Grants8 | The most comprehensive grants search on the web

Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

This grant aims to strengthen and connect bioeconomy networks across Europe. Its core objective is to foster knowledge exchange, stimulate mutual learning, and accelerate the uptake of bioeconomy initiatives and solutions in alignment with the European Green Deal and the EU Bioeconomy Strategy. - Explicit identification of target recipient type and size: The grant targets a broad range of stakeholders including EU practitioners, researchers, investors, policy makers, education providers, businesses, citizens, and particularly young people, disadvantaged communities, women, and underrepresented stakeholders like NGOs. - MUST state if grant is 'SECTOR-SPECIFIC' or 'SECTOR-AGNOSTIC': SECTOR-SPECIFIC (Bioeconomy, Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment, Biotechnology) - Geographic scope and any location requirements: Europe-wide, including EU Member States and Associated Countries. International cooperation is encouraged. - Key filtering criteria for initial grant screening: Focus on bioeconomy, networking, knowledge exchange, capacity building, policy impact, and stakeholder engagement. - Grant frequency and program context: This is part of the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2023–2025, specifically a Coordination and Support Action (CSA). While part of a recurring program, this specific topic may be a one-time call.

Financial Structure

Funding is provided in the form of a lump sum contribution, authorized under the Horizon Europe Programme (2021-2027).
The grant amount for this specific topic is EUR 4,400,000.
Payments are not dependent on actual costs incurred; instead, they are made if the corresponding work packages have been properly implemented in accordance with the grant agreement.
The lump sum contribution is determined based on applicants' estimated direct and indirect project costs, broken down per work package and per beneficiary.
Indirect costs are calculated by applying a flat rate of 25% to direct cost categories that qualify under Horizon Europe rules.
Eligible costs for lump sum calculation may include: personnel costs (employees, natural persons under direct contract, seconded persons, SME owners), subcontracting costs, purchase costs (travel, equipment, other goods and services), and other specific cost categories (e.g., financial support to third parties, internally invoiced goods and services, research infrastructure access).
Ineligible costs are to be excluded from the lump sum calculation.
A percentage between 5% and 8% of the total lump sum is retained as a contribution to the Mutual Insurance Mechanism.
Financial checks, reviews, and audits will focus primarily on the technical implementation of the action and the fulfillment of conditions for releasing lump sum contributions per work package, rather than on detailed cost reporting.

Eligibility Requirements

Organization Types

Eligible organizations are described in Annex B of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes (not provided in the current text). Based on the nature of 'Coordination and Support Actions' (CSA) and the broad stakeholder engagement sought, eligible types typically include universities, research organizations, public bodies, private companies (including SMEs), and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Geographic Location

Organizations located in EU Member States and Associated Countries are eligible for funding.
Provisions may exist for participants from non-EU/non-Associated Countries to receive funding, as per information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Consortium Requirements

A consortium is implicitly required to achieve the scope of establishing and developing an 'EU-wide platform' and 'network' that brings together diverse stakeholders. The grant specifically mentions strengthening 'European bioeconomy networks' and 'fostering interconnectedness amongst stakeholders, across sectors, regions and disciplines'.

Financial and Operational Capacity

Applicants must demonstrate financial and operational capacity as described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Legal & Financial Structure

Grants will utilize a lump sum contribution model, meaning payments are linked to the completion of predefined work packages rather than detailed cost reporting.

Application Process

Application Deadlines

The submission deadline for this call is 2025-09-24 00:00:00+0000.

Submission Process

The application process follows a single-stage submission procedure.
Proposals must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal's Electronic Submission Service.
Applicants are required to use the specific application form template available in the Submission System.

Required Documentation and Materials

Proposal page limits and layout are detailed in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes, and specifically in Part B of the Application Form.
A detailed budget table (HE LS - Horizon Europe Lump Sum) is required for presenting the estimated eligible costs.
Applicants must declare that they have followed their own accounting practices for budget preparation.

Evaluation and Selection Process

Evaluation criteria, scoring, thresholds, and the overall submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex D and Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
An indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement preparation is also detailed in Annex F.

Support and Guidance

Extensive support is available through the 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, and CEN-CENELEC/ETSI Research Helpdesk.
A partner search functionality is available on the Funding & Tenders Portal to help find suitable collaborators.

Evaluation Criteria

Award Criteria

Award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Standard Horizon Europe evaluation typically assesses:
- Excellence: Quality of the proposed activities, soundness of the concept, methodology, interdisciplinary approach, and originality.
- Impact: Contribution to the expected outcomes, measures for dissemination and exploitation of results, and effectiveness of communication activities.
- Quality and efficiency of the implementation: Coherence and effectiveness of the work plan, appropriateness of resources, and the competence and complementarity of the consortium members.

Budget Evaluation

The proposed lump sum budget will be checked by experts with financial expertise against relevant benchmarks (e.g., market prices, statistical data, historical data).
Experts will assess if the proposed resources and the breakdown of lump sum shares are appropriate for achieving the planned activities and expected outputs.
Proposals must include a detailed cost estimation per work package and per beneficiary/affiliated entity, ensuring only eligible costs are included.

Cross-cutting Themes and Impact Expectations

Proposals are expected to demonstrate how they contribute to effective policy mixes and multi-level governance that enable a just sustainable transition, balancing economic, social, and environmental goals.
Contributions to enhanced digitalization and improved flows of existing and new knowledge, solutions, and skills are expected.
The integration of social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines is encouraged.
Expected impact includes increased buy-in from all relevant actors, including disadvantaged communities, people in vulnerable situations, women, and youth, to collaborate as bioeconomy changemakers.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory Compliance

Projects must adhere to general conditions outlined in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Compliance with EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 is mandatory.

Data Protection and Privacy

Data protection and privacy regulations, including the Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement, must be observed.

Ethical Standards

Ethical principles and research integrity guidelines are key compliance areas, subject to checks during and after project implementation.

Intellectual Property

Effective management of intellectual property (IP) stemming from the project is a crucial requirement and a focus area for monitoring.

Innovation and Technology Specifications

The grant encourages the development of innovative governance models and tools.
Proposals should unlock the potential of applied digital and data technologies.
Synergy with major European digital and data initiatives like Copernicus, Common European Data Spaces, and the Destination Earth programme, as well as the European Partnership on Agriculture of Data, is expected.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Digital Agenda are highlighted as cross-cutting priorities.

Unique Aspects and Strategic Alignment

This is a 'Coordination and Support Action' (CSA), emphasizing networking, knowledge transfer, dissemination, and capacity building rather than direct research and development.
Applicants are encouraged to collaborate with existing initiatives such as the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (Knowledge Centre on Bioeconomy), the Circular Biobased Europe Joint Undertaking, the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform, and BIOEAST.
Projects are expected to build upon results from previous EU R&I projects, specifically mentioning BioVoices and ShapingBio.
A strong emphasis is placed on the 'multi-actor approach' (MAA) and strengthening Agriculture Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) to facilitate knowledge and innovation flows among diverse actors.

Grant Details