LIFE Programme

LIFE — Strategic Integrated Projects & Strategic Nature Projects (SIP/SNAP)

Invests research teams and institutions for LIFE Strategic Integrated Projects & Strategic Nature Projects in climate technology, agriculture innovation, and built environment.

Eligibility · EU member states

The LIFE 2026 Strategic Projects calls cover three instruments for large-scale integration of EU environmental and climate legislation: Strategic Nature Projects (SNaP), Strategic Integrated Projects for the Environment (SIP-ENV), and Strategic Integrated Projects for Climate Action (SIP-CLIMA). All three are administered by CINEA under the LIFE Programme 2021–2027 and use a mandatory two-stage application process. The concept note for all three call types is due on 3 September 2026 at 17:00 CET; applicants invited after stage one submit a full proposal by 4 March 2027. Alongside the main calls, Technical Assistance grants are available to help organisations prepare SNaP, SIP-ENV, and SIP-CLIMA proposals; those technical assistance applications close on 22 September 2026. The combined call reference on the EU portal is LIFE-2026-STRAT-ENV-SIP-two-stage, which opened on 21 April 2026.

Strategic projects are designed to implement EU nature, environment, or climate action plans at national or regional scale, typically mobilising co-financing from other public and private sources. SNaPs focus on the implementation of Prioritised Action Frameworks for Natura 2000 and similar nature policy instruments. SIP-ENV projects integrate environmental legislation across a broad thematic scope. SIP-CLIMA projects address national or regional climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. All three are eligible for organisations registered in EU member states; for-profit companies, non-profits, universities, and research organisations may all participate. The LIFE Programme's total 2021–2027 budget is approximately €5.4 billion; per-project award ceilings and co-funding rates for strategic projects are published in the call documentation on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal.

Strategic projects are large in scope and resource-intensive; CINEA's Technical Assistance grants exist specifically to support organisations building the partnerships and feasibility work required to submit a credible concept note. Applicants should review existing national environmental or climate action plans to identify gaps that a strategic project could address at scale, and form multi-stakeholder consortia that include competent national or regional public authorities as key partners.