Sailing towards ocean and water literacy with school communities

The SHORE project provides a grant opportunity aimed at enhancing ocean and water literacy among primary and secondary schools located in EU Member States and Horizon Europe-associated countries. The initiative seeks to promote sustainability and foster knowledge of the blue economy through educational projects. Eligible schools must operate within specific regions, including the Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Rhine River, and Danube River areas.

This grant falls under the Cascade Funding model, and schools can apply for financial support of up to €10,000 per project. A total budget of €900,000 is allocated to support 100 school projects through three open calls, with this particular call having a budget cap of €365,251.89 for project applications.

The application process operates as an open call, with a deadline set for June 30, 2025, at 17:00 (Brussels time). The application process is divided into two stages: an eligibility check to ensure compliance with geographic and institutional criteria, followed by an external remote evaluation assessing the proposals based on relevance, impact, and methodology. Successful projects are expected to be implemented within a six-month timeframe.

The SHORE project emphasizes the importance of student engagement and community involvement, aiming to empower students as agents of change in environmental stewardship. Schools interested in applying must meet eligibility requirements, including being legally registered in the specified regions. There is no co-funding requirement from the beneficiaries.

For application and further details, interested parties can visit the project website. The SHORE project is part of the EU Mission to restore oceans and waters by 2030, aligning with broader environmental goals.

The SHORE project is offering cascade funding through its third open call to support projects from primary and secondary schools aimed at increasing ocean and water literacy, promoting sustainability, and enhancing knowledge of the blue economy among students. The goal is to empower students to become agents of change and to accelerate the accreditation of the Network of European Blue Schools.

The opening date for submissions was 22 April 2025, and the deadline for submitting project applications is 30 June 2025 at 17:00 (Brussels time). This is a single-stage submission process.

The expected duration of participation for selected projects is 6 months. The total funding available for this call is 365,251.89 €. The project acronym is SHORE, and the full name of the EU-funded project is SHORE: EmpOweR Students as the agents of cHangE. The grant agreement number is 101112815. The relevant topic is HORIZON-MISS-2022-OCEAN-01-08, which focuses on student and school activities for the promotion of education on ‘blue’ sustainability and the protection of marine and freshwater ecosystems.

Project applications must be submitted via the provided link: https://www.f6s.com/shore-open-call-3/apply.

The evaluation process consists of two steps. Step 1 involves an eligibility check to ensure that proposals meet all the specified criteria. This check creates a shortlist of proposals for further evaluation. Step 2 involves external remote evaluation by independent evaluators. The evaluation criteria include Relevance, Impact, and Methodology.

Eligible beneficiaries are primary or secondary schools that are legally registered and established in EU member states and/or HEU (Horizon Europe) Associated countries. Additionally, the schools must be located in one of the five targeted regions: the Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Rhine River Area, and Danube River Area.

The maximum financial support per project is €10,000. The EU-funded SHORE project will support 100 schools’ projects through three open calls, with a total budget of 900,000€ allocated (maximum 10,000€ grant per project).

For more information about the SHORE project, visit https://shoreproject.eu/. Additional details about SHORE – Open Call #3 can be found at https://shoreproject.eu/open-calls/. For any extraordinary communication needs, contact the Help Desk at opencalls@shoreproject.eu.

In summary, this funding opportunity is designed to support primary and secondary schools in the EU and associated countries to develop and implement projects that enhance students' understanding of ocean and water issues, promote sustainable practices, and increase their knowledge of the blue economy. The SHORE project aims to empower students to become active participants in creating a more sustainable future for our oceans and waterways. Schools located in the Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Rhine River Area, and Danube River Area are particularly encouraged to apply. The grant provides up to 10,000€ per project to facilitate these educational initiatives.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicants are primary or secondary schools legally registered and established in EU and/or HEU Associated countries. Additionally, the schools must be located in one out of five targeted regions: Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Rhine and Danube River Area.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically cascade funding.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, since the eligible applicants are individual schools, it is likely that single applicants are the norm, although collaborative projects between schools within the same region might be possible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU countries and HEU (Horizon Europe) Associated countries. Furthermore, the schools must be located within one of the five targeted regions: Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Rhine and Danube River Area.

Target Sector: The target sector is education, specifically focusing on ocean and water literacy, sustainability, and the blue economy. It also touches upon environmental education and marine/freshwater ecosystem protection.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity mentions regions rather than specific countries. The regions mentioned are: Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Rhine and Danube River Area. The eligible countries are EU member states and countries associated with the Horizon Europe programme.

Project Stage: The project stage is not explicitly defined, but it appears to target the implementation of activities and projects within schools to promote ocean and water literacy. This suggests a stage of development and implementation rather than basic research or pure idea generation.

Funding Amount: The maximum financial support is €10,000 per project. The total funding available for this call is 365,251.89 €. The overall SHORE project has a total budget of 900,000€ to support 100 schools’ projects via 3 Open Calls.

Application Type: The application type is an open call.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant.

Application Stages: The application process involves two stages: an eligibility check and an external remote evaluation.

Success Rates: The success rate cannot be determined from the provided information. However, given that the SHORE project aims to support 100 schools across three open calls, and this specific call has a budget of approximately 365,251.89€, the success rate is likely to be in the 10 to 39% range.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This opportunity is an open call under the EU-funded SHORE project, which aims to empower students as agents of change by increasing ocean and water literacy, promoting sustainability, and enhancing knowledge of the blue economy. The call, specifically SHORE Open Call #3, provides grants of up to €10,000 to primary and secondary schools located in the EU and HEU Associated countries, within the Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Rhine and Danube River Area regions. The projects should focus on student and school activities that promote education on blue sustainability and the protection of marine and freshwater ecosystems. The application deadline is June 30, 2025. The evaluation process involves an eligibility check followed by an external remote evaluation based on relevance, impact, and methodology. The SHORE project aims to support 100 schools with a total budget of 900,000€ across three open calls, with this particular call having a budget of 365,251.89€. The selected schools are expected to implement their projects within a 6-month timeframe. The ultimate goal is to mobilize students as agents of change and ramp up the accreditation of the Network of European Blue Schools.