Demonstrating place-based experimentation and innovation spaces as enabling environments for scaling EU Missions

Who can apply:Consortia must be led by local authorities established in countries, regions or interregional partnerships in EU Member States or Associated Countries; partners can include regional authorities, research organisations, SMEs, civil society and private partners 1.

Typical award size:€1,000,000 to €1,500,000 per project; total topic budget ~€3.62 million; estimated 3 grants.

Deadline and call dates:Planned opening date: 06 October 2026. Submission deadline: 13 January 2027, 17:00 Brussels time. Single-stage submission procedure.

Call identifier and action type:Topic ID: HORIZON-MISS. Type of action: HORIZON-IA (Horizon Innovation Actions). Type of Model Grant Agreement: HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based (HORIZON-AG).

Eligible Applicant Types:This topic targets consortia led by local authorities (cities, regions, interregional partnerships) established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries. Eligible applicant types therefore include local and regional public authorities, municipal administrations, regional government bodies, interregional partnerships and their legally constituted organisations. Other consortium partners may include: universities, research institutes, innovation intermediaries, non-profits/NGOs, public sector agencies, SMEs and large enterprises (as private partners), public-private partnerships, foundations and international organisations where allowed. Legal entities from third countries may participate subject to the general Horizon Europe rules; some third-country participants may not be automatically eligible for EU funding unless specific arrangements exist. The call expects strong local authority leadership in the consortium.

Funding Type:Horizon Europe budget-based action. Financial mechanism: grant (budget-based Horizon Action Grant HORIZON-AG). Projects are funded through reimbursable eligible costs and may use simplified forms of funding (unit costs, lump sums or flat rates) only where the Work Programme and topic specify. The topic uses standard Horizon Europe grant rules and Model Grant Agreement HORIZON-AG.

Consortium Requirement:Consortium required. Single-stage submission, collaborative multi-partner consortia are expected. Consortia should be led by local authorities established in countries, regions and interregional partnerships. The topic explicitly requests multi-stakeholder consortia involving public authorities and local stakeholders; actions are not designed for single-beneficiary submissions.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Primary geographic eligibility: EU Member States and Associated Countries to Horizon Europe. The Work Programme General Annexes define full eligibility rules and list associated countries. Some non-EU/non-associated third countries may participate and receive funding only if specific provisions exist (see Horizon Europe Programme Guide and General Annex B). Projects must be territorially anchored in EU Member States or Associated Countries (local authority led).

Target Sector / Thematic Focus:Cross-cutting: targets multi-sectoral innovation and governance models relevant across EU Missions. Thematically includes: multi-level governance, public sector innovation, procurement, place-based innovation, regulatory sandboxes / experimentation, blended financing and innovative public-public and public-private finance, regional development and territorial deployment, policy coordination, digital governance and stakeholder engagement. Relevant mission themes may include climate, health, cities, soil and ocean, cancer, among others depending on local authorities’ chosen Mission(s).

Mentioned Countries:Explicitly mentioned: EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries. The topic text also references non-EU/non-Associated Countries in the context that some may exceptionally be eligible for funding if they have made provisions. No specific third countries named beyond reference to Associated Countries. For exact eligible country lists consult Horizon Europe General Annexes and Programme Guide Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Project Stage and Expected Maturity:Expected maturity: demonstration, validation and scaling / transition. The topic is explicitly designed to support the transition to the second phase of the Missions (2026–2030) and therefore focuses on demonstration, testing, experimentation, and early scaling of governance, policy and finance models in real territories. Projects should demonstrate replicable models, pathways to scale and operational readiness for deployment using public funding instruments and multi-level governance.

Funding Amount and Budget Overview:Topic budget: the Action appears in the Horizon-MISS call portfolio. The budget entry for this specific topic shows an overall call budget map where indicative contributions for HORIZON-MISS-2026-07 CROSS activities are included. Typical indicative grant size for HORIZON-IA Innovation Actions in this call range between €1,000,000 and €1,500,000 per grant generally in the Cross-cutting activities budget overview. Please confirm the specific topic contribution ranges in the Portal topic page and the Work Programme tables. The overall call-level budget (Cross-cutting) is managed in the 2026 Work Programme. The funding per selected project in this topic is likely in the range €1,000,000–€1,500,000 per grant as indicated in the Cross-cutting budget overview but applicants must verify the precise topic-specific funding indicated on the official Portal.

Application Type and Submission Procedure:Single-stage open call through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Applicants must use the application form in the Submission System (Part A and Part B) and comply with all admissibility conditions, page limits and layout requirements set out in Annex A and the General Annexes of the Horizon Europe Work Programme. Submission occurs via the Funding & Tenders electronic submission system.

Nature of Support:Monetary support: direct EU grant funding to the consortium (budget-based action). Projects may also include non-monetary support such as technical assistance, stakeholder engagement activities, and dissemination and networking activities. The possibility to provide financial support to third parties (cascade funding) depends on the specific topic text and must be justified and set up according to the Horizon rules; for this topic cascade funding is not the primary intent but related documentation should be checked.

Application Stages and Evaluation:Single-stage call. Standard Horizon Europe evaluation process applies: remote individual evaluation by independent experts; panel consensus and ranking; potential interview or clarification step if foreseen. Award criteria: Excellence, Impact and Quality and efficiency of Implementation (see General Annex D for scoring 0–5, thresholds and weighting). For HORIZON-IA typical thresholds: 3 for each criterion and overall threshold 10; consult General Annex D and the call-specific evaluation templates. Timeline: topic indicates planned opening and deadline; indicative evaluation timeline as in General Annex F (evaluation and grant agreement preparation).

Success Rates:No formal published success rate for this specific topic. For Horizon single-stage Innovation Actions in cross-cutting work programmes success rates vary widely and depend on competition and available budget; typical success rates can range from 5% to 20% at call level. Applicants should plan for high competition and prepare high-quality proposals.

Co-funding Requirement:Horizon Innovation Actions typically fund up to a defined percentage of eligible costs (standard HE reimbursement rules apply; consult Model Grant Agreement HORIZON-AG for the exact funding rate and eligible cost categories). Co-funding (own contribution) is usually required in the sense that not all costs will be covered and beneficiaries must co-finance remaining eligible costs where funding rates do not reach 100%. Some cost categories may have specific funding rates or limits; see Annex 2 (estimated budget) and General Annexes for details.

Templates and Application Forms:Use the application form available in the Submission System (Portal). Applicants must follow the page limits and Part B structure set out in Annex A and Part B template in the Submission System. Evaluation form templates and guidance documents referenced in the topic include standard HE evaluation forms (HE RIA/IA/CSA) and the online manual and programme guide. Applicants should include a detailed Description of Action (Annex 1 / Part B), budget tables according to Annex 2, and any additional documents requested (e.g. financial support to third parties templates if applicable). See the Reference Documents page of the Funding & Tenders Portal for examples and templates. For legal and MGA information consult the HORIZON Unit MGA (Model Grant Agreement) and related Annexes.

Lead applicant:local authorities established in EU Member States or Associated Countries must lead the consortium and drive territorial anchoring. Consortia should present strong participation of local/regional administrations, public sector actors, relevant research and innovation actors and a clear stakeholder engagement plan including civil society and private sector where relevant.

Scope of activities:proposals must focus on place-based models and governance, not individual technologies. Proposals should define the territorial scope (municipality, region, interregional partnership), the Mission(s) targeted and produce tested, replicable models that can be scaled across varying territories.

Key elements expected:multi-level governance arrangements; regulatory or procurement experimentation pilots; public-public and public-private blended financing models; procurement strategies and incubator/innovation space design; continuous stakeholder co-creation and participatory processes; indicators and monitoring frameworks for scaling and replication.

Deliverables and replication:projects must deliver tested governance, finance and policy models, detailed operational playbooks and replication roadmaps for use by other local authorities, and policy briefs for EU-level uptake and for integration into MFF programming recommendations.

Key documentation and references:Primary portal entry: the official topic page on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal is the authoritative source for application rules and templates Topic Page. Consult: Horizon Europe Programme Guide; HE General Annexes A–G; HORIZON Unit MGA (Model Grant Agreement); evaluation templates available on the Portal; Online Manual; and Call-specific documents and FAQ. For data-related activities consider EOSC and EU Data Spaces references and for spatial data Copernicus/Galileo services when relevant Horizon Programme Guide MGAs & Documents.

Prepare the application:use the submission system application form (Part A and Part B). Follow page limits, include requested annexes (e.g., financial support to third parties template if applicable), and ensure administrative and financial forms are completed by each participant. Consult National Contact Points (NCPs) and the Enterprise Europe Network for national-level support; the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual provides submission guidance. The Online Manual, Programme Guide and additional templates (e.g., Data Management Plan templates, MGA templates) are available on the Portal.

Call status and timing:The topic is forthcoming, and the external call listing confirms a planned opening on 6 October 2026 and a deadline on 13 January 2027 at 17:00 Brussels time1.

Budget:The total budget is €3,620,000, with an indicative 3 grants and project contributions between €1,000,000 and €1,500,000.

Action type:HORIZON Innovation Actions under Horizon Europe.

Submission model:Single-stage.

Funding rate:No topic-specific funding rate is stated in the supplied call information; applicants should rely on the Horizon Europe rules and the model grant agreement.