ESC Funding Opportunities

In line with the Voluntary Organisations Act and MFIN Circular 2/2019, all NGOs applying for European Solidarity Corps funds must:

• Hold a VO number
• Hold a valid OCVO Compliance Certificate for Year N-2; (eg. in 2026, the organisation needs to present the compliance certificate for 2024 otherwise it will not be eligible)
• Provide proof of submission of their latest annual accounts to the OCVO where the statutory deadline for submission has elapsed;
• Maintain compliance with the requirements of the Voluntary Organisations Act throughout the duration of the funded project.

Beneficiary organisations will also be subject to ongoing compliance checks throughout the implementation period of their projects.

For September / October 2026 deadlines, applicant NGOs shall be required to submit:

• The OCVO Compliance Certificate for Financial Year 2024; and
• Proof of submission of the 2025 annual accounts to the OCVO (compulsory)

As part of the application process, NGOs will be required to provide a copy of their OCVO compliance certificate as proof of their eligibility.

Youth organisations are recommended to be registered with Aġenzija Żgħażagħ.

Project Limitations for Informal Groups

To ensure adequate capacity and quality project implementation, the following rule applies:

Before awarding a new project under the Erasmus+/ European Solidarity Corps Programmes, the National Agency will take into account the overall performance of an applicant’s past and ongoing projects. This assessment helps ensure that organisations receiving funding are capable of delivering high‑quality results and managing EU funds responsibly.

The criteria taken into consideration include, but are not limited to:

• Quality of previous projects – including the relevance, planning, implementation, and impact of activities carried out in earlier Erasmus+ initiatives.
• Timeliness – whether the organisation respected deadlines, submitted reports on time, and adhered to agreed project timelines.
• Budget absorption and financial management – the ability to use granted funds effectively, efficiently, and in line with programme rules.
• Communication with the National Agency – responsiveness, clarity, cooperation, and overall reliability in interactions with the NA throughout the project lifecycle.

These elements will guide the National Agency in determining the applicant’s readiness and capacity to successfully implement a new project.

If the informal group is considered weak in the above areas the application shall be rejected.

Centralised Action

This area of work is managed centrally by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). It involves funding fairly large projects carried out by teams of volunteers focusing on thematic priorities defined each year at EU level. Interested? Then apply to the EACEA. Information about the application forms and selection procedure will be available on the EACEA’s website and Funding & tender opportunities portal.

Volunteering Teams in High Priority areas are large scale, high impact projects supporting voluntary activities carried out by young people from at least two different countries coming together to express solidarity by implementing short-term interventions that address common European challenges in policy areas defined each year at EU level.

Humanitarian Aid Volunteering (European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps) takes place in third countries where there are ongoing humanitarian aid operations. This action gives the opportunity to young people aged 18 to 35 years old to contribute to society by short-term or long-term volunteering activities aimed at improving living conditions of people in need.

You can register here and express your interest in Humanitarian aid volunteering. Volunteering activities in the field of humanitarian aid will be as of 2023. Prior to a volunteering activity volunteers need to have completed successfully a self-assessment, an online and face-to-face training.

Find out more about Humanitarian Aid Volunteering.