Call for proposals to support initiatives that promote a healthier work-life balance and a more equitable distribution of care responsibilities.

About this grant

Call for proposals to support initiatives that promote a healthier work-life balance and a more equitable distribution of care responsibilities. This program is a cornerstone of the EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025, aiming to bridge the gender care gap where women traditionally carry a disproportionate burden of unpaid domestic work. By fostering family-friendly workplace policies and elevating the status of the care sector, the call seeks to remove the structural barriers that prevent women’s full economic participation. The call focuses on three transformative pillars designed to reshape how society approaches care and employment: Family-Friendly Workplaces: Promoting practices such as telework, hybrid models, job sharing, and flexible hours. A major goal is to encourage the uptake of rights under the Work-Life Balance Directive, specifically protecting employees from unfavorable treatment following maternity, paternity, or parental leave; Equal Sharing of Informal Care: Supporting activities that encourage men to take an active role in parenting and long-term care for dependents. This includes skills-based training for fathers and awareness campaigns on the benefits of shared domestic responsibilities; and Valuing the Care Sector: Addressing horizontal segregation by attracting more men and boys into care-related fields of study and employment. This also involves re-evaluating the working conditions and professional appreciation of formal care jobs in early childhood and long-term care. Award range: between €100 000 and €500 000.

How to apply

1. 1Verify eligibility criteria, including applicant type (e.g., SMEs, consortia), geographic requirements, and funding rates (often 40-100% co-financing).
2. 2Form a consortium if required (e.g., minimum partners from multiple countries for collaborative projects).
3. 3Register as a user and your organization on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal to obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC).
4. 4Download templates, prepare Part A (administrative data) and Part B (technical description, budget, impact), and run validation checks.
5. 5Submit online before the deadline; track via confirmation email and code, with evaluation taking 3-6 months.
6. 6Visit https://eufundingportal.eu for application details

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