On 16 April 2026, members of the European Network for Citizen Initiatives in Global Solidarity (ENfCIGS) came together for a meeting of the Funding Working Group to discuss the future of funding for CIGS across Europe. The session facilitated exchange on experiences and explore opportunities at a time of growing financial and political uncertainty.
A shared concern across countries is the structural pressure on funding for civil society and global solidarity work. National development budgets are stagnating or declining, while competition for European funding is increasing. At the same time, political priorities are shifting, with growing emphasis on security, defence and private‑sector instruments, and less attention to democracy, civic space and citizen participation.
Participants discussed the outlook for key EU funding programmes. While there is no indication that the DEAR programme will disappear, its future beyond the current Multiannual Financial Framework remains uncertain, and competition is expected to intensify. The upcoming CERV “Union Values” call was identified as a concrete short‑term opportunity, provided that projects are framed around democracy, active citizenship and EU values. Global solidarity themes such as decolonisation, civic engagement and civic space can play an important role in this context.
Horizon Europe was also discussed as a growing funding stream, though one that typically requires academic leadership. For civil society organisations, meaningful participation often depends on long‑term partnerships with universities, particularly around dissemination and societal impact.
Beyond funding instruments, the meeting highlighted the importance of collective advocacy. Participants agreed that individual organisations increasingly struggle to make their voices heard on their own. Coordinated action through national platforms, European coalitions and networks such as ENfCIGS is essential to safeguard space and resources for citizen initiatives.
The session concluded with a reaffirmation of the Funding Working Group as a space for sharing intelligence, exploring collaboration and responding collectively to a rapidly changing environment. As funding landscapes evolve, strengthening cooperation across borders will be key to sustaining citizen‑led global solidarity in Europe.