The funds funded by the Life Programme are €5.45 billion. In more detail, Standard Action Projects (SAP) have no fixed upper or lower budget specification; however, projects with total costs below €500,000 rarely get selected due to limited impact, while ambitious projects exceeding €5 million have been co-funded multiple times.

For Strategic Integrated or Nature Projects (SIP/SNaP), typical maximum EU funding per project is approximately €12 million, as indicated in the Multiannual Work Programme (MAWP). In comparison, the 2025 Climate Change Governance (CLIMA GOV) topic has an estimated budget of €5.5 million, which is expected to fund around four projects. For example, financial support to third parties within projects is capped at a maximum total of €200,000 per project and €60,000 per third party, with exceptions possible for justified cases.

Responsible for the funding

LIFE funding is primarily the responsibility of the European Union. The programme is implemented and administered through the European Commission’s services, particularly the Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV) and the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), which handle project evaluation, grant management, and overall oversight of the funding process.

The time span is 2021-2027, supporting projects typically lasting between 3 and 10 years, depending on their nature, ambition, and scope.

Grant-Based Funding: LIFE provides co-financing grants that cover a certain percentage of the eligible project costs, varying by project type and sub-programme. For example, Standard Action Projects (SAP) may have up to 60% co-financing rates, while some Nature and Biodiversity projects may receive up to 75%.

Budget and Co-Financing Structure: To avoid double financing, beneficiaries must provide their own co-financing or complementary contributions, which can be from public or private sources but not from other EU funds. In-kind contributions are generally not accepted as co-financing at the submission level.

Payments and Reporting: Payments are managed through a stepped process—pre-financing of about 20% after grant signature, interim payments based on actual costs (total payments before final reporting not exceeding 80%), and a final balance payment upon successful completion and approval of reports.

Financial Capacity Checks: For private applicants wishing to be coordinators, a simulation tool (LFV Simulation) is available to estimate financial capacity; formal assessments may be conducted as per grant rules, but without creating loan-like obligations.

Financial Support to Third Parties: Projects can include limited financial support (grants or prizes) to third parties, with set ceilings (e.g., a maximum total of EUR 200,000 for support to third parties, with a maximum of EUR 60,000 per party).

Financial entities

• EU-level bodies (DG ENV, CINEA); 

• national authorities (through National Contact Points); 

• public administrations.

Anticipated submission deadlines:

• Standard Action Projects (SAPs) for circular economy and quality of life:

           Deadline date: 23 September 2025

• Standard Action Projects (SAPs) for nature and biodiversity:

           Deadline date: 23 September 2025

• Standard Action Projects (SAPs) for climate change mitigation and adaptation:

           Deadline date: 23 September 2025

• Coordination and Support Action Grants (CSA) for the clean energy transition sub-programme:

           Deadline date: 23 September 2025

• Strategic Integrated Projects (SNAPs/SIPs):

  - Concept notes:  Deadline date: 4 September 2025

  - Full proposals:  Deadline date: 5 March 2026