Sustainable and healthy diets based on health status and socio-economic risk factors of ageing population

The HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-10 grant opportunity focuses on developing sustainable and healthy diets informed by the health status and socio-economic risk factors of the ageing population, specifically those aged 65 and older. This initiative is categorized as a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) under Horizon Europe, emphasizing practical applications rather than conventional research.

The call has a fixed budget of €2,000,000 with one anticipated grant available. The application submission is a single-stage process, opening on January 14, 2026, and closing on April 14, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time. Eligible applicants include research institutions, universities, government bodies, nonprofit organizations, and public-private partnerships, all of which must meet Horizon Europe criteria. Proposals must involve consortiums, as individual applications are not competitive. The focus on interdisciplinary cooperation implies that participants should engage social sciences and humanities disciplines to address the unique needs and challenges faced by elderly populations.

The geographic scope of the call encompasses all EU Member States and Associated Countries, encouraging partnerships that harness diverse expertise and resources across multiple jurisdictions. The emphasis on food and nutrition necessitates involvement from experts in gerontology, healthcare, and social welfare sectors. The project aims to identify specific dietary needs for older adults, develop tailored dietary programs, and promote healthy eating habits that contribute to disease prevention and overall health improvement.

Proposals should address activities such as mapping vulnerable elderly populations, creating nutrient-rich food recommendations, and designing prevention campaigns for elderly care settings. The successful project will produce actionable guidelines and dietary resources that can be implemented at various levels, including national and local authorities.

Funding type is delivered as a lump sum grant, which simplifies financial management by providing a predetermined amount without the need for detailed tracking of actual costs. Co-funding is not explicitly required, but applicants are encouraged to seek additional support from regional or partner organizations to enhance project scope and sustainability.

The success of applications will depend on their quality and alignment with EU policies surrounding ageing, food security, and sustainability, with a competitive nature indicated by historical data from similar grant calls suggesting success rates likely below 10 to 39%. Overall, this grant promotes healthy dietary practices among older Europeans through coordinated pan-European initiatives.

The EU Funding and Tenders Portal presents a call for proposals under the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) program, specifically focusing on "Sustainable and healthy diets based on health status and socio-economic risk factors of ageing population" with the topic ID HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-10. This call is for HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) and utilizes the HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] Model Grant Agreement (MGA).

The call adopts a single-stage deadline model, with the planned opening date set for 14 January 2026 and a deadline for submissions on 14 April 2026 at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes of the projects should contribute to: Improved identification of specific dietary needs for the older population (above 65 years old), positively impacting their health, wellbeing, and disease prevention. Better understanding of sustainable food production and processing, along with the social and economic impact of healthy diets on disease prevention among the older population. Improved knowledge in Member States and Associated Countries on developing diets for the older population at national, regional, and local levels, especially for those in care homes or living alone. Improved identification of innovative, easy-to-chew food products enriched with specific nutrients and bioactive natural compounds suitable for older adults.

The scope of the proposals should align with EU policies related to ageing, such as the Green Paper on Ageing, the Commission Communication on Demographic change in Europe, Principle 18 of the European Pillar of Social rights on long-term care, and the R&I Food 2030 framework.

The proposals should address the following activities: Mapping data on the older population in Europe based on gender, frailty, social and economic vulnerabilities. Developing and providing a healthy and affordable diet program for older adults (including those in care homes) affected by or at risk of malnutrition. Developing and providing nutrient and tailored food dietary recommendations for home care and institutions responsible for older people's care, including those living alone. Developing and providing prevention campaigns and post-recovery programs for older adults affected by diseases due to unhealthy diets. Developing and providing campaigns considering the sustainability of food categories produced and processed, impacting the health of older populations.

The proposals should involve the effective contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines, with support from experts in economic and psychological disciplines relevant to the older population. Consideration should be given to the results achieved under the FP7 projects “New dietary strategies addressing the specific needs of elderly population for a healthy ageing in Europe” and “Optimised food products for elderly populations”.

Regarding the general conditions, the proposal page limit and layout are described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form. Eligible countries are detailed 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. Other eligible conditions are described in Annex B, while financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are in Annex D, and submission and evaluation processes are in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in Annex F. Legal and financial aspects of the grants state that eligible costs will be in the form of a lump sum, as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021, and further details are 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, along with the model grant agreement (MGA), include application form templates available in the Submission System (Standard application form HE CSA) and evaluation form templates (Standard evaluation form HE CSA). Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide, Lump Sum MGA, call-specific instructions, detailed budget table (HE LS), and guidance on lump sums.

Additional documents include: HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction, HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 9. Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment, HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes, HE Programme Guide, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The budget overview lists several topics with their respective budget, stage, opening date, deadline, contributions, and indicative number of grants. For HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-10, the budget is EUR 2,000,000, it is a single-stage application, opening on 2026-01-14 and closing on 2026-04-14, with an indicative number of 1 grant.

Partner search announcements are available for collaboration, and the submission system is planned to open on the date stated in the topic header. General FAQs and support are available, including 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, and Partner Search.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call focuses on improving the diets and nutritional well-being of the ageing population in Europe. It seeks to fund projects that can map the needs of older adults, develop tailored dietary programs and recommendations, create prevention and recovery campaigns, and promote sustainable food production practices. The call encourages interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly involving social sciences and humanities, and provides a lump sum grant for successful projects. The call aims to contribute to EU policies on ageing and food sustainability, ultimately enhancing the health and quality of life for older Europeans.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, given that it is a Horizon Europe call, eligible applicants typically include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and other organizations capable of conducting research and innovation activities. The specific eligibility criteria are detailed in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Coordination and Support Action (HORIZON-CSA). The eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum contribution.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, Horizon Europe projects often involve consortia to bring together diverse expertise and resources. Applicants should refer to the specific topic description and call conditions for any consortium requirements.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States and Associated Countries. Non-EU/non-Associated Countries may also be eligible for funding, subject to specific provisions outlined in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Target Sector: The target sectors are food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture, environment, and health, with a specific focus on sustainable and healthy diets for the ageing population. The program also emphasizes the importance of integrating Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity mentions EU Member States and Associated Countries as being eligible. It also refers to non-EU and non-associated countries that may have specific provisions for funding.

Project Stage: The project stage targets activities that support coordination and support actions, which typically involve mapping, developing guidelines and recommendations, developing prevention campaigns, and providing tailored dietary recommendations. This suggests a focus on development, validation, and demonstration stages, rather than basic research or commercialization.

Funding Amount: The budget for the HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-10 topic is EUR 2,000,000. The indicative number of grants is 1. Other topics listed in the budget overview have varying budgets and indicative numbers of 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 a lump sum grant to cover eligible costs.

Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage, as indicated by the "single-stage" deadline model.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement. However, applicants should consult the specific call conditions and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide for any co-funding obligations.

Summary:

This Horizon Europe call, specifically topic HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-10, aims to improve the diets and health outcomes of the ageing population in Europe. It falls under the broader Call 02 of the Horizon Europe Programme, focusing on sustainable and healthy diets based on health status and socio-economic risk factors. The call is structured as a Coordination and Support Action (CSA), providing a lump sum grant of around EUR 2,000,000 to a single project.

The primary goal is to identify the specific dietary needs of older adults (65+), considering their health status, wellbeing, and the prevention of age-related diseases. The projects should also focus on sustainable food production and processing, and the social and economic impacts of healthy diets. A key aspect is the development of practical dietary programs and recommendations for Member States and Associated Countries, tailored for older adults in care homes, those living alone, and other relevant settings.

Eligible applicants include a wide range of organizations capable of conducting research and innovation, such as universities, research institutes, SMEs, and large enterprises, primarily from EU Member States and Associated Countries, with potential eligibility extensions to non-EU countries under specific conditions. Proposals should integrate Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines and consider the results of previous FP7 projects in related areas.

The application process is a single-stage submission, with a planned opening date of January 14, 2026, and a deadline of April 14, 2026. The funding mechanism is a lump sum grant, and applicants should consult the Horizon Europe Programme Guide and related documents for detailed guidance on eligibility, evaluation criteria, and the application process. The call encourages partner searches to form strong consortia and provides access to various support services, including National Contact Points and the Enterprise Europe Network.