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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

The core objective of this grant is to support regional and local authorities in EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries in developing comprehensive, tailored climate adaptation Action Plans. This specific call provides funding for organizations (consortia) to develop a common framework and deliver expertise and services to at least 70 such authorities, enabling them to formulate their own climate resilience strategies. - Explicit identification of target recipient type and size: Consortia of research institutes, universities, industry, NGOs, and public sector bodies that will then provide financial and technical support to at least 70 regional and local authorities. - MUST state if grant is 'SECTOR-SPECIFIC' or 'SECTOR-AGNOSTIC': SECTOR-SPECIFIC (Climate Adaptation, Public Administration Capacity Building, Environmental Resilience). - Geographic scope and any location requirements: EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries for both applicants and the regional/local authorities receiving cascaded funding. - Key filtering criteria for initial grant screening: Focus on climate change adaptation planning, mandatory financial support to third-party regional/local authorities (cascading grants), consortium-based application, emphasis on research and innovation to develop actionable strategies, and direct support to public entities. - Grant frequency and program context: This is part of the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change's 2025 call, which is a recurring call within the Horizon Europe framework, aiming to accelerate Europe's transformation into a climate-resilient continent by 2030.

Financial Structure

Total funding available for this specific topic: EUR 25,000,000.0.
This grant is expected to fund one single project.
Applicants must provide financial support to third parties in the form of grants.
The maximum amount that can be granted to each third-party regional or local authority is EUR 250,000.
At least 70% of the total EU requested contribution from the main grant must be dedicated to financial support for these third parties.
Eligible costs for third parties are specifically for developing their climate adaptation Action Plans, covering various costs such as extensive stakeholder engagement, cost analysis, prioritization, and monitoring activities.
Proposals must clearly describe their approach and mechanisms for providing this financial support to third parties, adhering to the FSTP (Financial Support to Third Parties) Annex provided with the application form and provisions in General Annex B.

Eligibility Requirements

Organization Type & Structure

Applicants must form a consortium.
The consortium should demonstrate the capacity to provide knowledge, expertise, and services for climate adaptation planning.
The project's process for developing Action Plans must be inclusive and participatory, engaging a wide range of stakeholders, including public authorities, private sector, universities, civil society, social partners, citizens, and vulnerable groups. This implies the applying consortium should represent or be capable of collaborating with these diverse entities.

Geographic Location

Applicants (members of the consortium) must be established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries.
The regional and local authorities who will receive cascaded financial support (third parties) must also be located in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries.

Project Scope & Capacity

Proposals must aim to facilitate the formulation of climate adaptation Action Plans for at least 70 regional and local authorities.
The project must include a mandatory component of providing financial support to these third-party regional and local authorities in the form of grants.
The first cascade call (for third-party funding) must be launched within the first 12 months of the main project's duration.
At least 70% of the total EU financial contribution requested by the main applicant must be allocated for this financial support to third parties.

Technical & Experiential Requirements

The consortium is required to define and adopt a common framework and blueprint for the modular Action Plans to be developed.
The consortium must clearly outline its strategy for selecting and engaging the regional and local authorities and their local partner organizations.
The proposal must detail how it will support the regional and local authorities throughout the entire process of developing their Action Plans.
The project must commit to integrating its work into the broader Mission activities, including active cooperation with the Mission Implementation Platform, Mission National Hubs, and the Climate-ADAPT platform.
Applicants must allocate adequate resources and budget for these engagement and collaboration obligations.

Exclusion Criteria for Third Parties

Regional and local authorities (or the territories they represent) are not eligible for the cascaded financial support if they have previously received financial support under the 'Pathways2Resilience' project or if their territories were already covered by it.

Application Process

Application Submission

Application deadline: 2025-09-24 00:00:00+00.
The application form (Part B) has a page limit of 70 pages.
Applications must be submitted through the Electronic Submission Service available on the Funding & Tenders Portal.
Required documentation includes the specific application form for this call and the FSTP (Financial Support to Third Parties) Annex, which details the plan for cascading grants.
The submission procedure is single-stage.

Project Implementation Timeline

The main project is expected to support the development of Action Plans by regional and local authorities.
Crucially, the first cascade call (for providing financial support to third parties) must be launched within the first 12 months of the main project's start date.
The project should ultimately enable at least 70 regional and local authorities to formulate their climate adaptation Action Plans.

Post-Award & Reporting Obligations

The successful beneficiary (grant recipient) is mandated to provide financial support to third parties as described in their proposal and the grant agreement.
Financial reporting and audit requirements will adhere to the general rules outlined in Annex C and Annex G of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
The project's monitoring and evaluation framework should be linked to the broader Mission's monitoring framework, which is developed by the project stemming from HORIZON-MISS-2024-CLIMA-01-03.
Ongoing collaboration and operational links are required with the Mission Implementation Platform, Mission National Hubs, and the Climate-ADAPT platform throughout the project's duration.

Evaluation Criteria

Overall Impact and Alignment

Contribution to accelerating climate adaptation efforts by regional and local authorities.
Ensuring that developed Action Plans lead to concrete implementation of actions for climate resilience.
Effectiveness of Action Plans in including a tailored analysis of cost addressing mechanisms.
Demonstrated ability to mobilize relevant government departments, citizens, academia, social partners, and the private sector to contribute to local climate adaptation efforts.

Project Design and Quality of Proposed Action Plans

Development of a robust common framework and blueprint for modular Action Plans that can be tailored to various contexts.
Action Plans must include a thorough analysis of different possible future scenarios and impact probabilities, proposing robust and cost-effective solutions.
Proposed Action Plans should contain concrete actions with identified responsible actors, incorporate innovation activities, and quantify expected effects where feasible.
Inclusion of a clear timeline for implementation with intermediate milestones in Action Plans.
Comprehensive estimation of costs and avoided losses for the region/local authority within the Action Plan.
Detailed analysis of how Action Plan costs will be addressed, including leveraging additional public and private funding sources.
Integration of a monitoring framework within Action Plans, aligned with the overall Mission Adaptation monitoring framework.
Commitment to incorporating innovative solutions previously developed and tested within the Mission Adaptation, fostering replication (specifically requiring collaboration with the project stemming from HORIZON-MISS-2024-CLIMA-01-01).
Encouragement for Action Plans to address the mitigation/adaptation nexus and co-benefits (e.g., pollution, biodiversity loss) where appropriate.
Prioritization of ex-ante evaluation of planned actions to prevent maladaptive practices.
Integration of social impacts and considerations from the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development within Action Plans.
The development process of Action Plans must be inclusive and participatory, involving all relevant stakeholders including vulnerable groups.

Implementation Quality and Collaboration

Clarity and adherence to the provisions for providing financial support to third parties, as detailed in the FSTP Annex and General Annex B.
Specific consideration within the FSTP scheme for geographical balance, inclusivity, and equity.
Evidence of learning from experiences of previous cascading funding projects (e.g., CLIMAAX, Pathways2Resilience) for effective implementation.
Demonstrated collaboration with Mission National Hubs to facilitate good practice sharing and national-level replicability.
Well-defined structure and organization for the selection of regional and local authorities and their local partner organizations.
Clear methodology for supporting regional and local authorities throughout their Action Plan development process.
Integration of the project's work into the Mission's activities to ensure effective knowledge and good practice sharing for broader replication.
Contribution to the Mission's monitoring efforts, including linking with the framework developed by the project stemming from HORIZON-MISS-2024-CLIMA-01-03, with appropriate resource allocation.
Establishment of operational links and collaboration with the Climate-ADAPT platform and other relevant EU programs or initiatives.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory & Ethical Compliance

All applicants and projects must comply with the general conditions outlined in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes, covering admissibility, eligible countries, financial and operational capacity, and exclusion criteria.
Compliance with the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 is mandatory.
Action Plans developed under this grant must integrate social impacts and consider the principles of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Ethical standards and requirements applicable to Research and Innovation Actions within Horizon Europe must be strictly adhered to.

Project-Specific Requirements

Mandatory Cascading Grants: A unique and crucial requirement is the mandatory provision of financial support to third parties (regional and local authorities) in the form of grants, with a maximum amount of EUR 250,000 per third party.
Significant Funding Allocation: At least 70% of the total EU contribution requested by the main applicant must be dedicated to these cascading grants.
Third-Party Exclusion: Regional and local authorities (or their territories) are explicitly ineligible for this cascaded funding if they have already benefited from or were covered by the 'Pathways2Resilience' project.
Extensive Collaboration: The project is required to establish strong operational links and actively collaborate with several key entities, including other specific Mission projects (HORIZON-MISS-2024-CLIMA-01-01 and HORIZON-MISS-2024-CLIMA-01-03), the Mission Implementation Platform, the Mission National Hubs, and the Climate-ADAPT platform.
Inclusive Development: The process for developing Action Plans must be inclusive and participatory, ensuring engagement from diverse stakeholders such as public authorities, private sector, universities, civil society, social partners, citizens, and particularly vulnerable groups.
Risk Assessment Basis: Action Plans should incorporate findings from the European Environment Agency's European Climate Risk Assessment Report.
Synergistic Approach: Proposals are encouraged to explore the nexus between climate mitigation and adaptation, seeking co-benefits where applicable (e.g., addressing pollution and biodiversity loss).

Intellectual Property

Intellectual property policies for the project will be governed by the standard Horizon Europe rules, as detailed in the relevant Model Grant Agreements.

Grant Details