SUNDANSE – Open Call #1 (Sediment Matters – The Danube Call)

The SUNDANSE Open Call #1, known as the Sediments Matters Danube Call, is a funding opportunity targeting local and regional authorities located in Germany, Slovakia, Moldova, Hungary, and Croatia. The main aim is to support innovative projects that enhance the deployment and testing of established SUNDANSE solutions in the Danube River basin, focusing on sediment management and river health. The call opened on December 18, 2025, and runs until February 18, 2026, with submissions required through the F6S platform.

Eligible applicants must be local or regional authorities, as consortia applications are not permitted. The total funding available for this call is €300,000, with a maximum of €100,000 provided per project. Funding will be disbursed in three installments after key project milestones are achieved: 17% after the Project Definition phase, 58% following the Project Implementation phase, and 25% after the Project Evaluation phase.

Eligible projects must address at least one thematic area linked to sediment dynamics, including Flow Monitoring, Sediment Quantity Monitoring, Sediment Quality Assessment, and Awareness-Raising Actions regarding sediment flow alterations. Projects should incorporate replicable activities from the provided Replication Activities Catalogue.

The application evaluation process involves an admissibility check, remote expert evaluations assessing Excellence, Impact, and Implementation, and final ranking, with proposals needing to meet minimum scoring criteria to be considered. The expected success rate for applications is estimated to be below 10%, as only three projects will be supported.

The required documentation during the application phase includes legal existence proof, a signed Declaration of Honour, bank account information, and identification from organization members. All communication must be in English, and applicants must verify their authority status.

In summary, the SUNDANSE Open Call #1 represents a significant funding opportunity aimed at fostering effective sediment management practices within the Danube basin for local and regional authorities, with a robust framework for project implementation and evaluation.

The SUNDANSE Open Call #1, also known as the Sediments Matters Danube Call, is a funding opportunity aimed at supporting innovative projects that expand the deployment, testing, and engagement of developed SUNDANSE solutions across new regions. The primary goal is to demonstrate the feasibility, replicability, and scale-up of SUNDANSE solutions and replicate SUNDANSE use cases in new regions and domains.

The call opened on December 18, 2025, and has a deadline of February 18, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time. The expected duration of participation is 9 months. The total funding available for this call is €300,000, with a maximum of €100,000 available per project as a lump sum grant.

This call is exclusively for local and regional authorities located within Germany, Slovakia, Moldova, Hungary, and Croatia. Consortia applications are not accepted.

To be eligible, projects must address at least one of the following core thematic areas related to sediment dynamics and river health: Flow monitoring, Sediment quantity monitoring, Sediment quality assessment (including the identification of pollution sources of the river(s)), or Actions to improve awareness raising on sediment flow alterations. Applicants are also required to select some of the replicable activities presented in the Replication Activities Catalogue (Annex 2).

Awarded beneficiaries will participate in the 9-month SUNDANSE Programme, which includes support from a mentor to monitor project progress and facilitate communication with technical partners. Mandatory outputs include Report #1 (Individual Mentoring Plan project specifications), Report #2 (Project implementation), and a final Report #3, which must include Stakeholder Engagement Outputs, a Regional Action Plan & Roadmap, and an Evaluation of resources usage and impact of the project.

The application process involves submitting proposals online via the F6S Submission System. Proposals submitted by any other means will not be evaluated. All mandatory questions must be answered, and all requested documents must be uploaded; incomplete applications will be disqualified. Applicants must agree to the application's terms and conditions. All applications and programme communication must be in English. A Local and Regional Authority Proof will be requested during the application phase.

The project acronym is SUNDANSE, and the full name of the EU-funded project is Innovative sediment management framework for a SUstainNable DANube black SEa system. The grant agreement number is 101156533. The topic is HORIZON-MISS Danube river basin lighthouse Demonstration of effective and sustainable management of sediments in the Danube river-Black sea system.

In summary, the SUNDANSE Open Call #1 is a funding opportunity for local and regional authorities in specific countries within the Danube River basin to implement innovative projects related to sediment management and river health. The call aims to scale up existing SUNDANSE solutions and replicate successful use cases in new areas. Projects must focus on flow monitoring, sediment quantity and quality monitoring, or actions to improve awareness of sediment flow alterations. The application process is competitive, with proposals evaluated based on excellence, impact, and implementation. Successful applicants will receive up to €100,000 in funding and participate in a 9-month program with mentoring and reporting requirements.

Summary:

The SUNDANSE Open Call #1, also known as Sediments Matters The Danube Call, is a funding opportunity aimed at local and regional authorities in Germany, Slovakia, Moldova, Hungary, and Croatia. The call focuses on innovative projects related to sediment dynamics and river health in the Danube River basin. The primary goal is to expand the deployment, testing, and engagement of existing SUNDANSE solutions in new regions, showcasing their feasibility, replicability, and potential for scale-up.

The funding is provided as a lump sum grant, with a maximum of €100,000 per project. A total of €300,000 is available for this call, and up to three projects will be selected. The selected beneficiaries will participate in a 9-month SUNDANSE Programme, divided into three stages: Project Definition (2 months), Project Implementation (4 months), and Project Evaluation (3 months). Funding is disbursed in three installments (17%, 58%, and 25%) upon successful completion of each stage and achievement of milestones and deliverables.

The application process involves a single-stage submission through the F6S platform. Proposals submitted through other means will not be evaluated. The evaluation process includes an admissibility and eligibility check, remote expert evaluation based on excellence, impact, and implementation criteria, and a ranking and final selection of applicants. Applications are reviewed by at least two external evaluators, and those scoring below 3 in any criterion or an overall score below 10 will be rejected. The evaluators rank the applications and select the top-ranked projects in online interviews.

Consortium applications are not accepted; only single applicants (local and regional authorities) are eligible. The opening date for submissions is December 18, 2025, and the deadline is February 18, 2026, at 17:00 (Brussels time).