From 21 April, the LIFE call for project proposals is open. In this free online event, you'll get a compact overview of the programme, the submission criteria, and the process – including time for your questions.

What's it about?

LIFE is the EU programme for environmental, nature, and climate protection. Funding is provided through annual calls; projects compete against each other and only the highest-rated proposals are selected. That makes it all the more important to know the programme logic and formal criteria inside out.

In this webinar, we'll introduce you to the LIFE 2026 call, explain the content and objectives of the four sub-programmes, and show you what matters when submitting an application – from submission through to project start. We'll also look at synergies with Horizon Europe and give you insights into the monitoring of ongoing projects.

What will you take away?

• Overview of the 2026 call and the four LIFE sub-programmes
• Orientation: Which project fits which sub-programme? (interactive matching)
• Submission process: Documents, steps, and timeline
• Evaluation and assessment criteria
• Eligible costs and budget logic
• Monitoring of ongoing projects and support from ELMEN
• Support network in Austria (contact points, delegates, etc.)
• Practical example (success story)

Participation

Participation is free of charge; registration is required.

Agenda

09:00 – 09:05 Start
09:05 – 09:15 Welcome – Isabella Plimon (BMLUK)
09:15 – 09:20 Survey for participants
09:20 – 10:20 The 2026 call: Content and objectives of the 4 LIFE sub-programmes – Erich Purkarthofer (FFG)
10:20 – 10:30 Which project fits which programme? Interactive matching of projects
10:30 – 10:50 LIFE and Horizon Europe: Making use of synergies – Susanne Meissner Dragosits (FFG)
10:50 – 11:00 Break
11:00 – 11:20 From submission to project start: Process, documents, orientation – Erich Purkarthofer (FFG)
11:20 – 11:30 The evaluation: How are projects assessed? – Erich Purkarthofer (FFG)
11:30 – 11:45 The costs: Which costs are eligible? – Erich Purkarthofer (FFG)
11:45 – 12:15 The ongoing project: Monitoring and support from ELMEN – Thomas Mayer (ELMEN, Monitoring Team)
12:15 – 12:20 The support network in Austria: Where can I get help? – Erich Purkarthofer (FFG)
12:20 – 12:50 Success Story – Rainer Raab (TB Raab GmbH, tbc)
12:50 – 13:00 Open questions and wrap-up

Registration

Registration is via the platform of the Horizon Europe Community Austria.