Revitalising neighbourhoods around existing railway and motorway corridors

The HORIZON-NEB grant opportunity focuses on revitalizing neighborhoods located around existing railway and motorway corridors as part of the New European Bauhaus initiative. This call for proposals seeks to address the adverse environmental, ecological, economic, social, and health impacts associated with transportation infrastructure. The total budget allocated for this opportunity is €11 million, and it is expected to fund two projects, each receiving approximately €5.5 million. The application process is a single-stage procedure, with a submission opening on May 5, 2027, and a closing date of December 1, 2027, at 17:00 Brussels time. Eligible applicants include a diverse range of organizations such as universities, research institutions, public authorities, municipalities, private enterprises, non-profits, and other legal entities established within European Union member states or associated countries. The proposal must be developed by a consortium of multiple partners to leverage multidisciplinary expertise, including architecture, urban planning, social sciences, environmental sciences, and community development. The funding mechanism is primarily through grants categorized as Horizon Innovation Actions, which allow beneficiaries to offer financial support to third parties (up to €100,000 per entity) to encourage community engagement in solution development. The grant requires demonstration activities in three distinct neighborhoods—urban, peri-urban, and rural—across different EU member states or associated countries, encouraging international collaboration and diversity. Proposals are expected to implement comprehensive solutions that promote sustainability, social inclusion, and urban greening, as well as address noise and air pollution and improve biodiversity. Applicants will demonstrate the impacts of their interventions, identify barriers to implementation, and outline ways to scale and replicate successful initiatives. The competitive selection process implies that only about 10-20% of submitted proposals may be funded, reflecting the project's complexity and the necessity for a robust, well-rounded proposal. Co-funding is not mandatory but heavily encouraged, suggesting that additional funding sources from national or private sectors may be sought. This initiative ultimately aligns with broader EU goals concerning urban development and environmental sustainability within the framework of Horizon Europe.

This is a Horizon Europe (HORIZON) call titled "Innovative models for neighbourhoods that integrate beauty, inclusiveness and sustainability" (HORIZON-NEB-2027-01). The call aims to revitalize neighborhoods affected by active railway lines and motorways, turning them into more liveable, inclusive, safe, attractive, and biodiverse areas, aligning with the New European Bauhaus values of sustainability, inclusion, and aesthetics. The call includes several topics, each with its own budget, action type, and indicative number of grants. All topics have a single-stage submission process, with a planned opening date of May 5, 2027, and a deadline of December 1, 2027, at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The topics and their corresponding details are: HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-BUSINESS-01: HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA), with a budget of €10,000,000 and an indicative number of 2 grants, each around €5,000,000. HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-BUSINESS-02: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA), with a budget of €10,500,000 and an indicative number of 3 grants, each around €3,500,000. HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-BUSINESS-03: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA), with a budget of €7,000,000 and an indicative number of 2 grants, each around €3,500,000. HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-PARTICIPATION-01: HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA), with a budget of €10,760,000 and an indicative number of 2 grants, each around €5,380,000. HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-PARTICIPATION-02: HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA), with a budget of €10,500,000 and an indicative number of 2 grants, each around €5,250,000. HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-PARTICIPATION-03: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA), with a budget of €14,000,000 and an indicative number of 4 grants, each around €3,500,000. HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-REGEN-01: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA), with a budget of €12,000,000 and an indicative number of 3 grants, each around €4,000,000. HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-REGEN-02: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA), with a budget of €8,000,000 and an indicative number of 2 grants, each around €4,000,000. HORIZON-NEB: HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA), with a budget of €11,000,000 and an indicative number of 2 grants, each around €5,500,000. Project results are expected to contribute to the following outcomes: innovative solutions to reduce environmental, ecological, economic, social, and health negative effects of railway lines and motorways, improved adoption of solutions by stakeholders, and revitalized demonstrator sites. Proposals should develop and demonstrate measures to mitigate negative effects, implement these measures in urban, peri-urban, and rural neighborhoods, measure and assess the resulting impacts, identify barriers to implementation, and ensure scalability and replicability. A participatory and transdisciplinary approach is expected, involving relevant stakeholders. Proposals should contribute to urban greening goals and allocate at least 0.8% of their budget to engage with the Horizon Europe-funded New European Bauhaus hub. Synergies with initiatives like Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking (EU-Rail) should be explored. The call emphasizes the importance of social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines and expertise to enhance the societal impact of research activities. Admissibility conditions, eligible countries, financial and operational capacity, evaluation and award criteria, and legal and financial setup are detailed in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties in the form of grants, up to €100,000 per third party, for co-creation and demonstration of solutions. Application forms, evaluation forms, model grant agreements, and additional guidance documents are available in the Submission System and through links provided in the call documentation. Partner search announcements can be published on the Funding & Tenders Portal. The call aims to address the negative impacts of active railway lines and motorways on surrounding neighborhoods by developing and demonstrating innovative solutions that promote sustainability, inclusion, and aesthetic values, in line with the New European Bauhaus initiative. It encourages participatory and transdisciplinary approaches, involving various stakeholders to co-create solutions and contribute to urban greening goals. The call also emphasizes the importance of social sciences and humanities in enhancing the societal impact of the research.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the call for proposals, they likely include public authorities, architects, urban and landscape planners, research institutions, social sciences and humanities experts, municipalities, and other relevant stakeholders. The call emphasizes a participatory and transdisciplinary approach, suggesting a broad range of eligible entities. Non-EU/non-Associated Countries are also eligible under specific provisions. Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically through HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) under the Horizon Europe program. Beneficiaries may also provide financial support to third parties in the form of grants. Consortium Requirement: The opportunity encourages a consortium approach, requiring a participatory and transdisciplinary approach through the integration of different actors and disciplines. The call specifies the need to co-create solutions, engaging with relevant stakeholders. Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States and Associated Countries. The call also mentions that a number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries have made specific provisions for funding their participants in Horizon Europe projects. Target Sector: The program targets multiple sectors, including urban development, environment, transport (rail and motorway), social sciences and humanities, architecture, urban and landscape planning, health, and sustainability. It focuses on revitalizing neighborhoods and mitigating the negative impacts of transportation infrastructure. Mentioned Countries: The opportunity mentions EU Member States and Associated Countries as the primary geographic focus. It also refers to non-EU and non-Associated Countries that have specific funding provisions within Horizon Europe. Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is demonstration and implementation. Proposals should develop and demonstrate a package of measures in three distinct neighborhoods. The call also aims to ensure the scalability and replicability of the measures, suggesting a move towards commercialization or wider adoption. Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call. The budget overview provides the following ranges: HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-BUSINESS-01: €10,000,000 (indicative grant of around €5,000,000, 2 grants) HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-BUSINESS-02: €10,500,000 (indicative grant of around €3,500,000, 3 grants) HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-BUSINESS-03: €7,000,000 (indicative grant of around €3,500,000, 2 grants) HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-PARTICIPATION-01: €10,760,000 (indicative grant of around €5,380,000, 2 grants) HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-PARTICIPATION-02: €10,500,000 (indicative grant of around €5,250,000, 2 grants) HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-PARTICIPATION-03: €14,000,000 (indicative grant of around €3,500,000, 4 grants) HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-REGEN-01: €12,000,000 (indicative grant of around €4,000,000, 3 grants) HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-REGEN-02: €8,000,000 (indicative grant of around €4,000,000, 2 grants) HORIZON-NEB: €11,000,000 (indicative grant of around €5,500,000, 2 grants) Application Type: The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process. Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants. Additionally, they are expected to provide financial support to third parties, also in the form of grants, up to €100,000 per third party. Application Stages: The application process is a single-stage process. Success Rates: The success rates can be estimated based on the budget overview, which provides the indicative number of grants for each topic. For example, HORIZON-NEB has a budget of €11,000,000 and aims to award around 2 grants. The actual success rate would depend on the number of applications received. Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state a co-funding requirement from the applicant. Summary: This Horizon Europe call, "Innovative models for neighbourhoods that integrate beauty, inclusiveness and sustainability (HORIZON-NEB-2027-01)," aims to revitalize neighborhoods affected by active railway lines and motorways. The call seeks innovative solutions to mitigate the negative environmental, ecological, economic, social, and health effects of these infrastructures. Projects should develop and demonstrate a package of measures in three distinct neighborhoods (urban, peri-urban, and rural) within EU Member States and/or Associated Countries. The call emphasizes a participatory and transdisciplinary approach, requiring the engagement of various stakeholders, including public authorities, architects, urban planners, and local inhabitants. Proposals should also address scalability, replicability, and regulatory barriers. The funding is provided through HORIZON Innovation Actions (IA) and Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), with budgets ranging from €7 million to €14 million per topic, and indicative grant amounts varying from approximately €3.5 million to €5.5 million. The call opens on May 5, 2027, and closes on December 1, 2027. This initiative is part of the New European Bauhaus, promoting sustainability, inclusion, and aesthetic values in urban and regional development.