Citizen and Stakeholder Engagement in Climate-Smart Forestry (CSF) and Forest Restoration

The grant opportunity titled "Citizen and Stakeholder Engagement in Climate-Smart Forestry (CSF) and Forest Restoration" is associated with the FORWARDS project, which is focused on ensuring the resilience of European forests amid climate change. The total funding available is €123,750, with a project duration of 18 months, and applications are due by October 12, 2025, in a single-stage submission process.

Eligible applicants likely include NGOs, research institutes, universities, public bodies, and community organizations actively engaged in participatory governance in forestry. The funding is described as a grant, indicating non-repayable financial support aimed at enhancing public involvement in forest decision-making processes. Although consortia are allowed, single applicants can also apply.

Geographically, the grant targets activities within EU Member States and Associated Countries, focusing on climate action, forest restoration, and participatory governance. Specific countries are not mentioned, emphasizing a pan-European scope. The projects should be in the development or validation stages to develop engagement frameworks that empower citizens in governance related to forest management.

The funding type is a direct monetary grant with no specified co-funding requirements. The call aims to bolster inclusive initiatives that facilitate various levels of societal engagement, from local community initiatives to broader programs across Europe, enhancing community participation in forestry decisions.

In summary, this grant promotes citizen and stakeholder engagement in climate-smart forestry and forest restoration, aiming to support initiatives that strengthen participatory governance and involve citizens in decision-making processes regarding forest management. The funding aims to address climate change while enhancing the resilience of forest ecosystems. Further details regarding submission and evaluations can be accessed via the provided links.

The grant opportunity is titled "Citizen and Stakeholder Engagement in Climate-Smart Forestry (CSF) and Forest Restoration". This is a cascade funding grant opportunity within the FORWARDS project.

The opening date for submissions is July 11, 2025. The deadline for submissions is October 12, 2025, at 23:00 (Brussels time). The submission model is single-stage. The call is currently open for submission.

The expected duration of participation is 18 months. The total funding available is 123,750.00 EUR.

The project acronym is FORWARDS. The full name of the EU-funded project is "The ForestWard Observatory to Secure Resilience of European Forests". The grant agreement number is 101084481. The topic is HORIZON-CL6-2022-CLIMATE-01-05 - Forestry - European observatory of climate change impacts and demonstration network of climate smart restoration pilots.

The FORWARDS project, funded by the European Union, aims to prototype the Forest-Ward Observatory, a pan-European monitoring and evaluation system. This system will assess the response of European forests to climate change impacts. It will document current restoration activities related to forests, biodiversity, carbon, and soils. The project will also explore various restoration options to guide decision-making towards climate-smart forest management. A key objective of FORWARDS is to engage and empower citizens and stakeholders in co-creating solutions for the future of forests amidst climate change challenges.

This grant call seeks to foster inclusive initiatives that encourage citizen and stakeholder participation in decision-making processes for Climate Smart Forestry (CSF) and forest restoration at the forest management or policy level. It aims to strengthen participatory governance by supporting the creation of structures and processes that actively involve citizens and stakeholders in developing forest management and restoration strategies, both on forest holdings and at governance levels.

The call supports activities with varying levels of societal engagement, from local community initiatives to larger regional or national programs in Europe. Supported projects and activities will either complement existing or implement new social engagement activities within the context of Climate-Smart Forestry (CSF) or forest restoration.

More information on the submission and evaluation process can be found at https://efi.int/grants-training/grants/G-05-2025. Additional information is also available at the same URL: https://efi.int/grants-training/grants/G-05-2025.

In summary, this grant opportunity focuses on promoting citizen and stakeholder engagement in climate-smart forestry and forest restoration within the framework of the EU-funded FORWARDS project. It aims to support initiatives that foster participatory governance and involve citizens in decision-making processes related to forest management and restoration. The call is open to a wide range of activities, from local community projects to regional or national programs, and seeks to either complement existing efforts or implement new social engagement activities in the field of climate-smart forestry. The total funding available is 123,750 EUR, and the projects are expected to last for 18 months. The deadline for applications is October 12, 2025.

Eligible Applicant Types: The description mentions engaging and empowering citizens and stakeholders, and fostering the development of inclusive initiatives. It also mentions supporting activities that employ various levels of societal engagement ranging from local community initiatives to larger regional or national programmes. Therefore, eligible applicant types could include local communities, regional organizations, national organizations, NGOs, and other entities involved in citizen engagement and stakeholder participation in forest management and policy. The call aims to strengthen participatory governance, suggesting that governmental bodies at various levels could also be eligible.

Funding Type: The opportunity is described as a "grant call" and "cascade funding," indicating that the primary financial mechanism is a grant.

Consortium Requirement: The description does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if single applicants are allowed. However, the focus on engaging various levels of societal engagement, from local to national, suggests that both single applicants and consortia could be eligible, depending on the scope and nature of the proposed activities.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The call supports activities ranging from local community initiatives to larger regional or national programmes in Europe. Therefore, the geographic eligibility is likely within Europe.

Target Sector: The program targets the forestry sector, specifically focusing on Climate-Smart Forestry (CSF) and forest restoration. It also targets climate action, environmental protection, and participatory governance.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the geographic scope is Europe.

Project Stage: The call aims to support activities that either complement existing or implement new social engagement activities. This suggests that the projects can be in the development, validation, demonstration, or implementation stages. The focus on strengthening participatory governance implies a need for projects that are ready to be implemented or scaled up.

Funding Amount: The total funding available is 123,750.00 €. This amount will likely be distributed among multiple projects. Therefore, the funding range per project is variable, but likely under €50k.

Application Type: The deadline model is "single-stage," suggesting a single-stage application process. The call is "Open For Submission," indicating an open call.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant.

Application Stages: The deadline model is single-stage, so there is one application stage.

Success Rates: This information is not provided in the text.

Co-funding Requirement: This information is not provided in the text.

Summary:

This opportunity is a grant call under the FORWARDS project, funded by the European Union. The FORWARDS project aims to prototype the Forest-Ward Observatory, a pan-European monitoring and evaluation system for assessing the impacts of climate change on European forests. This specific grant call focuses on fostering inclusive initiatives that encourage citizen and stakeholder participation in decision-making processes for Climate-Smart Forestry (CSF) and forest restoration at the forest management or policy level. The call aims to strengthen participatory governance by supporting the creation of structures and processes that actively involve citizens and stakeholders in the development of forest management and restoration strategies.

The call supports activities employing various levels of societal engagement, from local community initiatives to larger regional or national programmes in Europe. Supported projects and activities will either complement existing or implement new social engagement activities in the context of Climate-Smart Forestry (CSF) or forest restoration. The total funding available is 123,750.00 €, and the expected duration of participation is 18 months. The application deadline is October 12, 2025. The application process is single-stage. Eligible applicants likely include local communities, regional and national organizations, NGOs, and governmental bodies involved in forest management, climate action, and citizen engagement. The project stage can range from development to implementation. The geographic eligibility is within Europe.