April 10, 2026 · 7 min read

Funding for TGEU member organisations in the EU 2026

A group of people of varying genders working on a laptop.

Trans Europe and Central Asia (TGEU) is a member-based organisation created in 2005. Since then, TGEU has kept growing and established itself as a legitimate voice for the trans community in Europe and Central Asia, with over 250 member organisations in 50 different countries. TGEU aims to strengthen the rights and wellbeing of trans people in Europe and Central Asia. We strive to represent the diverse needs of our members within human rights mechanisms, build our members’ capacity and skills to meet the needs of local communities and develop intersectional and decolonised programmes to build more resilient and connected trans movements.

We acknowledge that these are challenging times for human rights groups worldwide and that our trans communities are disproportionately impacted. As a responsive, member-centric organisation, we continue to explore opportunities to resource our communities. Thus, TGEU is pleased to announce funding opportunities for 5 EU-based member organisations through the ‘Financial Support to Third Parties Initiative,’ sponsored by the CERV Programme of the European Commission. TGEU will disburse a total amount of 90,000 Euros for a six-month period concluding in November 2026, with each chosen organisation receiving a total maximum of 18,000 Euros each.

TGEU is committed to supporting transformative intersectional projects that contribute to advancing trans rights in the EU. Centring the voices of further marginalised members of our community, such as:

Black and people of colour
Sex workers
Migrants
Asylum seekers
Refugees
Roma
D/deaf and disabled people
Those living with HIV
Older trans people

We aim to include, consult, and empower our members while seeking to provide our diverse communities with relevant resources. We encourage your organisation to grab this opportunity to advance your community organising and advocacy efforts to enhance the lives and wellbeing of our trans communities.

To be eligible for this funding, your organisation has to be a current official member of TGEU at the time of this call opening (10 April) and must remain members until the project ends. Your organisation must be officially registered and based in the EU; this includes overseas countries and territories (OCTs).

About the grant

TGEU is pleased to announce a funding opportunity for member organisations based in the European Union to support initiatives aimed at advancing trans rights and addressing key challenges faced by our diverse trans communities and member organisations.

TGEU invites member organisations to submit a proposal for a project addressing the following thematic areas. Proposals may address one or several themes. Examples of projects that can be submitted are listed under each thematic area.

Countering the anti-human rights/anti-gender backlash:

Developing messages and campaigns to build support for trans rights / human rights and challenge stereotypes and misconceptions about trans individuals
Implementing initiatives to counter disinformation, offline and online hate speech, as well as discrimination and violence against trans communities.

Policy and advocacy

Engaging in research and data collection to inform evidence-based policy recommendations
Advocating for trans-inclusive policies at local, national, and regional levels, for example, in the areas of hate crimes, employment, health, legal gender recognition, and asylum
Establishing strategic partnerships with policymakers, NGOs, and other stakeholders to advance trans rights

Capacity/organisational/movement building and strengthening

Developing and implementing training programmes to enhance the skills and capacity of personnel in your organisation to achieve the objectives of the funded project.
Strengthening your organisation’s internal structures, governance, and strategic planning processes within the frame of the funded project.
Fostering collaboration and networking with other trans groups and/or strategic intersectional movements with other social justice groups to amplify the collective impact

Funding details

Each selected organisation will be eligible for a fixed lump sum grant of €18,000.
Chosen organisations will be granted 80% of the funds, which is a total of €14,400 when contract is signed at the project’s commencement. The remaining 20%, €3,600 is disbursed upon submission and approval of final report and project successful completion. This will add up to a fixed lump-sum grant of €18,000 for the selected organisation.
The proposed projects should be implemented within a six-month funding period, beginning on 25 May and concluding on 25 November 2026.
Proposals must align with the thematic areas described above and clearly demonstrate the intended impact, which is to advance trans rights and effectively address the key challenges encountered by our communities and member organisations, fostering positive and lasting change for trans people in the EU
In line with the TGEU sub-granting manual scoring template, the selection committee will assess applications based on five criteria, i.e relevance, feasibility, budget, sustainability, and potential impact, using the following scoring system: 0 = does not meet, 1 = partially meets, 2 = fully meets. Each application can reach a maximum score of 10 points, with a minimum of 6 points required to be considered for funding.

Eligibility criteria

Applicant organisations should be legal entities, private non-profit organisations that are members of TGEU (Trans Europe and Central Asia) at the time of this call opening (April 10) and remain members throughout the full project duration.
Organisations should ideally be trans-led
Projects and organisations must be based in the European Union (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs)
Applications can only be accepted from non-profit organisations that are legally registered in the country of operation
Project proposals must respect TGEU and EU values, including values such as dignity, equality and justice
Declaration of Honour: All applicant organisations are required to sign and submit a Declaration of Honour as part of their application package. This declaration confirms that your organisation and proposed project comply with the EU values set out in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union (respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and human rights). Liability and Sanctions: Any breaches of these values will result in the beneficiary being subject to exclusion from the process, administrative sanctions, or the immediate cancellation of funding. Download and sign the declaration
A fully completed application form should be submitted before the deadline. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered
Projects must adhere to the specified funding unless co-funding has been secured in advance for those exceeding the budget. Projects exceeding the budget and seeking co-funding to cover the remaining expenses will not be considered due to project time constraints

Application process & timeline

You will need to:

Email your draft budget to grants@tgeu.org — please use this blank budget form together with the this signed declaration form
Submit the completed application form

Deadline for applications: 23:59 CEST on 10 May 2026.

download budget form

apply now

Timeline

7 May: Deadline to reach out to TGEU for additional questions and clarifications at grants@tgeu.org
10 May: Applications close at 23:59 CEST
Until 19 May: A review committee will evaluate the proposals based on relevance, feasibility, budget, sustainability, and potential impact
20 May: Successful applicants will be notified
25 May: Project starts
28 May: All other applicants are to be notified
25 November: Project ends

For more information, please refer to the FAQ below.

We look forward to receiving your application and working together to create positive change for our diverse communities!

TGEU strives to avoid discrimination and increase representation and expertise from underrepresented organisations/groups. Therefore, TGEU encourages organisations/groups working with trans and/or queer; black people and people of colour; D/deaf and disabled people; people with a migration background; sex workers; trans women and gender-non-conforming people; older people; youth; people from Eastern Europe; people living with HIV, to apply and mention this in their application. We guarantee that all information will be held confidentially.

FAQ

: The funding is aimed at supporting initiatives that advance trans rights in the European Union and address key challenges faced by diverse trans communities. This includes projects that fall under the three thematic areas outlined in the call: Countering the Anti-Gender Backlash, Policy and Advocacy, Capacity/Organisational/Movement Building and Strengthening. Projects that incorporate an intersectional and/or decolonial approach, as well as emphasise diversity, equity, and inclusion, will be especially preferred to receive additional points
: Funding will not be provided for projects that do not align with TGEU and EU values, including values such as dignity, equality and justice

Individual TGEU members are unfortunately not eligible due to funding restrictions

Projects that are based in countries outside the European Union are unfortunately not eligible. For our members based outside the EU, look out for our other sub-granting opportunities

Applications that are submitted after the deadline
: The funding can cover a range of costs directly associated with the proposed project.

This includes but is not limited to staff salaries, outreach materials, event organising expenses, travel costs, and technology and communication tools required for project implementation

It is essential that the budget clearly outlines how each expense is directly linked to achieving the project goals and objectives
: The funding will not cover costs unrelated to the proposed project.

Additionally, expenses that are not well-justified in the context of the project’s objectives may be excluded

Applicants are encouraged to justify each expense under the listed budget categories in the application form.

Expenses that will not be listed under the budget categories provided and that are not duly justified will not be considered
: The selection process will consider various factors, including the project’s alignment with the goals of advancing trans rights, the potential for a positive impact on diverse trans communities, the feasibility and sustainability of the proposed initiatives, and the capacity of the applicant organisation to effectively implement the project

Emphasis will be placed on projects that demonstrate collaboration with other social justice movements and centre intersectionality as a core approach to developing the project

Projects must have a clear strategy for measuring and reporting outcomes

Projects with well-defined and cost-effective budgets will receive higher scores

To ensure fairness and transparency, unsuccessful applicants will have the opportunity to request feedback on their application. Additionally, a dedicated appeals committee composed of impartial individuals will be established to thoroughly review any complaints raised during the evaluation process or following the funding notifications, ensuring due diligence and equitable consideration of all concerns