Anticipating the long-term future of neighbourhoods in line with the New European Bauhaus

This summary provides an overview of a Horizon Europe grant opportunity titled "Anticipating the long-term future of neighbourhoods in line with the New European Bauhaus," specifically under the topic HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-BUSINESS-03. The call is aimed at developing and validating participatory foresight approaches to transform neighbourhood planning, making it more sustainable, inclusive, beautiful, and reflective of long-term community needs.

Eligible applicants include universities, research institutes, public authorities, design and architecture firms, NGOs, and cultural practitioners from EU Member States and Associated Countries. Proposals must be collaborative and involve testing approaches in at least three different Member States or Associated Countries, highlighting the need for transdisciplinary teamwork.

The funding mechanism is a Horizon Lump Sum Grant, with a total budget of €7,000,000 allocated for two expected grants of €3,500,000 each. The application process follows a single-stage model, with submissions opening on May 5, 2027, and closing on December 1, 2027. The initiative is competitive, likely with a success rate between 10-15%.

Projects are expected to analyze long-term socioeconomic, cultural, demographic, and climate-related trends while engaging diverse local stakeholders, particularly marginalized groups. Productions of future scenarios, concrete recommendations for local decision-makers, and contributions to the New European Bauhaus hub for results and impact are integral.

The focus on integrating social sciences and humanities research aims to enhance the societal impact of these projects. Through innovative methodologies, the initiative seeks to address the shortcomings of traditional short-term neighbourhood planning by fostering greater participation and engagement in long-term strategic planning, thus adapting to evolving local contexts amid challenges like climate change and demographic shifts.

Overall, the opportunity promotes a holistic and collaborative approach to neighbourhood revitalization, emphasizing beauty, sustainability, and inclusivity.

This is a Horizon Europe call, specifically HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-BUSINESS-03, focused on "Anticipating the long-term future of neighbourhoods in line with the New European Bauhaus." It falls under the broader call for "Innovative models for neighbourhoods that integrate beauty, inclusiveness and sustainability (HORIZON-NEB-2027-01)." The action type is HORIZON-RIA (Research and Innovation Actions), utilizing a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] Model Grant Agreement. The deadline model is single-stage. The planned opening date is 05 May 2027, and the deadline is 01 December 2027, 17:00:00 Brussels time. The total budget for the topic is 7,000,000 EUR, with an indicative grant amount of around 3,500,000 EUR, and an expected number of 2 grants.

The expected outcomes of the projects funded under this topic are: Local stakeholders adopting long-term stewardship and participating in anticipating and envisioning the long-term future of their existing neighbourhoods. Existing neighbourhoods becoming more resilient and adaptable to changing socioeconomic, cultural, demographic, and climatic conditions, challenges, and needs.

The scope of the call is as follows: The New European Bauhaus (NEB) is redefining how neighbourhoods are planned, designed, developed, and revitalized, fostering a new paradigm for sustainable, inclusive, and beautiful living environments. Current neighbourhood planning typically has a short to medium-term perspective (5-10 years), often influenced by insufficient coordination or changing political directions. Fundamental changes in socioeconomic, cultural, demographic, and/or climatic conditions can challenge the long-term resilience and adaptability of neighbourhoods. There is a need to include local stakeholders in anticipating and envisioning the long-term future of their existing neighbourhoods. Participatory foresight approaches can help address these challenges.

Proposals are expected to address the following: Develop and validate a participatory foresight approach to inform the long-term planning, (re)design, and development of existing neighbourhoods. The approach must cover: Analysis of socioeconomic, cultural, demographic, and climate conditions, long-term trends, and the drivers for those changes. Development of scenarios and visions for potential futures, including objectives, measurable targets, and packages of measures, incorporating intergenerational fairness perspectives. Use of co-creation approaches to foster the participation of diverse local stakeholders, including marginalized or underrepresented groups. Develop and validate the participatory foresight approach in at least three neighbourhoods in different Member States and/or Associated Countries. Provide recommendations to inform local authorities, decision-makers, and the public on applying the participatory foresight approach.

Proposals should follow a participatory and transdisciplinary approach, integrating different actors and disciplines. The effective contribution of social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines is required, involving SSH experts and institutions to enhance the societal impact of the research activities. International cooperation is encouraged. Synergies with successful proposals from related topics are encouraged to avoid duplication and increase impact. Proposals are expected to allocate at least 0.8% of their budget for engaging with the Horizon Europe-funded 'New European Bauhaus hub for results and impact' to share results and contribute to impact assessment.

The general conditions include: Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form. Eligible Countries described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries outlined in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. Other Eligible Conditions described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. Submission and evaluation processes described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes. 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, described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA): Application form templates are available in the Submission System, including a standard application form (HE RIA, IA). Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations, including a standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA). Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide. Model Grant Agreements (MGA) include the Lump Sum MGA. Call-specific instructions include a detailed budget table (HE LS) and guidance on lump sums.

Additional documents include: HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction, HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 13. New European Bauhaus Facility (NEB), HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes, HE Programme Guide, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The budget overview details the funding available for various topics under the call, including HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-BUSINESS-01, HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-BUSINESS-02, HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-BUSINESS-03, HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-PARTICIPATION-01, HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-PARTICIPATION-02, HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-PARTICIPATION-03, HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-REGEN-01, HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-REGEN-02 and HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-REGEN-03.

Partner search announcements are available for collaboration on this topic. LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants can publish partner requests. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated on the topic header.

This funding opportunity aims to foster long-term resilience and adaptability in European neighbourhoods by integrating the principles of the New European Bauhaus. It encourages projects that develop and validate participatory foresight approaches, involving local stakeholders in envisioning and planning for the future of their communities. The call emphasizes the importance of sustainability, inclusiveness, and beauty in neighbourhood development, while also addressing socioeconomic, cultural, demographic, and climatic challenges. By promoting international cooperation and synergies with related initiatives, this opportunity seeks to create innovative models for neighbourhood planning that can be adopted by local authorities and decision-makers across Europe. The funding mechanism is based on lump sum grants, and proposals should allocate a portion of their budget to engage with the New European Bauhaus hub for results and impact.

Eligible Applicant Types: The opportunity is open to a wide range of applicants, including those from social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines, SSH experts, and institutions. The call encourages the involvement of diverse local stakeholders, including marginalized or underrepresented groups and those in vulnerable situations. While the specific types of organizations eligible are not explicitly listed, the emphasis on international cooperation suggests that universities, research institutions, NGOs, local authorities, and other relevant organizations from EU Member States, Associated Countries, and Third Countries are likely eligible.

Funding Type: The primary funding mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, under the Horizon Europe Programme. There are both HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) available.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity appears to favor consortia, as it emphasizes participatory and transdisciplinary approaches, the integration of different actors and disciplines, and international cooperation. The requirement to validate the participatory foresight approach in at least three neighborhoods in different Member States and/or Associated Countries also suggests that a consortium of multiple applicants is required.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States, Associated Countries, and potentially Third Countries, as international cooperation is encouraged. The validation of the participatory foresight approach must occur in at least three neighborhoods in different Member States and/or Associated Countries. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Target Sector: The program targets several interconnected sectors, including urban development, sustainable development, social sciences and humanities, climate action, and innovation. The core focus is on the long-term planning and revitalization of neighborhoods, integrating sustainability, inclusiveness, and beauty, as defined by the New European Bauhaus (NEB) initiative.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions EU Member States and Associated Countries as locations for validating the participatory foresight approach. It also refers to Third Countries in the context of international cooperation.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is development and validation. Proposals should focus on developing and validating a participatory foresight approach, which implies moving beyond the initial idea or research phase and demonstrating the practical application and effectiveness of the approach in real-world settings.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call. The indicative grant amounts range from around EUR 3,500,000 to around EUR 5,500,000. The total budget for each topic ranges from EUR 7,000,000 to EUR 14,000,000.

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 to support their research and innovation activities.

Application Stages: The application process consists of 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 topic HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-PARTICIPATION-03 aims to award around 4 grants with a total budget of EUR 14,000,000, while other topics aim to award around 2 or 3 grants.

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, with the expectation that beneficiaries will cover the remaining costs through their own resources or other sources.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, "Innovative models for neighbourhoods that integrate beauty, inclusiveness and sustainability (HORIZON-NEB-2027-01)", under the New European Bauhaus initiative, seeks to transform how neighborhoods are planned and developed. It aims to foster sustainable, inclusive, and beautiful living environments by encouraging local stakeholders to actively participate in envisioning the long-term future of their communities. The call invites proposals that develop and validate participatory foresight approaches, enabling neighborhoods to become more resilient and adaptable to changing socioeconomic, cultural, demographic, and climatic conditions. Projects should analyze long-term trends, develop future scenarios, and engage diverse stakeholders in co-creation processes. Successful projects will provide recommendations for local authorities and decision-makers on applying these foresight approaches. The funding is provided as lump sum grants, with varying budgets and indicative numbers of grants across different topics within the call. International cooperation is strongly encouraged, and projects should align with the principles of the New European Bauhaus, integrating sustainability, inclusiveness, and aesthetic quality in neighborhood planning and development.