The Call
Call for the selection of 5 enablers (as service providers) in the support service for Citizen-led renovation (Phase III).
Citizen-led renovation is an EU-funded support service to empower established and prospective energy communities to put citizens in the driver’s seat for energy renovations.The support service will help communities overcome financial, legal, technical, and information barriers to deliver future-proof residential buildings. Together, we aim to advance citizen-led renovations across the European Union.
The support service call targets energy agencies, energy communities and their federations, One-stop-shops, technical assistance facilities, and/or integrated home renovation service providers, local public authorities (regions, provinces, or medium to large municipalities), NGOs (consumer associations, environmental organisations, think tanks) that will provide comprehensive yet specific and tailor-made support to citizen-led renovation initiatives, including technical guidance, financial advice, project management, capacity-building and network activation.
Objectives
The aim is to establish and coordinate local support services by 10 enablers.
Five enablers have already been recruited, this call aims at selecting five additional structures that will deliver the support services in their territory. These support services will create a favourable environment for the creation of citizen-led renovation collectives (CLR collectives) and provide assistance to ensure the concrete implementation of their energy renovation projects (CLR projects).
Key objectives include:
- Delivering comprehensive services: technical guidance, financial advice, and project management.
- Developing strategies, business models, and resources for efficient renovations.
- Building capacities through workshops, training, and best practice sharing.
- Scaling successful projects across Europe, amplifying impact.
- Support at least 3 CLRs collectives in the targeted region/country since the beginning of the contract, and at least 1 additional CLR collective as of December 2026.
- Each CLR collective supported shall be implementing at least 1 citizen led renovation project (CLR project) at an advanced stage addressing the buildings’ envelope .
- The following milestones shall be documented by the enabling structure per each CLR collective (and related CLR project): renovation’s design & documentation ready for companies’ consultation;
- quotation received from construction companies;
- works contract(s) signed;
- plan to upscale the project at street/neighbourhood level.
Requirements
Eligibility criteria for applicants
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- The applicant must be a legal entity, established and physically located in an EU Member State.
- The applicants must belong to one of these categories:
- Energy community networks or federations (local/regional, or national in smaller countries);
- Energy agencies (local/regional, or national in smaller countries, and/or umbrella associations);
- One-stop-shops, technical assistance facilities, and/or integrated home renovation service providers;
- Local public authorities (regions, provinces, or medium to large municipalities);
- NGOs (consumer associations, environmental organisations, think tanks)
- For Group Applications, all actors in a group must be eligible;
No Double Funding: Applicants should not be receiving funding from other EU projects or national/local sources for the same service.
Technical requirements
The applicants will need to meet the following requirements:
- Relevant Experience: Minimum of three ongoing or completed projects in the last five years with a focus on local energy transition and citizen engagement (e.g. through energy communities or other citizen-driven initiatives).
- Enabling Structure Team:
o At least 2.5 full-time equivalent staff for a three-year period;
o A Project Manager with at least five years of experience, including two in a supervisory role;
o Supporting experts with experience in energy renovation (Construction and energy renovation of buildings, including energy renovation and where relevant multi-apartment residential buildings or other collective renovations) and energy communities. - Language Requirements:
o The Project Manager must be proficient in the local language and have at least B2-level English proficiency.
o The support experts must be proficient in the local language.
Services and duration
Support Services delivered by the selected enablers
The enablers will support communities in their renovation efforts. They will:
- Provide comprehensive, yet specific and tailor made, support to citizen-led renovation initiatives, including technical guidance, financial advice, project management.
- Assist communities in developing strategies, business models, and accessing resources to implement sustainable and efficient building renovations.
- Foster dynamic local ecosystems that support the emergence and scaling of citizen-led initiatives.
- Strengthen local capacities through training sessions, workshops, and ongoing support to ensure sustainable management of renovation projects.
- Facilitate knowledge sharing and dissemination of best practices from previous phases, fostering innovation and learning across Europe.
- Scale and replicate successful local projects across regions, amplifying their impact.
Duration of the services
From September 2025 until December 2028.
Budget and contract
What is the budget available ?
There is a fixed budget range for each selected enabling structure that will cover all costs, including staff, overheads, event organisation, communication, dissemination activities, travels to project meetings, and all associated tasks and activities of this assignment.
In the case of joint applications, the budget remains the same. The group must ensure that all requirements and minimum criteria are fulfilled while dividing the budget.
The available budget varies based on the geographical area, the budget range per enabling structure varies from 500,000 € to 541,000 €. Read the application package to have the full description.
Contract
The selected beneficiaries will sign a subcontract with the coordinator of the consortium. This subcontract is under a DG ENER contract of Services.
Selection process
2-step process
The selection process will be organised in 2-step process. The first step will lead to a longlist of maximum 10 candidates. The second step will consist of the submission of a Draft Implementation Plan for the support services in the region/country of the candidates (template will be provided) followed by a structured interview to discuss the plan.
Step 1:
• Launch of the call: 24th March, 9:00 CEST
• Closing of the call: 9th of May, 17:00 CEST
• Review period: 12th of May 2025 – 30th of May 2025
• Announcement of longlisted 10 maximum potential enablers: First week of June 2025
Step 2:
• Deadline for submission of the Summary of the Implementation Plan for the support services in the region/country : 30th of June, 17:00 CEST
• Structured interviews : July 2025
• Tentative final selection and notification: August 2025
• Tentative start of contract – September 2025
The timeline of Step 2 might be subject to some changes.
Applications
Are you interested to apply?
- Read the quick guide and FAQs for applicants
- Register to the info session on April 2 at 10 AM CEST here
- Please fill out the application form here: Open Call - European Commission
Assistance
Want to get further insights or need help filling out the application form?
Join the dedicated info session
- 2 April 10-11:30 AM CEST: Registration link