Gulbenkian Energy Communities
Documents
Since Portugal introduced its first legal framework for collective self-consumption of renewable energy in 2019, community-led renewable energy initiatives driven by citizens, associations and local authorities have gradually begun to emerge.
Although Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) offer significant environmental, economic and social benefits, fewer than ten are currently operating in Portugal. RECs enable citizens to come together to generate, share, consume and store renewable energy, creating value both for their members and for the communities in which they operate.
In response to the absence of dedicated public funding for citizen-led Renewable Energy Communities, the Gulbenkian Foundation has partnered with Coopérnico – Sustainable Development Cooperative to support civil society organisations working alongside citizens, local authorities and other local stakeholders.
The initiative seeks to address some of the key barriers to establishing Renewable Energy Communities, including the upfront investment required to launch projects, limited technical capacity within local organisations and communities, and low levels of energy literacy among citizens.
Through this call, the Gulbenkian Foundation expects to fund 10 projects, with grants of up to €30,000 each.
Objectives
Grant funding will be awarded to projects that contribute to:
Application process
The call for proposals will take place in two stages.
Webinar
A webinar to present the call and answer questions will take place on 21 July, from 17:30 to 18:30, with prior registration required, including an open Q&A session.
Conditions
Eligibility
Applications are open to locally based, non-profit legal entities registered in Portugal.
This call is intended to support Renewable Energy Communities at an early stage of development. Therefore, at the time of application, organisations must not have a licensing application pending or already approved by the Directorate-General for Energy and Geology in Portugal; or have received funding from any public or private organisation for projects relating to Renewable Energy Communities or collective self-consumption.
How to Apply
Faq
Who can apply?
This call is open to civil society organisations that represent citizens' interests, are actively engaged with their local communities, and are committed to playing an active role in the energy transition through democratic participation.
Do members of a Renewable Energy Community need to be located within the same parish or municipality?
No. Under Portuguese legislation, members do not need to be located within the same parish or municipality. However, they must be located within 2 km of the renewable energy generation system (or 4 km in low-density areas), or be connected to the same electricity substation.
Can an informal group of citizens apply?
No. The Gulbenkian Foundation provides grants only to legally established non-profit organisations. An informal group of citizens may partner with an eligible organisation whose statutory objectives are aligned with this call, but it cannot receive funding directly from the Foundation.
Can a municipality or parish council apply? What about a local energy agency or another municipal body?
No. This call is intended to support citizen-led Renewable Energy Communities (RECs), meaning communities led by organisations representing groups of citizens, such as associations or cooperatives.
Municipalities, Parish Councils, local energy agencies and other municipal bodies may participate as project partners, but they cannot lead, manage or submit an application.
Is a recently established association, cooperative, foundation or other non-profit organisation eligible?
Yes.
Can an organisation submit more than one application?
No. Each organisation may submit only one application.
Are partnerships required?
No. However, partnerships formally confirmed through Letters of Support submitted with the application may strengthen the quality and feasibility of the proposal.
Are project partners required to make a financial contribution?
No. Partners may contribute in other ways, for example by making rooftops or other suitable spaces available for the installation of photovoltaic panels.
Can a research centre established as a non-profit private legal entity apply?
No. This call is not intended to fund research projects.
Can projects involve partnerships with for-profit organisations?
Yes. Projects may include local businesses or service providers with a relevant role in the community, provided that their participation falls within the scope of their corporate social responsibility activities rather than constituting a commercial service.
These organisations cannot become the sole owners of the project assets. Ownership must be shared.
Will certain territories be given priority?
Yes. Preference will be given to applications from low-density areas or territories facing greater social, economic or environmental vulnerabilities. Applicants should explain and justify these circumstances in their proposal.
Can an organisation that is already receiving funding from the Gulbenkian Foundation apply?
Yes. However, priority will be given to organisations that have never received, or are not currently receiving, funding from the Foundation. Projects that are already being funded by another public or private organisation will not be eligible for support.
Can the grant be used to recruit staff?
No.
What are the requirements for successful applicants?
In addition to managing the grant in accordance with the Foundation's funding rules, successful applicants must participate in all activities organised as part of this initiative, including the capacity-building programme delivered by Coopérnico.
They will also be required to submit a progress report after the start of the project and a final report, using templates provided by the Foundation.
Will there be an information session?
Yes. A free online webinar will take place on 21 July 2026, from 17:30 to 18:30 (Lisbon time).
Can a national or regional organisation submit a project with a local focus?
Yes, provided that the proposal clearly demonstrates its local relevance.
Can project partners be changed after the application has been approved?
Yes, provided that the change does not compromise the objectives or successful implementation of the project.
Do the future members of the Renewable Energy Community need to be identified in the application?
Applicants should identify the prospective members of the Renewable Energy Community.
Can an organisation with no previous experience in the energy sector apply?
Yes. This call is intended for organisations that consume electricity, not for organisations already operating in the energy sector.
Should the project be selected, the organisation will need to amend its statutes in order to establish a Renewable Energy Community. The costs associated with this process are eligible for funding under the grant.
Can organisations based in the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira apply?
Yes. Organisations based in the Autonomous Regions are fully eligible to apply.
The only difference concerns the competent licensing authority. In mainland Portugal, the registration, prior control and licensing of Renewable Energy Communities are carried out by the Directorate-General for Energy and Geology (DGEG). In the Autonomous Regions, these responsibilities lie with the Regional Directorate for Energy (DRE) in the Azores and the Regional Directorate for Energy and Climate Change (or Regional Directorate for Energy) in Madeira.
What is meant by "vulnerable citizens or households" for the purposes of this call?
For the purposes of this call, vulnerable citizens or households are those experiencing financial hardship and at risk of energy poverty, as demonstrated by their eligibility for, or receipt of, the Social Electricity Tariff or the Social Natural Gas Tariff.
The aim is to support households for whom energy costs represent a significant financial burden and who stand to benefit most from the cost savings associated with participation in a Renewable Energy Community.
Does an REC have to be based on photovoltaic solar energy?
No. A Renewable Energy Community (REC) may choose other renewable energy generation systems. However, within the scope of this call, only solar photovoltaic generation systems will be considered, as they are currently the most cost-effective technology and the quickest to license and install.
Can a condominium (residential building or multi-family building) apply?
No. A condominium is not eligible because it does not constitute a formally established civil society organization.
Contacts
Questions about this call should be sent to: [email protected].
Before contacting us, please read the Call Conditions carefully and consult the Frequently Asked Questions, as your query may already be answered there.