Advisory support and network for countering and preventing radicalisation, extremism, hate speech and polarisation

The EU funding opportunity titled HORIZON-CL2-2027-01-DEMOCRACY-01 focuses on providing advisory support and establishing a network to counter and prevent radicalisation, extremism, hate speech, and polarisation. This initiative falls under Horizon Europe's Culture, Creativity, and Inclusive Society program. It is structured as a Coordination and Support Action (HORIZON-CSA) and utilizes a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant model, which means beneficiaries will receive a fixed financial contribution regardless of incurred costs.

Eligible applicants encompass a wide spectrum including universities, research institutes, public authorities, law enforcement agencies, NGOs, civil society organizations, and other relevant stakeholders. Entities based in non-associated third countries may also exceptionally participate under specific circumstances, broadening the scope of eligibility.

The funding available for this action is between €3,000,000 and €3,500,000, with a total budget of €3,500,000 planned for the action. The primary intent is to establish a comprehensive advisory support network that engages various stakeholders to devise and implement effective strategies against radicalisation and hate speech in the European context.

The application process is a single-stage call with a planned opening date of May 13, 2027, and a submission deadline of September 23, 2027. Proposals are expected to include collaboration among multiple partners and should reflect a comprehensive understanding of the complex dynamics of radicalisation and polarisation.

Successful projects are aimed at enhancing the evidence base for decision-making by EU institutions and national policymakers, thereby facilitating the adoption of effective practices and policies. A key component is to involve civil society actively, ensuring efforts to combat these issues are well-informed and representative of broader societal concerns.

Overall, this funding opportunity aims to support the EU's goals of promoting democratic values, social cohesion, and resilience in the face of extremism and polarisation. The method of funding as a lump sum and the encouragement for cooperative partnerships underscore the initiative's commitment to collective action and stakeholder engagement.

This EU funding opportunity, HORIZON-CL2-2027-01-DEMOCRACY-01, aims to provide advisory support and a network for countering and preventing radicalisation, extremism, hate speech, and polarisation. It falls under the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) program, specifically the Culture, Creativity, and Inclusive Society call for 2027 (HORIZON-CL2-2027-01). The action type is a HORIZON Coordination and Support Action (HORIZON-CSA), utilizing a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] model grant agreement.

The call follows a single-stage deadline model, with a planned opening date of May 13, 2027, and a deadline of September 23, 2027, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes of projects funded under this topic include:

Improved understanding of theoretical models and pathways for implementing solutions to combat extremism, radicalisation, hate speech, and polarisation among political, societal, educational stakeholders, and researchers.

Increased engagement of public authorities, law enforcement agencies, local authorities, NGOs, and community actors in implementing and adapting solutions addressing radicalisation, extremism, hate speech, and polarisation in their respective contexts.

Enhanced evidence-base for decision-making by EU institutions, national policymakers, and judicial bodies through scientific, political, and legal assessments of research results in real-life contexts, enabling replication of methods, legislative changes, and innovation.

Improved understanding of the root causes of hate and polarisation, of methodologies to combat online hate ecosystems, and of the role of traditional media in shaping public opinion, including the correlation between media consumption and polarisation, to inform strategies for protecting victims and addressing hate crimes and speech.

The scope of the topic addresses the European Union's active efforts to combat racism, xenophobia, hate speech, hate crimes, and extremism. It acknowledges the crucial role of Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe in funding projects that develop research and collect evidence on countering and preventing radicalisation, polarisation, hate speech, and extremism. The projects should aim to understand the mechanisms behind the circulation of online hate speech, radicalisation, extremism, and polarisation, and develop strategies to counter these phenomena while promoting Union values.

Proposals are encouraged to identify other EU-funded projects related to preventing radicalisation, extremism, hate speech, and polarisation, and to explore potential collaboration opportunities. They should also integrate a gender-sensitive and intersectional approach. Research activities should meaningfully involve a wide range of stakeholders and societal actors, particularly civil society organisations, including non-academic and non-scientific actors, and link appropriately with the envisaged European Centre for Democratic Resilience.

The general conditions for this funding opportunity include:

Admissibility Conditions: The proposal page limit and layout are described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form.

Eligible Countries: As described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific provisions exist for non-EU/non-Associated Countries.

Other Eligible Conditions: Legal entities established in non-associated third countries may exceptionally participate and are eligible for Union funding.

Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: As described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Evaluation and award: The award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. The submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is also described in Annex F.

Legal and financial set-up of the grants: Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021.

Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

The application and evaluation forms, as well as the model grant agreement (MGA), are available in the Submission System. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027, the HE Programme Guide, the HE Framework Programme 2021/695, the HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, the Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions, rules for Legal Entity Validation, and the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual.

The budget overview for the topic HORIZON-CL2-2027-01-DEMOCRACY-01 indicates a budget of 3,500,000 EUR for the year 2027. The action is a HORIZON Coordination and Support Action (HORIZON-CSA), and it follows a single-stage submission process. The planned opening date is May 13, 2027, and the deadline is September 23, 2027. The contribution ranges from 3,000,000 to 3,500,000 EUR, and the indicative number of grants is 1.

There are partner search announcements available for collaboration on this topic. The submission system is planned to be opened on the date stated on the topic header.

This funding opportunity is designed to bolster the EU's efforts in combating radicalisation, extremism, hate speech, and polarisation by supporting research, coordination, and the development of practical solutions. It encourages collaboration between researchers, policymakers, law enforcement, and civil society organisations to create a more inclusive and resilient society. The funding is provided as a lump sum, and the application process is a single-stage submission. The call aims to improve the understanding of the root causes and mechanisms behind these phenomena and to promote Union values in the fight against hate and extremism.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the call's focus on research, innovation, and coordination, eligible applicants could include universities, research institutes, NGOs, public authorities, law enforcement agencies, local authorities, civil society organizations, and other relevant stakeholders and societal actors, including non-academic and non-scientific actors. The inclusion of "legal entities established in non-associated third countries" suggests that international organizations may also be eligible under certain conditions.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, for both Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) and Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Innovation Actions (IA).

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity appears to allow for both single applicants and consortia, although the nature of the activities, particularly Coordination and Support Actions and Research and Innovation Actions, suggests that collaborative projects involving multiple partners are encouraged. The partner search announcements further indicate that consortia are expected.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary geographic eligibility is for EU member states and associated countries, as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. However, the opportunity explicitly states that "legal entities established in non-associated third countries may exceptionally participate" under specific conditions, expanding the geographic scope.

Target Sector: The program targets the Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society sectors, with a specific focus on addressing radicalisation, extremism, hate speech, polarisation, and promoting democracy, human rights, and Union values. It also touches on areas related to political science, societal studies, education, law enforcement, and media.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions the European Union and non-EU/non-Associated Countries.

Project Stage: The opportunity targets projects at various stages, including research, development, coordination, support, and innovation. The Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) focus on developing new knowledge and solutions, while the Innovation Actions (IA) focus on testing, demonstrating, or scaling up existing solutions. The Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) focus on networking, coordination, and dissemination activities.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the type of action. For the HORIZON-CL2-2027-01-DEMOCRACY-01 call, the budget is EUR 3,500,000, with contributions ranging from EUR 3,000,000 to EUR 3,500,000. Other calls have budgets ranging from EUR 8,000,000 to EUR 20,000,000, with contributions typically ranging from EUR 3,000,000 to EUR 4,000,000, but some are EUR 2,500,000 to 3,000,000, EUR 3,000,000 to 3,300,000, EUR 3,000,000 to 3,750,000, EUR 4,000,000 to 4,800,000 and EUR 4,500,000 to 5,000,000.

Application Type: The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant.

Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight. For example, the HORIZON-CL2-2027-01-DEMOCRACY-01 call indicates that only one grant will be awarded, while other calls indicate that 2 to 5 grants will be awarded.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required. However, Horizon Europe grants typically fund a significant portion of the project costs, suggesting that co-funding may not be mandatory but could be beneficial.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, under the Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society pillar, focuses on advisory support and networking to counter and prevent radicalisation, extremism, hate speech, and polarisation. It aims to improve the understanding of these phenomena, engage stakeholders in implementing solutions, and provide an evidence base for policymakers. The call encompasses various actions, including Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) and Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), with funding provided as lump sum grants. The geographic scope is primarily EU member states and associated countries, with potential for participation from non-associated third countries under specific conditions. The call encourages collaboration among researchers, policymakers, civil society organisations, and other relevant actors to promote Union values and build a more inclusive and resilient society. The indicative budget and number of grants vary across different topics within the call, offering opportunities for projects of different scales and focuses.