Erasmus+ KA2: Cooperation among Organisations and Institutions

As one of the most comprehensive programmes in the world, Erasmus+ is a great opportunity for both individuals and legal entities from Bosnia and Herzegovina to connect with partners across Europe and beyond—and to introduce changes in their day-to-day work. Below is a practical guide to KA2 (Cooperation among organisations and institutions) within Erasmus+, with concrete steps, minimum requirements, documents and registration steps, common mistakes applicants/partners make, and practical tips.

What is KA2 and what does it cover?

KA2 includes several project types:

Partnerships for Cooperation — Cooperation Partnerships (KA220) and Small-scale Partnerships (KA210)
Partnerships for Excellence (e.g., Centres of Vocational Excellence, Erasmus Mundus)
Partnerships for Innovation (Alliances, Forward-looking projects)
Capacity Building (higher education, VET, youth, sport)
Not-for-profit European sport events

For most organisations entering KA2 for the first time, the most common projects are KA210 and KA220. Detailed descriptions of all KA2 actions are in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide.

The two most common options: KA210 and KA220

A) Small-scale Partnerships (KA210)

Minimum consortium: 2 organisations from 2 EU Member States or other Programme countries
Duration: 6–24 months
Budget (lump sum): €30,000 or €60,000 (choose one based on scope and expected results)
Where to apply: To the National Agency (NA) of the applicant’s countr
Load limit note: The same organisation (same OID) cannot be in more than 5 applications per deadline (for SE, VET, AE, and Youth)

B) Cooperation Partnerships (KA220)

Minimum consortium: 3 organisations from 3 different EU/Programme countries
Non-associated third countries (e.g., Western Balkans) may join as partners (not coordinators) if they bring clearly justified added value; the basic 3-from-3 requirement must still be met by EU/Programme countries
Duration: 12–36 months
Budget (lump sum menu): €120,000, €250,000, or €400,000 (choose one)
Deadlines/where to apply: Typically early March to the National Agency (exceptions: sport and ENGO projects go via EACEA / Funding & Tenders Portal)
Minimum legal age of the entity: Applicant must have been legally established at least 2 years by the deadline (for KA220)
Quality criteria and threshold: Scored by category (relevance, design/implementation, partnership, impact); need min. 70/100 and at least half the points in each category

Programme “associated countries” vs. “non-associated third countries”: Lists and regional groupings are in the Guide. For example, the Western Balkans (Albania, BiH, Kosovo*, Montenegro) are Region 1 as non-associated third countries.

Registrations and accounts you must have

EU Login — your basic European Commission account for access to all platforms (Funding & Tenders, Erasmus+ & ESC Platform)
OID (Organisation ID) — required for decentralised KA210/KA220 calls managed by National Agencies. Register via the Organisation Registration System (ORS) on the Erasmus+ & ESC Platform
PIC (Participant Identification Code) — needed for centralised actions (e.g., sport or ENGO calls run by EACEA), obtained via the EU Funding & Tenders portal. Then comes legal entity validation and appointing a LEAR (Legal Entity Appointed Representative)

Roles and responsibilities — applicant vs. partner

As the applicant/coordinator, you:

Lead writing and submit the application (in the NA web form or via Funding & Tenders for centralised calls)
Choose a single lump-sum amount and, with partners, design work packages (WPs), results, and indicators
Attach required annexes (e.g., Declaration on Honour signed by the legal representative; often partner mandates as annexes to the grant agreement)
If approved, negotiate and sign the Grant Agreement and manage reporting in the Beneficiary Module

As a partner, you:

Provide your OID (or PIC for centralised calls) and organisational profile
Sign a mandate to the coordinator and an internal partnership/consortium agreement (recommended in the KA2 Lump Sum Handbook)
Carry out agreed activities and deliver outputs/evidence according to the WPs and indicators

Associated partners can contribute to activities without project funding—their role is described in the application.

Budget and financial model (lump sum)

KA210: choose €30,000 or €60,000
KA220: choose €120,000, €250,000, or €400,000
The chosen lump sum covers all implementation costs (no real-cost reimbursement).

You must justify the chosen amount by describing activities, results, and indicators (economy, efficiency, effectiveness) and co-funding (the total value of activities should exceed the lump-sum grant).

There is no invoice-based financial reporting; instead you prove that WPs/activities were carried out (e.g., event agendas, attendance lists, minutes, outputs, media evidence). Final payment depends on achievement level and result quality; reductions are possible for partial/low-quality delivery.

Award criteria (what evaluators look for)

KA220: Relevance (25), Quality of design/implementation (30), Quality of partnership (20), Impact (25). Threshold: ≥70/100 and at least half the points in each category. Projects must target at least one horizontal and/or one sectoral priority.

KA210: Similar logic, but threshold is ≥60/100 with at least half the points in each category.

7) Steps — what you need to do to take part in KA2

A) Mandatory preparations

Create EU Login accounts for everyone working on the application
Register your organisation:
- OID (decentralised KA210/KA220 via ORS on the Erasmus+ & ESC Platform)
- PIC (centralised: sport/ENGO, etc., via Funding & Tenders + LEAR validation)
(If you’re an HEI in a Programme country) ensure you have a valid ECHE

B) Choosing the call and building the consortium

Decide whether you’re aiming for KA210 (smaller, entry-level) or KA220 (larger, more complex)
Assemble the minimum number and geographic spread of partners (2×2 for KA210; 3×3 for KA220)
If you include partners from non-associated third countries (e.g., Region 1 – Western Balkans), provide clear added value; such partners cannot coordinate in KA220

C) Project and budget design

Do a needs analysis; define objectives, WPs, results, and indicators; plan dissemination and sustainability. A common tip is to have max. 5 WPs (including project management)
Choose one lump sum (30k/60k for KA210 or 120k/250k/400k for KA220) and justify it via activities and outputs (co-funding is expected)

D) Application and annexes

Complete the e-form:
- Decentralised (NA): submit via the Erasmus+ & ESC Platform (Opportunities section)
- Centralised (EACEA): submit via Funding & Tenders (parts A/B/C + annexes)
Attach the Declaration on Honour (signed by the legal representative). In many cases partner mandate letters are also required (templates are available)
Follow the Guide’s deadlines (e.g., early March—with a possible second deadline in early October, at NA discretion). The annual call and all information are public

E) Implementation and reporting (if the project is approved)

Sign the Grant Agreement (coordinator with NA/EACEA; partners via mandates/consortium agreement)

Manage the project and reporting in the Beneficiary Module (no invoices; submit evidence of activities and results). Publish results on the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform

Common mistakes and quick tips

Not aligned with priorities (horizontal/sectoral) — without this, the project won’t pass the threshold
Too broad for the chosen lump sum — make sure your scope realistically fits the amount, with measurable indicators
Weak partner roles — clearly divide responsibilities (WPs, deliverables) and formalise them in a partnership agreement
Missing documents — the Declaration on Honour is mandatory in all applications; NA templates are often required for mandate letters

Mini-checklist (from a legal entity’s perspective)

EU Login for all key people
OID (NA actions) / PIC + LEAR (EACEA calls)
Chosen partnership type (KA210 or KA220) and minimum consortium confirmed
Priorities, objectives, WPs, indicators, and dissemination/sustainability plan defined
Lump sum selected and cost/result logic justified
Annexes prepared (Declaration on Honour, partner mandates)
Self-check against award criteria before submission (aim for ≥70/100 for KA220; ≥60/100 for KA210)
On-time submission via the correct platform (NA web form / Funding & Tenders)

Where and how legal entities from BiH can take part in KA2 (Erasmus+)

BiH status in Erasmus+
Bosnia and Herzegovina is a “non-associated third country”, part of Region 1 – Western Balkans (together with Albania, Kosovo*, and Montenegro). This means BiH legal entities can take part in selected KA2 actions, with specific rules about their role in the consortium.

What is/isn’t possible (short map)

KA210 Small-scale Partnerships (decentralised via National Agencies):
Only entities from EU Member States or associated Programme countries can participate; organisations from BiH cannot formally participate in KA210.

KA220 Cooperation Partnerships (decentralised):
BiH legal entities can participate as partners (not coordinators) if they bring essential added value. The minimum consortium must include at least three organisations from three different EU/associated countries; a BiH partner is added on top of that minimum. Applications go to the National Agency of the coordinator’s country.

Centralised KA2 calls where BiH organisations can participate (and often coordinate):

Capacity Building in the Field of Youth (CBY):
Open to NGOs, public bodies, and other youth-sector actors from EU/associated countries and Region 1 (Western Balkans). BiH organisations can coordinate (minimum: ≥1 EU/associated partner + ≥2 organisations from two different countries of the same region). Apply via EACEA (EU Funding & Tenders Portal).
Capacity Building in VET (CB VET):
BiH actors in VET/labour-market areas can participate as partners, but not as coordinators. Consortium: at least 4 applicants from at least 3 countries: ≥2 from EU/associated + ≥2 from the same third-country region (e.g., Region 1). Apply via EACEA.
Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE):
Open to HEIs; BiH universities/higher-education organisations can also coordinate. Typically: ≥2 EU/associated countries (each with ≥1 HEI) + one or more eligible-region countries with ≥2 HEIs; composition rules vary by strand.
Capacity Building in the Field of Sport (CB Sport):
Open to Region 1; coordinators must be non-profit organisations (can be from BiH). Consortium: ≥4 organisations from ≥3 countries (1–2 from EU/associated + ≥2 from Region 1 or 2). Apply via EACEA.

* “Kosovo*” designation is used without prejudice to status, in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

Brain Tank as your KA2 partner

Brain Tank has proven experience preparing project proposals for domestic applicants from BiH and for international partners from EU countries and beyond. We understand the rules and practices of different KA2 calls and offer flexible collaboration models tailored to your capacity and deadlines.

What we can do for you

Support with registrations and technical prerequisites (accounts and platform registrations)
Identify suitable calls and quickly check your idea’s eligibility
Advise and co-create the project idea (objectives, logic frame, activities, results, indicators)
Write the full proposal (narrative, work plan, dissemination/sustainability) or handle the entire process from idea to submission
Search and select partners, define roles, prepare required statements/mandates
Build and model the budget with a clear cost structure and compliance with call rules

For questions and to plan next steps, we’re at your disposal at info@braintank.ba