Call for Proposals for Civilian Maritime Search and Rescue
Who can apply?
The “Promotion of Civilian Maritime Search and Rescue” guideline is intended for civil society organizations that are directly or indirectly involved in rescuing people in distress at sea, primarily in the central Mediterranean. This includes both organizations that operate vessels and those that support the search for and rescue of people in distress at sea in other ways.
You can find information about our funding initiatives in the Global South here.
In the area of civilian maritime search and rescue, we currently support organizations based in Germany that are directly or indirectly involved in rescuing people in distress at sea, primarily in the central Mediterranean.
We support the organizational development of small organizations in the field of civilian maritime search and rescue. Through our funding in this area, we aim to strengthen small organizations in their development and support multi-year projects to this end. Funding is primarily provided for projects that help make specific areas of the organization—or the organization as a whole—more sustainable for the future, thereby facilitating the rescue of people in distress at sea. In addition, projects that directly strengthen and support civilian maritime rescue organizations in their work may also be funded.
Through our long-standing funding, we support, for example (this list is not exhaustive):
+ Establishment and further development of quality management, operational, and safety standards (e.g., (further) development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs))
+ Development and strengthening of governance and leadership structures (e.g., role definitions, decision-making processes, control mechanisms)
+ Training and professional development for volunteers and staff (e.g., field training, continuing education programs)
+ Development of sustainable financing and resource strategies
The grant is intended to help further develop the organization's structures; therefore, we do not fund operational costs alone. If you're unsure whether your project is eligible for funding, please contact us.
The next application period is expected to begin in early November 2026. We will post the exact dates and a link to the application form on this page.
Core Criteria
+ We can only provide funding to organizations that are recognized as nonprofit in Germany.
+ The organization must be committed to rescuing people in distress at sea (primarily in the central Mediterranean).
+ The organization must be headquartered in Germany.
Specific eligibility criteria for multi-year funding:
+ The applicant organization’s annual budget may not exceed €1,500,000. Exceptions may be made if the proposed project reaches a larger number of organizations.
+ The applicant organization must have been operational for at least 3 years.
Applications will not be considered if:
+ the documents are incomplete
+ the organization is not recognized as a nonprofit
+ the organization is not based in Germany
+ the project doesn't fit the category
+ contain discriminatory content
+ the applicant organization has an annual organizational budget of more than €1,500,000 (except in exceptional cases)
+ the organization has been in operation for less than 3 years.
The amount of financial support is determined by the funding needs of the project or organization. Projects with a budget of between €10,000 and €50,000 per calendar year are eligible for funding, with a maximum grant amount of €150,000 over a three-year period.
The maximum project duration during the first funding phase is three years.
Afterward, funded organizations may apply for a second funding phase lasting an additional three years. The maximum total funding period is six years.
We welcome proposals for multi-year projects, as we aim to foster long-term relationships with our project partners.
However, if there are valid reasons for submitting an application covering a period of one to two years, it may still be considered.
Application
The application process consists of two phases. In the first phase, all organizations are invited to send us a completed application form. We then review all the forms and select five organizations that may submit a complete proposal to us.
If your project is selected in Phase 1, we will send you an email inviting you to submit a detailed description of the project. We will also send you additional documents for Phase 2. These documents include an application guide, which we hope will answer any questions you may have.
Please note that the application and funding process can take up to six months, and please understand that we can only accept fully completed application forms.
Frequently asked questions
We understand that it’s not always easy to determine whether a project is eligible for funding, when exactly the application period begins and ends, or how the requested funds may be used.
We’ve listed and answered the most common questions we’ve received in past calls for proposals below.
Since this is our first time issuing a call for proposals in the field of civilian maritime search and rescue, you may have additional questions.
If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for below, please feel free to contact us at info@lemonaid-charitea-ev.org.
The applicant organization must be headquartered in Germany, be recognized as a nonprofit, and have been operational for at least three years.
Furthermore, we do not accept applications from organizations whose total annual funding exceeds €1,500,000. Exceptions may be made if the proposed project reaches a larger number of organizations. So if you’re planning to carry out a project in collaboration with other organizations or if the project’s target audience extends beyond your organization, you’re welcome to apply. If you’re unsure, please feel free to contact us.
Applications will not be considered if:
+ the documents are incomplete
+ the organization is not recognized as a nonprofit
+ the organization is not based in Germany
+ the project does not fit the scope
+ the application contains discriminatory content
+ the applicant organization has an annual budget of more than €1,500,000 (except in exceptional cases)
+ the organization has been operational for less than 3 years.
Applications for grants ranging from €10,000 to €50,000 per calendar year may be submitted to Lemonaid & ChariTea e.V., with a maximum grant amount of €150,000 over a three-year period.
This figure refers exclusively to the portion for which a grant is requested from the association. However, the project’s total budget may be higher and may also be co-funded by other donors.
If your organization operates in a country outside our project countries, please do not submit an application.
The maximum project duration in the first funding phase is three years.
Afterward, funded projects may apply for a second funding phase of an additional three years. However, the maximum total funding period is six years.
We welcome applications for multi-year projects, as we aim to foster long-term relationships with our project partners. However, if there are valid reasons for a one- to two-year application, it may still be considered.
The entire process—from the application, through the selection of a project with the support of the working group, and the review, to the awarding of funding—can take up to 6 months.
The most important criteria are:
+ Are all formal criteria met?
+ Does the project address our focus area of civilian maritime search and rescue?
+ Does the project appear feasible in its proposed form?
+ Does the project meet all other formal requirements?
+ Who is involved in the project? Behind every effective project there is always a strong organization. And the two must be a good fit. That is why we also take a close look at the implementing organization.
We provide funding to organizations with an annual budget of up to 1,500,000 €. Exceptions may be made if the proposed project also reaches groups of people outside the applicant organization or if multiple organizations are involved.