ISO certification grants 2026–2027: funding, contribution relief and gender equality

Many SMEs discover a funding call when it has already closed. In Italy, grants for certifications do exist, but they are fragmented across Regions, Chambers of Commerce, Ministries, INAIL and INPS, and they often stay open for just a few weeks. Anyone looking for ISO certification grants in 2026 faces dozens of different calls, each with its own eligible standards, percentages, caps and rules on when the certification must be obtained.

This guide brings some order. You will find the calls open or expected as of 31 October 2026, the structural incentives linked to UNI/PdR 125 gender equality certification (contribution relief and points in public tenders), the recurring measures to watch for 2027 and, above all, a method for reading a call: eligible costs, de minimis, timing, reporting. We close with the most common mistakes, the ones that cost companies a grant they had already been awarded.

One necessary caveat: calls change constantly. For each measure we report only what the call states, and when a figure is not given we say so. For the up-to-date picture for your region and your standard, use Complaion's free Certification grants finder.

What incentives exist for ISO certifications and gender equality?

Incentives for certifications fall into four families: non-repayable grants, vouchers, contribution relief and rewards in tenders and rankings. Working out which family a measure belongs to is the first step in assessing it, because it changes everything: who pays, when the benefit arrives and what you have to prove.

Non-repayable grants and vouchers

Non-repayable grants and vouchers reimburse or cover part of the costs of consultancy, training and certification audits. They are issued mainly by Regions (often with EU ERDF or ESF+ funds) and Chambers of Commerce. They generally cover between 50% and 80% of eligible costs, with a cap ranging from a few thousand euros in Chamber of Commerce calls to much higher amounts in regional measures for industrial supply chains.

The practical difference between the two lies in cash flow. With a classic non-repayable grant, the company pays its suppliers, submits its expense report and receives the reimbursement. Some vouchers, on the other hand, pay for the service directly: this is the case with the Unioncamere call for UNI/PdR 192, where the company pays nothing upfront within the caps. The model varies from call to call, so always check it in the text.

Contribution relief and premium discounts

Contribution relief does not fund the certification process, but reduces a recurring cost once the certificate has been obtained. The best-known case is the contribution relief for companies with gender equality certification, managed by INPS (the Italian social security institute): up to 1% of employer social security contributions, capped at €50,000 a year. The same family includes the reduction of the average INAIL premium rate (form OT23), which rewards companies with an occupational health and safety management system such as ISO 45001.

Rewards in tenders and rankings

Rewards give a competitive advantage rather than a reimbursement. In public tenders, the Italian Public Contracts Code (Legislative Decree 36/2023) provides extra points for companies holding gender equality certification and reduced guarantees for those with management system certifications. Many regional and Chamber of Commerce calls, including ones on topics other than certification (digitalisation, sustainability), award points or bonuses to companies that already hold UNI/PdR 125 or an environmental certification. A certification can therefore "pay off" several times over, even through measures that do not fund it directly.

Which certification calls are open or expected between late 2026 and 2027?

As of 31 October 2026 there are a few open windows, almost all from Chambers of Commerce or Regions, plus two relevant national measures. The table summarises what the calls state; where a figure is missing, it is because the call does not give it or we have not been able to confirm it.

Two measures deserve a separate mention. The MIMIT Cloud and Cybersecurity Voucher (from the Italian Ministry of Enterprises, for SMEs and self-employed workers; applications from 12:00 on 10 November 2026 to 12:00 on 20 January 2027, contribution up to 50% of eligible costs within €20,000) does not fund your certification: it is a voucher to be spent with suppliers listed on a ministerial register, available on the Invitalia platform. Registration for the supplier list closed on 27 May 2026, so it is no longer possible to apply as a supplier for this edition. For your own ISO 27001 certification, this measure provides no funding.

The INAIL ISI call, by contrast, is the national measure with the highest contribution for ISO 45001. In the ISI 2025 edition, strand 1.2, dedicated to organisational and social responsibility models, covered 80% of eligible costs, within the general cap of €130,000 per project. It is a closed edition: applications have already been submitted and INAIL plans to publish the final chronological lists on 26 January 2027. As of 31 October 2026 no new edition has been published: a classic case where it pays to arrive with your project already defined.

Recurring measures to prepare for in 2027

Many calls that closed in 2026 run every year: read them as closed editions that show what to expect in 2027. If you want to take part next year, you need to prepare now, because the windows are short. The Emilia-Romagna certifications call (ERDF Regional Programme) offered a 50% grant in 2026, increased by 15 percentage points where the bonuses applied, up to €30,000; the window ran from 16 April to 15 May, but the call closed on 21 April, after five days, when it reached the limit of 400 applications. Friuli Venezia Giulia funds 75% (10 points more for micro-enterprises) up to €3,500 for one certification and €7,000 for an integrated certification, and also accepts renewals and updates up to €3,000; in 2026 applications were collected from 25 May to 25 June.

In Sardinia, the 2026 call for craft businesses (applications from 20 July to 21 September 2026) covered 80% or 85% of costs up to €40,000, including consultancy, audits and renewals, with €2,000 more for companies holding UNI/PdR 125. Several Chambers of Commerce publish annual calls, already closed for 2026: Toscana Nord-Ovest (management systems, 50% with caps from €2,500 to €5,000, applications until 31 May), Umbria (UNI/PdR 125, 50% up to €2,000, applications in June and July), Emilia (ESG certifications such as ISO 14001, ISO 50001 and UNI/PdR 125, 50% up to €14,000, applications in September). Piedmont suspended applications for its SME certification voucher on 15 October 2025, after exceeding 120% of the budget.

The Chambers of Commerce Twin Transition voucher

The Twin Transition voucher is a national scheme that each participating Chamber of Commerce rolls out with its own dates and caps. In its 2026 version it also covers consultancy to implement management systems such as ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 42001 and ISO 50001, with bonuses for companies holding gender equality certification or a legality rating. The 2026 editions in Florence and Genoa have already closed; as of 31 October 2026 those open include Arezzo-Siena (until 15 December), Salerno (5 November), Frosinone-Latina and Maremma e Tirreno (10 November) and, while funds last, Milano Monza Brianza Lodi, Como-Lecco, Sondrio and Varese. It is one of the calls where timing matters most: your Chamber's call can open and close within a few weeks.

How much is the UNI/PdR 125 gender equality contribution relief worth?

The relief is worth up to 1% of employer social security contributions, capped at €50,000 a year. It is provided for by Article 5 of Law 162/2021 and is available to private employers that have obtained gender equality certification under UNI/PdR 125:2022. According to INPS, once authorised the relief applies from the first month of the certificate's validity and for its entire duration; if the certificate is withdrawn or revoked, it must be suspended.

How the INPS application works

The application is submitted to INPS using the online form "SGRAVIO PAR_GEN" in the Incentives Portal. The instructions for the latest round are in INPS Message no. 3804 of 16 December 2025: companies certified by 31 December 2025 could apply, with a deadline of 30 April 2026. Applications are processed in bulk after the deadline, within a limit of €50 million a year: if resources are insufficient, the relief is reduced proportionally for all applicants.

As of 31 October 2026, INPS has not yet opened the round for certifications obtained in 2026. The last three rounds were launched in December (messages no. 4614/2023, 4479/2024 and 3804/2025). The practical point is simple: if you obtain certification by 31 December, you fall into that year's round; if you obtain it later, you slip back a cycle. For details on the standard's requirements, KPIs and process, see our complete guide to gender equality certification.

The new work-life balance contribution relief (UNI/PdR 192)

In 2026 a twin measure arrived. UNI/PdR 192:2026 certifies management systems for work-life balance, and Article 6 of Decree-Law 62/2026 (converted by Law 112/2026) gives certified companies relief of up to 1% of employer contributions, capped at €50,000 a year, for 2026, 2027 and 2028. The operating rules are left to an implementing decree and, as of 31 October 2026, INPS has not yet published the instructions for applying. Alongside this there is the Unioncamere call mentioned above, which covers technical assistance and certification: two different tools, one to obtain the certification and the other to reduce contributions afterwards.

What advantages does certification bring in public procurement?

In public tenders, gender equality certification earns points, and management system certifications reduce the guarantee. These are structural advantages: they have no deadlines or click days, but they only count if the tender provides for them and if the certificate is valid when the bid is submitted.

Bonus points for gender equality

Article 108(7) of the Public Contracts Code requires contracting authorities to include in their calls, notices and invitations extra points for companies that adopt gender equality policies, proven by holding the related certification, in tenders awarded on the most economically advantageous tender criterion. The weight of those points is decided by each contracting authority. The rule ties the points to the company holding the certification: if you take part in tenders, therefore, the certification must be your own and already issued when you submit your bid.

Reduced guarantee and other rewards

Article 106(8) and Annex II.13 of the Code provide for a 30% reduction in the guarantee for companies holding ISO 9001 certification (not cumulative with the 50% reduction for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises) and a further cumulative reduction of up to 20% for the certifications and labels listed in the annex, including ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO 50001, UNI/PdR 125 and SA 8000. To obtain them, you must declare that you meet the requirements in your bid and document it. If you work with the public sector, ISO 9001 certification is often the first building block.

Beyond public procurement there are other rewards. In construction, an ISO 45001-certified management system adds credits to the site credit-based licence, as provided for by Ministerial Decree 132/2024. In several calls not dedicated to certifications, gender equality or an environmental certification also earns points in the ranking: one example is the Lazio SME Digitalisation Voucher 2026, which closed on 29 October 2026.

How do you read a certification funding call?

You read a call starting from the rules that exclude you, not from the amount. Percentage and cap grab your attention, but the decisive questions are different: can I apply, is my cost eligible, am I within the right timeframe, can I report on it? Here are the five points to check, in this order.

Beneficiaries and eligible standards

The first filter is who can apply. Almost all Chamber of Commerce and regional calls are reserved for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises with a registered office or local unit in the area. Some are limited to specific sectors (crafts, retail, industrial supply chains), others to certain types of certification: the Lombardy call on advanced industrial certifications, for example, funds only advanced industrial certifications, regulatory approvals and technical process and product qualifications. Also check whether the call accepts only first-time certifications or also renewals, extensions and moves to an integrated system. The difference matters: the Unioncamere call for UNI/PdR 192 covers only the first certification, while Friuli Venezia Giulia also funds renewals and updates. If you are not sure which standard you need, our guide on what ISO certifications are will help you find your way.

Eligible costs and de minimis

Eligible costs are listed in a dedicated article and should be read line by line. Typical items are consultancy for implementing the management system, specific training, the certification audit by the accredited body and, sometimes, software tools. There are often constraints on suppliers (for example, registration on lists or accreditation) and a minimum investment below which the application is not admissible, such as the €1,000 of the Arezzo-Siena call or the €70,000 of the Lombardy supply-chain measure. VAT, except in special cases, is not eligible.

Almost all of these grants are awarded under the de minimis regime (EU Regulation 2023/2831), which sets a ceiling on the aid a company can receive over three years, currently €300,000. Before applying, it is worth checking in the National State Aid Register how much you have already received, including from measures unrelated to certification: if the new grant exceeds the ceiling, it is reduced or refused.

Timing: when the certification must be obtained

This is the point that causes the most exclusions. Every call sets a precise relationship between the application date, the costs and the issue of the certificate, and the models are opposite. Some fund only costs incurred after the application: if you sign the consultancy contract beforehand, the cost is not eligible. Others, such as the Arezzo-Siena 2026 call, are submitted once the certificate has already been obtained during the year. The Unioncamere call for UNI/PdR 192 requires certification to be obtained by 30 June 2027, or all the benefits lapse. The allocation method matters too: with a first-come, first-served window, whoever is ready on day one wins; with a ranking, the score is what counts.

Reporting and payment

The grant only arrives after reporting. You normally need invoices made out to the company with a clear description of the service, traceable proof of payment (bank transfer, not cash), a copy of the certificate issued and, sometimes, a final report. Reporting deadlines are strict and often short. A well-organised document system from the start, with evidence and deadlines in one place, greatly reduces the risk of reaching the last day with a document missing.

What are the most common mistakes with certification funding calls?

The mistakes that cost a grant are almost always about timing and documentation, not merit. We see them repeat in similar ways across different calls.

Starting too late

The first mistake is starting the project when the call opens. First-come, first-served measures run out in days, sometimes in hours. Chamber of Commerce budgets are small: the Maremma and Tirreno Chamber call has €30,000 in total, Arezzo-Siena €22,000. Companies that have already chosen the standard, gathered the data and defined the work plan submit their application straight away; those still working out where to start arrive when the funds are gone. For recurring calls, the best strategy is to prepare the project in the months before the call reopens.

Costs outside the period or not traceable

The second mistake is incurring costs before the eligible period or paying them in a non-traceable way. A deposit paid before the application, if the call excludes it, makes that item ineligible. The same applies to invoices made out to a group company other than the beneficiary, or with a generic description that does not allow the cost to be linked to the certification project.

Confusing different instruments

The third mistake is overlapping measures that cannot be combined. Some calls prohibit combining them with other aid on the same costs, while others allow it up to 100% of the cost. The INPS gender equality relief and a Chamber of Commerce grant to obtain the certification concern different items, but combining them still needs to be checked case by case. A typical source of confusion is the Cloud and Cybersecurity Voucher, often read as funding for ISO 27001 when in fact it funds the purchase of services from listed suppliers.

Getting certified without being able to maintain it

The fourth mistake is treating the grant as the finish line. Relief and rewards apply only while the certificate is valid. If the system does not hold up at the first annual surveillance audit, you lose the benefits in the following years. For UNI/PdR 125, for example, the relief applies for the full duration of the certificate: a suspension interrupts it.

How do you choose which certification to target with a funding call?

The choice starts from the company's needs, not from the richest call. A 70% grant for a certification you do not need is still a cost, while a standard that opens up tenders, customers or supply chains pays off even without grants. At most, the call decides when to start.

Gender equality: the certification with the most combinable incentives

UNI/PdR 125 is currently the certification with the most public levers. It has national contribution relief, mandatory points in public tenders, rewards in many regional and Chamber of Commerce calls and, in several areas, dedicated grants to obtain it. It is especially relevant for companies that take part in public tenders, those that work with large clients requiring it across their supply chain, and companies with enough employees to make the relief significant. Details of the process are on the UNI/PdR 125 certification page.

ISO 9001, 27001, 45001 and other management system standards

For ISO management system standards, the map is more regional. ISO 45001 has the two largest national incentives (INAIL ISI and the INAIL premium reduction). ISO 27001 and ISO 42001 often fall within the Chambers of Commerce Twin Transition vouchers. ISO 9001 is accepted in many regional calls and gives the guarantee reduction in public tenders. For ISO 50001, incentives also come through energy schemes, which we cover in depth in our ISO 50001 certification guide.

If you have several goals, an integrated system (for example quality, environment and safety) is often accepted as a single project, with higher caps in some calls such as the Friuli Venezia Giulia one.

How do you find up-to-date funding calls for your company?

The most reliable way is to filter by region, province and standard, and to check the official source before you act. General-purpose portals mix closed and open calls, and often report percentages from previous editions. That is why we built the free Certification grants finder: you select your region and certification and see open, upcoming and recurring calls, with the stated body, deadline, percentage and cap, and a link to the source. The database is updated through regular checks, and each entry shows the date it was last checked.

The tool does not replace reading the call: it tells you where to look and what to expect, and the final check is then done on the official text from the issuing body. The application must be submitted by the company, following the procedure set out in the call (regional platform, InfoCamere's ReStart, certified email (PEC) or the INPS portal).

How to prepare for 2027 funding calls with Complaion

Funding calls reward those who arrive prepared: a defined project, documentation in order, and a certificate obtained within the timeframe the call requires. That is exactly what Complaion works on. Every company has a dedicated Lead Auditor who sets up the process and prepares it for the audit, and a platform where it can collect evidence and documents, keep track of deadlines and reach the audit without surprises, including in surveillance years. It is the method we use with more than 1,000 clients.

To find out which grants are active in your area, start with the free Certification grants finder. If you want to assess which standard makes sense for you and how to align the process with funding deadlines, talk to one of our experts or see our pricing page.

Frequently asked questions about ISO certification funding calls

Are there national grants for ISO 9001 certification?

There is currently no national grant dedicated solely to ISO 9001. Grants come mainly from Regions and Chambers of Commerce, which include it among the eligible standards in calls for management system certifications. At national level, ISO 9001 instead brings advantages in public procurement, such as the guarantee reduction provided for by the Public Contracts Code. It is therefore worth checking the calls from your region and your Chamber of Commerce.

How much is the gender equality contribution relief worth?

The relief is worth up to 1% of employer social security contributions, capped at €50,000 a year. It is provided for by Law 162/2021 and applies for the duration of the UNI/PdR 125 certificate, provided it remains valid. The application is submitted to INPS during the annual windows announced by the Institute, and the actual amount depends on the resources available and the number of applications.

Can I apply for a grant if I have already obtained the certification?

It depends on the call. Some calls, such as the Arezzo-Siena Chamber of Commerce one for 2026, are submitted precisely once the certification has been obtained during the year. Others fund only costs incurred after the application, and in that case a certificate already issued is not eligible. The rule is found in the article of the call dedicated to the eligibility period for costs.

Do grants also cover certification renewal?

Only some. The Friuli Venezia Giulia call and Sardinia's 2026 call for craft businesses also cover renewals and maintenance, while others, such as the Unioncamere call for UNI/PdR 192, accept only the first certification. If your company is already certified, look for calls that explicitly mention renewal, extension or integrated systems.

What is de minimis and why does it matter for certification calls?

De minimis is the EU regime that allows small amounts of aid to be granted to companies without notification to the Commission. EU Regulation 2023/2831 sets a ceiling of €300,000 in aid over three years per company. Almost all certification grants fall under this regime, so aid received for other purposes can reduce the room available. Before applying, it is worth checking your position in the National State Aid Register.

How long does it take to be ready for a funding call?

It depends on the standard and on the company's starting point, but the critical point is almost always preparation before the call opens. First-come, first-served calls close within a few days, so the project must be defined beforehand: standard, scope, suppliers, baseline data. You then need to meet the deadline for obtaining the certificate, which in some calls is set just a few months after the grant is awarded.

Is gender equality certification useful for public tenders?

Yes, if the company takes part in tenders awarded on the most economically advantageous tender basis. The Public Contracts Code requires contracting authorities to provide extra points for companies holding the certification, and each contracting authority decides how much weight to give it. The certification must already be issued and held in the name of the company taking part in the tender.

Does Complaion submit the grant application on the company's behalf?

No. The grant application is submitted by the company, following the procedure set out in the call. Complaion helps you find the relevant calls with the free Certification grants finder and supports you through the certification process with a dedicated Lead Auditor and a platform to manage documents, evidence and deadlines. This way you reach the application and reporting stage with a clear project and your documentation in order.