The Programming Period 2014-2020 is coming to an end. The number of open calls is decreasing and last deadlines are just around the corner. The calls listed below are aimed at developing cross-sectoral cooperation and increasing citizen participation in the matter of sustainable development. Citizen involvement actions are currently a major challenge due to COVID-19 crisis, nevertheless more inclusive approaches to community building and policy dialogue with people must emerge. We have decided to bring to your attention these interesting and diverse open calls that tackle climate challenges and boost cooperation among different stakeholders.
COSME Grant agreement, Strand A: Clusters Go International with the submission deadline 02 December 2020 has as the main objective to intensify cluster and business network cooperation across European countries and also across sectoral boundaries, as well as to support the establishment of European Strategic Cluster Partnerships to lead international cluster cooperation in fields of strategic interest towards third countries beyond Europe. This call can include both profit-making and non-for-profit legal entities as well as fully or partly public or private bodies.
https://ec.europa.eu/easme/en/section/cosme/cos-clusint-2020-3-01-clusters-go-international
The Horizon 2020 Framework Programme has an open call with the deadline of 26 January 2021 17:00:00 Brussels time.
Towards Climate-Neutral and Socially Innovative Cities recently opened. The purpose of this topic is to develop a one-stop shop platform providing the necessary technical, regulatory, financial and socio-economic expertise as well as assistance to cities for developing and implementing their climate action plans, and related social innovation action plans. The project can involve research organizations, academia, industry including social entrepreneurs, the financial sector including impact financiers, investors, philanthropists, NGOs, national and local authorities and citizens.
Climate-resilient Innovation Packages for EU regions will address the Innovation Packages for transformational adaptation of European regions and communities (Innovation Actions) and Support the design, testing and upscaling of Innovation Packages (Coordination and Support Action). The budget for IA proposals is between EUR 10 to 15 million and for the CSA proposals in the range of EUR 3 million.
Enabling citizens to act on climate change, for sustainable development and environmental protection through education, citizen science, observation initiatives, and civic engagement call addresses the role of citizens and their direct involvement as essential to address climate change and other human actions harming the environment on land, air and sea. Changes can happen through education, awareness-raising, citizen science, observation and monitoring of their environmental impacts, civic engagement and social innovation. The call has two subtopics: Enabling citizens to act on climate change and for sustainable development through education and Enabling citizens to act on climate change and for sustainable development through better monitoring and observing of the environment and their environmental impacts.
Innovative land-based and offshore renewable energy technologies and their integration into the energy system call is in line with The European Green Deal. Development of land-based renewable energy technologies and their integration into the energy system (Research and Innovation action) will fund the proposals in between 3 to 6 million EUR while Demonstration of innovative technologies to enable future large scale deployment of offshore renewable energy (Innovation Action) has a bigger budget with 20 to 35 million EUR.
Demonstration of systemic solutions for the territorial deployment of the circular economyis a call for a cross-sectoral demonstration project for the territorial deployment of a circular and climate-neutral economy. It can gather public administrations and utilities; private sector services and industries, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), scientific and innovator communities; financial intermediaries; civil society, including citizens and non-governmental organizations and philanthropy. Boosting circularity is part of the policy response to address systemic crisis such as climate change, pollution, waste generation, and biodiversity loss and the budget for proposals is 10 to 20 million EUR.
Testing and demonstrating systemic innovations in support of the Farm-to-Fork Strategy aims to address the challenges and accelerate the transition to sustainable food systems, to ensure that the economic, social and environmental foundations of food and nutrition security are not compromised for current and future generations. Adopting a multi-actor and cross-sectoral approach engaging practitioners (primary producers, processors, retailers, food service providers, consumers), public and private institutions (governmental institutions, NGOs, industry) and citizens from farm to fork to co-create, test and demonstrate solutions from production to consumption, in practice, on a European scale but with attention for regional and sectoral needs and contexts (environmental, socioeconomic, geographical, cultural). A specific care to engage young professionals (e.g. young farmers, young fishers, young researchers, young entrepreneurs, etc.), SMEs, consumers and citizens will be looked at. Six subtopics have a budget of 6 million up to 12 million EUR each.
We look forward to the upcoming financial framework 2021-2027 and we hope for successful years to come.