Apply for Western Balkans Fund MOVE Grants 2026 – Up to €3,000 for Regional Mobility, Cultural Exchange, Research and Professional Development

Application Deadline: October 5, 2026

About the Grants

The Western Balkans Fund (WBF) MOVE Grants 2026 Seventh Open Call is now accepting applications from eligible individuals from the Western Balkans seeking financial support for short-term regional mobility, professional development, academic and scientific exchange, cultural cooperation, and sustainable development initiatives. Through the MOVE Grants Scheme, the Western Balkans Fund aims to strengthen people-to-people connections and regional cooperation by enabling individuals to travel outside their country or place of residence to participate in meaningful learning, collaboration, exchange, and representation opportunities. The programme is particularly suited for artists, cultural professionals, researchers, scholars, journalists, youth workers, civil society activists, students, professionals, and other changemakers who wish to develop skills, expand networks, and collaborate with individuals and institutions elsewhere in the Western Balkans. Successful applicants can request between €500 and €3,000, and the Western Balkans Fund can finance up to 100% of eligible costs associated with approved mobility activities.

About the Western Balkans Fund MOVE Grants Scheme

The Western Balkans Fund established the MOVE Grants mechanism on the principle that direct, face-to-face interaction can play an important role in strengthening trust, mutual understanding, and shared values in the Western Balkans. The Western Balkans region covered by the programme consists of six Western Balkans Fund Contracting Parties:

• Albania
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Kosovo
• Montenegro
• North Macedonia
• Serbia

Although the Western Balkans has made progress in regional cooperation, the region still faces challenges in social cohesion, connectivity, and deeper regional integration. MOVE Grants aim to contribute to addressing these challenges by providing relatively small and accessible mobility grants directly to individuals. Rather than focusing solely on large organisations and institutional projects, the scheme enables individual professionals, students, and changemakers to pursue short-term opportunities that can produce meaningful professional and regional connections. The programme therefore places considerable emphasis on mobility, exchange, and people-to-people cooperation.

Main Objective of the MOVE Grants

The overall objective of the MOVE Grants Scheme is to foster regional cooperation in the Western Balkans by supporting individual mobility initiatives that promote:

• Academic exchange
• Cultural exchange
• Professional exchange
• Regional collaboration
• Learning and skills development
• Knowledge sharing
• Networking and partnership building
• Representation of the Western Balkans in relevant regional and international settings

Through short-term and needs-based opportunities for collaboration, representation, and learning, the Western Balkans Fund seeks to strengthen people-to-people connections and cultivate a stronger regional mindset.

The broader ambition is to empower individuals to become agents of positive change while contributing towards a more inclusive, equitable, and interconnected Western Balkans.

Funding Available

The overall financial envelope available under the MOVE Grants 7th Open Call is €40,000.

Individual applicants can request:

• Minimum grant: €500
• Maximum grant: €3,000

The Western Balkans Fund may finance up to 100% of the total eligible costs of an approved mobility action. Cost-sharing or co-financing is also permitted where applicable.

Applicants should develop realistic budgets based on genuine expected costs in the market. The budget should be prepared in euros and clearly connected to the proposed mobility activity. Only costs presented in the submitted budget will be considered for financing.

Who Are MOVE Grants Designed to Support?

MOVE Grants are intended for a diverse group of individuals from across the Western Balkans.

Potential applicants include both young and senior professionals, such as:

• Individual artists
• Cultural professionals
• Researchers
• Scholars
• Journalists
• Youth workers
• Civil society organisation activists
• Students
• Established professionals
• Professionals affiliated with public or non-public organisations
• Other changemakers whose mobility aligns with the objectives of the programme

Only individual applications are eligible. The programme does not support applications seeking funding for the mobility of groups of people travelling together.

Applicant Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must satisfy all eligibility conditions established by the Western Balkans Fund.

To qualify, an applicant must:

• Be at least 18 years old on the application deadline
• Be both a citizen and resident of one of the six Western Balkans Contracting Parties
• Be an established professional, be employed or affiliated with a legal public or non-public organisation, or be currently enrolled as a student at the application deadline
• Have no criminal record
• Be capable of preparing the application, communicating with the Western Balkans Fund, and reporting on the mobility activity in English

Mobility Must Involve Regional Movement

An important feature of the programme is that MOVE Grants are intended to facilitate genuine mobility and exchange. Activities should primarily take place within the Western Balkans and involve mobility to one or more WBF Contracting Parties other than the one in which the applicant is based. Mobility taking place solely within an applicant’s own place of residence is not supported. For example, an eligible applicant based in Albania could potentially undertake an appropriate mobility activity involving a host institution in Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, or Kosovo, subject to all other requirements being satisfied.

Can Mobility Take Place Outside the Western Balkans?

The programme primarily supports activities within the Western Balkans. However, activities outside the region may be considered in exceptional and justified circumstances, particularly when taking place within the European Union. Such international mobility must contribute to the visibility and promotion of the Western Balkans within relevant international contexts.

Applicants proposing an activity outside the Western Balkans should therefore be able to clearly demonstrate why the international dimension is justified and how the proposed mobility will benefit or represent the region.

Applicants Must Have a Host Institution

MOVE Grants require applicants to establish a formal relationship with a host institution.

This is an important eligibility requirement because the partnership demonstrates that the proposed mobility is legitimate, relevant, and practically feasible.

For regional mobility, the activity must normally involve at least two WBF Contracting Parties:

• The Contracting Party in which the applicant resides
• The Contracting Party where the host institution is established

Applicants must provide formal and verifiable evidence demonstrating the partnership.

Acceptable evidence can include:

• An official invitation letter from the host institution confirming the applicant’s invitation for a particular period and purpose
• Confirmed registration, acceptance, or an appropriate letter demonstrating enrolment or participation in a programme, course, or workshop organised by the host institution

An official invitation or other required evidence of participation must be included in the application package.

Three Main Areas of Intervention

Proposals should address one or more of three principal areas:

1. Cultural Cooperation

Cultural cooperation activities should help build bridges across cultural differences and encourage partnerships that contribute to regional peace, cohesion, and cooperation.

Examples can include:

• Participating in regional cultural festivals, exhibitions, or performances
• Showcasing artistic and cultural heritage
• Joint theatre, film, music, and visual arts productions
• Artist residencies
• Cultural exchange programmes
• Intercultural dialogue workshops and seminars
• Youth-led cultural forums
• Digital cultural platforms
• Multimedia projects promoting regional culture
• Cultural workshops and professional training
• Storytelling and oral history projects
• Cultural documentation initiatives
• Regional sports or cultural exchanges that encourage youth engagement and cultural interaction

This area may be particularly relevant to artists, filmmakers, musicians, cultural workers, and other creative professionals seeking opportunities to collaborate across borders.

2. Education and Scientific Exchange

The education and scientific exchange component aims to strengthen regional cooperation in education and research.

Mobility activities can focus on capacity building, professional and academic exchange, scientific collaboration, and knowledge development.

Examples include:

• Short-term research exchanges at universities
• Research centre or laboratory exchanges
• Workshops
• Seminars
• Training courses
• Professional development programmes
• Academic internships
• Professional internships and work placements
• Attendance at regional conferences and symposiums
• Presenting research at academic events
• Joint scientific research
• Joint publications involving partners from different Western Balkans Contracting Parties
• Development of innovative educational programmes
• Curriculum development
• Field research
• Data collection
• Academic and scientific networking and partnership building

Students, academics, researchers, and other professionals seeking to strengthen their expertise through regional exchange may therefore find significant opportunities under this intervention area.

3. Sustainable Development

The sustainable development component focuses on mobility activities capable of supporting regional cohesion and long-term prosperity.

Projects may address sustainable economic growth, environmental stewardship, social inclusion, and institutional cooperation.

Potential activities include:

• Joint institutional partnerships
• Collaborative sustainable economic development projects
• Environmental research
• Climate change mitigation initiatives
• Biodiversity preservation
• Natural resource management
• Sustainability-focused training and workshops
• Capacity-building programmes
• Study visits
• Internships or work placements with organisations involved in sustainability or the green economy
• Social inclusion programmes
• Initiatives empowering marginalised groups
• Community development programmes
• Regional sustainable development conferences
• Environmental governance forums
• Policy dialogues
• Field research
• Sustainability-related data collection
• Collaborative advocacy
• Policy development supporting sustainable practices

Cross-Cutting Priorities

Applicants are encouraged to integrate important cross-cutting priorities into their mobility proposals.

These include:

• Gender equality
• Human rights
• Inclusion of minorities and vulnerable groups
• Environmental sustainability and climate action
• Democracy and rule of law
• Digitalisation and innovation
• Youth engagement

Applicants should take these priorities seriously because the integration of cross-cutting issues forms part of the evaluation process.

What Expenses Can the MOVE Grant Cover?

Funding can cover several categories of direct costs that are necessary for implementing the mobility activity.

Transportation

Eligible transportation expenses can include:

• Flights
• Trains
• Buses
• Shuttle services
• Taxis
• Personal car travel directly related to the mobility
• Toll roads
• Parking when travelling by personal car

Travel arrangements should follow the principle of selecting the most cost-effective and economical option available. Where an eligible applicant uses a personal vehicle, mileage reimbursement may be calculated at €0.30 per kilometre.

Health Insurance and Visa Costs

Where applicable, funding may cover:

• Medical or travel insurance required for the stay
• Eligible visa costs associated with regional mobility

Accommodation

Accommodation expenses may be supported when directly associated with the approved mobility.

Examples include:

• Hotels
• Hostels
• Bed and Breakfast accommodation

Accommodation must be cost-efficient and consistent with local market rates.

The maximum accommodation calculation is:

• €65 per night within the Western Balkans region
• €80 per night outside the Western Balkans

Daily Allowance

Applicants may budget a daily allowance of €40 per day to help cover meals and incidental expenses. The allowance should only apply to eligible activity and travel days. Where travel takes less than six hours and qualifies as half-day travel, half of the daily allowance should be calculated.

Special Needs Support

Additional costs may be considered where necessary to enable the full participation of applicants with disabilities. This can potentially include:

• Mobility assistance
• Specialised transportation
• Accessible accommodation

Registration and Participation Fees

Registration fees may be eligible when required to participate in an approved activity, including:

• Conferences
• Training programmes
• Workshops
• Residencies

Visibility Costs

Applicants can potentially allocate up to 7% of the total requested budget towards visibility costs associated with promoting their mobility activity and communicating its impact to relevant audiences.

Postal and Courier Costs

Postal or courier expenses directly related to required documents, reports, correspondence, or materials may also be eligible.

Costs That Cannot Be Funded

Applicants should avoid including expenses that are not permitted under the scheme.

Ineligible costs include:

• Costs incurred outside the contractual period, subject to specified exceptions for confirmed registration payments
• Salaries and other human-resource expenses
• External expertise or consultancy fees
• Indirect costs
• Expenses receiving double funding
• Personal expenses unrelated to the mobility
• Debts and interest payments
• Provisions for future losses or liabilities
• Profit-making activities
• Activities affiliated with political or religious agendas
• Currency exchange losses
• Subcontracting
• Entertainment or leisure expenses
• Fines, penalties, or legal charges resulting from non-compliance with laws or regulations

When Must the Mobility Take Place?

Successful mobility activities must be implemented between December 2026 and April 2027. The final report must be completed within the contractual implementation period and no later than April 30, 2027. Applicants should therefore develop a realistic activity schedule that can be completed within this timeframe.

Important Dates for MOVE Grants 2026

• Call opens: September 4, 2026
• Information session: September 11, 2026 at 11:00 CET
• Deadline for clarification requests: September 25, 2026
• Application deadline: October 5, 2026 at 12:59 CET
• Application evaluation: Within approximately 30 working days after the deadline
• Funding decision: No later than November 25, 2026
• Contracting: Within approximately 15 working days following notification
• Mobility implementation: December 2026 to April 2027
• Final reporting deadline: No later than April 30, 2027

Applicants should note that the timetable is indicative and may be updated by the Western Balkans Fund during the procedure.

Deadline for Questions and Clarifications

Applicants who have questions about the guidelines or application procedure may submit written enquiries via email. The email subject should contain: Q: MOVE Grants Applications. The deadline for submitting questions is September 25, 2026. WBF is not obligated to respond to questions received after the clarification deadline, and enquiries must be submitted in writing rather than by telephone.

How Applications Will Be Evaluated

Applications undergo a multi-stage evaluation process.

Step 1: Administrative and Eligibility Checks

The Western Balkans Fund will first determine whether the applicant and application satisfy fundamental requirements. Checks include whether:

• The applicant is at least 18
• Citizenship and residency requirements are satisfied
• The application was submitted before the deadline
• The applicant has submitted only one application
• The applicant does not already hold an active MOVE Grant
• The proposed activity fits within the permitted implementation timeframe
• The required regional mobility dimension is present
• The requested budget does not exceed €3,000
• The applicant declaration has been completed and signed
• The required invitation or confirmation from the host institution has been provided
• The application is prepared in English and submitted through the OGMS

Step 2: Technical Evaluation

Applications that successfully pass the initial eligibility checks will undergo technical assessment. Proposals can receive a maximum of 100 points.

The evaluation considers areas including:

• Quality and coherence of the mobility proposal
• Whether activities are realistic and achievable
• Clarity of roles
• Regional relevance
• Contribution to the objectives of MOVE Grants
• Potential for personal growth
• Expected impact
• Sustainability and follow-up
• Introduction of innovative or new practices
• Integration of cross-cutting priorities
• Financial planning and value for money
• Communication and visibility

Applications scoring less than 55 points on the ranking list will not be recommended for further consideration by the Evaluation Panel.

Step 3: Evaluation Panel

Following technical evaluation, high-ranking proposals are presented to the WBF Evaluation Panel. The panel reviews and endorses the ranking resulting from the technical assessment. This stage is followed by relevant negotiation, monitoring planning, and the final processes associated with selecting, training, and contracting successful grantees.

Step 4: Verification for Provisionally Selected Applicants

Applicants provisionally selected for funding will be required to submit additional supporting documentation within 10 working days.

Documents can include:

• A copy of a government-issued passport or identity card
• Official confirmation that the applicant has no criminal record
• Confirmation from an employer or organisation verifying the applicant’s employment or involvement, where applicable
• A partnership agreement between home and host organisations where applicable

WBF will compare these supporting documents against the information and declarations contained in the application. Missing documents or inconsistencies can result in rejection.

Funding Decision and Notification

Applicants will be notified of the outcome by email. The indicative timetable states that the funding decision should be communicated no later than November 25, 2026. Successful applicants will receive formal notification following the funding decision. Applicants who believe there was an irregularity in the evaluation process may submit a written request for clarification within seven calendar days after receiving the official notification.

How Successful Applicants Will Receive Funding

Following selection, the approved mobility budget will be reviewed before contracting. Where costs are considered ineligible or insufficiently justified, WBF may reduce the approved amount and explain the reasons for the adjustment.

Once the applicant and the Western Balkans Fund have signed the grant agreement, successful applicants officially become beneficiaries of the MOVE Grants Scheme.

Funding is then provided in two instalments:

• 70% pre-payment following submission of the required documents and signing of the grant contract
• 30% remaining balance following submission and approval of the required final documentation, including eligible invoices and receipts

Payments are made in euros to the bank account specified in the grant contract.

How to Apply

Applications must be completed in English and submitted electronically through the Western Balkans Fund’s online Grants Management System (OGMS).

Applicants need to prepare a complete application containing:

• Application Form – completed through the OGMS
• Budget – completed within the online system
• Declaration by the Applicant – signed and uploaded
• Formal evidence of the proposed mobility – such as the required invitation or confirmation documentation, signed and uploaded where applicable

Applicants should register and apply through the official WBF Applicant Portal. After submission, applicants should receive an automatic confirmation email containing a protocol number. If no confirmation email is received within 48 hours, applicants are advised to contact the Western Balkans Fund.

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