Members of the M4EG are accessing learning and networking opportunities to build capabilities in the local authority and expand its ecosystem of partners. Selected members are also going “deeper” with seed-funds to test out new trajectories of growth and quality of life within the municipality.

Learning path

Local authorities benefit from learning capabilities and access to funding to address issues related to economic renewal – building forward better and greener and mainstreaming gender, inclusivity, and innovations in their city efforts and planning.

Learning opportunities are available through the Urban Learning Section. Also, check out the M4EG Library for selected resources.

Financial opportunities

Local authorities will benefit from designing and implementing an adaptive alternative to project management (called a portfolio) over a 2-year period to address a complex challenge at the local level. In total, at least 50 options will be implemented to boost cities’ urban makeover. So far, 10 secondary cities and towns have been selected and is designing or implementing their portfolios for transformative change. For more information, contact the relevant country office.


Visit the portfolio section
Innovation mentorship

The M4EG Facility supports 18 small scale Innovation Projects, that were selected in the end of 2021, for implementation in 2022-2023. Funding available for the small-scale intervention is EUR 60,000 per project.

The focus of the Annual Innovation Call for Proposals is “URBAN MAKE-OVER – Reimagining life in the city”. Eligibility is based on the Call for Interest for Portfolio Municipality. Urban make-over focuses on creating a responsive, resilient, and sustainable cities and communities with continuously increasing economic opportunities and vibrant social living.

What cities and towns are getting?
  • TRAINING: in human-centered design and exposure to complexity-informed approaches
  • GRANT: Selected cities will get funding available for the small-scale intervention is EUR 60,000 per project.
  • MENTORSHIP: delivered by Centre for Public Impact (CPI), a charity that works with government, civil society and public sector organizations across the globe to support cities in reframing their problems
  • LEARNING: Focus on learning through peer-learning and sense-making activities
Urban Imaginaries local authorities

Glance at the Innovation Mentorship – Urban Imaginaries Overview now


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The EU's CfP 2021 under the M4EG was announced in spring 2021, and selected applicants were announced at the end of 2021

"A total of 13 local authorities' projects were selected"

The call for proposals was divided into two geographic lots and one horizontal lot.

The specific objectives of Lot 1 and Lot 2:

Invest in local comparative advantages to stimulate business development; investments in strategic options for business development or to strengthen the resilience of local economic models.

Invest in hard (physical) and soft infrastructure to improve the business environment; exploring new business opportunities (i.e. platform economies) that can have a catalytic and systemic effect.

Attract external investment, increase local access to finance, and increase attractivenessof local authorities for innovative/diverse sources of finance.

The specific objectives of Lot 3:

Disseminate and communicate the results and lessons learnt from existing Local Economic Development Plans, as established under the first phase of M4EG.

Monitor, follow up on, and increase the sustainability of the existing projects.

For all lots, proposals had to address all three priorities of the call:

  • social inclusiveness;
  • greening of cities
  • prosperity and innovation.