Grants8 | The most comprehensive grants search on the web

Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

This grant, part of the Horizon Europe programme, aims to boost the attractiveness of agriculture and strengthen the connection between the farming community and society. The core objective is to support generational renewal, promote fair jobs, and enhance social inclusion for farmers within the context of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the Green Deal. It is a SECTOR-SPECIFIC grant primarily targeting the agriculture, bioeconomy, and related social and cultural sectors. It seeks to improve the understanding of factors influencing farming's attractiveness and develop new strategies and solutions for policymakers, businesses, and the farming community itself. Geographically, while not explicitly defined by a list of countries in the provided documents, it is part of a European Union funding program (Horizon Europe) and studies are expected to cover 'diverse regions across Europe'. This implies eligibility is typically for EU Member States and Associated Countries. Key filtering criteria for potential applicants include a focus on research and innovation (it is a Research and Innovation Action - RIA), an emphasis on social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines, and a willingness to engage with cultural and creative industries to improve communication about agriculture. The grant is part of a recurring call under Horizon Europe's Cluster 6.

Financial Structure

Funding Model This grant utilizes a lump sum contribution funding model. This means that instead of reporting actual costs, funding is provided based on the successful completion of predefined work packages and their associated conditions. This model aims to simplify financial management and increase focus on scientific and technical performance. Budget and Grant Amounts

Total Topic Budget: 12,000,000.0 EUR (for the HORIZON-CL6-2025-03-GOVERNANCE-03 topic specifically).
Minimum Grant Amount per Project: 6,000,000.0 EUR
Maximum Grant Amount per Project: 6,000,000.0 EUR
Expected Number of Grants: 2

Funding Rate

Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) under Horizon Europe typically benefit from a 100% funding rate of eligible costs. The lump sum contribution is calculated based on estimated eligible direct and indirect costs, with a 25% flat rate for indirect costs applied to direct costs.

Eligible and Ineligible Costs Lump sum contributions are based on an approximation of beneficiaries' underlying actual costs, including: * Personnel costs: Employees, natural persons under direct contract, seconded persons, SME owners, natural person beneficiaries. * Subcontracting costs. * Purchase costs: Travel and subsistence, equipment (depreciation or full capitalised costs), other goods, works, and services. * Other cost categories: Financial support to third parties (if applicable), internally invoiced goods and services, transnational/virtual access to research infrastructure, PCP/PPI procurement costs, Euratom Cofund staff mobility, ERC additional funding. * Ineligible costs under standard Horizon Europe rules must be excluded from the lump sum calculation. Co-financing Requirements

While the funding rate for eligible costs can be 100%, the principle of co-financing applies. The total estimated costs of the action, as proposed by the applicants, must be greater than the estimated Union contributions to ensure beneficiaries also invest in the project.

Payment Schedule and Reporting

Payments are linked to the proper implementation of work packages. If a work package's conditions are met, the corresponding lump sum contribution is paid.
The lump sum model significantly reduces financial reporting obligations, focusing on technical implementation and output delivery. There is generally no requirement to report actual costs, and financial ex-post audits are minimized. Checks will focus on the technical completion of work packages.

Eligibility Requirements

General Eligibility This grant is primarily for organizations that can conduct Research and Innovation Actions (RIA). While specific organization types are not exclusively listed, Horizon Europe RIA calls typically welcome a broad range of entities, including:

Universities and other higher education institutions
Research Organizations (public or private)
Enterprises of all sizes, including SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises)
Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations
Public bodies

Specific Qualifications and Requirements

Collaborative and Interdisciplinary Work: Proposals must demonstrate effective contributions from Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines such as sociology, geography, demography, communication, behavioural science, anthropology, or education. This strongly implies a consortium approach.
Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs): Proposals should explicitly involve and mobilize CCIs to improve communication about agriculture to society.
Multi-Actor Approach (MAA): The program emphasizes strong interaction between and integration of different actors within the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS).
Geographic Focus: Projects should examine factors and explore perceptions 'across Europe'. While a definitive list is not provided, funding typically goes to entities established in EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries.
No specific organizational size or track record is explicitly defined, but the nature of RIA projects often benefits from organizations with proven research capacity and project management experience.

Exclusion Criteria General exclusion criteria for Horizon Europe are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes, which was not provided in detail. Applicants should consult the full Horizon Europe documentation for these non-negotiable formal criteria.

Application Process

Application Deadlines and Timeline

Planned Opening Date: 2025-05-06
Submission Deadline: 2025-09-24 00:00:00+0000
Submission Procedure: Single-stage submission.

Application Procedure and Materials

Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal. A dedicated submission system is available.
Required documentation includes the Application Form templates, specifically Part B, which details page limits and layout. Standard application forms (HE RIA, IA) are used.
Applicants are expected to provide a detailed breakdown of the lump sum contribution, showing the share per work package and per beneficiary, along with a description of activities and resources for each work package.

Evaluation and Selection Process

Proposals are evaluated by external independent experts based on the criteria of excellence, impact, and quality/efficiency of implementation.
Experts with financial expertise will check the budget estimates against benchmarks.
An indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement signing is described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes (not provided).

Support for Applicants A range of support resources are available: * Online Manual: Provides guidance on procedures from proposal submission to grant management. * Horizon Europe Programme Guide: Detailed guidance on the structure, budget, and political priorities. * Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ: Answers to frequently asked questions on submission, evaluation, and grant management. * Research Enquiry Service: For general questions about European research. * National Contact Points (NCPs): Provide guidance, practical information, and assistance in participating in Horizon Europe. * Enterprise Europe Network (EEN): Offers advice to businesses, particularly SMEs, including guidance on EU research funding. * IT Helpdesk: For technical issues with the Portal (e.g., login, submission). * European IPR Helpdesk: Assistance on intellectual property issues. * CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk: Advice on standardization in project proposals. * European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct: Principles for researchers, employers, and funders. * Partner Search: A tool to find partner organizations for proposals.

Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation of proposals for this grant follows the standard Horizon Europe criteria, which assess projects based on three main aspects:

Excellence: This criterion assesses the quality of the proposed research and innovation. It includes aspects such as the clarity and pertinence of the project's objectives, the soundness of the proposed methodology (including the interdisciplinary approach and integration of SSH), and the quality of the project's work plan and proposed resources. Experts will also check the budget estimate against benchmarks.
Impact: This evaluates the potential of the project to contribute to the expected outcomes and broader impacts defined in the grant topic. For this specific grant, key impact expectations include:
- Enhanced perception and communication of agriculture to boost its attractiveness, especially for new entrants and young farmers.
- Improved knowledge on socio-economic factors influencing farming's attractiveness, disseminated to policymakers and relevant actors.
- Widespread use of new strategies, solutions, and practices by farmers, businesses, and policymakers to enhance farming's attractiveness.
- Contribution to developing innovative governance models and tools for sustainability and resilience.
Quality and Efficiency of the Implementation: This criterion assesses the quality of the consortium, the allocation of tasks and resources, the management structure, and the appropriateness of the project's milestones and deliverables. For lump sum grants, experts will specifically evaluate whether the proposed resources and the breakdown of lump sum shares allow for achieving the activities and expected outputs.

Cross-Cutting Themes in Evaluation: Proposals are expected to integrate Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines effectively, and there is an emphasis on AI and Digital Agenda integration where relevant. While not explicitly detailed as scoring factors, alignment with gender equality and inclusivity principles would likely be positively viewed given the focus on social aspects within agriculture.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory and Legal Compliance Applicants must adhere to various EU regulations and conditions: * Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limits and layout as described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. * Eligible Countries: Defined in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Funding is typically restricted to EU Member States and Associated Countries. * Financial and Operational Capacity: Described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. * EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509: General financial rules governing the Union budget. * Lump Sum Specific Conditions: Defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021, emphasizing that payments depend on the proper implementation of work packages, not on actual costs incurred. Ethical and Quality Standards

Projects must comply with ethical standards and ensure research integrity. Checks will focus on these aspects.
Adherence to quality standards for proposed methodologies and deliverables is expected.

Intellectual Property (IP) Policies

The grant agreement will include provisions for the management of intellectual property generated by the project.

Risk Management and Security

While financial checks are reduced, control measures will focus on the technical implementation of the action and the fulfillment of conditions for lump sum payments.
The project involves topics related to agriculture and society, which may necessitate attention to data protection and privacy requirements, although not explicitly detailed in the provided grant summary.

Unique Aspects and Strategic Opportunities

Lump Sum Funding: This model simplifies administration and shifts focus from financial reporting to the delivery of scientific/technical outputs. It has shown positive feedback from SMEs and for small to mid-sized consortia.
Strong SSH Component: A significant requirement is the effective contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines, offering a unique opportunity for interdisciplinary collaboration.
Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs): Explicit involvement of CCIs is encouraged to improve communication and perception of agriculture, fostering innovative approaches.
Participatory Foresight Methods: The grant encourages the use of these methods, indicating a preference for forward-looking, collaborative planning.
Multi-Actor Approach (MAA): Expected to be mainstreamed across Cluster 6, promoting strong interaction and knowledge flow among various AKIS actors.
Cross-Cutting Priorities: The grant is aligned with broader EU priorities in AI, SSH, and the Digital Agenda.
Strategic Alignment: This grant aligns with the EU's broader goals outlined in the Political Guidelines 2024-2029, particularly strengthening competitiveness and sustainable prosperity, and addressing challenges in the agriculture sector.

Grant Details