Grants8 | The most comprehensive grants search on the web

Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

Core objective: To continue and strengthen the network of National Cancer Mission Hubs (NCMHs) across EU Member States and Associated Countries, ensuring the integration of Cancer Mission activities and fostering stakeholder and citizen engagement at national, regional, and local levels.
Target recipient: Organizations involved in coordinating and supporting cancer control efforts, research, and public health initiatives at national or regional levels.
Size: Not specified, but generally for consortia of established entities.
MUST state if grant is 'SECTOR-SPECIFIC' or 'SECTOR-AGNOSTIC': SECTOR-SPECIFIC (Healthcare, Public Health, Research & Innovation, Policy Coordination related to Cancer).
Geographic scope: All EU Member States and Associated Countries.
Key filtering criteria: Focus on cancer, network coordination, pan-European scope, capacity building, citizen/stakeholder engagement, policy dialogue, and sustainability of national hubs.
Grant frequency: Part of the 2025 Work Programme for the Cancer Mission, implying potential recurring support for the duration of the mission.
Program context: Builds upon the achievements and needs identified in the first phase (ECHoS project) of establishing NCMHs and contributes to the overall EU Mission on Cancer.

Financial Structure

Funding type: Lump sum contribution as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme.
Total funding for this topic: 11,000,000 EUR.
Minimum grant amount per application: 11,000,000 EUR.
Maximum grant amount per application: 11,000,000 EUR.
Currency: EUR.
Funding rate: Not specified as a direct percentage of total project costs for the lump sum. However, the calculation of the lump sum contribution includes the Horizon Europe 25% flat rate for indirect costs.
Eligible costs: The lump sum is based on estimated direct and indirect costs that would typically be eligible for an actual costs grant. These include:
Personnel costs (employees, direct contractors, seconded persons, SME owners/natural persons).
Subcontracting costs.
Purchase costs (travel and subsistence, equipment, other goods, works, and services).
Other cost categories (financial support to third parties, internally invoiced goods and services, access to research infrastructure, procurement costs, staff mobility costs, additional ERC funding).
Ineligible costs: Costs that are normally ineligible under Horizon Europe rules are excluded from the lump sum calculation.
Matching fund/Co-financing: Compliance with the co-financing principle is ensured by checking that the total estimated costs of the action are greater than the estimated Union contributions. The reimbursement rates set out in Horizon Europe rules are reflected in the lump sum calculation.
Payment schedule: Payments are made upon the proper implementation of the corresponding work packages of the action, as specified in the grant agreement. Pre-financing follows standard Horizon Europe rules.
Financial reporting: Beneficiaries have no obligation to document actual costs incurred for the action for financial reporting purposes.
Audit requirements: Financial checks and ex-post audits are minimised. Controls will focus on the technical implementation of the action, particularly the fulfilment of work package conditions.
Financial guarantees: Between 5% and 8% of the total lump sum is retained as a contribution to the Mutual Insurance Mechanism.

Eligibility Requirements

Organization Type

Eligible entities are organizations capable of establishing, operating, or supporting the coordination of National Cancer Mission Hubs (NCMHs). This includes a broad range of legal entities typically involved in health, research, innovation, and policy sectors.
Consortium required: The nature of the grant (Coordination and Support Action for a network) explicitly requires applications to be submitted by a consortium.

Geographic Location

Applicants must be established in EU Member States or Associated Countries.

Financial and Operational Capacity

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

Track Record and Experience

Proposals should build on the achievements and identified needs of the previous phase of NCMHs under the ECHoS project (Establishing of Cancer Mission Hubs: Networks and Synergies).
Appropriate collaboration is required with the consortium implementing HORIZON-MISS-2024-CANCER-01-06 (for example, for joint dissemination activities related to the European Cancer Patient Digital Centre).

Submission Requirements

Proposals must adhere to the page limits and layout described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes, and Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

Application Process

Submission platform: Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal's Electronic Submission Service.
Submission type: This call uses a single-stage submission procedure.
Authentication: An EU Login account is required to access the submission system.

Deadlines

Planned opening date for submissions: 2025-05-06.
Application submission deadline: 2025-09-16.

Required Documentation and Materials

Application form: A specific application form for this call is available in the Submission System.
Part B of the Application Form: Contains details on proposal page limits and layout.
Detailed budget table (HE LS): Must be used by applicants to prepare their estimated lump sum budget, showing a breakdown per work package and per beneficiary.
Declaration: Beneficiaries must declare that they have followed their own accounting practices for budget preparation.

Evaluation & Selection Process

Proposals will be evaluated by external independent experts according to the standard Horizon Europe procedures.
An indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Selection is based on how well the proposal meets the award criteria of Excellence, Impact, and Quality and efficiency of implementation, as well as the soundness of the proposed lump sum budget.

Support & Guidance

Comprehensive guidance is available through the Online Manual, the Horizon Europe Programme Guide, and the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ.
Assistance is offered by the Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs) (including in many non-EU/Associated Countries), and the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) (especially for SMEs).
Technical support for the portal is provided by the IT Helpdesk.
Specific guidance on intellectual property is available from the European IPR Helpdesk.
Advice on standardisation in project proposals can be obtained from the CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk.
General principles for researchers are outlined in the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment.
A Partner Search functionality is available on the portal to help find consortium members.

Post-Award Requirements

Successful applicants will sign a Lump Sum Model Grant Agreement (Lump Sum MGA).
Payments are contingent upon the successful completion and proper implementation of the predefined work packages.
A yearly summary report of national Mission-related activities must be provided to contribute to the monitoring of Mission progress.

Evaluation Criteria

General Award Criteria (Horizon Europe Standard)

Excellence: Proposals will be scored on their scientific and technical quality, soundness of methodology, and the quality of the proposed work. A score threshold of 4 applies.
Impact: Proposals will be scored on their expected effects, including contribution to the Cancer Mission objectives, fostering equitable access, innovation, and broader societal benefits. A score threshold of 4 applies.
Quality and efficiency of the implementation: Proposals will be scored on the clarity, feasibility, and efficiency of the work plan, appropriateness of resources, and management structures. A score threshold of 4 applies.
The cumulative threshold for all three criteria is 12.

Budget Assessment

Experts with the necessary financial expertise will check the budget estimate. This assessment will be based on relevant benchmarks such as market prices, statistical data, or historical data from comparable actions.
The assessment will verify whether the proposed resources and the allocation of lump sum shares enable the achievement of the described activities and expected outputs.
Proposals must include a declaration from beneficiaries stating that they have followed their own accounting practices for the preparation of the estimated budget.

Specific Expectations from Scope

Contribution to all expected outcomes for the NCMH network (e.g., support for NCMHs, integration of Cancer Mission activities, engaged stakeholders, citizen involvement leading to recommendations, benefits for policymakers).
Demonstrated ability to enhance the capacity of NCMHs through knowledge exchange and training.
Effectiveness in coordinating joint NCMH activities and raising awareness of the Cancer Mission.
Development of a robust methodology on mission-driven implementation at national and regional levels.
Strategies for engaging relevant national, regional, or local actors, including civil society and business/legal advisors.
Plans for organizing regular citizen engagement activities (at least once per year) related to Mission objectives.
Clear strategies for NCMHs to reach long-term sustainability and attract private funding.
Effective plans for disseminating the results of the NCMHs Network's activities (e.g., yearly conference, policy reports).
Commitment to provide a yearly summary report of national Mission-related activities.
Arrangements for organizing regular exchanges of best practices between NCMHs and hubs of other EU Missions.
Clear plans for working closely with Horizon Europe National Contact Points, Cancer Mission Board members, and relevant international institutions (e.g., OECD initiatives).
Establishment of appropriate collaboration with the consortium implementing HORIZON-MISS-2024-CANCER-01-06 for joint activities.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory Compliance

Projects must comply with the general conditions outlined in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes, covering aspects such as admissibility, eligible countries, financial and operational capacity, and evaluation procedures.
Compliance with the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 is mandatory.
Adherence to rules for Legal Entity Validation and LEAR Appointment is required.

Ethical & Data Standards

Adherence to ethical standards and principles of research integrity is paramount, and these aspects will be a focus of project checks.
Given the involvement with health data and digital platforms (e.g., European Cancer Patient Digital Centre), strict compliance with data protection and privacy regulations is implicitly required.

Intellectual Property

The management of intellectual property is an important aspect that will be subject to checks during project implementation.

Cross-Cutting Themes and Alignment

Projects must address the transversal priorities of the Cancer Mission: equitable access, innovation, childhood cancer, personalised medicine, and citizen engagement.
Strong alignment with the European Green Deal is expected, particularly the Zero Pollution Action Plan (e.g., reducing health inequalities through zero pollution) and the Farm to Fork strategy (e.g., related to diet).
Projects should also align with the EU's industrial and digitalisation strategies, incorporating the use of AI, machine learning, and deep learning where relevant to improve cancer understanding, prevention, diagnosis, and patient management.
Gender equality is a focus for checks during the grant implementation.

Risk Management and Monitoring

The lump sum funding model shifts the focus of checks from financial audits to the technical implementation of the action and the fulfilment of work package conditions.
If conditions for payment of a work package are not met, the granting authority is entitled to recover any undue payments.

Unique Aspects and Strategic Opportunities

This grant is a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) specifically designed to support the ongoing operation and expansion of the National Cancer Mission Hubs (NCMHs) network, building on prior investments like the ECHoS project.
The lump sum funding model is a key feature, simplifying administrative burden for beneficiaries by linking payments to the completion of defined work packages rather than detailed cost reporting.
The project offers significant strategic opportunities for pan-European collaboration in cancer control, facilitating synergies with other EU initiatives (e.g., Europe's Beating Cancer Plan, Cities Mission, European Cancer Patient Digital Centre) and international institutions (e.g., OECD).
A key challenge and special consideration is the requirement to develop and implement long-term sustainability strategies for NCMHs, including attracting private funding beyond EU programmes.

Grant Details