Implemented by the European Urban Initiative and hosted on Portico, the EU gateway to urban learning, the Cities Helpdesk serves as a single entry point for cities seeking guidance on sustainable urban development. It's designed to make EU support tools easy to access and is particularly valuable for small and medium-sized cities that may face challenges navigating the wide range of European programmes and resources available.

Urban authorities can submit enquiries in any EU language and receive tailored guidance, whether they are exploring affordable housing solutions, seeking funding for climate adaptation projects, or looking to learn from the experiences of other cities.

One Helpdesk, Three Kinds of Help

The service provides:

• Knowledge support: access to curated resources, policy solutions, reports, tools, case studies, and examples from cities across Europe;
• Funding support: tailored, up-to-date information on EU funding opportunities, including guidance on where to find relevant information and sources of support;
• Matchmaking support: connections with peer cities, networks, partners, and urban practitioners to encourage collaboration and knowledge exchange.

The Helpdesk goes beyond traditional information services by offering personalised, human-led assistance that's easy to access—and even easier to use. Cities submit a question or request which is then reviewed by experienced advisers who match cities with the most relevant expertise, resources, and opportunities based on their specific needs and challenges.

The service is open to cities and municipalities of all sizes, metropolitan authorities, and organisations representing urban authorities across the EU. Public bodies affiliated with urban authorities as well as private companies delivering public services on their behalf, may also be eligible.

By connecting local authorities with the right information, funding opportunities, and networks, the Cities Helpdesk helps cities make better use of EU support and take practical steps toward addressing their urban challenges.