Guides and resources to understand public grants
Practical guides, reviewed by Civika, to help you find, understand and apply for public grants step by step.
All guides
How to find public grants that really fit your situation
Searching for a grant isn't about typing a word and opening the first result. A call for applications may look right based on its title yet be limited to a sing
First steps
How to read a subsidy call without getting lost
A call for applications can run to dozens of pages, but you don't always need to read it start to finish to know if it's for you. A first, orderly read lets you
Understanding the rules
How to check whether you meet a grant's requirements
A grant's title describes its purpose, but the real requirements are in the governing rules and the call itself. It helps to turn them into a list of verifiable
Eligibility
Common documents needed to apply for a grant
Each call has its own list, but many application files share a common structure. Preparing identification, representation, the project report and the budget in
Preparing your application
Deadlines, corrections and notifications in subsidies
Submitting the application doesn't finish the job. An unanswered notification or a late correction can leave the file excluded even if the project meets all req
After submitting
Competitive, non-competitive and direct award procedures
The procedure determines how applications are compared and what to expect. Meeting the requirements may be enough in some cases; in others, it only gets you int
Types of grants
How to find grants for self-employed workers and SMEs
Business grants usually demand more than simply being registered. The economic activity, company size, workplace location, investment date and tax status can al
Business and employment
How to find and prepare scholarships and student grants
Education grants can depend on income, residence, enrollment, academic performance, age or civil registration. Before gathering documents, it helps to identify
Education
Housing, rental and renovation grants: what to check
Housing grants are often managed by regional or local governments. The name may look similar across territories, but income limits, contracts, municipalities, d
Housing
How to find disability, dependency and accessibility grants
Disability and dependency are related but not equivalent situations. A grant may require a disability rating, a dependency rating, reduced mobility, residence o
Care and accessibility
How to review farming, livestock and rural grants
Rural grants combine national, regional and local calls with Common Agricultural Policy measures. The beneficiary, holding, land area, animals and investment mu
Rural areas
12 common mistakes when applying for a subsidy
Many applications fail not for lack of a good project but because of predictable administrative details. This final check helps you spot the most common mistake
Avoiding problems
How to justify a subsidy after it's been awarded
Being awarded a grant doesn't close the file. Most subsidies require you to prove, within a deadline, that the money was spent as approved. This guide explains
After the award
What to do if your grant application is rejected
A rejection doesn't always mean you did something wrong: it can be due to a lack of budget, a score below the cut-off, or a requirement that wasn't met. This gu
Decisions and appeals
Clear glossary of the terms that come up most in grants
Official calls use technical vocabulary that repeats from one grant to the next. Knowing these terms saves reading time and helps you understand what each listi
Vocabulary
Grants for starting a business or registering as self-employed
Before generating any revenue, many entrepreneurs can access grants specifically designed for starting up. These differ from those aimed at businesses already r
Business and employment
Hiring grants: what to check before relying on them
Hiring can unlock contribution discounts or direct subsidies, but almost all require keeping the position for a minimum time and matching the profile of the tar
Business and employment
Grants to digitalize a business: what they cover and require
Digitalization grants don't usually give money directly to the business: they fund hiring specific tech solutions through providers registered in the program. U
Business and employment
Energy efficiency grants: how they differ from renovation grants
Not all housing grants aim at the same thing. General renovation grants usually cover conservation or accessibility work; energy efficiency grants focus on cutt
Housing
How to find grants for associations and non-profit organizations
Town councils, regional governments and ministries award a significant volume of subsidies each year to associations, sports clubs, foundations and cultural org
Organizations and third sector