European City Facility - OC#8: Support local authorities in developing investment concepts for sustainable energy
€60,000 grants to help municipalities and local authorities develop investment concepts that mobilise financing for sustainable energy projects, with a focus on energy efficiency and heating and cooling.
TYPE OF PROJECTS TO BE FUNDED: The European City Facility (EUCF) Call 8 provides €60,000 lump-sum grants to support the development of investment concepts for sustainable energy projects. Funding covers preparatory activities such as feasibility studies, energy audits, engineering analyses, legal and financial assessments, market studies, social studies, and technical assistance. Beneficiaries may use the grant for internal staff, external experts, subcontractors and participation in capacity-building activities. The grant supports investment preparation rather than the direct implementation of infrastructure projects.
SECTORS / DOMAIN: Sustainable energy, with particular emphasis on energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainable heating and cooling. Targeted investment sectors include public buildings (including social-rental and public housing), private residential and non-residential buildings, building-integrated renewables, district heating and cooling networks, sustainable urban mobility, innovative energy infrastructure, renewable energy production infrastructure, public lighting and waste heat recovery. Other sustainable energy sectors may also be considered.
INDIVIDUAL OR CONSORTIUM: Applications may be submitted by individual municipalities or local authorities, formal or informal groupings of municipalities/local authorities, or eligible local public entities aggregating municipalities/local authorities. Groupings must appoint a lead applicant responsible for signing the Grant Agreement and distributing the grant among participating authorities. The €60,000 grant is awarded per application, not per participating municipality.
SPECIFIC ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: Applicants must be entirely located in one of the 27 EU Member States, Iceland, Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro or North Macedonia. They must have a Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP), another local climate and/or energy plan with mitigation targets, or an eligible Local Heating and Cooling Plan. Applications must include the relevant plan and a letter of political support signed by the Mayor or another relevant political representative using the mandatory EUCF template. Applicants must commit to a two-year monitoring period following investment concept development. Previous EUCF beneficiaries are not eligible for further funding. Local public entities aggregating municipalities/local authorities must also fulfil specific legal and organisational eligibility requirements.
SPECIFIC TOPICS OR CHALLENGES: The call supports the preparation of investment concepts that translate local energy and climate plans into financially viable investment proposals capable of attracting public or private financing. Particular emphasis is placed on energy efficiency, heating and cooling, renewable energy generation and projects with potential for replication or upscaling. Applications focused on energy savings receive favourable consideration during evaluation. Investments reliant on unabated fossil fuels are excluded. Applicants must demonstrate the proposed investment size, expected energy savings and/or renewable energy production, governance arrangements and stakeholder engagement strategy.
PROJECTS DURATION: Beneficiaries have up to 12 months from the signature of the Grant Agreement to develop and submit their investment concept. A subsequent two-year monitoring period applies to the implementation of the investment concept. The duration of the underlying investment project is proposed by the applicant and is not fixed by the call.
BUDGET, FUNDING RATES AND PAYMENT CONDITIONS:
Funding rate: 100%. The support is provided as a fixed lump-sum grant rather than a stated percentage of eligible costs.
Budget conditions / limitations: €60,000 per successful application, including group applications. The grant covers activities necessary to develop the investment concept. No minimum or maximum investment size is established for the underlying sustainable energy investment project.
Payments: 65% (€39,000) is disbursed upon signature of the Grant Agreement, and the remaining 35% (€21,000) is paid following positive validation of the completed investment concept.
Links
Closes
21/12/2026
Max funding per project
60.000€