Living labs to enhance soil health in Continental, Black Sea, Pannonian and Steppic biogeographical regions

The Horizon Europe call for proposals focuses on enhancing soil health through the implementation of living labs under the Soil Deal for Europe Mission. This opportunity emphasizes a multi-actor approach, requiring diverse consortia including researchers, landowners, industry representatives, public administrators, and civil society. The geographic scope covers the Continental, Black Sea, Pannonian, and Steppic biogeographical regions, necessitating that living labs be established in at least three different EU Member States or Associated Countries.

Funding for this initiative is set at €24 million, with individual project grants ranging from €12 million for each of the anticipated two projects. The application process is structured in two stages: an expression of interest due on April 8, 2027, followed by a full proposal due on September 14, 2027. The aim is to foster innovative, locally adapted solutions for soil health challenges through participatory, interdisciplinary research that directly involves communities and stakeholders.

Successful proposals will not only develop solutions for soil issues but also focus on long-term sustainability beyond the funding period by identifying viable business models and securing additional public or private funding. Collaboration is expected with existing networks and initiatives, including the European Union Soil Observatory.

Proposals will be evaluated on their admissibility and potential impact, with a minimum threshold required for securing funding. The call seeks to address significant soil health challenges, aiming to increase the availability of practical knowledge for land managers and improve policy responses to local soil health needs. Overall, the initiative is a strategic endeavor to bridge the gap between research and application in soil health, contributing to broader environmental goals.

This is a Horizon Europe (HORIZON) call for proposals supporting the implementation of the Soil Deal for Europe Mission (HORIZON-MISS-2027-05-two-stage). The call aims to enhance soil health in Continental, Black Sea, Pannonian, and Steppic biogeographical regions through the establishment of living labs and lighthouses. The type of action is HORIZON-RIA (Research and Innovation Actions) and HORIZON-IA (Innovation Actions) with a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG] Model Grant Agreement. The deadline model is two-stage. The planned opening date is 04 February 2027, with deadlines on 08 April 2027 and 14 September 2027.

The activities respond directly to the Mission Soil goal of setting up 100 living labs and lighthouses to lead the transition to healthy soils by 2030. They also contribute to the Common Agricultural Policy, the European Green Deal, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the EU Soil Strategy for 2030, the proposal for a Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive, the Zero Pollution Action Plan, the Communication on Boosting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Expected outcomes include: enhanced capacities for participatory, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary R&I; improved soil health monitoring and data availability; increased practice-oriented knowledge for land managers; and policymakers being more aware of local needs for effective soil health policies.

The scope involves deploying living labs as a novel approach to research and innovation in soil health, facilitating a green transition through multi-actor involvement in real-life sites. Projects should deploy living labs to expand the network of soil health living labs, aiming to establish 100 living labs and lighthouses by 2030. Soil health living labs are long-term collaborations addressing soil health challenges in real-life sites at local or regional levels, covering various land uses. Lighthouse sites demonstrate exemplary soil health improvement. Projects should kick-start or build on existing participatory processes, complementing the existing network of Mission Soil Living Labs.

Proposals should: support the establishment of four to five living labs in the Continental biogeographical region or in the Black Sea, Pannonian, and Steppic regions; establish an interdisciplinary, participatory, and multi-actor approach; establish a baseline of soil conditions and monitor improvements; assess the viability of proposed solutions; identify high-performing sites for conversion into lighthouses; and propose strategies for the long-term sustainability of the living labs.

The multi-actor approach is essential, involving researchers, landowners, industry representatives, public administrators, and civil society. Financial support to third parties (FSTP) is possible to facilitate the involvement of small actors. Collaboration with SOILL, relevant projects, and initiatives is expected, along with demonstrating a route towards open access, longevity, sustainability, and interoperability of knowledge through collaboration with the European Union Soil Observatory (EUSO) and the project SoilWise.

Grants will be awarded to applications based on ranking and to ensure coverage of different biogeographical regions, provided that proposals attain all thresholds.

Admissibility Conditions include proposal page limits and layout as described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form. Eligible countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries. Proposals must apply the multi-actor approach. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. Proposals must focus on specific biogeographical regions, and grants will be awarded to ensure a balanced portfolio. Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. The overall threshold for the second stage evaluation will be 12, with a minimum threshold of 4 for the ‘Excellence’ criterion. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Legal and financial set-up of the grants allows beneficiaries to provide financial support to third parties (up to EUR 60 000 per third party) to facilitate active involvement of smaller actors. This is described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA) information is available in the Submission System, along with guidance documents, model grant agreements, call-specific instructions, and information on financial support to third parties. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027, HE Programme Guide, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, and the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual.

The budget overview includes several topics: HORIZON-MISS-2027-05-SOIL-01-two-stage (EUR 24 000 000), HORIZON-MISS-2027-05-SOIL-02-two-stage (EUR 24 000 000), HORIZON-MISS-2027-05-SOIL-03-two-stage (EUR 16 000 000), HORIZON-MISS-2027-05-SOIL-04-two-stage (EUR 11 000 000), HORIZON-MISS-2027-05-SOIL-05-two-stage (EUR 12 800 000), and HORIZON-MISS-2027-05-SOIL-06-two-stage (EUR 7 000 000). All topics follow a two-stage submission process with opening on 2027-02-04, deadlines on 2027-04-08 and 2027-09-14.

This funding opportunity is designed to foster the creation and expansion of living labs dedicated to improving soil health across Europe. It emphasizes a collaborative, multi-actor approach, encouraging the co-creation and implementation of innovative solutions tailored to specific regional challenges. By providing financial support and a structured framework, the EU aims to accelerate the transition towards healthier soils, contributing to broader environmental and sustainability goals. The initiative not only seeks to generate practical knowledge and solutions but also to empower local communities and stakeholders, ensuring the long-term viability and impact of soil health initiatives. The focus on open access and data sharing further amplifies the potential for widespread adoption and continuous improvement in soil management practices across the continent.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are broad and encompass a multi-actor approach, including researchers, landowners or land managers, industry representatives (e.g., SMEs), public administrators, and civil society representatives (e.g., consumers, local residents, environmental NGOs, youth organisations). The call encourages the involvement of various types of actors, including beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners, third parties giving in-kind contributions, subcontractors, and recipients of financial support to third parties.

Funding Type: The funding type is primarily a grant, specifically a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA) or a HORIZON Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) under the Horizon Europe program. Financial support to third parties (FSTP) can also be provided in the form of grants.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires a consortium of multiple applicants, with living labs located in at least three different Member States and/or Associated Countries. The multi-actor approach is mandatory, implying the need for a diverse consortium.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility focuses on the Continental biogeographical region or one or more of the three biogeographical regions: Black Sea, Pannonian, and Steppic. Living labs must be located in at least three different Member States and/or Associated Countries. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Target Sector: The program targets the soil health sector, encompassing agriculture, environment, and related land management practices. It aims to improve soil health, promote sustainable land use, and support the European Green Deal, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the EU Soil Strategy for 2030, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions Member States and Associated Countries, implying eligibility for entities within those regions. It also references non-EU/non-Associated Countries that have made specific provisions for funding participants in Horizon Europe projects. The biogeographical regions of Continental, Black Sea, Pannonian, and Steppic are also mentioned, focusing the scope on areas within those regions.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on development, validation, and demonstration, with an emphasis on establishing and supporting living labs to co-design, co-develop, and co-implement locally adapted solutions for soil health challenges. The projects are expected to build on existing knowledge and solutions, monitor improvements in soil health, and demonstrate the viability and transferability of proposed solutions.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from €7,000,000 to €24,000,000. The indicative number of grants per topic also varies, generally aiming to fund one or two projects per topic. Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties, with a maximum amount of €60,000 to be granted to each third party.

Application Type: The application type is an open call with a two-stage submission process. The planned opening date is 04 February 2027, with deadlines for the first stage on 08 April 2027 and for the second stage on 14 September 2027.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants to support their research and innovation activities related to soil health. Additionally, financial support can be provided to third parties to facilitate their active involvement in the living labs.

Application Stages: The application process involves two stages.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants per topic suggests a competitive process. For instance, some topics indicate funding for only one or two projects, implying a success rate that is likely below 10 to 39%.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state a co-funding requirement from the applicant. However, proposals should propose strategies to ensure the long-term sustainability of the established living labs beyond the Horizon Europe funding, which may involve attracting a mix of public or private funding schemes.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, "Supporting the implementation of the Soil Deal for Europe Mission," aims to enhance soil health by establishing and supporting living labs and lighthouses. The call targets a multi-actor approach, encouraging the involvement of researchers, landowners, SMEs, public administrators, and civil society representatives. Projects should focus on the Continental, Black Sea, Pannonian, or Steppic biogeographical regions, establishing living labs in at least three different Member States and/or Associated Countries. The funding, ranging from €7 million to €24 million per project, supports research and innovation actions to co-create and co-implement locally adapted solutions for soil health challenges. The application process is a two-stage open call, with deadlines in April and September 2027. The call seeks to improve soil health monitoring, increase the availability of practice-oriented knowledge, and inform policy makers about local needs regarding soil health. Ultimately, this initiative contributes to the Mission Soil's goal of transitioning to healthy soils by 2030 and supports the broader objectives of the European Green Deal and the Sustainable Development Goals.