Grants8 | The most comprehensive grants search on the web

Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

Grant's core objective: Improve the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) through advanced soil-vegetation-atmosphere modeling and data assimilation for atmospheric constituents, supporting environmental policy and public health.
Target recipient type and size: Research institutions, universities, SMEs, and larger enterprises, typically as part of consortia.
SECTOR-SPECIFIC
Geographic scope and location requirements: Organizations from EU Member States and Associated Countries. Project scope is global for modeling, Europe-focused for certain health aspects (pollen).
Key filtering criteria: Focus on CAMS evolution, atmospheric modeling, data assimilation, soil-vegetation-atmosphere interface, biogenic fluxes, environmental monitoring, and public health impacts.
Grant frequency and program context: Part of the single-stage HORIZON-CL4-2025-02 call for proposals under Horizon Europe, specifically Destination 5 'Open strategic autonomy in developing, deploying and using global space-based infrastructures, services, applications and data'.

Financial Structure

Funding amounts: Minimum and maximum funding for this topic is 3,000,000 EUR.
Currency: EUR
Co-financing requirements: The 'co-financing principle' is ensured by verifying that the total estimated costs of the action are greater than the estimated Union contributions.
Eligible vs ineligible costs:
- Eligible costs are based on typical Horizon Europe categories: Personnel, Subcontracting, Purchase (travel, equipment, goods, services), and Other (financial support to third parties, internally invoiced goods/services, research infrastructure access, etc.).
- Ineligible costs must be excluded.
Payment schedules: Payments are released based on the proper implementation of corresponding work packages. Lump sum contributions per work package are paid to the coordinator when conditions are met. Pre-financing follows standard Horizon Europe rules.
Financial guarantees: Between 5% and 8% of the total lump sum is retained as a contribution to the Mutual Insurance Mechanism.
Indirect cost policies: A 25% flat rate for indirect costs is included in the calculation of the lump sum contribution, applied to eligible direct costs.
Grant type: Lump sum contribution.

Eligibility Requirements

Organization Type and Structure

Eligible for 'all types of action' under Horizon Europe, including 'large multi-beneficiary projects'.
The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a consortium member.
Consortium is required.

Geographic and Regulatory Requirements

Eligible Countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. This typically includes EU Member States and countries associated with Horizon Europe.
Projects must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS data/services if using satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation, or timing data.

Technical Expertise and Infrastructure

Not explicitly defined, but implied by the project scope requiring expertise in advanced numerical modeling, data assimilation, atmospheric chemistry, soil-vegetation interactions, and remote sensing.

Exclusion Criteria

Not explicitly listed in the provided text beyond general Horizon Europe financial and operational capacity/exclusion criteria (Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes).

Application Process

Application Timeline

Application submission opened: 2025-05-22.
Application deadline: 2025-09-25.

Submission Process

Proposals must be submitted via the Electronic Submission Service on the Funding & Tenders Portal.
The submission process is single-stage.
Applicants must authenticate using an EU Login account or a third-party sign-in option.

Required Documentation

Application form specific to this call (available in the Submission System).
Standard application form (HE RIA, IA).
Detailed budget table (HE LS - Lump Sum).

Project Implementation & Reporting

Project costs are covered by a lump sum per work package.
Payments are contingent on the proper implementation and fulfillment of conditions for each work package.
Reporting focuses on technical implementation and meeting work package conditions; no obligation to report actual costs incurred.

Support Available

Online Manual, Horizon Europe Programme Guide, Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ.
Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network.
IT Helpdesk, European IPR Helpdesk, CEN-CENELEC/ETSI Research Helpdesk.
Partner Search tool available on the portal.

Evaluation Criteria

Core Evaluation Criteria

Excellence: Scientific and technological quality, soundness of methodology, interdisciplinary aspects, innovation potential.
Expected Impact: Contribution to expected outcomes, benefits for CAMS, environmental policy, public health, and strengthening EU space capabilities.
Quality and Efficiency of the Implementation: Coherence and effectiveness of the work plan, appropriateness of resources, competence of the consortium, risk management.

Financial Evaluation

Experts with financial knowledge will check the budget estimate against relevant benchmarks (market prices, statistical data, historical data).
Assessment of whether proposed resources and lump sum shares are sufficient to achieve activities and expected outputs.
Verification that applicants followed their own accounting practices for budget preparation.

Cross-Cutting Themes

Integration of the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) in research and innovation content should be addressed only if relevant to the research objectives.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory Compliance

Compliance with Horizon Europe rules and the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509.
Ethical standards and research integrity are subject to checks.

Intellectual Property

Conditions for making available, re-using, and exploiting results (including IPR) by relevant Copernicus entities must be addressed during project implementation.

Technical Requirements

Software developed should be open licensed.
Mandatory use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS data/services if the project uses satellite-based Earth observation, positioning, navigation, or related timing data.

Unique Aspects & Strategic Alignment

This grant utilizes a lump sum funding model, simplifying financial management by focusing on technical performance and output rather than detailed cost reporting.
Only one project will be funded for this specific topic.
Encouraged synergies with Destination Earth and coordination with CLMS (Copernicus Land Monitoring Service).
Proposals are encouraged to build on or collaborate with related EU funded projects (e.g., SYLVA, CERTAINTY, CleanCloud).

Grant Details