LIFE programme

Contribute to the European climate and environmental goals with your project

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Projects that benefit nature, environment or climate

Funding instrument for the environment (LIFE)

Are you working on projects that benefit the climate and the environment? Then you could qualify for a grant from the LIFE programme. LIFE (originally: L’Instrument Financier pour l’Environnement) is a European funding programme to stimulate innovation benefitting the environment and the climate. The programme distinguishes between two fields: Environment and Climate Action. Are you curious if your project is eligible for a LIFE grant? We are happy to help you out on this.

In short

LIFE programme overview

For whom?

The LIFE funding programme is open to enterprises, governments, cities, communities, NGOs and knowledge centres from EU Member States.

When to apply

The LIFE funding programme is a multi-year programme for the period 2021-2027. It has a total budget of 5.45 billion euros which will be distributed through various ‘calls for proposals’. The LIFE Calls for proposals 2024 are expected to be officially published on 18 April 2024. Most of the anticipated deadlines for submission are on 19 September 2024 (with some exceptions).

How much?

It has a total budget of 5.45 billion euros which will be distributed through various ‘calls for proposals’.

The maximum grant amount depends on the maximum funding rate applicable to the specific call. For the so-called ‘traditional projects’, the Standard Action Projects (SAPs), there are no specifications for project budgets. However, proposals for small projects with total costs below 500,000 euros have rarely been selected in the evaluation.

For what?

For your LIFE application to be successful, your project must contribute to solving a natural, environmental or climate problem and it must be in line with EU goals and regulations. Eligible projects can be:

  • best-practice projects in which proven methods get developed;

  • demonstration and pilot projects in which new methods and approaches need to be further tested and developed;

  • communication projects that are, for instance, meant to increase awareness.

Overview of

LIFE programme themes

The LIFE funding programme is structured into two fields – Environment and Climate Action – and four sub-programmes:

  • Nature and Biodiversity:
    • develop, demonstrate, promote and stimulate the scale up of innovative techniques, methods and approaches (including nature-based solutions and ecosystem approaches) to contribute to the knowledge base and to the application of best practices, including through the support of the Natura 2000 network.
  • Circular Economy and Quality of Life:
    • develop, demonstrate and promote innovative techniques, methods and approaches to contribute to the knowledge base and, where relevant, to the application of best practices.
life subsidie themas
LIFE subsidie themas
  • Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation:
    • develop, demonstrate and promote innovative techniques, methods and approaches to contribute to the knowledge base and to the application of best practices.
  • Clean Energy Transition:
    • develop, demonstrate and promote innovative techniques, methods and approaches to contribute to the knowledge base and to the application of best practices.

Meet all requirements

LIFE criteria

Would you like to respond to a LIFE program call? Here are the main conditions you must meet:

Your project has a clear link to the nature, environment or climate problem as identified by the EU.

You present the impact of your project as measurably as possible, preferably in a table. Need help? We are happy to perform a cost-benefit analysis or impact scan for you.

All partners involved in the project are based in the EU.

Why this grant?

The purpose of LIFE

The general objective of the LIFE funding programme is to contribute to the shift towards a sustainable, circular, energy-efficient, renewable energy-based, climate-neutral and -resilient economy, in order to protect, restore and improve the quality of the environment, including the air, water and soil, to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and to tackle the degradation of ecosystems. It does so by supporting environmental, nature conservation and climate action projects throughout the EU in accordance with the European Green Deal (‘by 2050, Europe should be the first climate-neutral continent in the world’).

The LIFE funding programme is a multi-year programme for the period 2021-2027. It has a total budget of 5.45 billion euros which will be distributed through various ‘calls for proposals’.

“I have a technical background in environmental and energy science. At EGEN, I usually work for clients working on innovative circular projects. I discuss opportunities to make the project possible with my clients or to make the project a bit more financially attractive.”

Contact Tim Huitema ﹥

Tim Huitema

What is the LIFE grant for?

Types of projects

The LIFE funding programme is open to enterprises, governments, cities, communities, NGOs and knowledge centres from EU Member States. Within LIFE, there have always been opportunities for projects developed for the circular economy, such as national or European demonstrations or pilots in the field of efficient (re)use of raw materials or recycling (e.g. waste upcycling, innovative plastic recycling, or recycling bottom ashes from waste incineration). LIFE also seeks projects that focus on a more efficient process industry, (smart) mobility or water reduction (e.g. the use of hydrogen in industry, or the electrification of mobility).

Each year different topics within the subprogrammes are prioritized. In 2023 interesting priority topics are the collection and recycling of waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), batteries, plastic (packaging), bio-waste, critical raw materials (CRM), the reduction of particulate matter (PM) in areas of high pollution, sustainable (zero-emission) transport, improving water quality and
innovations that reduce the impact of chemicals on the environment.

For your LIFE application to be successful, your project must contribute to solving a natural, environmental or climate problem and it must be in line with EU goals and regulations. Eligible projects can be:

  • best-practice projects in which proven methods get developed;
  • demonstration and pilot projects in which new methods and approaches need to be further tested and developed;
  • communication projects that are, for instance, meant to increase awareness.

KEEP UP TO DATE

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Contact

Want to know more about LIFE grant?

How can we help you? Contact us or send us a message for a swift reply.

Email
info@egen.green

Phone number
+31 (0)88 838 13 81