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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

This grant, part of the Horizon Europe programme, aims to deepen our understanding of gender differences in parents' career paths and how these differences affect gender equality in the job market and family well-being. The core objective is to provide policymakers, social partners, and other stakeholders with better insights and effective policy options to reduce gender gaps and support families. This is a SECTOR-SPECIFIC grant primarily targeting research in social sciences and humanities, including areas like economics, sociology, and gender studies. The expected recipients are typically research organizations, such as universities and research centers, but can also include social partners (like trade unions), civil society organizations, and even SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) involved in relevant research or analysis. Geographically, the grant is open to EU Member States and Associated Countries (countries that have signed an agreement with the EU to participate in Horizon Europe). While the focus is on European contexts, international cooperation is encouraged where relevant. This specific call is part of the 2025 Work Programme for 'Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society', indicating it's a recurring program with specific calls issued periodically.

Financial Structure

This grant operates on a lump sum funding model, designed to simplify financial management and shift focus to project outputs rather than detailed cost reporting. Here are the key financial details:

Total Topic Budget: The overall budget allocated for this specific call is 10,200,000 EUR for the year 2025.
Grant Amount per Project: The grant expects to fund 3 projects, with each project receiving a fixed contribution of 3,400,000 EUR. This means the minimum and maximum funding for a single grant under this topic is 3,400,000 EUR.
Eligible Costs: While actual costs are not reported, the lump sum is calculated based on an estimation of eligible costs. These can include:
- Personnel costs: For employees, natural persons working under direct contract, seconded staff, SME owners, and natural person beneficiaries.
- Subcontracting costs.
- Purchase costs: Such as travel and subsistence, equipment (depreciation or full capitalised), and other goods, works, and services.
- Other cost categories: Including financial support to third parties (if applicable), internally invoiced goods and services, and access to research infrastructure.
Indirect Costs: A flat rate of 25% is applied to eligible direct costs to cover indirect costs as part of the lump sum calculation.
Payment Mechanism: Payments are tied to the successful completion of agreed-upon work packages, as defined in the grant agreement. If a work package's conditions are not met, the corresponding lump sum payment for that package will not be made.
Co-financing: The proposal's estimated total costs are expected to be greater than the Union's contribution if the EU funding only partially covers the project. This ensures adherence to co-financing principles.
Financial Guarantees: A percentage (between 5% and 8%) of the total lump sum is retained as a contribution to the Mutual Insurance Mechanism.
Audit Requirements: There will be no traditional financial ex-post audits focusing on actual costs. Instead, checks, reviews, and audits will concentrate on the technical implementation of the project and the fulfillment of conditions for releasing lump sum contributions.

Eligibility Requirements

To be considered for this grant, organizations must meet specific criteria, though some details are referenced in broader Horizon Europe documents not fully provided here. Here's what's known:

Eligible Organization Types: While not strictly limited, the grant is designed for entities capable of undertaking significant research. This typically includes universities, research centers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), social partners (like trade unions or business organizations), civil society organizations, VET providers (Vocational Education and Training), and SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises). Public bodies may also be eligible if they conduct research.
Geographic Location: Organizations must be established in EU Member States or Associated Countries. A full list of eligible countries is detailed in Annex B of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes, which is not included in the provided materials.
Financial and Operational Capacity: Applicants must demonstrate sufficient financial and operational capacity to carry out the proposed project. Specific requirements are outlined in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Legal and Financial Set-up: Grants will take the form of lump sum contributions, meaning funding is provided as fixed amounts based on the achievement of specific work packages, rather than reimbursement of actual costs. This implies a need for robust internal budgeting and project management capabilities.
Track Record: While not explicitly defined, experience in social sciences research, gender studies, or related fields relevant to the grant's scope is essential for competitive applications.

Application Process

The application process for this grant is a two-stage procedure, meaning you'll first submit a concise proposal, and if successful, be invited to submit a more detailed one.

Application Deadlines:
- First Stage: The initial application must be submitted by September 16, 2025, at 00:00:00 UTC+00.
- Second Stage: If invited, the full proposal for the second stage must be submitted by March 17, 2026, at 00:00:00 UTC+00. This is the latest overall deadline for the grant opportunity.
Submission Format and Platform: Applications must be submitted electronically through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal's Electronic Submission Service. You will need to sign in, likely using an EU Login account or a third-party sign-in service.
Required Documentation and Materials:
- Stage 1: For the first stage, the main document is Part B of the Application Form, which has a strict 10-page limit.
- Stage 2: For the second stage, a separate submission session with applicable templates will be provided. This will include the full 'Standard application form (HE RIA, IA)' and a 'Detailed budget table (HE LS)' (Lump Sum), which will provide a breakdown of estimated costs per work package and per beneficiary.
Evaluation Process: Proposals are evaluated by external independent experts. They assess the quality of the proposals based on: 'Excellence', 'Expected Impact', and 'Quality and Efficiency of the Implementation'. For lump sum grants, financial experts will also check the budget estimate based on benchmarks and assess if resources align with activities.
Supporting Materials: The grant materials refer to various guidance documents such as the 'HE Programme Guide', 'Model Grant Agreements (MGA)', and 'Call-specific instructions' available on the Funding & Tenders Portal. Applicants are encouraged to consult these resources.
Application Assistance Availability: Assistance is available through various channels, including the 'Online Manual', 'Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ', 'Research Enquiry Service', 'National Contact Points (NCPs)', 'Enterprise Europe Network (EEN)', 'IT Helpdesk', and 'European IPR Helpdesk'. A partner search tool is also available.
Project Implementation Timeline: Grant agreements will specify milestones and deliverables. Payments are linked to the successful implementation of work packages.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications for this grant will undergo a rigorous two-stage evaluation process, assessing their quality based on several key criteria: Excellence

Quality of Research: The scientific and technical quality of the proposed research, including the methodology, will be critically assessed. Proposals should utilize a mix of approaches, including:
- Exploring longitudinal data from administrative or survey sources on parental careers and/or children's well-being.
- Employing quantitative models to analyze individual and structural drivers of gender differences.
- Conducting qualitative research and case studies to gain in-depth insights into careers of mothers and fathers and their family implications.
Data and Infrastructure: Proposals should demonstrate how they will leverage data and services from European Research Infrastructures (e.g., CESSDA - Consortium of European Social Science Data Archives) and the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC). All data produced must be FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Re-usable).

Impact

Expected Outcomes: The project must contribute to specific outcomes:
- Policymakers and stakeholders gaining a better understanding of gender differences in parents' career trajectories and their consequences for labor market inequalities.
- Improved understanding of links between parental decisions, family well-being, and policy/institutional settings.
- Providing effective policy options to reduce gender gaps and support family well-being.
Social Impact Expectations: The research should have strong societal relevance, promoting inclusive growth, reducing vulnerabilities, and contributing to EU priorities like the European Pillar of Social Rights and the Union of Equality policies (e.g., Gender Equality Strategy, LGBTIQ Equality Strategy).
Cross-cutting Themes: A key aspect is the integration of an intersectionality perspective, meaning the research should consider how career trajectories are influenced by various individual and household characteristics such as household composition (e.g., single parents), socio-economic status, gender identity (e.g., LGBTIQ parents), migrant background, or racial/ethnic origin. Specific attention is encouraged for:
- The impact of early childhood education and care systems.
- The effect of child/parent friendly workplaces and organizational cultures.
- Quantifying the economic costs of child/motherhood penalties.
- The experiences of women from migrant backgrounds (e.g., those from Ukraine).
- The influence of heteronormative norms, discrimination, and support systems on LGBTIQ parents' careers.

Quality and Efficiency of Implementation

Work Plan and Resources: The clarity, coherence, and feasibility of the work plan, including the allocation of resources and the management of risks. The project budget will be scrutinized by financial experts to ensure it aligns with the proposed activities and expected outputs.
Team Composition: The expertise and qualifications of the project team, ensuring they have the necessary scientific and technical skills.
Dissemination and Exploitation: Plans for how the research results will be shared, applied, and used to maximize their policy and societal impact. This includes providing solid analytical evidence to inform policymaking at various levels.

Compliance & Special Requirements

This grant, like all Horizon Europe opportunities, comes with specific compliance and unique requirements:

Regulatory Compliance: Applicants must adhere to various EU regulations, including those outlined in the Work Programme General Annexes (e.g., Annex A, B, C, D, F, G). This includes compliance with legal and financial set-up of grants, financial capacity, and exclusion criteria.
Lump Sum Specifics: This grant uses a 'lump sum' funding model. This means that instead of reporting actual costs, funding is based on agreed-upon work packages and their successful completion. The focus of monitoring and audits will be on the technical implementation of the project and whether the defined conditions for each work package have been met, rather than detailed financial checks.
Data Protection and Privacy: Projects are expected to make their research data FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Re-usable). This implies strong adherence to data protection and privacy regulations, especially given the sensitive nature of the research involving personal data (e.g., family structures, gender identity, migrant status).
Ethical Standards: Given the focus on social sciences and human-centric research, adherence to high ethical standards and research integrity principles is paramount. This includes proper handling of sensitive data, informed consent, and ensuring participant well-being.
Intellectual Property (IP) Policies: The grant agreement will detail IP policies, particularly concerning the ownership, protection, and exploitation of research results.
Cross-cutting Themes: Beyond general compliance, the grant has strong expectations regarding gender equality and inclusion. Research must adopt an intersectionality perspective, acknowledging how various social and personal characteristics (e.g., gender identity, migrant background, socio-economic status) intersect and influence career trajectories and well-being. Plans for gender equality in the project team and research design are often implicitly or explicitly evaluated.
Risk Management: While not explicitly detailed, standard Horizon Europe projects require applicants to outline risk management strategies, especially for technical and ethical challenges.
Strategic Alignment: Proposals should align with the broader goals of the 'Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society' program and contribute to the expected impacts outlined in the Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025-2027, such as strengthening social and economic resilience and boosting inclusive growth.

Grant Details