EXTENDED: Financial Support to Third Parties: SWIM Open Call for Associated Regions

The SWIM Open Call for Associated Regions offers lump-sum cascade funding and technical support to local and regional authorities from EU Member States and Horizon Europe associated countries (excluding SWIM consortium members) to develop replication roadmaps and preparatory actions for restoring, protecting and enhancing freshwater and transitional ecosystems with a focus on migratory fish habitats. Each selected Associated Region may receive up to €60,000 (60% on contract signature, 40% on report validation) within a total call budget of €360,000 and project activities aligned to the SWIM project timeframe. The single-stage electronic call is open until 31 August 2026 at 17:00 CET and supports activities such as habitat connectivity improvements, monitoring, data collection, stakeholder engagement and planning for restoration works. Applicants must be public local or regional authorities and should submit proposals via the SWIM Associated Regions portal and consult the official call text for full eligibility, exclusions and application requirements.

What it funds

Scope and activities

Grants to develop tailored replication roadmaps and preparatory actions for restoration, protection and enhancement of freshwater and transitional ecosystems with a focus on migratory fish habitats. Typical activities include habitat connectivity improvement, monitoring and rehabilitation, data collection, stakeholder engagement, awareness-raising, planning for restoration and sediment management, and identification of funding for implementation.

Funding and timing:Maximum support per Associated Region: €60,000 paid as two lump sums (60% on signature, 40% on delivery/validation). Total project budget indicated: €360,000. Deadline for submission: 31 August 2026, 17:00 CEST ¹.

1. 1Who can apply: local and/or regional authorities from EU Member States and countries associated to Horizon Europe (excluding SWIM consortium countries).
2. 2Applicant format: single entity or consortium; entities subject to EU restrictive measures are excluded.
3. 3Duration: project activities run from 1 December 2026 to 31 August 2029 (33 months) as part of the SWIM project.

Apply and find application documents on the SWIM Open Call page SWIM Associated Regions.

Footnotes

1. 1Official call details, eligibility rules and the application form are available at the SWIM Associated Regions page SWIM Associated Regions.

Key Facts and Administrative Details

Overview

The SWIM Open Call for Associated Regions (project acronym SWIM) offers financial support to local and regional authorities to develop tailored replication roadmaps for restoration, protection, and enhancement of freshwater and transitional ecosystems, with special attention to habitats of migratory fish species. Selected beneficiaries will join the SWIM Community of Practice and the SWIM Alliance, receive technical assistance and knowledge exchange opportunities, and be expected to contribute to replication and scaling of SWIM pilot solutions.

Call Identifier and Timeline:Call reference: HORIZON-MISS. Call deadline: 31 August 2026, 17:00 CET. Project duration (overall SWIM project): 1 December 2026 to 31 August 2029 (33 months). Submission is electronic via the SWIM associated regions webpage SWIM Associated Regions ¹.

Budget and Financial Conditions:Total project budget indicated for the call context: €360,000. Maximum financial support per Associated Region (per recipient) is €60,000, provided as a lump-sum in two instalments: 60% on signature of the adhesion contract and 40% upon completion, delivery and validation of the final activity report.

Detailed Eligibility and Administrative Requirements

Eligible beneficiaries and exclusions are defined specifically:Eligible applicants are local and/or regional authorities from EU Member States and countries associated to the Horizon Europe Programme. Entities that are part of the SWIM project consortium are explicitly excluded from applying. Entities subject to EU restrictive measures are not eligible. Full eligibility criteria and country lists are provided on the SWIM call webpage SWIM Associated Regions ¹.

Activities and Expected Deliverables

Beneficiaries will develop replication roadmaps and implementation planning and carry out preparatory and knowledge actions to support future restoration and protection works. Activities may include desk research, fieldwork, technical meetings and workshops, monitoring, community engagement, data collection and procurement of external expertise, among others.

1. 1Improvement of habitat connectivity and quality for migratory fish species.
2. 2Monitoring and rehabilitation of freshwater ecosystems and migratory fish habitats.
3. 3Data collection including historical data sets, water quality assessments, and species surveys.
4. 4Awareness-raising actions about fish migration barriers and ecosystem degradation.
5. 5Engagement of local communities, fisheries communities, and relevant stakeholders.
6. 6Planning of future actions for habitat restoration and sediment management.
7. 7Development of implementation plans on a larger scale, aligned with SWIM pilot activities.
8. 8Identification of funding sources for future implementation actions.
9. 9Contribution to SWIM Alliance activities and knowledge exchange.

Structured Answers to Categorization Questions

Eligible Applicant Types

Primary eligible applicant type:local authorities and regional authorities (public local/regional government entities). The call accepts applications from single entities or consortia where the lead is a local or regional authority. Other entity types (private companies, NGOs, universities) are not listed as primary eligible applicants in the call text; however, procurement of external expertise and involvement of stakeholders is allowed as project activities. Entities that are part of the SWIM consortium are ineligible. Entities subject to EU restrictive measures are ineligible ¹.

Funding Type

The financial mechanism is grant-style financial support to third parties provided as a lump-sum payment. The modality is financial support to third parties under the SWIM project, disbursed in two lump-sum instalments (60% and 40%).

Consortium Requirement

The call accepts both single-entity applications and consortium applications. There is no mandatory requirement to form a consortium; local or regional authorities may apply alone or as part of a consortium of entities, provided the lead applicant is an eligible local/regional authority.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility)

Geographic eligibility:Applicants must be from EU Member States or countries associated to the Horizon Europe Programme. The call aims to integrate Associated Regions across the four Mission basins (Danube–Black Sea, Atlantic–Arctic, Mediterranean Sea, Baltic–North Sea). Specific countries are listed on the SWIM website; certain countries are explicitly excluded because they are part of the SWIM consortium. Full country eligibility should be checked on the call webpage SWIM Associated Regions ¹.

Target Sector

Thematic sectors targeted:environment, biodiversity, freshwater ecosystems, aquatic ecology, fisheries and habitat restoration, water management, and nature-based solutions. This call is aligned with the EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters and focuses on practical restoration and replication of ecological solutions for migratory fish habitats.

Mentioned Countries

Countries explicitly mentioned in the call documentation include two lists:SWIM consortium countries (not eligible) and other countries (eligible examples). SWIM consortium countries (ineligible): Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Serbia, Switzerland, Türkiye, and Ukraine. Other countries referenced across documentation (examples, not an exhaustive eligible list): Armenia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Georgia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Korea, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, United Kingdom. Applicants should consult the call webpage for authoritative eligible country lists.

Project Stage

Expected project maturity:preparatory, research and planning stage leading into demonstration and future implementation. Activities are focused on replication roadmaps, feasibility and planning, monitoring and data collection that support later restoration works and large-scale implementation.

Funding Amount

Maximum support per Associated Region is €60,000. The documentation references an overall budget context of €360,000 for the related project call area. Funding is delivered as a lump-sum (no unit costs or reimbursement breakdown required), 60% at contract signature and 40% after deliverable validation.

Application Type

Application method:open single-stage call. Proposals must be submitted electronically through the SWIM associated regions application form available on the project website. The open call text and application form are downloadable from the site and applications must be submitted via the online form by the deadline.

Nature of Support

Beneficiaries receive monetary support (lump-sum grant up to €60,000) and non-monetary support: technical assistance, tailored guidance from SWIM partners, access to methodologies and tools, collaboration and peer exchange, and entry into the SWIM Community of Practice and Alliance for knowledge exchange.

Application Stages

The call is single-stage for submission. Following submission, proposals undergo evaluation and ranking as described on the SWIM website. The implementation payment schedule introduces two contractual milestones for payment, but application and award is processed through a single-stage submission and subsequent evaluation.

Success Rates

Specific numerical success rates are not published in the call documentation. The call aims to integrate at least six Associated Regions across targeted basins; however, the number of awards and expected competition are not specified beyond the overall budget and maximum per recipient limits. Applicants should assume competitive selection and consult the evaluation and ranking criteria on the project website for more details SWIM Associated Regions ¹.

Co-funding Requirement

No explicit co-funding requirement is stated in the public call summary. Support is provided as a lump-sum up to €60,000. Applicants should check the full Call for Proposals and application form for any additional budgetary specifications or expectations about co-financing or in-kind contributions.

Templates and Application Form Structure

The call provides an online Application Form and downloadable Open Call text and annexes on the SWIM associated regions webpage. While full template fields are in the online form, applicants can expect typical structure including: administrative data of applicant (legal name, contact, legal status), project summary and objectives, description of proposed activities and methodology, work plan and timeline, expected deliverables and outputs, stakeholder engagement plan, risk assessment, budget justification (lump-sum requested up to €60,000), declaration of eligibility and ethics/data protection compliance, and annexes (supporting documents, letters of support if applicable). Detailed evaluation criteria, scoring and required annexes are provided in the downloadable Call for Proposals on the project website SWIM Associated Regions ¹.

Practical Guidance and Next Steps

How to apply:prepare the required application information and submit via the online form on the SWIM associated regions webpage prior to the deadline of 31 August 2026 at 17:00 CET. Consult the Open Call text and full eligibility criteria on the website. For application or eligibility queries contact the support addresses listed on the SWIM site. Data protection and GDPR rules apply to personal data collected in the application process.

Comprehensive Summary

The SWIM Open Call for Associated Regions is a targeted, open, single-stage call offering financial and technical support to local and regional authorities across EU Member States and Horizon-associated countries to prepare and replicate solutions for restoring freshwater ecosystems and protecting migratory fish habitats. Each selected Associated Region can receive up to €60,000 in lump-sum funding, together with technical assistance, tools and entry into a Community of Practice and Alliance for knowledge exchange. Activities are preparatory and enabling in nature, prioritizing roadmaps, monitoring, stakeholder engagement, feasibility and implementation planning that will support later restoration works at larger scale. The call excludes entities already inside the SWIM consortium and those under EU restrictive measures. Applicants must submit electronically via the SWIM call webpage by 31 August 2026 and follow the eligibility and evaluation guidance provided in the downloadable Call for Proposals. This opportunity is best suited for public local or regional authorities seeking to develop concrete, regionally tailored plans for habitat connectivity improvements and long-term aquatic ecosystem resilience and to access peer support and technical guidance to accelerate implementation.

Footnotes

1. 1Full call text, eligibility details, application form, and evaluation criteria are available on the SWIM associated regions webpage: swim-danube.eu.

What This Funding Supports

This cascade funding call supports local and regional authorities in developing tailored replication roadmaps to restore, protect, and enhance freshwater and transitional ecosystems, with a specific focus on habitats of migratory fish species [[1]][[3]]. Selected beneficiaries will join the SWIM Community of Practice and SWIM Alliance to scale solutions across the Danube–Black Sea, Atlantic–Arctic, Mediterranean, and Baltic–North Sea basins [[1]][[3]].

Key Focus Areas:Activities include improving habitat connectivity, monitoring and rehabilitating ecosystems, collecting water quality and species data, raising awareness on migration barriers, engaging local communities, planning sediment management, and identifying future funding sources [[1]][[3]].

Who Can Apply

Eligible applicants are strictly limited to **local and/or regional authorities** from EU Member States or Horizon Europe associated countries [[1]][[3]]. Applications may be submitted by a single authority or a consortium composed only of such authorities [[1]][[4]].

Excluded Countries (SWIM Consortium Members):Authorities from Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Serbia, Switzerland, Türkiye, and Ukraine are **not eligible** [[1]][[3]].

Funding Details & Conditions

Application Process & Timeline

The call is **single-stage**. Proposals must be submitted electronically via the official project portal [[1]][[3]].

1. 1Application Form Available: 4 May 2026 [[3]]
2. 2Deadline: 31 August 2026 at 17:00 CET (extended from original 3 July 2026) [[1]][[3]][[4]]
3. 3Submission Portal: swim-danube.eu [[1]][[3]]
4. 4Support Contact: info@swim-danube.eu [[3]]

Additional Benefits for Selected Regions

Beyond financial support, selected Associated Regions receive technical guidance from SWIM partners, access to SWIM methodologies and tools, peer exchange with experts, and capacity building for long-term ecosystem restoration [[1]][[3]].

Strategic Alignment:This opportunity contributes directly to the EU Mission "Restore our Ocean and Waters" and supports the Nature Restoration Law target of restoring 25,000 km of free-flowing rivers by 2030 [[1]][[3]][[5]].

Applicants should ensure their proposal demonstrates quality, relevance, and credibility while aligning with and complementing existing SWIM pilot activities [[1]].

Footnotes

1. 1Official call documentation and application form available at SWIM Associated Regions Portal.