmental action, anti-gender backlash, and peace and security. The 2026 call is closed, and no later opening date is published.
Benefits & funding
- Each selected project received a grant of €30,000–€40,000, covering up to 90% of eligible costs.
- Applicants supplied at least 10% co-financing; the grant was paid to the lead applicant in an 80% first tranche and a 20% final tranche after reporting approval.
- Projects ran for 8–12 months, with human-resource costs capped at 25% of the grant and indirect costs capped at 7% of direct costs.
Eligibility
- The lead applicant had to be a nonprofit legal entity registered in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, or Serbia.
- Eligible categories were civil society organisations, educational institutions, cultural or sports associations, business associations, and media associations; individuals, unregistered entities, political parties, religious institutions, and commercial enterprises were not eligible as applicants.
- Each consortium needed one lead applicant and at least two project partners, representing at least three different Western Balkans Fund Contracting Parties.
- The proposal had to select one of the call’s six priority areas and make gender equality its principal objective.
Can you apply?
Open to all applicants
No nationality, residency, education, or experience limits are listed.
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Application process
- 1Create an application in the Western Balkans Fund Online Grant Management System.
- 2Complete the embedded application form and budget module, then download, sign, stamp, scan, and re-upload the lead-applicant declaration.
- 3Submit through the online system; applications sent by email, fax, or post were rejected.
- 4If shortlisted, provide the partnership agreement, financial-capacity form, and the latest financial statements, audit report, or equivalent documentation requested at Step 3.
Program timeline
First call launched
May 5, 2026
Online information and partnership-matching sessions
May 13, 2026, May 20, 2026, and May 26, 2026
Deadline for clarification requests at 17:00 CET
May 27, 2026
Clarifications published
Jun 1, 2026
Application deadline at 12:59 CET
Jun 10, 2026
Six selected projects announced
Aug 7, 2026
Contract signing
August 2026
Earliest project start
September 2026
Latest project completion
September 2027