MSCA and Citizens 2027

The MSCA and Citizens 2027 call, identified as HORIZON-MSCA-2027-CITIZENS-01-01, is part of the Horizon Europe program and aims to enhance public engagement with research through initiatives like the European Researchers’ Night and Researchers at Schools. This call supports Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) targeting organizations involved in science communication and education.

Eligible applicants include a wide range of legal entities established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries, such as research institutions, universities, public authorities, foundations, and media organizations. Both single applicants and consortia are permitted, though partnerships are encouraged to ensure geographical spread and prevent activity overlaps.

The funding is structured as a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, with a total budget of approximately €15.7 million allocated for about 50 expected grants, ranging from €100,000 to €350,000 per project. The submission process is a single-stage open call, with the opening date set for March 9, 2027, and the deadline on June 8, 2027. The call encourages proposals that include co-funding from additional sources, though it is not mandatory.

Projects must focus on the implementation stage, which includes organizing events like the European Researchers' Night and facilitating interaction between researchers and students. Activities can range from science shows to debates and aim to engage diverse audiences, particularly targeting underrepresented groups in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) fields.

Evaluation will occur in a two-phase process, first selecting top projects by country based on excellence thresholds and then considering other outstanding projects regardless of geography. The expected success rate is informed by past calls, suggesting a competitive environment as applications exceed available funding.

Overall, the initiative aims to make research engaging and accessible to the public, improve researchers' communication skills, and enhance the visibility of participating organizations. The emphasis is placed on fostering inclusiveness and collaboration across different educational and societal sectors.

The application process is supported by a variety of resources, including an Online Manual and guidance from National Contact Points. This opportunity represents a significant investment in strengthening public understanding of research and promoting future engagement in science among younger generations across Europe.

The HORIZON-MSCA-2027-CITIZENS-01-01 call, part of the Horizon Europe program, specifically falls under the MSCA and Citizens 2027 initiative. It aims to fund Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) to enhance public engagement with research and innovation. The grant type is a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, and the deadline model is single-stage. The planned opening date for submissions is March 9, 2027, with a deadline of June 8, 2027, at 17:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes of this call are geared towards both researchers and organizations. For researchers, the goal is to provide enhanced opportunities for interaction with citizens and authorities at various levels, as well as to improve their communication skills for engaging with non-research audiences, particularly students. For organizations, the aim is to increase their reputation and visibility by hosting excellent research projects that are accessible to the general public and prospective students. The call also seeks to make research more tangible and accessible, opening science to all, improving outreach to diverse audiences across Europe, and strengthening citizen engagement with research and innovation.

The scope of the call requires proposals to cover both the organization of the European Researchers’ Night and the implementation of the Researchers at Schools initiative. The European Researchers' Night, held annually on the last Friday of September, supports events that can last up to two days, including pre- and post-events. It serves as a Europe-wide public event to promote research careers. The Researchers at Schools initiative aims to bring researchers into schools and school classes to research facilities, fostering interaction between researchers and pupils on societal challenges and the role of research in addressing them.

Types of activities that can be funded include European Researchers’ Night activities that combine education with entertainment, such as exhibitions, hands-on experiments, science shows, simulations, debates, games, and competitions. These activities should engage educational institutions to promote formal and informal science education. The European Researchers’ Night should be highlighted as a European event, promoting the EU and its impact on citizens' lives. Researchers at Schools activities can include presentations, discussions, speed-dating, citizen science, science shows, summer schools, nature walks, and visits to research facilities. Researchers should receive training on science communication to effectively engage with young audiences.

The call encourages the involvement of researchers funded by Horizon Europe or previous Framework Programmes, especially Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. Proposals should promote gender balance, diversity, and inclusiveness in science. Partnerships and coordination at regional, national, or cross-border levels are strongly encouraged to ensure geographical spread and avoid overlaps. Synergies with the Science Comes To Town initiative are also encouraged. High-quality applications that are not funded may be granted associated event status.

Eligible costs will be covered through lump sum contributions, as stipulated in the relevant EU decision. The maximum requested EU contribution per proposal is EUR 350 000, and applicants are encouraged to seek additional funding sources. The budget will be evaluated based on the quality and efficiency of implementation. Proposals exceeding the maximum EU contribution may be penalized unless a strong justification is provided.

Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals covering activities for both 2028 and 2029, including the organization of two successive editions of the European Researchers’ Night and implementation of Researchers at Schools activities. Proposals should clearly communicate and promote the European nature of the action.

Regarding general conditions, admissibility conditions are described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Proposal page limits and layout are detailed in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. Eligible countries are listed in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries outlined in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. Activities carried out in non-associated third countries are not eligible for funding. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

The evaluation and award process aims to ensure a balanced portfolio with wide geographical coverage. Grants will be awarded based on ranking and to the highest-ranked application per country, provided all thresholds are met, as described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. Submission and evaluation processes are detailed in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is also described in Annex F. Legal and financial aspects of the grants, including eligible costs as lump sum contributions, are outlined 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, as well as the model grant agreement, are available in the Submission System. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027, the Horizon Europe Programme Guide, the Framework Programme, the Specific Programme Decision, the EU Financial Regulation, the decision authorizing lump sum contributions, rules for legal entity validation, and the EU Grants AGA.

The budget overview indicates a total budget of EUR 15 707 365 for the HORIZON-MSCA-2027-CITIZENS-01-01 topic, with contributions ranging from EUR 100 000 to EUR 350 000. The indicative number of grants is 50.

Partner search announcements can be viewed and edited on the Funding & Tenders Portal. The submission system is planned to open on March 9, 2027.

Support resources include the Online Manual, Horizon Europe Programme Guide, Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network, IT Helpdesk, European IPR Helpdesk, CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk, ETSI Research Helpdesk, the European Charter for Researchers, and Partner Search tools.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call focuses on funding projects that promote public engagement with research through the European Researchers’ Night and the Researchers at Schools initiative. It encourages activities that make research accessible and engaging for the general public, particularly young people, and aims to improve communication and collaboration between researchers and society. The call emphasizes gender balance, diversity, and inclusiveness, and supports projects that promote the EU and its impact on citizens' lives. The funding is provided as lump sum contributions, with a maximum EU contribution of EUR 350 000 per proposal.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly defined in the provided text. However, based on the nature of the call, eligible applicants could include research organizations, universities, educational institutions, non-profits, and other entities involved in research and science communication. The call encourages partnerships and coordination at regional, national, or cross-border levels, suggesting a wide range of organizations can apply.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, as indicated by the "Type of MGA: HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]" designation. Eligible costs will take the form of lump sum contributions as stipulated in Decision of 11 March 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions and unit contributions for Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions under the Horizon Europe Programme.

Consortium Requirement: The call encourages partnerships and coordination at regional, national, or cross-border levels, suggesting that consortia are welcome. The text mentions "trans-national consortia" in the context of ensuring geographical coverage, indicating that consortia are not only permitted but potentially advantageous.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. The text also mentions that 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. However, activities carried out in non-associated third countries are not eligible for funding. To ensure a balanced portfolio covering the widest geographical coverage with events and activities held in as many eligible countries as possible, grants will be awarded to applications not only in order of ranking but at least also to each application that is highest ranked per country based on where the coordinator is established (including trans-national consortia), provided that the applications attain all thresholds.

Target Sector: The program targets the science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) fields, research, education, and science communication sectors. It aims to promote research careers and engage the general public, particularly young people, with science and research activities.

Mentioned Countries: The text refers to EU countries, non-EU countries, and non-associated third countries. It emphasizes the importance of geographical coverage across eligible countries.

Project Stage: The project stage is implementation and coordination. The call focuses on organizing events like the European Researchers’ Night and the Researchers at Schools initiative, which are activities geared towards public engagement and science communication rather than basic research or development.

Funding Amount: The EU contribution per proposal should not exceed EUR 350,000. The budget range is between EUR 100,000 and EUR 350,000.

Application Type: The application type is a single-stage call, as indicated by "Deadline model: single-stage". The planned opening date is 09 March 2027, and the deadline is 08 June 2027.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum contribution.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The indicative number of grants is 50. The success rate cannot be determined exactly without knowing the expected number of applications.

Co-funding Requirement: All proposals are encouraged to bring additional sources of funding.

Summary:

This Horizon Europe call, MSCA and Citizens 2027 (HORIZON-MSCA-2027-CITIZENS-01), aims to enhance public engagement with science and research, particularly among young people. It supports the organization of the European Researchers’ Night and the Researchers at Schools initiative. The call encourages projects that combine education with entertainment, promote gender balance and diversity, and foster partnerships at various levels. Eligible applicants can request up to EUR 350,000 in lump sum contributions, and the call is open to a wide range of organizations involved in research and science communication within eligible countries. The application process is single-stage, with a deadline of 08 June 2027. The call seeks to improve communication skills for researchers, increase the visibility of research organizations, and make research more accessible to the general public, especially those with limited access to STEAM fields. Synergies with other initiatives like Science Comes To Town are also encouraged.