INSPIRES-2026-Second Call: Financial Support to SMEs

INSPIRES Second Open Call offers lump-sum grants of €15,000 to collaborative PIONEER tourism projects that advance sustainability, digitalisation and resilience. The call has a total budget of €195,000 and is open to SMEs legally established in Belgium, Finland, Germany or Poland forming partnerships of 2 to 5 independent entities with the lead a tourism SME and at least 60% of funding allocated to tourism SMEs. Projects must run 3 to 12 months, cover at least two eligible activity categories, and are funded with 60% pre-financing and 40% after approval of the final report. Applications in English using INSPIRES templates must be submitted by 11 May 2026 23:59 Brussels time to the country contact points listed on the call page.

What it funds

Scope

Direct lump-sum support for collaborative tourism projects that advance sustainability, digital transformation, and resilience in the tourism ecosystem. Funding targets PIONEER collaborative projects offering pilot activities, capacity building, networking and visibility at European level.

Grant amount and total budget:Up to €15 000 per collaborative project (lump sum). Total remaining budget for this call €195 000. Payments in two instalments: 60% upfront and 40% after final reporting ¹.

1. 1Eligible applicants: SMEs legally established and active in the tourism sector in Germany, Belgium, Finland or Poland.
2. 2Partnership: 2 to 5 independent legal entities; Lead Applicant must be a tourism SME; at least 50% of partners must be tourism SMEs.
3. 3Funding allocation rule: minimum 60% of each project lump sum must be allocated to tourism SME(s).
4. 4Project duration: minimum 3 months, maximum 12 months. Expected start 15 June 2026; latest end 28 February 2027.
5. 5Submission: single-stage; apply in English using INSPIRES templates and required annexes; submit to regional country contact by email before the deadline.

How applications are evaluated

Each eligible proposal is scored by two independent evaluators against three criteria:Relevance and Impact, Quality and Feasibility, Partnership Collaboration. Thresholds: minimum 3/5 per criterion and total at least 9/15. Awards proceed by ranking until national allocations and the call budget are exhausted.

How to apply and contacts

Download and complete the official templates (Annex 6 Declaration of Honor, Annex 7 Application Form, Annex 8 Budget Template and required supporting documents). Applications must be submitted to the country contact listed in the call documentation (Belgium, Finland, Germany, Poland).

Useful link:Official call page and application materials are available from the INSPIRES website and the EU Funding & Tenders Portal INSPIRES call page ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1See the INSPIRES call documentation for full rules, templates and country contacts: INSPIRES Second Open Call materials available on the project website and the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

The INSPIRES Second Open Call provides cascade funding in the form of lump sum sub-grants to small and medium-sized enterprises collaborating on tourism projects that advance sustainability, digital transformation, and resilience. This second call allocates remaining funding for PIONEER collaborative projects in Belgium, Finland, Germany, and Poland. Selected projects receive up to €15,000 and access to collaborative learning, networking, and European-level visibility.

Key Facts and Timeline

• Programme: Single Market Programme SMP COSME 2023 TOURSME 01 Transitioning to a more sustainable and resilient ecosystem empowering tourism SMEs
• EU funded project acronym and GA number: INSPIRES, Grant Agreement 101181590
• Opening date: 02 March 2026
• Deadline model: single-stage
• Submission deadline: 11 May 2026 at 23:59 Brussels time CET
• Total budget available in this call: €195,000
• Funding per project: Lump sum up to €15,000
• Project duration: Minimum 3 months and maximum 12 months
• Expected implementation window: Start 15 June 2026, end no later than 28 February 2027
• Disbursement schedule: 60 percent upfront at start, 40 percent after final reporting
• Submission channel: By email to national partner contacts using official templates
• Official opportunity page: EU Funding and Tenders Portal competitive call entry EU Funding and Tenders Portal call page
• INSPIRES call page with templates and guidance INSPIRES 2nd Call page

Eligibility and Consortium Rules

Lead applicants and beneficiaries must be Small or Medium sized Enterprises legally established in Belgium, Finland, Germany, or Poland, and operating in or contributing to the tourism sector. Each proposal must be submitted by a partnership of 2 to 5 independent legal entities. At least 50 percent of partners must be tourism SMEs, and at least 60 percent of the total project funding must be allocated to tourism SMEs within the partnership. The partnership must designate one Lead Applicant, which must be a tourism SME, assuming administrative and financial responsibility.

Projects must clearly contribute to at least one transformation area:Sustainability, Digital Transformation, or Resilience. Cross sector collaboration is encouraged, and partners may include entities from sectors such as agri food, culture, ICT, and creative industries, as long as the consortium composition and SME thresholds are met. All partners must be legally independent of each other. The lead SME must demonstrate SME status per EU Recommendation 2003 361 EC and confirm independence, lack of conflicts of interest, and compliance with data protection and audit obligations.

What is Offered

• Financial support: Lump sum of up to €15,000 per collaborative project
• Non financial support: Collaborative learning, networking opportunities, and visibility at European level
• Transparent selection: Two independent evaluators assess each eligible application against defined criteria and thresholds

Scope of Activities and Eligible Costs

Projects must propose activities aligned with INSPIRES objectives and include activities from at least two of the five eligible activity categories. Examples of eligible actions focus on greener operations, digital tools and data use, and resilience through inclusive and innovative offerings. Infrastructure works, renovations, and profit based subcontracting are not eligible.

• Category 1 Business development and strategic planning for tourism SMEs, such as sustainable business model design and sustainable product or service development
• Category 2 Sustainable, circular and regenerative practices, such as energy efficiency measures and eco certification preparation or attainment
• Category 3 Digital innovation and adoption of technologies, such as new booking engines, CRM systems, websites with sustainable branding, data analytics, and platform integration
• Category 4 Capacity building and skills development, such as ESG training, upskilling, participation in sector events or trade fairs to build capabilities
• Category 5 Promotion, marketing, and communication, such as green branding campaigns and promotional materials including VR or immersive content

Submission Process and Required Documents

Applications must be submitted in English by email to the country contact point using the official templates. Only complete applications received before the deadline with all mandatory annexes will be admissible. Templates are available on the INSPIRES website and should be completed and signed, then converted to PDF, except where Excel format is mandatory.

• Annex 6 Declaration of Honor to be signed by the legal representative of the lead SME, confirming SME status, eligibility, independence, absence of conflict of interest, compliance with call rules, GDPR consent, and truthfulness of information Annex 6 Declaration of Honor
• Annex 7 Application Form to capture lead SME details, project summary and objectives, proposed activities and milestones across at least two eligible categories, expected outcomes, partner list and roles, SME status of partners, budget request, VAT status, alignment with sustainability, digital transformation, and or resilience, broader impact, and declarations Annex 7 Application Form
• Annex 8 Budget Template to provide the detailed breakdown by eligible activity category and partner level allocation, demonstrating that at least 60 percent of the lump sum goes to tourism SMEs Annex 8 Budget Template
• Evidence of eligibility such as business registration certificates for all partners and financial statements for the Lead SME for the last two financial years
• Optional Annex 9 T4T Pledge if applicable
• Applicants must consult the Guidelines for Applicants and the FAQ on the INSPIRES website before submission INSPIRES 2nd Call page

Evaluation and Selection

All applications undergo administrative verification for admissibility and eligibility. Each eligible application is evaluated by two independent evaluators appointed by INSPIRES partners, operating without conflicts of interest. Proposals are scored against three award criteria, each from 0 to 5. To be considered for funding, proposals must score at least 3 out of 5 on each criterion and achieve at least 9 out of 15 overall. Funding is awarded to the highest ranked proposals until the call budget is exhausted, following national allocation rules.

• Award criteria: Relevance and Impact, Quality and Feasibility, Partnership Collaboration
• Minimum thresholds: 3 out of 5 per criterion and 9 out of 15 total
• Process: Administrative check, expert evaluation, ranking and selection, contracting, implementation, monitoring, and final reporting

Implementation, Monitoring, and Payments

• Contracting: Selected applicants sign a Sub Grant Agreement with their regional partner
• Payments: 60 percent pre financing at project start and 40 percent after submission and acceptance of the final report
• Monitoring: At least one ad hoc monitoring visit during implementation plus a mandatory final report
• Record keeping and audit: Beneficiaries must retain technical and financial documentation for at least five years and accept possible audits or reviews by INSPIRES or the European Commission
• Data protection: Personal data processed under GDPR for evaluation, monitoring, reporting, and audit purposes

Country Contact Points

• Belgium: inspires@provincieantwerpen.be
• Finland: inspires@lapinamk.fi
• Germany: inspires@erlebnis-bremerhaven.de
• Poland: inspires@podkarpackie.pl

Structured Categorization and Answers

Eligible Applicant Types:Mandatory lead and funded beneficiaries: SMEs that are tourism businesses or contribute to the tourism sector. Other consortium partners may include non tourism SMEs and other independent legal entities such as NGOs, universities, research institutes, destination management organizations, local or regional authorities, and enterprises from related sectors such as ICT, creative industries, culture, and agri food, provided the partnership rules are met and at least 50 percent of partners are tourism SMEs. The lead applicant must be a tourism SME.

Funding Type:Cascade funding via lump sum sub grants under the Single Market Programme, delivered as a grant of up to €15,000 per collaborative project.

Consortium Requirement:Consortium required. Each project must be submitted by a partnership of 2 to 5 independent legal entities. At least 50 percent of partners must be tourism SMEs, at least 60 percent of the grant must be allocated to tourism SMEs, and the lead applicant must be a tourism SME with administrative and financial responsibility.

Beneficiary Scope Geographic Eligibility:Applicants must be SMEs legally established in Belgium, Finland, Germany, or Poland. The call is restricted to these countries through national partner allocations and submission channels.

Target Sector:Tourism ecosystem with a focus on sustainability green transition, digital transformation ICT and data, and resilience inclusive and innovative models. Cross sector collaboration with agri food, culture and creative industries, and ICT is encouraged.

Mentioned Countries:Belgium; Finland; Germany; Poland. Regionally, this is within the European Union context under the Single Market Programme.

Project Stage:Development and implementation with validation or small scale demonstration. The PIONEER projects are suitable for SMEs with some prior experience in sustainability or digitalization and aim to implement collaborative activities, test solutions, strengthen capabilities, and deliver measurable results within 3 to 12 months.

Funding Amount:Up to €15,000 per project as a lump sum. Total available budget in this call is €195,000, implying support for approximately 13 projects, subject to national allocations and final rankings.

Application Type:Open call, single stage. Submission by email using official templates to national partner contacts listed on the INSPIRES website.

Nature of Support:Money through a lump sum grant and non monetary support through collaborative learning, networking, and EU level visibility.

Application Stages:1 stage for application and evaluation. Post selection stages include contracting, implementation with monitoring, and final reporting for payment of the balance.

Success Rates:Not specified. Funding is awarded to the highest ranked proposals until the budget is exhausted and in line with national allocations.

Co funding Requirement:No formal co funding requirement is stated. The grant is a fixed lump sum of up to €15,000. Applicants must ensure that the proposed use of the lump sum is justified and sufficient to complete the planned activities. Any costs beyond the lump sum must be covered by the consortium.

Templates and Application Structure

Annex 6 Declaration of Honor outline:Lead SME identification legal name, VAT or Registration number, establishment country and region, legal representative details. Eligibility confirmations SME status per EU Recommendation 2003 361 EC, active tourism related activity, legal establishment in Belgium, Finland, Germany, or Poland, SME status at submission, consortium composition with at least 50 percent tourism SMEs. Independence confirmation of legal and financial independence among partners. Conflict of interest statement and absence of involvement in call design, evaluation, or administration. Compliance commitments to call rules, eligible activities per Annex 5, reporting, EU visibility, audit access, five year document retention. GDPR consent per the call documentation. Truthfulness declaration. Signature, place, date, and stamp fields.

Annex 7 Application Form structure:Section 1 Lead SME profile SME name, legal form, registration number, establishment date, address, country and region, website, contact person details, main NACE code or description of tourism related activity, SME size, headcount, annual turnover, description of main activity up to 200 words. Section 2 Project details title, 200 word summary, objectives linked to sustainability and or digital and or resilience, proposed activities up to 300 words with timeline and milestones across at least two Annex 5 categories with a small activity table, expected outcomes up to 200 words measurable such as GHG reduction, improved digital presence, eco certification, and partner table listing legal name, country and region, role, SME status, sector. Section 3 Budget and funding requested amount €15,000 Pioneers, confirmation that at least 60 percent goes to tourism SMEs, completion and attachment of Annex 8 in Excel, VAT status. Section 4 Alignment with INSPIRES objectives tick at least one Sustainability, Digital Transformation, Resilience and provide up to 200 words each. External stakeholders optional description. Section 5 Additional information broader impact up to 300 words on innovation, accessibility, rural development, or inclusion. Required attachments list business registration certificates, lead SME financial statements last two years, Annex 6 signed, Annex 8 Excel, and optional Annex 9 T4T Pledge. Section 6 Declarations accuracy, eligibility compliance, proper use of funds, independence, absence of conflict, signature, date, and place.

Annex 8 Budget Template components:Project budget breakdown by eligible activity categories 1 Business development and strategic planning, 2 Sustainable, circular and regenerative practices, 3 Digital innovation and adoption of technologies, 4 Capacity building and skills development, 5 Promotion, marketing, and communication. Each line captures description, estimated costs in EUR, and partner responsible. Total must match €15,000. Partner level budget allocation sheet listing each partner, SME yes or no, budget allocated in EUR, and percent of total grant, ensuring at least 60 percent allocated to tourism SMEs. Notes highlight evaluator checks on justification and feasibility, monitoring through at least one ad hoc visit and a final report, and that the entire partnership composed of tourism SMEs automatically meets the 60 percent threshold, with distribution explained and consistent with activities.

How to Apply

1. 1Download and review the Guidelines for Applicants and FAQ from the INSPIRES website INSPIRES 2nd Call page
2. 2Assemble a partnership of 2 to 5 independent legal entities ensuring at least 50 percent tourism SMEs and select a tourism SME as Lead Applicant
3. 3Define a project of 3 to 12 months starting 15 June 2026 at the latest contributing to sustainability and or digital transformation and or resilience, covering at least two eligible activity categories
4. 4Complete Annex 7 Application Form, Annex 6 Declaration of Honor, and Annex 8 Budget Template, and collect required attachments business registration and lead SME financial statements
5. 5Convert all documents to PDF except Annex 8 which remains Excel, and optionally include Annex 9 if applicable
6. 6Email the complete application package to the appropriate country contact by 11 May 2026 at 23:59 Brussels time

Categorized Summary Answers

Evaluation Window and Contracting Milestones

• 02 March 2026 Call opens
• 11 May 2026 Application deadline
• 12 to 29 May 2026 Evaluation and selection
• 1 to 12 June 2026 Results and contracting
• 15 June 2026 Project implementation begins

Data Protection and Compliance

Applicants consent to processing of personal data for evaluation, monitoring, reporting to the European Commission, and audits, in line with GDPR Regulation EU 2016 679 and the call documentation. Beneficiaries must observe EU visibility requirements, retain records for at least five years after project end, and accept potential audits or monitoring visits.

Comprehensive Summary

INSPIRES 2026 Second Call offers targeted cascade funding to support collaborative tourism SME projects in Belgium, Finland, Germany, and Poland that drive the green, digital, and resilient transition of the tourism ecosystem. Each partnership of 2 to 5 independent entities must be led by a tourism SME, include at least 50 percent tourism SMEs, and channel at least 60 percent of the €15,000 lump sum to tourism SMEs. The call emphasizes practical, short duration projects 3 to 12 months that implement actions across at least two eligible categories including business strategy, sustainable and circular practices, digital innovation, skills and capacity building, and green promotion and marketing. Proposals undergo a transparent single stage evaluation by two independent experts against relevance and impact, quality and feasibility, and partnership collaboration, with set minimum thresholds. Funding decisions follow ranked scores within national allocations. Selected consortia sign a sub grant agreement, receive 60 percent pre financing, and the 40 percent balance after satisfactory final reporting. Applications must be submitted by email using the official templates Annex 6 Declaration of Honor, Annex 7 Application Form, and Annex 8 Budget Template along with company registrations and lead SME financial statements. The opportunity is designed to accelerate practical sustainability and digitalization measures in tourism SMEs, encourage cross sector partnerships for innovation and inclusivity, and build resilience through concrete, measurable outcomes within a defined timeframe.

The INSPIRES Second Open Call offers lump-sum grants of €15,000 to collaborative tourism projects that advance the green, digital, and resilient transition of the tourism ecosystem. This call allocates remaining funding for PIONEER projects specifically targeting SMEs in Germany, Belgium, Finland, and Poland, with a total budget of €195,000.

Key Dates and Timeline

1. 1Call opens: 02 March 2026
2. 2Application deadline: 11 May 2026 at 23:59 Brussels time
3. 3Evaluation and selection: 12-29 May 2026
4. 4Results and contracting: 1-12 June 2026
5. 5Project start: 15 June 2026
6. 6Project end: No later than 28 February 2027

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must be SMEs legally established in Belgium, Finland, Germany, or Poland and operating in or contributing to the tourism sector. Projects require a partnership of 2 to 5 independent legal entities, with at least 50% being tourism SMEs and the lead applicant being a tourism SME. At least 60% of the funding must be allocated to tourism SMEs. Projects must contribute to at least one of: Sustainability, Digital Transformation, or Resilience.

Funding Details

Grant Amount:Lump-sum grant of €15,000 per project at 100% funding rate.

Total Budget:€195,000, with national allocations: maximum 6 projects from Belgium, 2 from Finland, 2 from Germany, 3 from Poland.

Payment Schedule:60% pre-financing upon signing the Sub-Grant Agreement, 40% after final report approval.

Project Requirements

Project duration:3 to 12 months. Activities must align with eligible categories such as business development, sustainable practices, digital innovation, capacity building, and promotion/marketing. Projects must include activities from at least two categories and demonstrate measurable outcomes like reduced emissions or improved digital presence.

Application Process

Submit in English to country-specific contacts using official templates from the INSPIRES website. Required annexes include Declaration of Honor (Annex 6), Application Form (Annex 7), Budget Template (Annex 8 in Excel), business registration, and financial statements for the lead SME. Consult Guidelines for Applicants and FAQ on the INSPIRES website.

• Belgium: inspires@provincieantwerpen.be
• Finland: inspires@lapinamk.fi
• Germany: inspires@erlebnis-bremerhaven.de
• Poland: inspires@podkarpackie.pl

Evaluation Criteria

Applications undergo administrative verification, then evaluation by two independent evaluators. Funding awarded to highest-ranked proposals until budget exhausted per national allocation.

Background and Objectives

Part of the INSPIRES project (Grant Agreement 101181590) under SMP-COSME, aimed at Initiatives for Sustainable innovative Practices, Resilience, and Empowerment in Tourism SMEs. Focuses on collaborative PIONEER projects to foster innovation, partnerships, and growth in the tourism sector.

Primary source:EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Additional templates and guidelines: INSPIRES Website.

Footnotes

1. 1SME definition per EU Recommendation 2003/361/EC. Full eligibility details in Second Call for Applicants document.