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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

This grant, part of the Horizon Europe programme, aims to significantly enhance disaster risk awareness and preparedness among citizens and regional/local authorities across the EU and Associated Countries. It seeks proposals that will develop and implement innovative tools, solutions, or mechanisms. The core objective is to improve knowledge sharing and foster stronger cooperation between scientific communities, policy-makers, and local communities in the realm of disaster risk reduction. This grant is SECTOR-SPECIFIC, focusing entirely on civil security, disaster resilience, and crisis management. It targets consortia made up of various organizational types, including public authorities, citizen organizations, first responders, and research entities, with a mandatory geographic spread across at least three different EU Member States or Associated Countries.

Financial Structure

This grant operates on a lump sum contribution model, which simplifies financial management by paying based on the successful completion of work packages rather than detailed reports of actual incurred costs.

Funding Amount: Each awarded project is expected to receive a lump sum grant of EUR 4,000,000.00.
Total Budget: The overall budget allocated for this topic is EUR 12,000,000.00, expected to fund three projects.
Currency: All amounts are in Euros (EUR).
Eligible Costs (for Lump Sum Calculation): While you don't report actual costs, the lump sum amount you propose must be an approximation of your estimated underlying actual project costs. These estimated costs, which form the basis for the lump sum, must be costs that would typically be eligible in a traditional grant. Categories include:
- Personnel costs: For employees, direct contractors, seconded staff, SME owners, and natural person beneficiaries.
- Subcontracting costs.
- Purchase costs: For travel, subsistence, equipment, and other goods/services.
- Other cost categories: Such as financial support to third parties, internally invoiced goods/services, or access to research infrastructure.
- Indirect costs: Calculated as a 25% flat rate of eligible direct costs, as per Horizon Europe rules.
Financial Guarantees: A standard Horizon Europe rule applies, where between 5% and 8% of the total lump sum is retained as a contribution to the Mutual Insurance Mechanism. This is a common practice across Horizon Europe grants.

Eligibility Requirements

To be considered for this funding, your organization must be part of a mandatory consortium with specific types of partners:

Consortium Composition: Your project group must include, as beneficiaries:
- At least two Regional and/or Local Authorities. These are administrative bodies responsible for specific geographic areas like a county, region, town, or city. A national authority can also be considered eligible if a local or regional department is clearly involved and specified.
- At least two organizations representing citizens or regional and/or local communities. These are typically civil society organizations, not managed by state authorities, that serve the general interest through democratic processes. Examples include social partners (like trade unions or employer groups), non-governmental organizations (e.g., for health or environmental protection), and grassroots organizations (like youth or family groupings). Their area of focus must be relevant to the grant's topic.
- At least two First responders or disaster management authorities.
  - First responders are entities directly involved in field operations, such as paramedics, emergency medical technicians, police officers, or firefighters providing assistance at an emergency scene. Organizations primarily supporting or representing first/second responders (e.g., professional associations, training centers, foundations) are excluded.
  - Disaster management authorities are competent authorities designated by EU Member States or Associated Countries, responsible for managing all types of natural and human-induced disasters.
Geographic Diversity: The required consortium partners must come from at least three different EU Member States or Associated Countries. Eligible countries include the 27 EU Member States (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden) and 10 Associated Countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine).
Satellite Data Usage: If your project uses satellite-based Earth observation, positioning, navigation, or related timing data and services, you must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS data and services. Other data may be used in addition.
Specific Restrictions: Your project may be subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks, though details are not provided in this document.
Documentation: You must complete the 'Annex – Information about security practitioners' in the application form, using the template provided in the submission IT tool.

Application Process

Applying for this grant involves a single-stage submission process through the Funding & Tenders Portal.

Submission Deadline: The absolute deadline for submitting your proposal is 2025-11-12 00:00:00+00.
Application Procedure: You must use the Electronic Submission Service available on the Funding & Tenders Portal. This typically involves completing an application form (Part B) and specific annexes.
Required Documentation: Your application must include:
- The completed application form (Part B).
- A mandatory 'Annex – Information about security practitioners' filled out using the provided template within the submission IT tool.
- A detailed budget table, prepared using the relevant templates provided by the granting authority. This budget should be an estimate of your eligible costs, broken down by various categories (personnel, subcontracting, purchases, etc.), including a 25% flat rate for indirect costs.
- A declaration from all beneficiaries confirming they have followed their own accounting practices for preparing the estimated budget.
Evaluation Process: Proposals will be evaluated by external independent experts following standard Horizon Europe procedures. These experts will assess your proposal's excellence, expected impact, and the quality and efficiency of its implementation. They will also review your budget estimate to ensure it's reasonable and aligns with the proposed activities.
Application Support: Various resources are available to assist applicants, including 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 tools for partner search. These resources can provide guidance on procedures, rules, and technical aspects.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications for this grant will be thoroughly evaluated based on three main criteria:

Excellence: This assesses the quality and innovativeness of your proposed research and innovation. This includes how well your project defines and tackles new, upcoming, or unforeseen challenges, and whether it proposes creative or disruptive solutions, potentially involving Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Expected Impact: This criterion focuses on the anticipated outcomes and benefits of your project. Evaluators will look for how your project contributes to improved disaster preparedness, enhances risk awareness among citizens and authorities, and strengthens knowledge sharing and the uptake of research outputs. Crucially, your proposal must align with the EU Preparedness Union Strategy and follow recommendations from the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO). Proposals should consider the diversity of citizens (including age, gender, education level, and disability) to ensure inclusive communication processes. A strong emphasis is placed on the effective contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines, with the involvement of SSH experts and institutions to enhance the societal impact of your research.
Quality and Efficiency of the Implementation: This examines how well-planned and feasible your project is. You must clearly explain your plans for demonstration, testing, or validation of any developed tools and solutions. Additionally, you need to outline clear plans for future uptake and upscaling of your project's results at national and EU levels. Evaluators also expect coordination among successful projects funded under this topic to avoid duplication and maximize synergies. Furthermore, projects are expected to actively engage with relevant stakeholders throughout their duration, including citizen organizations, regional/local authorities, practitioners (like first responders), and private sector operators, to facilitate the future uptake of innovations by the Disaster Risk Reduction community.

Compliance & Special Requirements

This grant comes with several unique aspects and compliance requirements:

Lump Sum Funding Model: A key feature is the lump sum contribution model. This means that financial checks and audits will primarily focus on the technical implementation of your project and the successful completion of your defined work packages, rather than detailed reports of actual costs. This simplifies financial administration for beneficiaries.
Mandatory Consortium: A strict requirement is the formation of a consortium comprising specific types of organizations (Regional/Local Authorities, Citizen Organizations, First Responders, Disaster Management Authorities) from at least three different EU Member States or Associated Countries. This complex requirement is central to eligibility.
Regulatory Compliance: If your project involves satellite-based Earth observation, positioning, navigation, or timing data/services, you are mandated to use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS. Additionally, your project must comply with unspecified restrictions related to the protection of European communication networks.
Ethical and Legal Standards: Compliance extends to ethical standards, research integrity, effective management of intellectual property, and adherence to gender equality principles throughout the project's lifecycle.
Cross-Cutting Themes: The grant strongly emphasizes:
- Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH): SSH disciplines and expertise are explicitly required to contribute effectively to and be integrated within the project to maximize societal impact.
- Inclusivity: Proposals must demonstrate consideration for diverse citizen groups, including aspects of age, gender, educational levels, and disability, in their communication and engagement strategies.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI): The use of AI is explicitly welcomed for developing solutions.
- Societal Engagement: This is identified as a key cross-cutting priority, emphasizing public and community involvement.
Strategic Alignment: Projects must align with broader EU policy goals, specifically the EU Preparedness Union Strategy and recommendations from DG ECHO, indicating a strong policy-driven context for the funding.

Grant Details