GroundWork Open Call

GroundWork Open Call (Horizon Europe, HORIZON-MISS) supports on-farm testing of regenerative livestock grazing in five Living Labs in Portugal, Germany, Belgium, Sweden and Serbia. The single-stage open call opens 1 September 2026 and closes 19 November 2026, offering lump-sum grants of up to €27,000 per farming entity from a total budget of €891,000 to fund up to 33 farms for a 36-month programme. Eligible applicants are farmers or individual farming entities who own or lease land, manage livestock and commit to experimental plots (typically 3–10 ha), monitoring, data sharing and participation in mentoring and peer-learning activities.

What it funds

Purpose and activities

Grants support 36-month on‑farm Regenerative Livestock Grazing Programmes to implement Regenerative Livestock Grazing Practices (RLGPs). Funded activities include soil health assessments, pervasive soil monitoring (sensors/IoT), animal welfare and environmental performance assessments (ELCA), social impact measurement, co-design of grazing practices, mentoring and peer‑to‑peer events. Payments are milestone-based, delivered in four tranches tied to a Custom Farm Evolution Plan.

Funding available:Up to €27,000 per selected farm; total Open Call budget €891,000 to support up to 33 farming projects across five Living Labs ¹.

Who can apply

Farmers or individual farming entities that own or lease farms and manage livestock (cattle, sheep, goats) located in the GroundWork Living Labs: Portugal (Beira Interior), Germany (Bavaria/Baden-Württemberg), Belgium (Wallonia), Sweden (Götaland/South Sweden) and Serbia (Gospođinci). In exceptional cases applicants registered in other EU Member States, OCTs or Horizon Europe Associated Countries may be eligible with justification. Applicants must commit land for 36 months, implement monitoring and data sharing protocols, and participate in community learning.

1. 1Eligibility highlights: livestock present, experimental plot ~3–10 ha, secure land tenure or lease for project duration, willingness to host events and share data.
2. 2Selection based on Excellence, Impact and Implementation scored by independent experts; minimum total score 10/15.
3. 3Sub-grant agreement and formal checks required before payments; milestone reviews require a score >=7/10 to continue.

Key dates and how to apply

Application opens 1 September 2026. Submission deadline 19 November 2026 at 15:00 Brussels time. Apply via the GroundWork application portal and follow the Open Call Terms and Conditions; applications must be in English and can be edited until the deadline.

Apply and find full Terms and Conditions, application form and templates at the submission portal and project website: GroundWork application portal and Project website.

Footnotes

1. 1The Open Call is part of the Horizon Europe project GroundWork (Grant Agreement 101218207); programme-level budget and distribution across Living Labs are specified in the Terms and Conditions available from the application portal.

Call summary and purpose

GroundWork Open Call invites individual farmers and farming entities to join a 36-month Regenerative Grazing Programme implemented through Living Labs (LLs) to test and co-design Regenerative Livestock Grazing Practices (RLGPs). The call is part of the Horizon Europe project Regenerative living labs to improve soil ecosystem functions by adapting agricultural land use with livestock integration (Grant Agreement 101218207 / HORIZON-MISS). The aim is to restore soil health, increase soil organic carbon, enhance biodiversity, improve environmental performance, and accelerate adoption of regenerative livestock systems through Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP).

Key dates:Opening date: 1 September 2026, 09:00 Brussels time. Submission deadline: 19 November 2026, 15:00 Brussels time. Expected start of programme activities shortly after Sub-Grant Agreement signature. Duration of participation: 36 months.

Total budget and individual grant:Total budget for this Open Call: €891,000. Maximum grant per Farming Project: €27,000 paid as lump sum in tranches tied to milestone reviews.

Eligibility and who can apply

Primary eligible applicants:Farmers and individual entities engaged in farming activities regardless of legal form. Applicants must be located in the territories of the Living Labs (Portugal, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Serbia). In exceptional cases applicants registered in other EU Member States, Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) or Horizon Europe Associated Countries may apply if justified. Applicants subject to EU restrictive measures or with conflicts of interest related to project partners are ineligible.

Eligible applicant types (detailed):Eligible applicant types include: individual farmers, farm businesses, sole traders and other individual legal entities actively engaged in livestock production and pasture-based management. Research institutes, universities, NGOs or companies cannot apply as third-party beneficiaries under this call; the call specifically targets farming entities as Financial Support to Third Parties recipients.

Funding mechanism and application modality

Funding type:Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) delivered as grants (lump-sum payments). Application type: single-stage open call submitted via an online application form. Applications must be in English; local language resources and guidance exist for Living Labs but submission answers must be English. Applicants may edit forms after submission but only until the deadline.

Funding type:Primary financial mechanism: grant via Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP). Lump-sum disbursement in instalments contingent on milestone reviews.

Consortium and geographic requirements

Consortium requirement:single applicant per Farming Project. This call is designed to select individual farms as third-party beneficiaries; forming multi-entity consortia is not the intended application format. Geographic eligibility: Living Labs located in Portugal (Beira Interior), Germany (Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg), Belgium (Wallonia), Sweden (Götaland, South Sweden), and Serbia (Gospođinci). Applicants must be based within specified geographic radii for each LL or justify alternative registration in exceptional cases.

Beneficiary scope (geographic eligibility):Primary geographic eligibility: applicants must be located in the LL regions: Portugal (Beira Interior / within 200 km of Monte Silveira Farm), Germany (Bavaria or Baden-Württemberg, within ~50 km of the Living Lab), Belgium (Wallonia), Sweden (Gothia/Götaland region), Serbia (within 150 km of Gospođinci). Exceptional participation from other EU/OCT/Associated Countries may be considered with justification.

Target sectors, objectives and activities

Target sector:agriculture with a focus on livestock, pasture-based systems and soil health. Thematic areas include soil restoration, regenerative agriculture, animal welfare, environmental life cycle assessment, IoT-based soil monitoring, social impact assessment, co-creation and farmer peer learning. The call contributes to EU Mission Soil objectives and related policies (EU Soil Strategy for 2030, Farm to Fork, Biodiversity strategy, Nature Restoration Law, Zero Pollution Action Plan).

Project stage and expected maturity:Expected project maturity: field-level demonstration and validation. Applicants must be operational farms ready to implement 3-year experimental RLGPs on dedicated plots (indicative plot size 3–10 hectares). The activities are practical deployment, monitoring and evaluation rather than early-stage research or pure commercialization.

Detailed eligibility criteria and Living Lab specific requirements

1. 1Commitment Duration: Must commit land and activities for 36 continuous months and sign Sub-Grant Agreement.
2. 2Land Tenure: Own the farm or hold a valid lease/rental agreement covering the entire project; farm must remain active agricultural operation for the duration.
3. 3Livestock Integration: Must own and manage livestock (cattle, sheep, goats) and use pasture-based or active grazing systems.
4. 4Experimental Design & RLGP implementation: Must be willing to implement Regenerative Livestock Grazing Practices and deploy an experimental design with treatment and control areas; co-define a 3-year Custom Farm Evolution Plan (CFEP) with the Living Lab Mentor in month 1.
5. 5Farm Size & Plots: Experimental plots should be indicative range 3–10 hectares dedicated to the project.
6. 6Monitoring & Data Sharing: Must permit soil health assessments, installation of IoT sensors, animal welfare assessments, share historical farm data and allow data usage for scientific publications.
7. 7Community Engagement: Must host field days, workshops and participate in peer learning and dissemination events.
8. 8Language & Local Conditions: For each Living Lab there are additional requirements (e.g., Portuguese-speaking for PT LL, French for BE LL, Serbian for RS LL); proximity constraints apply per LL as detailed in the Terms and Conditions.

Living Lab specific examples (selected):PT LL requires farms in Beira Interior or within 200 km of Monte Silveira Farm and Portuguese fluency; DE LL requires pasture-based cattle husbandry with at least 5 ha grazing land and test plots on cambisol soils and sloped terrain; BE LL requires Wallonia location, fluency in French, separation of experimental and control parts and cover crop commitments; RS LL requires location within 150 km of Gospođinci and a minimum 5-year rental where applicable; SE LL requires farms in Gothia (Götaland) practicing pasture-based cattle husbandry and cropland suitable for experimental and control fields.

Selection, evaluation and timeline

Submission and evaluation follow a three-step selection process:Initial Check for eligibility, Independent Individual Evaluation by two experts using predefined criteria, and a Consensus Meeting of the Selection Committee to produce the provisional list and reserves. Formal checks and document verification follow and successful applicants sign the Sub-Grant Agreement.

Selection criteria and scoring:Award criteria: Excellence (clarity, ambition, alignment with RLGPs), Impact (contribution to Mission Soil objectives, environmental and climate impact, regional relevance), Implementation (realistic objectives, workplan, management capacity). Scoring: each criterion 0–5; minimum per criterion 3; total score max 15 with minimum total threshold 10. Tie-breakers: highest Excellence score, then gender balance among personnel.

Application stages:Number of application/evaluation stages applicants must pass: 3 (Initial Check, Independent Evaluation, Consensus Meeting). After provisional selection, applicants undergo Formal Check and Sub-Grant Agreement signature and then milestone-based reviews during implementation.

Payments, milestones and reporting

Payment model:lump-sum grant paid in four instalments tied to milestone reviews and successful achievement of deliverables defined in the Custom Farm Evolution Plan (CFEP). Payments are conditional on mentor and Selection Committee evaluation using weighted KPIs and deliverable quality.

Milestone assessment method:Mentors evaluate performance before each payment using Deliverables quality (30%), Technical Performance Indicators (60%), Deadline compliance (10%). Each criterion scored 0–10 and an overall score of 7/10 is required to continue in the programme. The CFEP evaluation weight: Deliverables quality 90% and Deadline compliance 10%.

Application form and templates

Applications are submitted via the GroundWork online portal:opportunities.getonepass.eu. The Terms and Conditions document and Sub-Grant Agreement template are provided on the call page. Applications must complete all mandatory questions (marked *) in English. Applicants can view form facsimiles and local language guidance per Living Lab; the official submission must be in English.

Application form structure (outline):Typical application form sections and expected information: 1) Applicant identification and contact details; 2) Farm description and legal/tenure documentation; 3) Livestock description and grazing system; 4) Proposed experimental design and RLGPs to be implemented (treatment and control areas, plot sizes); 5) Objectives, expected impacts and alignment with Mission Soil objectives; 6) Workplan and timeline including availability for events and mentoring; 7) Monitoring and data sharing consent (soil tests, IoT sensors, animal welfare assessments); 8) Budget justification and confirmation of lease/ownership; 9) Supporting documents upload (land registry, lease agreements, ID, evidence of livestock, historical farm data) and declarations. Consult the Terms & Conditions and AppForm facsimile for precise questions and required uploads.

Co-funding, support type and compliance

Co-funding requirement:Not explicitly required; the grant is designed to de-risk experimentation and funds are provided as lump sums. Applicants retain ownership of their IPR; the Sub-Grant Agreement will include obligations for visibility, confidentiality, and potential audits by EC/REA. Beneficiaries will receive monetary support (grant) and non-monetary services including mentoring, training, monitoring, technical support and inclusion in a peer-learning Living Lab network.

Nature of support:Beneficiaries receive both: monetary grant (up to €27,000 per farm) and non-monetary services (mentoring, technical assistance, monitoring, capacity building and networking with researchers and farmers).

Success rates and selection numbers

GroundWork will support up to 33 Farming Projects through this Open Call (in addition to 42 pre-selected experimental sites launched by the project). Success rate depends on the number of applications per Living Lab and quality of submissions; explicit historic success rates are not provided in the call documents. Selection is competitive per Living Lab and limited slots per country are: PT up to 7, DE up to 5, BE up to 7, RS up to 7, SE up to 7.

Selection process governance, complaints and contacts

The Selection Committee composed of consortium partners makes final selections following independent evaluations. Applicants will be notified of results and may submit a complaint within five calendar days after receiving evaluation results. Complaints are considered for procedural or clerical errors only and are reviewed within seven calendar days. For questions and support contact GroundWork.Help@fundingbox.com. Technical portal issues must include username, contact info, and screenshots.

Where to apply and key documents:Submit applications via the GroundWork submission portal: opportunities.getonepass.eu. Full Terms and Conditions, Sub-Grant Agreement template and AppForm facsimiles are available on the call page and in the call dossier GroundWork Terms and Conditions ¹.

1. 1Eligibility checklist to complete before applying: proof of land tenure/lease for full 36 months, evidence of livestock ownership/management, plot maps showing experimental and control areas (3–10 ha), consent to monitoring and data sharing, language/region compliance with chosen LL.
2. 2Essential next steps for shortlisted applicants: submit formal documents for Formal Check (registration, tax ID, financial statements, bank identification), agree CFEP with Mentor in month 1, prepare to host events and implement monitoring equipment.

Quick reference — structured answers to categorisation questions

1. 1Eligible Applicant Types: Individual farmers and farming entities (regardless of legal form). The call is targeted at on-farm practitioners rather than SMEs, research institutes or NGOs as recipients of the FSTP.
2. 2Funding Type: Grant via Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP), paid as lump sums tied to milestones.
3. 3Consortium Requirement: Single applicant (individual farming project). Consortia are not required or expected.
4. 4Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): Applicants must be located in Living Labs in Portugal (Beira Interior), Germany (Bavaria/Baden-Württemberg), Belgium (Wallonia), Sweden (Götaland), Serbia (Gospođinci). Exceptional registrations elsewhere require justification.
5. 5Target Sector: Agriculture — livestock and pasture-based regenerative grazing; related themes include soil health, environment, animal welfare, sensors/IoT, environmental LCA, social impact.
6. 6Mentioned Countries: Portugal, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Serbia. (EU Member States and one non-EU associated LL in Serbia.)
7. 7Project Stage: Demonstration / field experimentation and validation on operational farms (implementation stage).
8. 8Funding Amount: €27,000 maximum per Farming Project; total call budget €891,000; up to 33 grants available in this Open Call.
9. 9Application Type: Single-stage open call via online submission form; applications in English; can be edited until deadline.
10. 10Nature of Support: Money (grant) and non-monetary services (technical mentoring, monitoring, training, network participation).
11. 11Application Stages: 3 evaluation stages (Initial Check, Independent Individual Evaluation, Consensus Meeting) followed by Formal Check and Sub-Grant Agreement signature; programme includes milestone reviews during implementation.
12. 12Success Rates: Not specified; up to 33 awards available; selection competitive and regionally allocated (PT 7, DE 5, BE 7, RS 7, SE 7).
13. 13Co-funding Requirement: No explicit co-funding required; grant is designed to cover experimentation costs. Applicants remain responsible for in-kind contributions and operational continuity; Sub-Grant Agreement will define responsibilities.

Application tips and compliance reminders:read the Terms & Conditions carefully before applying; prepare documentary evidence of land tenure and livestock ownership; plan an experimental design with clear treatment/control plots within 3–10 ha; ensure consent for monitoring and data publication; coordinate with local language requirements for the chosen LL; prepare to co-design the CFEP with the Mentor within the first month after signature.

Concluding summary

What this opportunity is about and how to explain it:The GroundWork Open Call provides farmer-focused grants and technical support to deploy, test and monitor regenerative livestock grazing systems across five regional Living Labs in Europe and Serbia. It finances on-farm demonstration projects (up to €27,000 each) for 36 months to accelerate soil restoration, increase soil carbon, improve biodiversity and reduce environmental impacts associated with intensive livestock systems. Selected farmers will implement Regenerative Livestock Grazing Practices on defined experimental plots, follow agreed monitoring protocols (including IoT sensors and soil assessments), share data for scientific analysis, participate in peer learning, and receive staged payments based on milestone achievement documented in a Custom Farm Evolution Plan. The call is a single-stage competitive open call, managed under Horizon Europe FSTP rules with formal checks and a clear evaluation framework focused on excellence, impact and implementation. Interested farmers should prepare robust evidence of land tenure, livestock management, readiness to implement experimental designs, and willingness to engage in monitoring and community activities, then submit the online application in English before 19 November 2026, 15:00 Brussels time.

Footnotes

1. 1GroundWork Open Call Terms and Conditions, Sub-Grant Agreement template and AppForm facsimiles available at the call dossier: ats-public-files-production.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com

GroundWork is a Horizon Europe cascade funding opportunity under topic HORIZON-MISS that supports farmers to test regenerative livestock grazing practices in Living Labs in Portugal, Germany, Belgium, Sweden and Serbia.[5][9] The broader project says that 60 to 70 percent of EU soils are degraded and that this creates an estimated €50 billion annual cost, which is why the call uses Financial Support to Third Parties to reduce the risk for farmers who dedicate land to experimentation.[5][9]

What the funding is for

The programme is designed to improve soil health and environmental performance by helping farms adapt livestock management through regenerative grazing and adaptive livestock management.[4][5][9] Supported activities include soil health assessment, sensor based monitoring, animal welfare assessment, environmental life cycle assessment, social impact assessment, and peer learning and co design with other farmers and experts.[4][5]

Who can apply

Eligible applicants are farmers and individual entities engaged in farming activities, regardless of legal form, provided they are located in one of the Living Lab countries.[5][15] In special cases, applicants from other EU Member States, Overseas Countries and Territories, or Horizon Europe Associated Countries may apply if they can justify the relevance of their participation.[5]

• The farm must be committed to a continuous three year participation period and allow its land to be used as an experimental site.[5]
• The applicant must own the farm or hold a valid lease or rental agreement covering the full project duration, and the farm must remain in active agricultural use throughout.[5]
• The farming entity must own and manage livestock such as cattle, sheep or goats and use them in pasture based or active grazing systems.[5]
• The applicant must be ready to implement regenerative livestock grazing practices and holistic management, including treatment and control areas where scientific comparison is needed.[5]
• Selected farmers must co define a three year Custom Farm Evolution Plan during the first month of the programme, setting budget, objectives, schedule and deliverables.[5]
• The indicative size of the experimental plots is 3 to 10 hectares, and the farmer must accept soil and animal welfare assessments, IoT sensors, data sharing and farm events.[5]

Living Lab specific targeting

How selection works

The selection process has three stages:an initial eligibility check, independent individual expert evaluation, and a consensus meeting that produces the provisional list of Financial Support to Third Parties recipients.[5] Proposals are scored on excellence, impact and implementation, with attention to the clarity of regenerative objectives, environmental and climate impact, regional relevance, realism of the work plan, and the applicant's management and leadership capacity.[5]

Application process and practical requirements

• Applications must be submitted through the online form only; email submissions or other channels are not accepted.[15][7]
• The application must be completed in English and all mandatory sections must be filled in.[7][15]
• Applicants can edit and resubmit their application until the deadline.[7][15]
• Only one proposal per applicant is allowed; if multiple applications are submitted, only the latest one before the deadline will be evaluated.[15]
• Selected projects receive funding in instalments over the three programme stages, with each stage linked to successful completion.[4][5]

Overall assessment

This opportunity is most relevant for livestock farmers who can dedicate land to a three year regenerative experiment, share data and participate in collaborative learning, while also operating in or near the Living Lab regions.[4][5][9] The strongest applications will show a credible plan for soil improvement, realistic implementation, and clear contribution to the GroundWork mission of restoring soil ecosystem functions through livestock integration.[5][9]