Grants8 | The most comprehensive grants search on the web

Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

Core objective: Testing and validating tools, technologies, and data to enhance cross-border prevention, preparedness, and response capabilities for climate extreme and geological events, and chemical, biological, or radiological emergency threats. - Target recipient types: Primarily 'First responders' (paramedics, police, firefighters involved in field operations), 'Disaster management authorities' (national competent authorities for disaster management), and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). - SECTOR-SPECIFIC: Focuses on civil security, disaster resilience, AI, sensors, and communication technologies. - Geographic scope: EU Member States and Associated Countries. Exceptionally, legal entities from Latin America, African, and Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) are eligible for funding. - Key filtering criteria: Projects must involve a consortium of at least two first responders/disaster management authorities and two SMEs from at least three different EU Member States or Associated Countries. Proposals should focus on testing/validation in specific areas (AI/ML, miniaturized sensors, communication, CBRN alert systems) and demonstrate interoperability in real-case situations. - Grant frequency: Part of the recurring Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025.

Financial Structure

Funding type: Lump sum contribution.
Total budget for the topic: EUR 13,500,000.
Expected number of grants: 3.
Expected grant amount per project: EUR 4,500,000.
Currency: EUR.
Eligible costs covered by lump sum:
- Personnel costs (employees, natural persons under direct contract, seconded persons, SME owners, natural person beneficiaries).
- Subcontracting costs.
- Purchase costs (travel, subsistence, equipment, other goods, works, and services).
- Other cost categories (financial support to third parties, internally invoiced goods and services, transnational/virtual access to research infrastructure, PCP/PPI procurement costs).
Indirect costs: Calculated by applying a flat rate of 25% to the eligible direct cost categories.
Financial support to third parties (FSTP):
- Beneficiaries must provide financial support to third parties in the form of grants.
- Maximum amount per third party: EUR 100,000.
- Purpose of FSTP: To support expected outcomes, effective collaboration/coordination with relevant First Responders (covering different disciplines/sectors, including testing/validation), and/or to SMEs as additional solution providers.
- Allocation for FSTP: Between 5% and 20% of the total EU funding requested by the proposal may be allocated for this purpose.
Payment mechanism: Payments are based on the proper implementation of corresponding work packages, as detailed in the grant agreement. Payments do not depend on actual costs incurred.
Financial retention: Between 5% and 8% of the total lump sum is retained as a contribution to the Mutual Insurance Mechanism.
Financial reporting: Beneficiaries have no obligation to document costs incurred for the action to the granting authority, but must adhere to their national accounting practices.

Eligibility Requirements

Organizational Type and Consortium Requirements

Consortium required: Yes.
Minimum consortium composition: Projects must actively involve, as beneficiaries, a consortium of at least:
- Two First responders or disaster management authorities.
- Two Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
Geographic diversity: The consortium members must come from at least three different EU Member States or Associated Countries.
Definition of First responders: These are entities specifically tasked with direct engagement in field operations. Examples include paramedics, emergency medical technicians, police officers, and firefighters providing assistance at the scene of an emergency. Professional associations, training centers, and foundations supporting first/second responders are excluded.
Definition of Disaster management authority: This is typically a competent authority designated by EU Member States (or Associated Countries) in accordance with their national law, responsible for the management of all kinds of natural and human-induced disasters to protect people, environment, and property.

Geographic Eligibility

EU Member States and Associated Countries are eligible for funding.
Exceptionally eligible: Legal entities established in Latin America and Caribbean (LAC), African, and Central Asian countries (specifically Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) are eligible for Union funding due to the scope of this topic.

Technical Prerequisites

Satellite data usage: If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation, and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must utilize Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS. Other data and services may be used additionally.

Regulatory Compliance

Protection of European communication networks: Proposals are subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks.

Application Process

Application Deadline and Submission

Application deadline: 2025-11-12 00:00:00+0000.
Submission process: Single-stage submission.
Submission platform: Electronic Submission Service via the Funding & Tenders Portal.
Application form: Standard application form (HE RIA, IA) specific to this call, available in the Submission System.

Required Documentation and Materials

Annex 'Information about security practitioners': Applicants must fill in this annex within the application form with all requested information, using the template provided in the submission IT tool. This applies to all project beneficiaries who fulfill the additional eligibility conditions (First responders, disaster management authorities, SMEs).
Detailed budget table: Applicants must prepare their detailed budget using relevant templates published by the granting authority, broken down by budget category and sub-categories.
Declaration: Proposals must include a declaration from beneficiaries confirming they followed their own accounting practices for budget preparation.

Guidance and Support

General guidance: Applicants should refer to the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes (Annexes A, B, C, D, E, F, G), the Online Manual, the HE Programme Guide, and the Model Grant Agreements (Lump Sum MGA).
Specific guidance: Call-specific instructions, Detailed budget table (HE LS), Information on financial support to third parties (HE), and a specific guidance document titled 'Lump sums - what do I need to know?' are available.
Legal and financial guidance: Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, and the EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement.
Partner Search: A Partner Search tool is available on the Funding & Tenders Portal to help find consortium partners.

Project Implementation and Reporting

Project planning: Proposals must clearly describe the objectives and expected results, including methods and processes for compliance with financial support to third parties (FSTP) and demonstrating its effectiveness/impact.
Mid-term deliverable: A mid-term assessment performed by the practitioners involved in the project regarding the project's outcomes is required.
Reporting: Reporting schedule and frequency will be defined in the grant agreement, based on work package completion for lump sum payments.

Evaluation Criteria

Quality and Innovation of Project Proposal

Clarity of objectives: Proposals must clearly describe objectives and expected results, including elements listed in the application template.
Demonstration and Validation: Projects must convincingly explain how they will plan and/or carry out demonstration, testing, or validation of developed tools and solutions. This includes demonstrating interoperability in real-case situations.
Future Uptake: Outline clear plans for possible future uptake and upscaling at national and EU level once the project is finalized.
Building on Previous Work: Proposals should consider, build upon if appropriate, and avoid duplicating previous research, including research from other Framework Programmes.
Environmental and Operational Considerations: Solutions that contribute to a lower environmental impact and footprint, better cost-efficiency, better energy-efficiency, and/or better operational autonomy of capabilities and solutions are highly regarded.

Impact and Societal Relevance

Expected Outcomes: Proposals should contribute to enhanced European and global interoperability of existing tools and technologies, and improved capacities for preventing, preparing for, and responding to disasters.
Strategic Alignment: Outcomes should support the EU Preparedness Union Strategy.
Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) Integration: Effective contribution of SSH disciplines and involvement of SSH experts and institutions are required to enhance the societal impact.
Gender Dimension: Integration of the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) in research and innovation content should be addressed if relevant in relation to the objectives.

Quality and Efficiency of Implementation

Consortium Engagement: Projects are expected to engage with disaster management authorities, industry/SMEs, and Standardisation Organizations beyond the consortium to validate outcomes and facilitate future uptake.
Practitioner Feedback: A mid-term deliverable consisting of an assessment performed by the practitioners involved in the project regarding the project's mid-term outcomes is required.
Coordination: Coordination among successful proposals from this topic should be envisaged to avoid duplication and maximize impact.

Budget and Resources

Financial Assessment: Experts with financial expertise will check the budget estimate based on relevant benchmarks (e.g., market prices, statistical data, historical data) to assess if proposed resources and lump sum breakdown are sufficient for activities and expected outputs.
Balanced Portfolio: Grants will be awarded not only in order of ranking but also to ensure at least one highest-ranked project is selected within each of the specified options (Option a, Option b, Option c, Option d), provided all thresholds are met.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory Compliance

General conditions: Adherence to general Horizon Europe Work Programme conditions for admissibility, eligible countries, financial/operational capacity, and exclusion criteria.
Legal framework: The legal and financial setup of the grants is governed by the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme, and the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509.

Technical and Security Compliance

Satellite Data Use: If projects utilize satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation, or related timing data/services, they must integrate Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS.
European Communication Networks: Projects are subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks.

Ethical Standards and Societal Impact

Gender Dimension: The integration of the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) in research and innovation content should be addressed only if relevant to the objectives of the research effort.
Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH): This topic requires the effective contribution of SSH disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts/institutions to enhance the societal impact of research and innovation activities.

Risk Management and Auditing

Technical focus for audits: Checks, reviews, and audits will primarily focus on the technical implementation of the action, specifically the fulfillment of conditions for releasing lump sum contributions per work package.
No financial ex-post audits: As a direct consequence of using lump sums, there are normally no financial ex-post audits for cost reporting.
Recovery of undue payments: If controls reveal that payment conditions were not met (e.g., a work package was not completed), the granting authority can recover undue payments.

Environmental and Efficiency Expectations

Sustainable Solutions: Proposals are encouraged to include solutions/methods that contribute to a lower environmental impact and footprint, better cost-efficiency, better energy-efficiency, and/or better operational autonomy of capabilities.

Grant Details