Overview of open LIFE Programme calls: the first issue of the InCL-U-DE project bulletin

The LIFE Programme is the only European Union fund dedicated entirely to the environment, climate and the clean energy transition. On 21 April 2026 the European Commission opened this year's round of calls with a total budget of EUR 601.5 million, distributed across 31 calls in four sub-programmes.

The difficulty is that navigating this list is far from easy. The calls are scattered across CINEA pages, many topic titles mean little to an unprepared reader, and the deadlines fall on four different dates. So we have brought everything together in a single document - and are publishing the first issue of the InCL-U-DE project bulletin.

What is inside

18 pages covering all 31 open calls. For each one: a short description of what exactly is funded and who typically applies, the exact deadline and a button with a direct link to the official call page.

The calls are grouped into five categories.

Why this matters for Ukrainian organisations

Ukraine is a country associated to the LIFE Programme. This means Ukrainian organisations can apply not only as partners in consortia, but also as project coordinators.

The most important opportunity for Ukraine this year is the BUILD UP Skills call, aimed at creating national energy efficiency skills platforms. Ukraine is explicitly listed among the countries addressed by this topic, and an application here can be submitted even by a single applicant from a single country - a consortium of three states is not required.

For most other topics of the Clean Energy Transition sub-programme the EU co-financing rate is 95%.

Who will find it useful

The bulletin is intended for civil society organisations, local self-government bodies, energy agencies, municipal utilities, research institutions and businesses looking for funding for projects in the fields of environment, climate and energy. It works equally well for a quick scan - to see whether there is a relevant topic at all - and for systematic preparation: the links lead directly to the official call documents.

What comes next

This is the first issue - we plan to prepare the bulletin regularly, adding analysis of individual calls, practical advice on preparing applications and the experience of organisations already working in the LIFE Programme. To make sure you do not miss the next issues, follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.