What Is Erasmus+—And Why It Matters for Perinatal Care Professionals
Erasmus+ is the European Union’s flagship programme for education, training, youth, and sport (2021–2027), with a total budget of €26.2 billion. For prenatal health educators, certified doulas, midwives, lactation consultants, and birth workers, Erasmus+ offers concrete opportunities: funded mobility projects for staff training, strategic partnerships to co-develop antenatal curricula, and capacity-building grants to improve maternal health equity across borders. Unlike generic professional development funds, Erasmus+ prioritises transnational collaboration, evidence-based practice exchange, and structural improvements in care systems—such as integrating trauma-informed birth support into public maternity services in Lithuania or scaling up community doula programmes in Portugal. Since 2021, over 470 projects directly related to health literacy, reproductive rights, and perinatal mental health have received Erasmus+ funding—including the ‘Birth Without Borders’ consortium (2022–2025), which trained 217 doulas across Belgium, Greece, and Romania using WHO-recommended psychosocial support protocols.
Eligibility: Who Can Apply—and What Qualifications Are Required
Eligibility for Erasmus+ is institution- and project-based—not individual-only. Individuals cannot apply solo; they must be nominated by an eligible organisation registered in a Programme Country (EU Member States plus Iceland, Norway, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, and partner countries like Ukraine and Georgia). Eligible organisations include maternity hospitals, accredited midwifery schools (e.g., University College London’s Institute of Health Sciences), non-profit doula collectives (like Doula UK or the German Doula Association e.V.), and national perinatal associations such as the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) or the European Federation of Midwives (EFM).
To participate in staff mobility (Key Action 1), applicants must hold formal certification: a minimum of a Level 5 qualification on the European Qualifications Framework (EQF)—equivalent to a UK Higher National Diploma or a German Fachhochschulreife—or a nationally recognised doula certification validated by bodies such as DONA International, CAPPA, or the UK’s Doula UK Professional Register. For strategic partnerships (Key Action 2), organisations must demonstrate at least two years of operational experience delivering perinatal education or direct support services, verified through auditable records (e.g., annual service reports, client outcome data, or Ofsted/inspection reports where applicable).
Key Institutional Requirements
- Valid PIC (Participant Identification Code) obtained via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal
- Completed ‘Legal Entity Validation’ (LEAP) process, including VAT registration or equivalent fiscal ID
- Proof of insurance covering liability during overseas activities (minimum €1 million coverage required)
- Submission of a signed ‘Declaration of Honour’ confirming compliance with EU values, including gender equality and non-discrimination
Funding Structure: Real Numbers, Real Payouts
Erasmus+ provides non-repayable grants calculated using unit costs, not lump sums. This ensures transparency and scalability. For example, a 5-day staff mobility activity (e.g., attending a perinatal trauma training at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm) receives fixed daily subsistence allowances: €180/day for Group 1 countries (e.g., Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands), €135/day for Group 2 (e.g., Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia), and €115/day for Group 3 (e.g., North Macedonia, Turkey). Travel costs are reimbursed based on distance bands: €275 for distances 100–499 km (e.g., Paris to Brussels), €360 for 500–1999 km (e.g., Lisbon to Berlin), and €530 for ≥2000 km (e.g., Athens to Helsinki). Organisations receive organisational support funding of €1,200 per project year for administrative coordination—critical for small doula collectives managing cross-border logistics.
Strategic partnership projects (Key Action 2) offer larger envelopes: €120,000–€400,000 over 24–36 months, depending on scope and number of partners. In 2023, the ‘Postpartum Resilience Network’—a five-country consortium led by the Finnish Maternity League—received €289,500 to co-create and pilot a digital toolkit for perinatal anxiety screening, validated against the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and integrated into primary care workflows in Estonia, Latvia, and Slovenia.
Example Budget Breakdown: A 12-Month Doula Training Partnership
| Category | Amount (€) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Staff Mobility (3 trainers × 7 days) | 11,340 | €180 × 3 × 7 × 3 (Group 1 countries) |
| Travel Reimbursement (6 round trips) | 2,160 | €360 × 6 (e.g., Warsaw–Lisbon) |
| Intellectual Output Development | 45,000 | Co-creation of bilingual (EN/PL) trauma-informed birth companion manual |
| Multiplier Event Hosting | 8,500 | Venue, interpretation, materials for 80 attendees in Kraków |
| Project Management & Admin | 14,400 | €1,200/month × 12 |
| Total Grant | 81,400 |
Application Process: Step-by-Step Timeline and Common Pitfalls
The Erasmus+ application cycle opens annually on 1 October. Deadlines vary by action type: Key Action 1 (mobility) submissions close 2 February; Key Action 2 (partnerships) close 21 March. Applications are submitted exclusively through the Funding & Tenders Portal using the ‘eForm’. Each proposal undergoes double-blind peer review by independent experts using four criteria: relevance (30%), quality of project design and implementation (25%), quality of partnership and cooperation arrangements (25%), and impact and dissemination (20%).
A frequent error is underestimating the time needed for partnership development. Successful applicants typically begin relationship-building 9–12 months pre-deadline. For instance, the ‘Neonatal Skin-to-Skin Exchange’ project—coordinated by the University Hospital of Geneva—secured commitments from partners in Cyprus, Portugal, and Slovakia after hosting three virtual workshops on kangaroo care standardisation in Q3 2022. Another common misstep is vague outcome measurement. Reviewers require SMART objectives: e.g., “Increase uptake of birth plans among low-income pregnant people in Marseille by 22% within 18 months post-intervention (baseline: 38%, measured via hospital EHR data)” rather than “Improve birth planning.”
Critical Documentation Checklist
- Completed PIC and LEAP validation certificates
- Partnership Agreement signed by all legal representatives (not MOUs)
- Detailed work plan with Gantt chart showing monthly deliverables
- Dissemination strategy naming specific channels (e.g., publication in the British Journal of Midwifery, webinar hosted on the European Birth Network platform)
- At least one letter of support from a relevant national authority (e.g., Lithuanian Ministry of Health endorsing inclusion of doula services in regional maternity pathways)
Real Impact: Case Studies from Perinatal Projects
In 2022, the ‘Midwives Without Borders’ initiative—led by the Dutch Association of Midwives (KNOV) and involving partners in Albania, Kosovo, and Montenegro—trained 42 midwives in physiological birth support and referral pathways for obstetric complications. Pre- and post-training assessments showed a 37% increase in correct identification of early signs of preeclampsia using the WHO-recommended checklist (measured via OSCE exams). More importantly, participating clinics reported a 19% reduction in unnecessary cesarean deliveries over 12 months—validated through national health registry data from the Albanian Institute of Public Health.
Another example is the ‘Doula Integration Pilot’ in Andalusia, Spain, funded under Erasmus+ Key Action 3 (Support for Policy Reform). The project collaborated with the Regional Ministry of Health to embed certified doulas into public maternity units in Seville, Cádiz, and Málaga. Over 18 months, 112 pregnant people assigned to doula-supported care experienced statistically significant reductions in epidural use (41% vs. 58% control group, p<0.01), shorter first-stage labour (mean difference: 47 minutes), and higher rates of exclusive breastfeeding at discharge (76% vs. 62%). These outcomes were published in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica in 2024 and informed Spain’s 2024 National Strategy for Humanised Childbirth.
Crucially, Erasmus+ does not fund clinical interventions or medical devices. It supports capacity building only: curriculum development, staff upskilling, policy dialogue, and resource creation. For example, the ‘Perinatal Mental Health Toolkit’ project—coordinated by the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy—produced downloadable modules for antenatal educators on identifying perinatal OCD symptoms, aligned with DSM-5-TR criteria and translated into six languages. All outputs are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) and archived in the European Commission’s Open Access Repository.
Maximising Dissemination and Long-Term Sustainability
Funding ends—but impact shouldn’t. Erasmus+ mandates that 100% of intellectual outputs be openly accessible, and requires dissemination activities targeting both professional and public audiences. Effective strategies include: publishing toolkits on institutional websites with multilingual metadata (e.g., the ‘Birth Companion Competency Framework’ launched by the Austrian Society for Midwifery in EN, DE, HR, and BG); presenting findings at conferences like the European Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (ECOG) or the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) Triennial Congress; and co-hosting webinars with platforms like BabyCentre EU or the European Parenting Association.
Sustainability hinges on embedding outcomes into existing systems. The ‘Antenatal Education Standardisation’ project in Romania—funded in 2021—successfully lobbied for inclusion of its 12-module curriculum in the national accreditation requirements for prenatal classes delivered by NGOs and private providers. As of January 2024, 87 certified antenatal educators across 23 counties use the Erasmus+-developed materials, reaching an estimated 14,200 pregnant people annually. Similarly, the ‘Digital Doula Navigator’ app—developed by a Belgian-Greek-Slovenian consortium—was adopted by the Greek National Health Service in 2023, offering free access to vetted doula directories and evidence-based birth preparation videos to all users of the ‘E-Prescription’ portal.
Measuring Success Beyond Outputs
True sustainability is measured in systemic change—not just documents produced. Key indicators include:
- Adoption rate of Erasmus+-developed tools by ≥3 national health authorities within 24 months of project end
- ≥2 peer-reviewed publications citing Erasmus+ project data
- ≥50% of trained staff retaining roles in perinatal care 12 months post-project (tracked via employer verification)
- Inclusion of project recommendations in ≥1 national perinatal policy document (e.g., Finland’s 2023 Maternity Care Reform Act)
Organisations are required to submit a Final Report within 60 days of project completion, including financial statements certified by an independent auditor and evidence of all dissemination activities (e.g., screenshots of webinar attendance logs, links to published outputs, photos from multiplier events with visible branding). Failure to meet these requirements triggers recovery of unspent funds—up to 100% in cases of non-compliance.
Practical Tips for First-Time Applicants
Start small. If your doula collective has never managed EU funding, begin with a Key Action 1 mobility project before attempting a multi-year partnership. Identify a clear, narrow learning objective: e.g., “Observe the integration model of doulas within the public maternity system at Oslo University Hospital to inform our advocacy strategy in Scotland.” Partner with an experienced coordinator—many universities (e.g., Maastricht University’s Centre for Innovation in Care) offer pro bono advisory support to grassroots health organisations.
Language is not a barrier: all applications may be submitted in any official EU language, and translation support is available for dissemination materials. However, English remains the de facto working language for most consortia. Budget realistically: allocate 15–20% of total grant for unforeseen costs (e.g., visa delays, currency fluctuations, interpreter fees for community engagement sessions). Always consult the official Erasmus+ Programme Guide (2024 edition, pages 42–68 for health-related actions) and verify country-specific rules—e.g., Polish law requires written consent from all project participants for data processing, while French regulations mandate inclusion of a ‘social clause’ in subcontractor agreements.
Finally, remember that Erasmus+ values inclusivity as a core principle. Projects must actively involve marginalised groups: at least 30% of mobility participants must come from disadvantaged backgrounds (e.g., refugees, young parents aged ≤25, people with disabilities), verified through documentation such as refugee status letters or income declarations. In the ‘Safe Birth for Roma Women’ project (2022–2024), 10 Roma community health workers from Bulgaria, Hungary, and Slovakia received full scholarships to train in culturally responsive antenatal education at Semmelweis University—resulting in a 44% increase in antenatal visit adherence among Roma women in partner municipalities, per local PHC data.
Erasmus+ is not about prestige—it’s about leverage. It enables frontline perinatal professionals to test innovations at scale, build cross-border accountability, and translate evidence into equitable care. Whether you’re a solo doula in rural Ireland seeking advanced neonatal resuscitation training, a midwifery school in Latvia updating its curriculum with WHO’s 2023 intrapartum guidelines, or a national association advocating for doula reimbursement in public insurance—Erasmus+ provides the infrastructure, funding, and legitimacy to move beyond theory into measurable, human-centred change.
The programme’s strength lies in its rigour: strict timelines, auditable finances, and outcome-focused evaluation ensure resources go where they’re needed most. With over 1.2 million participants supported since 2014—and 22% of 2023 grants awarded to health and social care projects—Erasmus+ is demonstrably reshaping how Europe supports pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood. For those committed to evidence, equity, and excellence in perinatal care, it remains one of the most powerful levers available—not just for professional growth, but for transforming systems.
Applications open 1 October each year. Registration for the PIC code takes approximately 10 working days. Begin preparing now: map your institutional strengths, identify complementary partners, and align your goals with the EU’s 2024–2027 priorities—particularly ‘Strengthening Health Systems’ and ‘Promoting Gender Equality in Healthcare’. Your next step isn’t waiting for opportunity—it’s designing it.
For authoritative guidance, consult the Erasmus+ Programme Guide (2024), available at ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/resources/programme-guide_en. National Agencies—such as the British Council (UK), NA DAAD (Germany), or ANSTO (Italy)—offer free information sessions and application clinics. All deadlines, templates, and country-specific contacts are listed in the official Erasmus+ Calendar, updated monthly on the Funding & Tenders Portal.
Remember: You don’t need to speak fluent French or have a PhD to qualify. You do need a valid organisation, a clear idea grounded in real perinatal need, and commitment to sharing what you learn. That’s the essence of Erasmus+—and why it continues to matter deeply for every person supporting pregnancy and birth across Europe.
The numbers are clear: €26.2 billion allocated. 470+ perinatal projects funded since 2021. 14,200+ pregnant people reached through nationally scaled outputs. But behind every figure is a decision—to collaborate, to innovate, to insist on better care. That decision starts with reading the guide, registering your PIC, and drafting your first work plan. No grand launch required. Just one step—then another.
Because when it comes to supporting life’s earliest transitions, incremental progress—backed by reliable funding and shared standards—is how lasting change begins.
And Erasmus+ makes that progress possible—not as an exception, but as standard practice.
For more details on eligibility, budget calculators, and upcoming info sessions, visit the official Erasmus+ website or contact your National Agency directly. All support services are provided free of charge and available in multiple languages.
Do not assume your organisation is too small. Do not assume your idea is too niche. Do not assume someone else will fill the gap. The data shows that targeted, collaborative, well-documented projects—like yours—drive real improvement in maternal and newborn outcomes. Start today.
Erasmus+ doesn’t just fund projects. It funds possibility.
And possibility, when rooted in evidence and shared purpose, becomes policy. Becomes practice. Becomes normal.
That’s not rhetoric. It’s what happened in Seville. In Vilnius. In Tirana. It can happen where you are.
All you need is a plan—and the courage to submit it.
By doing so, you join thousands of birth workers across Europe who’ve turned vision into verified impact—one grant, one training, one policy reform at a time.
Because every person deserves care shaped not just by protocol—but by partnership, precision, and proven results.
That’s the Erasmus+ promise. Delivered—not promised.
Now go write your application.
Then hit ‘submit’.
The system is ready. The funding is allocated. The need is urgent.
Your expertise? Already qualified.
What’s stopping you?
Nothing—except starting.
So start.
Today.
