Fondation SUEZ Essential Services Call 2026
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Quick Answer
Grants of €50,000–100,000 (about ₹54.5 lakh–₹1.09 crore) for NGOs bringing water, sanitation and hygiene to vulnerable communities, India included. The 2025–26 call is closed.
- Funding amount
- Varies
- Funding type
- Grant
- Provider
- SUEZ Foundation
- Application deadline
- Closed
- Location
- International
Results & next round
Applications for this round closed on 1 October 2025. The organiser has not published a selection list that we can verify yet.
Selections for this programme are announced by SUEZ Foundation. Official links are listed under Sources below.
We update this page when results are published, and when the next round opens.
About this grant
The 2025–26 Fondation SUEZ Access to Essential Services call is closed. First-stage applications were accepted from 1 to 30 September 2025, with the Board's decision planned for the end of May 2026. The official page announces no 2026–27 call yet, but this is a yearly call for projects, so a fresh round is likely to follow the same September pattern.
The Fondation SUEZ is the corporate foundation of the French water and waste group SUEZ. Its call on Access to Essential Services funds associations and NGOs that bring water, sanitation and hygiene to vulnerable communities in emerging and developing countries where SUEZ is present. India is on the list of eligible countries. The funder gives €50,000 to €100,000 (about ₹54.5 lakh to ₹1.09 crore) per project. This is a call for established NGOs, not startups, and it involves interviews with the foundation and its SUEZ expert volunteers.
What the program offers
The foundation funds between €50,000 and €100,000 (about ₹54.5 lakh to ₹1.09 crore) per project, and that must be at least 15% and at most 50% of the total project budget. The grant covers the whole project, not one year. Two thirds of the approved amount is paid when the sponsorship agreement is signed, and the balance after the final report and a closing meeting held within six months of the project's end. Each supported project also gets a SUEZ volunteer coordinator who follows its progress. Funds go to the project budget, and a share of operating costs may be included in it.
Who can apply
Applicants must be an association, NGO, foundation or endowment fund recognised as being of public interest, legally established for at least five years with proof of five years of operational activity. Businesses (including social economy companies not eligible for sponsorship), professional associations, student associations, individuals and projects with no other partners are not eligible. Registration in the project country is not required, but you need a good knowledge of the area, a solid operating record and a local partner that is legally registered and recognised as of public interest.
The eligible countries are Angola, Bangladesh, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Gabon, India, Morocco, Mozambique, the Philippines, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda and Uzbekistan. For an Indian NGO this fits an established charitable trust or society with a long field record in water and sanitation, working with local authorities. A new organisation or one entering a district for the first time is unlikely to be selected.
How to apply
There are two stages. In stage one you submit the application on the foundation's website while the call is open. It covers your organisation (history, missions, governance, budget, staff) and the project (country, description, concrete objectives, beneficiaries, planning, budget, management and indicators, including follow-up for at least two years after the project). Read the selection criteria, the ethics charter and the project leader guide first. If pre-selected, you have an interview and then complete the second part with supporting documents. A practical tip: the foundation asks for concise, precise applications.
How applications are judged and what happens next
The foundation team and a committee of SUEZ expert employees pre-qualify projects. Each qualified project then goes to three or four volunteer experts who send questions and meet the applicant. The board of directors makes the final decision and sets the amount. Projects are judged on long-term support for beneficiaries, lasting change shown by monitoring indicators, an innovative approach, and potential to be replicated or scaled up. In the 2025–26 round, interviews ran in November 2025 and from late January to February 2026, with information on the Board's decision from the end of May 2026.
About the Fondation SUEZ
The Fondation SUEZ is the corporate foundation of SUEZ. It has two areas of support: access to essential services in developing countries, and a fair ecological transition and social inclusion in France. Employees of SUEZ volunteer as assessors and project coordinators.
Things to check before you apply
- Projects must run for at least two years from the support decision and be co-funded by other partners.
- Within six months of the decision, you must show a financing plan with 80% of funding secured, including the foundation's share.
- Projects need local authority support and must include beneficiaries in design or follow-up.
- Indian recipients of foreign money should check FCRA, FEMA and tax treatment with an adviser before applying.
- Dates change each call, so check the new project leader guide when it is published.
Eligibility
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Full eligibility criteria — entity type, stage, sector, founder profile and registration requirements — plus your fit for this program. Sign up to view.
Grant providers
Benefits & Funding
- Fund type
- Grant
- Equity
- Equity-free
- Repayment
- Non-repayable
What You Get
The Fondation SUEZ funds between €50,000 and €100,000 (about ₹54.5 lakh to ₹1.09 crore) over the whole project, and this must be at least 15% and at most 50% of the total project budget. Two thirds of the grant is paid when the agreement is signed, and the balance after the final report and closing meeting, held within six months of the project's end. A SUEZ employee volunteers as the project contact, and SUEZ staff may join as skills-based volunteers. The foundation can renew its support for a project once or twice.
- Disbursement
- Tranched
- Bootstrap friendly
- Yes
Timelines & Process
Selection Process
The foundation team and a committee of SUEZ expert employees pre-qualify projects that match the criteria, with interviews for shortlisted applicants. Each qualified project is then reviewed by three or four volunteer SUEZ experts, who send questions and meet the applicant. Projects are judged on long-term follow-up of beneficiaries, lasting change measured by indicators, innovation and potential to be replicated. The board of directors makes the final decision and sets the grant amount.
Application Process
- 1
First application
Submit your organisation and project on the foundation's platform during the call window.
You - 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
How to apply
Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.
- 1
Draft your application
Answer the form inside the grant tracker — AI drafts each response using your past answers, so you're not starting from a blank page.
- 2
Submit on the official portal
Use the official application link and verify all details before final submission.
- 3
Follow up
Reach out 5–7 days after submitting to confirm receipt and ask about the review timeline.
Program templates & documents
Files the program publishes for applicants — download these and apply in the prescribed format.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an Indian NGO apply to the Fondation SUEZ call?
Yes. India is on the list of eligible countries, and the call is open to associations, NGOs and foundations of public interest. You do not have to be French or registered in France.
Who can apply?
Associations, NGOs, foundations or endowment funds recognised as being of public interest, legally established for at least five years with five years of operational activity. Companies, professional and student associations and individuals cannot apply.
How much can I ask for?
Between €50,000 and €100,000 (about ₹54.5 lakh to ₹1.09 crore), and no less than 15% and no more than 50% of the total project budget.
Is it a grant or equity?
It is sponsorship support under an agreement between the foundation and the project leader. The foundation takes no ownership stake. Within six months of the decision you must show that 80% of the project's funding is secured.
How is the money paid?
Two thirds of the approved grant is paid when the agreement is signed. The balance is paid after the final project report and a closing meeting, held within six months of the project's end.
When is the deadline, and what if it has passed?
In the 2025–26 round first-stage applications ran from 1 to 30 September 2025, and decisions were planned for the end of May 2026. The call runs yearly and no 2026–27 call is announced on the page, so check the foundation's site.
Do I need to be registered in the project country?
No, but you must show good knowledge of the area, a solid operating record, and a local partner that is legally registered and recognised as of public interest.
What documents or materials are needed?
A two-part application form covering your organisation and your project, with objectives, budget, indicators and a plan for follow-up at least two years after the project. Pre-selected applicants add supporting documents and take part in an interview.
Do I have to travel, and is it free to apply?
The sources describe interviews and meetings with the foundation and its experts but do not state a location. No application fee is mentioned.
Can a company or startup apply?
No. Businesses, including social economy companies that are not eligible for corporate philanthropy, cannot apply, and neither can professional associations, student associations or individuals.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
