European Commission Internal Security Fund CEEP 2026: Up to €1.5M Grants for Civil Society Projects Combating Online Extremism

The EU Internal Security Fund (ISF) CEEP Grant 2026 offers up to €1.5 million in funding for civil society-led projects aimed at preventing online radicalisation and strengthening community resilience across Europe. Designed for organisations working at the intersection of youth engagement, digital safety, and social cohesion, this opportunity supports collaborative, high-impact initiatives across multiple EU countries.

About the Program

The Community Engagement and Empowerment Programme (CEEP), funded under the Internal Security Fund (ISF), is a European Commission initiative focused on preventing and countering radicalisation that can lead to violent extremism and terrorism.

Building on previous EU efforts such as the Civil Society Empowerment Programme (CSEP) and the Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN), this call supports projects that address the growing risks associated with online radicalisation—particularly among youth and vulnerable communities.

The program encourages evidence-based, participatory approaches that combine both online and offline interventions. Projects are expected to actively involve communities in their design and implementation, ensuring that solutions are grounded in real-world needs and experiences.

With a total budget of €5 million, the call will fund several large-scale projects that demonstrate strong collaboration, innovation, and long-term impact.

Why This Opportunity Matters

Online spaces are increasingly being used to spread extremist ideologies, often targeting young people through sophisticated and emotionally engaging content. Addressing this challenge requires more than top-down interventions—it demands community-driven, inclusive, and sustainable solutions.

This funding opportunity recognizes the critical role that civil society organisations play in prevention efforts. By supporting cross-border collaboration, the program enables organisations to share knowledge, scale effective practices, and respond more strategically to evolving threats.

It also reflects a broader shift in EU policy toward prevention, resilience-building, and youth empowerment as central pillars in combating radicalisation.

What Participants Will Gain

This grant provides both financial and strategic benefits for participating organisations.

Selected projects will receive substantial funding—ranging from €1 million to €1.5 million per project—with up to 90% of eligible costs covered. This allows organisations to implement ambitious, multi-year initiatives without bearing the full financial burden.

Beyond funding, participants will gain the opportunity to:

• Build strong international partnerships across at least three EU Member States
• Engage directly with youth, educators, and community leaders in co-created initiatives
• Develop and scale innovative approaches to digital resilience and prevention
• Strengthen organisational capacity in research, monitoring, and evaluation
• Increase visibility and credibility through EU-supported programming

Projects will also benefit from structured frameworks for impact measurement, ensuring that outcomes are not only achieved but clearly demonstrated.

Who Can Apply

This opportunity is open to consortia of organisations rather than individual applicants.

To be eligible, applications must include at least three organisations from three different EU Member States. Importantly, at least two of these must be civil society organisations.

Eligible participants may include non-profits, NGOs, research institutions, and other relevant entities working in areas such as youth engagement, education, digital safety, or community development.

Denmark is not eligible to participate in this call.

Eligible Areas

Projects must be implemented within EU Member States and may also involve relevant priority third countries, depending on the scope and partnerships.

The program supports initiatives aligned with the following priority areas:

• Digital resilience and critical thinking online
• Strengthening community trust and social cohesion
• Addressing multiple forms of extremism, including jihadist and far-right narratives
• Youth empowerment and peer-led prevention strategies
• Inclusive, co-created approaches involving affected communities

Application Process and Deadline

Applications must be submitted through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal using a structured online system.

The submission process involves registering all participating organisations, preparing a detailed project proposal (including technical description, budget, and supporting documents), and uploading all required materials before the deadline.

Proposals are evaluated based on three main criteria:

• Relevance (30 points) – alignment with program objectives and EU priorities
• Quality (50 points) – methodology, feasibility, and consortium strength
• Impact (20 points) – expected outcomes, sustainability, and scalability

To be considered for funding, proposals must score at least 21 out of 30 in relevance and a minimum of 70 out of 100 overall.

The final deadline to apply is 27 May 2026 at 17:00 CET. Late submissions will not be accepted.

See all the requirements and apply on the official European Commission website.

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