SMART ERA 2nd Open Call for Followers Micro-Pilots

SMART ERA 2nd Open Call (Horizon Europe) invites rural communities in EU Member States and Horizon Europe associated countries to apply as Follower Regions to co-design and deploy Smart Innovation Packages (SIPs) through community-led micro‑pilots. Selected teams (up to four) join a 12-month Support Programme and receive lump-sum funding of up to €90,000 for consortia (Community Activator up to €30,000 and Pilot Orchestrator up to €60,000) or up to €60,000 for single-entity applicants. Applications must be submitted via the SMART ERA application system by 15 September 2026 at 13:00 CEST and applicants should follow the Guide for Applicants and propose a Follower Micro-Pilot replicating the SMART ERA methodology.

Quick facts

What it funds

Support to replicate SMART ERA methodology in four new rural Follower Regions by co-designing and testing Smart Innovation Packages (SIPs) with local communities. Selected teams join a 12-month support programme (on-boarding, mobilisation, deployment) to deliver a SIP design and a tested technological solution.

Number of awards and project length:Up to 4 Micro-Pilots will be selected. Each award includes a 12-month programme and mentoring by SMART ERA technical partners ¹.

1. 1Who can apply: local teams, consortia or individuals able to play the roles of Community Activator and Pilot Orchestrator; applicants should demonstrate capacity for community engagement and technical delivery in rural settings.
2. 2Selection: single-stage submission via the SMART ERA application system; proposals judged on eligibility, scoring and expert evaluation, final decision by a selection committee.

Deadline:15 September 2026 (13:00 UTC). Start date for the programme is indicated as June 2026 in call metadata; consult the Guide for Applicants for timing and submission details. Apply through the SMART ERA application page SMART ERA OC application form and the EU portal listing Opportunity. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1See the Guide for Applicants and the SMART ERA application system for full eligibility, award conditions and submission instructions: SMARTERA.help@fundingbox.com and the SMART ERA Helpdesk community links are provided in the Guide.

Call purpose and context

SMART ERA is a Horizon Europe funded project (Project Acronym:SMART ERA, Project Id: 101084160) that develops Smart Innovation Packages (SIPs) and community-led methodologies to address socio-economic and environmental challenges in rural areas. The 2nd Open Call for Followers Micro-Pilots seeks to transfer SMART ERA results, methodology and validation strategies to new follower regions by selecting up to four proposals to establish Followers Micro-Pilots that will replicate the SMART ERA approach and co-design context-specific SIPs with local communities.

Call deadline:15 September 2026, 13:00:00 UTC (single-stage submission model).

Call duration for beneficiaries:Selected Micro-Pilots join a 12-month Support Programme composed of three stages: On-boarding (up to 2 months), Mobilisation (up to 3 months) and Deployment (up to 7 months).

Funding details

Funding is provided as lump-sum awards to support the setup, community engagement, co-design and deployment of a technological solution forming the centre of a Smart Innovation Package (SIP). Maximum funding per selected Follower Micro-Pilot depends on applicant format.

1. 1Consortium application: total lump sum up to €90,000 allocated as Community Activator up to €30,000 and Pilot Orchestrator (Technical Provider) up to €60,000.
2. 2Individual application (one legal entity covering both roles): total lump sum up to €60,000.

The overall SMART ERA Open Call budget field in the scraped metadata lists Budget:90000 which corresponds to the maximum award per consortium Micro-Pilot. The mechanism is grant funding delivered as fixed lump sums tied to deliverables and stages.

Eligible applicants and roles

The call allows either a single applicant (individual entity covering both Community Activator and Pilot Orchestrator roles) or a consortium formed by at least two partners where roles are split between Community Activator and Pilot Orchestrator (Technical Provider). Specific eligible applicant types and exact legal eligibility rules are defined in the Guide for Applicants; applicants should consult that document and the SMART ERA application system when preparing their submission.

1. 1Eligible applicant types (typical and implied from call scope): local public authorities, municipalities, community organisations, NGOs, social enterprises, SMEs (including technical providers), research organisations and universities, non-profit organisations, local development agencies, and consortia combining community activation and technical providers.
2. 2Applicant roles expected: Community Activator (responsible for community engagement, mobilisation and co-design) and Pilot Orchestrator / Technical Provider (responsible for technical solution development, integration and deployment).

Consortium requirement and application formats

The call supports two application formats:a single legal entity applying to perform both roles, or a consortium where roles are distributed. Therefore a consortium is optional but supported. When applying as a consortium the lump sum envelope is higher (up to €90,000) and must allocate funding to both roles as described above.

Geographic and beneficiary scope

The SMART ERA consortium comprises 25 organisations from 10 countries and focuses on rural regions across Europe. The call targets follower rural regions primarily within the European context. The metadata and project pages explicitly mention pilot and target regions in EU Member States and at least one non-EU country: Italy, Spain, Finland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria. The Guide for Applicants should be consulted for formal geographic eligibility (EU/Associated/third country rules).

1. 1Countries explicitly mentioned in project materials and pilot pages: Italy, Spain, Finland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria.
2. 2Region-level scope: EU-focused rural communities and smart village networks; follower regions are expected to be rural localities in Europe (check Guide for Applicants for formal eligible country list).

Target sectors and technologies

SMART ERA is multi-sectoral and addresses socio-economic and environmental challenges in rural areas through integrated technology and non-technology solutions packaged as SIPs. The initiative targets sectors and thematic areas rather than a single technology domain.

1. 1Primary sectors and themes: rural development, community and governance, sustainable tourism, agri-food and dairy supply chains, mobility, digital inclusion, circular economy and environmental education, wellbeing and social services, local entrepreneurship and SMEs.
2. 2Technology and solution types that can constitute the centre of an SIP: digital platforms and services for community engagement and participation, IoT and sensor-based solutions for environmental monitoring and agri applications, mobility solutions (smart mobility), platform economy services, digital tools to enhance local producers' competitiveness and visibility, integrated ICT solutions supporting SIPs.

Project stage and expected maturity

The call is targeted at deployment and demonstration stage activities within a 12-month micro-pilot timeframe. Applicants should be prepared to deliver community engagement, co-design outputs and a tested technical solution by the end of the Support Programme. Expected project maturity: from validated concept or prototype through deployment and local testing (validation / demonstration / early commercialisation readiness for small-scale roll-out).

Application and selection process

Applications must be submitted through the SMART ERA application system via the published OC application form. Technical support is available by SMARTERA.help@fundingbox.com and via the SMART ERA community Helpdesk on Discord. Webinars and Q&A sessions are organised through the community.

1. 1Submission method: single-stage open call through the SMART ERA application system (OC application form).
2. 2Selection process: four-step scheme — Step 1 eligibility check, Step 2 pre-scoring (if necessary), Step 3 expert evaluation against evaluation criteria, Step 4 Selection Committee decision and Final Consensus Meeting following Pitching Days.

Evaluation criteria and selection details

The detailed evaluation criteria, scoring thresholds, and administrative eligibility rules are documented in the Guide for Applicants. Proposals undergo eligibility checks, possible pre-scoring, expert evaluation and final selection by a committee after pitching. Applicants should consult the Guide for Applicants for scoring weights, required supporting documents, KPIs and deliverable definitions Guide for Applicants. ¹

Nature of support, co-funding and contract modality

Beneficiaries receive monetary support in the form of lump-sum grants. The call metadata indicates lump-sum awards tied to deliverables and stages. The Guide for Applicants should be referenced for any co-funding requirements; the scraped content does not explicitly state a mandatory co-funding percentage. Typically Horizon Innovation Actions and pilot calls with lump sums do not require additional co-funding beyond delivering defined outputs, but applicants must check the Guide for Applicants for definitive rules.

Application stages and timelines for beneficiaries

Selected teams enter a 12-month Support Programme with structured stages and deliverables.

1. 1Stage 1 On-boarding: deliver an Individual Mentoring Plan (planned activities, KPIs, milestones, budget). Duration up to 2 months.
2. 2Stage 2 Mobilisation: deliver Report on Community Engagement. Duration up to 3 months.
3. 3Stage 3 Deployment: deliver a Technical Solution Completed. Duration up to 7 months.

Expected outputs and deliverables

At the end of the 12-month Support Programme each selected Micro-Pilot will have produced:a design for a Smart Innovation Package (SIP) tailored to the local context and a technological solution developed and tested as the core element of the SIP.

Funding scale, success rates and co-funding

Funding per Micro-Pilot:up to €90,000 for consortium applications (split into Community Activator up to €30,000 and Pilot Orchestrator up to €60,000) or up to €60,000 for single-entity applicants. The call will select up to four proposals. Based on that, the total number of awards is limited (up to 4), so competition may be significant. Exact success rate depends on the number of applications received; no historical success rate is provided in the scraped metadata. Co-funding: not explicitly specified in the scraped content; consult the Guide for Applicants for final rules on co-funding or cost declarations.

Application templates and structure

The main application must be completed through the SMART ERA OC application form available on the SMART ERA application system. The Guide for Applicants is the primary document detailing required sections, mandatory annexes and scoring criteria. Based on the call description, applicants should prepare content addressing the following components within the application form and annexes:

1. 1Administrative information: legal name, registration, contact persons, VAT/ID, consortium composition (if applicable).
2. 2Project summary: Micro-Pilot objectives, target community, geographical scope, problems to be addressed and expected impact.
3. 3Roles and responsibilities: clear definition of Community Activator and Pilot Orchestrator tasks, expertise and track record.
4. 4Work plan and timeline: mapping to the three Support Programme stages with milestones and deliverables, KPIs, risk assessment and mitigation.
5. 5Budget and lump-sum justification: breakdown of planned allocation consistent with lump-sum limits (Community Activator up to €30,000; Pilot Orchestrator up to €60,000 or single applicant up to €60,000).
6. 6Community engagement plan: strategy and methods for mobilising local stakeholders and producing the Report on Community Engagement.
7. 7Technical solution description: proposed technological component(s) forming the SIP centre, implementation approach, testing and validation plan.
8. 8Replication and sustainability: explanation how the SIP can be sustained beyond pilot funding and how results will be replicated in other rural contexts.
9. 9Supporting documents: CVs of key staff, letters of support from local stakeholders, evidence of capacity to deliver, prior experience in similar pilots or community projects.

Applicants are advised to follow the exact template and required fields in the online application form and to consult the Guide for Applicants section 4 for the selection and evaluation steps and any mandatory annex templates. Applications missing required annexes or failing eligibility checks will be rejected in Step 1 of the selection process.

Selection support and contact points

Technical support for the application system is provided by SMART ERA via SMARTERA.help@fundingbox.com and the SMART ERA Helpdesk on Discord. The SMART ERA application system link is referenced as SMART ERA 2nd OC in the call materials. The Guide for Applicants and the official call page on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal are authoritative sources for rules and updates.

Quick facts (structured)

Eligibility and suitability checklist (recommended for applicants)

1. 1Verify formal country eligibility in the Guide for Applicants (EU Member States, Horizon Associated Countries, and specific third country rules may apply).
2. 2Confirm legal status and ability to sign grant documents; ensure administrative documents are ready (registration, legal representatives, bank details).
3. 3If applying as a consortium, prepare a clear partnership agreement or letter of intent outlining roles and budget allocation between Community Activator and Pilot Orchestrator.
4. 4Prepare documented evidence of community relationships or stakeholder engagement (letters of support from local associations, municipalities, community groups).
5. 5Assemble CVs and demonstrable track record for technical development and community mobilisation appropriate to the selected role(s).
6. 6Design a realistic work plan aligned with the three-stage Support Programme and lump-sum payment milestones.

Mentioned pilot regions and sample local challenges

1. 1Val di Sole / Trentino, Italy — challenges include ageing population, agri-food value chain and slow tourism, raising awareness of environmental assets.
2. 2Tramuntana / Sóller, Mallorca, Spain — challenges include connectivity, digitalisation of local businesses, tourism-agri balance and youth exodus.
3. 3Northern Ostrobothnia, Finland — sparse population, demographic shifts, platform economy opportunities, wellbeing and seasonal living issues.
4. 4Trebinje / East Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina — depopulation, need for digital capacity for small producers, rural tourism and women entrepreneurship.
5. 5Šmarje-Padna (Slovenia, Italy, Croatia border area) — sustainable mobility, circular economy, community engagement, preservation of heritage.
6. 6Devetaki Plateau, Bulgaria — remoteness, limited participation in decision-making, community-led rural tourism development.

Success rate and competitiveness

The call will award up to four Micro-Pilots. No historical success rate is provided in the call metadata; competitiveness will depend on the volume and quality of applications. Applicants should assume competitive selection and align proposals closely to evaluation criteria in the Guide for Applicants, emphasising replicability, community engagement, feasibility and sustainability of the SIP and technical solution.

Key references and links:Official call page on EU Funding & Tenders Portal and SMART ERA project pages provide authoritative guidance and application links. Consult the Guide for Applicants and the SMART ERA application portal for templates and mandatory annexes SMART ERA project Call page. ¹

Footnote marker for reference to the Guide for Applicants and official application form is included in the text above. Applicants should prioritise reading the Guide for Applicants for formal eligibility, scoring, required templates, and contractual conditions.

Comprehensive summary — what this opportunity is about

The SMART ERA 2nd Open Call for Followers Micro-Pilots funds short, community-led micro-pilots that replicate the SMART ERA Smart Innovation Package methodology in new rural follower regions across Europe. Up to four teams will be selected to participate in a 12-month Support Programme with mentoring from SMART ERA Technical Partners. The call supports either single applicants (covering both community activation and technical delivery) or consortia that split the Community Activator and Pilot Orchestrator roles. Funding is awarded as lump sums: up to €90,000 for consortia (split between roles) or up to €60,000 for single-entity applicants. Successful applicants will be expected to deliver structured community engagement, co-design a SIP and develop, deploy and test a technological solution that acts as the core of the SIP. The selection follows a four-step process including eligibility checks, expert evaluation and a final Selection Committee decision after pitching. Interested applicants must use the SMART ERA online application form and adhere to guidance in the Guide for Applicants; technical help is available through SMARTERA.help@fundingbox.com and the SMART ERA Helpdesk on Discord. The opportunity is intended for organisations and consortia capable of combining community mobilisation and technical delivery to produce replicable, sustainable solutions that address mobility, agri-food, tourism, digital inclusion, circular economy, wellbeing and other rural challenges. Applicants should prepare a concise, deliverable-oriented proposal aligning with the three-stage Support Programme, include stakeholder support evidence, and ensure their workplan, KPIs and budget conform to lump-sum limits and the Guide for Applicants requirements.

Footnotes

1. 1Guide for Applicants and the SMART ERA application form (SMART ERA 2nd OC) are the primary documents that describe exact eligibility rules, required annexes, scoring criteria and formal application templates. Access these resources on the official call page Call page and the SMART ERA community portal SMART ERA project.

What This Opportunity Is About

This EU-funded Horizon Europe call invites rural communities across Europe to become 'Follower Regions' that replicate the SMART ERA methodology by co-designing new Smart Innovation Packages (SIPs) to address local socio-economic and environmental challenges [[1]][[2]].

The project aims to transfer its results, tools, and validation strategies to up to four new regions, demonstrating the replicability of community-led innovation in rural territories [[3]][[4]].

Who Should Apply

Eligible Applicants:Individual organizations or consortia consisting of a Community Activator (for stakeholder engagement) and a Pilot Orchestrator (typically an SME or tech developer) [[1]][[4]].

Geographic Focus:Rural communities in EU Member States or Horizon Europe associated countries, with a strategic aim to select one pilot from each of four macro-regional areas: Baltic Sea, Danube, Adriatic-Ionian, and Alpine Regions [[2]][[3]].

Funding and Support Details

All selected teams join a 12-month Support Programme featuring tailored mentoring from SMART ERA Technical Partners [[1]][[4]].

1. 1Stage 1: On-boarding (up to 2 months) – Deliver Individual Mentoring Plan with KPIs and milestones
2. 2Stage 2: Mobilisation (up to 3 months) – Deliver Report on Community Engagement
3. 3Stage 3: Deployment (up to 7 months) – Complete and test a Technical Solution as the core of the SIP

Key Deadlines and Requirements

Application Period:12 June 2026 to 15 September 2026 at 13:00 CEST [[1]][[2]].

Critical Requirement:Applicants must read the Guide for Applicants carefully before submitting and propose a Follower Micro-Pilot that replicates the SMART ERA methodology in a new region [[4]][[5]].

An introductory webinar for prospective applicants is scheduled for 18 June 2026 at 12:00 CET [[4]].

For technical issues, contact SMARTERA.help@fundingbox.com or join the SMART ERA Helpdesk on Discord [[4]].

Footnotes

1. 1Official project website: SMART ERA – Your Community, Our Future
2. 2Application portal and Guide for Applicants: SMART ERA 2nd OC Apply Now