The European Heritage Hub, a pilot project co-funded by the EU connecting heritage stakeholders across Europe, has selected 14 heritage projects across 11 EU neighbouring countries for its Small Grants Scheme (see annexe for the complete list of projects).

The selected projects highlight the fundamental role our shared heritage can and must play in the EU enlargement process. These initiatives range from bottom-up approaches showcasing diverse expertise to heritage promotion and educational activities to the inventory, mapping, or digitisation of monuments and sites and the revival of war-torn towns. Despite their varied backgrounds, each project underscores how heritage fosters social inclusion and strengthens communities. 

Around 250,000 EUR has been allocated to the selected initiatives led by civil society organisations, distributed among small, medium, and large-scale grants. The Scheme is run by Europa Nostra, the Project Leader of the European Heritage Hub, in consultation with other members of the Hub consortium, and is co-funded by ALIPH Foundation.

The Small Grants Scheme supports civil society-led heritage projects in EU neighbouring countries (Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo*, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Ukraine). These projects aim to enhance their capacity to respond to Europe’s green, digital, and social transformation and foster peace, stability, reconciliation, and intercultural and interreligious dialogue.

From January to March 2024, the Scheme’s call received an impressive total of 600 eligible submissions, reflecting the need for increased support in these regions. 

Learn more about the selected projects here.