Financial Support for Third Parties: iNNO SED Open Call for Associated Regions

The iNNO SED Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) Call for Associated Regions is an EU funding opportunity under the Horizon Europe framework, specifically targeting sediment management in the Danube River Basin. The aim is to demonstrate effective and sustainable management solutions for sediment-related challenges such as river erosion, sedimentation, and polluted sediments. This call seeks to provide financial support to at least five local or regional authorities from designated "Associated regions."

The total budget for this initiative is €500,000, with a maximum grant of €100,000 available for each project. The call aims to fund activities that improve sediment management practices, enhance monitoring, raise awareness of sediment flow alterations, integrate sediment management into national policies, and promote the circular economy and nature-based solutions regarding sediment flows.

The opportunity opened on September 15, 2025, and will close for applications on November 17, 2025. Successful projects are expected to run from March 1, 2026, to July 31, 2029, totaling 41 months. The evaluation period for applications will take place from November 2025 to January 2026, with proposals assessed based on their relevance to the iNNO SED project, alignment with the project's principles, resource availability, the strength of local networks, and potential impacts.

Eligible applicants are strictly limited to local and regional authorities from "Associated regions," which are defined within the framework of the iNNO SED project. The application process is based on a single-stage model, meaning interested parties will submit complete proposals by the deadline without multiple rounds.

Overall, this financial opportunity emphasizes the need for practical interventions in sediment management and aims to foster innovative solutions that can be showcased and replicated in various river systems. For detailed eligibility criteria and application procedures, interested parties are directed to consult the dedicated website. The initiative reflects a significant effort by the EU to address sediment management challenges and promote sustainable environmental practices.

The iNNO SED Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) Call for Associated Regions is an EU funding opportunity within the HORIZON-MISS-2023-OCEAN-01-02 topic, specifically targeting the Danube river basin lighthouse project, which aims to demonstrate effective and sustainable management of sediments in the Danube river-Black sea system. The call is part of the iNNO SED project, which seeks to advance and showcase sediment assessment methodologies and management solutions for sediment-related challenges, such as river erosion, sedimentation in impoundments, and polluted sediments. These issues are prevalent in the Danube River Basin and other large river systems globally due to human activities like river regulation, hydropower generation, and flood protection measures.

The primary aim of this call is to provide financial support to at least 5 different local or regional authorities to fund activities related to:

1.  Improvement of sediment management.
2.  Sediment monitoring improvements.
3.  Awareness raising on sediment flow alterations.
4.  Understanding the role of sediments in the environment.
5.  Sediment management in national policies.
6.  Sediments in circular economy.
7.  Nature-based-solutions for sediment flows.

The total funding available for this call is 500,000 EUR. The maximum financial support that can be granted to each third party is 100,000 EUR. Only local or regional authorities from ‘Associated regions’ are eligible to apply.

The call opened on 15 September 2025, and the deadline for submission is 17 November 2025 at 16:00 (Brussels time). The expected duration of participation for selected projects is from 1st March 2026 to 31st July 2029, a total of 41 months. The grant agreement number for the parent project is 101157360.

Proposals will undergo evaluation between November 2025 and January 2026. An assessment panel will evaluate eligible proposals based on a scorecard linked to the following criteria:

1.  Relevance: How well the proposal relates to the iNNO SED project.
2.  Fit with principles: How well the proposal aligns with the iNNO SED project principles.
3.  Resources: The resources available to the proposal for implementing the proposed actions.
4.  Local Network: The strength of the local network of the organization behind the proposal.
5.  Impact: The estimated impact of the project joining the iNNO SED project.

The application form and the link for uploading the application are available at https://innosed.eu/associated-regions. Detailed information about the call for proposals and eligibility criteria can also be found at the same link.

In summary, the iNNO SED call offers financial support to local and regional authorities in associated regions to implement projects that improve sediment management, monitoring, and awareness, and promote the understanding of sediments in the environment, circular economy, and national policies. The call aims to address sediment-related challenges in river basins, particularly the Danube River Basin, by funding practical activities and demonstrating innovative solutions. The evaluation process focuses on the relevance, alignment, resources, network, and potential impact of the proposed projects. This initiative is part of a broader EU effort to promote sustainable sediment management and address environmental challenges in river systems.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are local and regional authorities from 'Associated regions'. The definition of 'Associated regions' is available at https://innosed.eu/associated-regions.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) provided through cascade funding.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity aims to fund at least 5 different projects, implying that single applicants are required, rather than a consortium.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is limited to local/regional authorities from 'Associated regions'. The specific regions are detailed at https://innosed.eu/associated-regions.

Target Sector: The target sector is environment, specifically sediment management in river basins, with links to circular economy and nature-based solutions. It also touches upon water management, climate, and potentially agriculture/food depending on the sediment's impact.

Mentioned Countries: The Danube River Basin and Black Sea system are mentioned, implying countries within this region are relevant. However, eligibility is restricted to 'Associated regions' as defined by the iNNO SED project, so it is important to consult the list of eligible regions at https://innosed.eu/associated-regions.

Project Stage: The project stage appears to be focused on demonstration and implementation of sediment management solutions, suggesting a stage of development, validation, or demonstration. The call aims to improve sediment management, monitoring, and awareness, implying a need for practical application and showcasing of methodologies.

Funding Amount: The total funding available is 500,000 EUR, with a maximum of 100,000 EUR allocated to each third party.

Application Type: The application type is an open call.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants.

Application Stages: The application process appears to be single-stage, as indicated by the "single-stage" deadline model.

Success Rates: The call aims to fund at least 5 projects, and with a total budget of 500,000 EUR and a maximum of 100,000 EUR per project, the success rate will depend on the number of applications received. If significantly more than 5 applications are submitted, the success rate could be below 10%. If only a few more than 5 applications are submitted, the success rate could be higher. Therefore, the success rate is other.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required. Therefore, the answer is other.

Summary:

The iNNO SED project is launching a call for proposals to provide financial support to local and regional authorities from 'Associated regions' for projects related to innovative sediment management in the Danube River Basin and similar large river systems. The call, titled "Financial Support for Third Parties (FSTP): iNNO SED Open Call for Associated Regions," aims to fund at least 5 projects with a maximum grant of 100,000 EUR per project, drawn from a total budget of 500,000 EUR. The call is open from September 15, 2025, to November 17, 2025.

The goal is to advance and showcase sediment assessment methodologies and demonstrate management solutions for challenges like river erosion, sedimentation, and polluted sediments. The call encourages projects that focus on improving sediment management and monitoring, raising awareness about sediment flow alterations, understanding the role of sediments in the environment, integrating sediment management into national policies, exploring sediments in the context of a circular economy, and implementing nature-based solutions for sediment flows.

Eligible applicants are local and regional authorities from 'Associated regions', as defined by the iNNO SED project. The selection process will evaluate proposals based on their relevance to the iNNO SED project, fit with its principles, available resources, strength of the local network, and estimated impact. The application process is single-stage, and successful projects are expected to participate from March 1, 2026, to July 31, 2029. The call falls under the HORIZON-MISS-2023-OCEAN-01-02 topic, focusing on demonstrating effective and sustainable management of sediments in the Danube river-Black sea system. Interested applicants should consult the detailed call for proposals and eligibility criteria available at https://innosed.eu/associated-regions.