Understanding inhabitant’s experiences of neighbourhoods to support their health and well-being

This summary outlines the Horizon Europe grant opportunity titled "Understanding inhabitant's experiences of neighbourhoods to support their health and well-being" under the New European Bauhaus initiative, specifically the call HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-PARTICIPATION-03.

Eligible applicants include research institutions, universities, SMEs, large enterprises, and other organizations capable of conducting relevant research. The funding type is a grant categorized as a Horizon Lump Sum Grant, affording recipients a fixed amount rather than reimbursement for costs, thus simplifying financial management.

A consortium of multiple applicants is required, with projects needing validation in at least three neighborhoods located in three different EU Member States or Associated Countries. The call emphasizes urban development, health, social sciences, sustainability, and the built environment, requiring a transdisciplinary approach that integrates contributions from diverse sectors.

The total budget for this call is €15,000,000, with three expected grants of €5,000,000 each. The application process is single-stage, with submissions opening on May 5, 2026, and closing on December 1, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time. Successful proposals should aim to produce evidence-based recommendations for local authorities related to improving the health and well-being of inhabitants by understanding their experiences within their neighborhoods.

Projects must be conducted in accordance with Horizon Europe standards, requiring collaboration across various geographical contexts and demographic groups, especially considering participation from vulnerable populations. An allocation of at least 0.8% of the budget is mandated for engaging with the New European Bauhaus hub to share results and contribute to impact assessments.

The call signifies a broader investment from the EU for research and innovation, aligning with ongoing efforts for climate neutrality and societal resilience through the New European Bauhaus initiative. The overall aim is to foster beautiful, sustainable, and inclusive neighborhoods that enhance the quality of life for communities in Europe.

This is a Horizon Europe call focused on "Beautiful, inclusive and sustainable neighbourhoods for communities" under the New European Bauhaus (NEB) initiative. The call aims to fund projects that investigate how inhabitants experience their neighbourhoods, the impact of these experiences on their health and well-being, and how these experiences can be improved through NEB in the context of the green transition.

The call includes several topics, each with a specific budget, action type, and indicative number of grants. All topics share a single-stage deadline model, with a planned opening date of May 5, 2026, and a deadline of December 1, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time.

The topics are:

HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-BUSINESS-01: HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) with a budget of 10,500,000 EUR and an indicative number of 3 grants, each around 3,500,000 EUR.

HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-BUSINESS-02: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) with a budget of 7,000,000 EUR and an indicative number of 2 grants, each around 3,500,000 EUR.

HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-BUSINESS-03: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) with a budget of 9,000,000 EUR and an indicative number of 2 grants, each around 4,500,000 EUR.

HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-PARTICIPATION-01: HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) with a budget of 12,600,000 EUR and an indicative number of 2 grants, each around 6,300,000 EUR.

HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-PARTICIPATION-02: HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) with a budget of 10,000,000 EUR and an indicative number of 2 grants, each around 5,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-PARTICIPATION-03: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) with a budget of 15,000,000 EUR and an indicative number of 3 grants, each around 5,000,000 EUR. This topic, titled "Understanding inhabitant’s experiences of neighbourhoods to support their health and well-being," specifically seeks to obtain a deep understanding of inhabitants’ sensory and emotional experience of their neighbourhood and the impact of these experiences on their health and well-being. Proposals should involve a diversity of people, assess variations across sociodemographic groups and neighbourhoods, provide consistent data using the NEB self-assessment method, and validate findings in at least three neighbourhoods across different areas in at least three different Member States and/or Associated Countries. Based on research evidence, recommendations should be provided to local authorities and the artistic, cultural and heritage sector on how to improve inhabitants’ experiences, support health and well-being, and guide the green transition.

HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-REGEN-01: HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) with a budget of 12,000,000 EUR and an indicative number of 3 grants, each around 4,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-REGEN-02: HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) with a budget of 10,000,000 EUR and an indicative number of 2 grants, each around 5,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-REGEN-03: HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) with a budget of 15,000,000 EUR and an indicative number of 3 grants, each around 5,000,000 EUR.

Project results are expected to contribute to robust evidence on how inhabitants experience their neighbourhood and the impact of these experiences on their health and well-being. The research should inform policies, strategies, neighbourhood planning, and procurement for the green transition of neighbourhoods, including their nature-positive transformation and climate resilience.

Proposals are expected to follow a participatory and transdisciplinary approach through the integration of different actors and disciplines. The effective contribution of social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts and institutions are required.

A minimum of 0.8% of the budget should be allocated for engaging with the Horizon Europe-funded 'New European Bauhaus hub for results and impact' to share intermediate and final results, findings, and learning, as well as to contribute to impact assessment.

Admissibility conditions, eligible countries, financial and operational capacity, exclusion criteria, evaluation and award processes, and legal and financial setup are detailed in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum.

Application forms, evaluation forms, model grant agreements, and additional guidance documents are available on the Funding and Tenders Portal. Support resources include 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, and CEN-CENELEC/ETSI Research Helpdesks. Partner search tools are also available.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call aims to foster research and innovation that enhances the understanding of how people experience their neighbourhoods and to use this knowledge to create more beautiful, inclusive, and sustainable communities in line with the New European Bauhaus initiative. It emphasizes participatory and transdisciplinary approaches, the involvement of social sciences and humanities, and the green transition of neighbourhoods. The funding is provided as a lump sum, and detailed guidance and support are available through the Funding and Tenders Portal.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the nature of Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Innovation Actions (IA), the eligible applicants can include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, non-profit organizations, and other types of organizations capable of conducting research and innovation activities. The call is open to various entities as long as they meet the general eligibility criteria defined in the Horizon Europe program.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires a consortium of multiple applicants. The call specifies validation in at least three neighbourhoods located in at least three different Member States and/or Associated Countries, implying the need for multiple partners to cover these locations.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States and Associated Countries. The validation of findings must occur in at least three neighbourhoods in at least three different Member States and/or Associated Countries. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Target Sector: The program targets sectors related to urban development, social sciences and humanities (SSH), health, environment, climate, culture, and innovation, with a focus on the built environment and the green transition of neighbourhoods. It also involves digitalization and its impact on inhabitants' experiences.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions EU Member States and Associated Countries.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is research and innovation, as indicated by the "HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions" (HORIZON-RIA) designation. The projects should aim to generate robust evidence and inform policies and strategies.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call:
HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-BUSINESS-01: EUR 10,500,000 (indicative grant amount around EUR 3,500,000, 3 grants)
HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-BUSINESS-02: EUR 7,000,000 (indicative grant amount around EUR 3,500,000, 2 grants)
HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-BUSINESS-03: EUR 9,000,000 (indicative grant amount around EUR 4,500,000, 2 grants)
HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-PARTICIPATION-01: EUR 12,600,000 (indicative grant amount around EUR 6,300,000, 2 grants)
HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-PARTICIPATION-02: EUR 10,000,000 (indicative grant amount around EUR 5,000,000, 2 grants)
HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-PARTICIPATION-03: EUR 15,000,000 (indicative grant amount around EUR 5,000,000, 3 grants)
HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-REGEN-01: EUR 12,000,000 (indicative grant amount around EUR 4,000,000, 3 grants)
HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-REGEN-02: EUR 10,000,000 (indicative grant amount around EUR 5,000,000, 2 grants)
HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-REGEN-03: EUR 15,000,000 (indicative grant amount around EUR 5,000,000, 3 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.

Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight into the competition level.

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not explicitly stated, but Horizon Europe grants typically fund a significant portion of the project costs, implying that some level of financial commitment from the applicants or other sources might be expected.

Summary:
This Horizon Europe call, "Beautiful, inclusive and sustainable neighbourhoods for communities (HORIZON-NEB-2026-01)," aims to fund research and innovation actions that enhance the understanding of how inhabitants experience their neighbourhoods and how these experiences impact their health and well-being. The call is structured around three main areas: Business, Participation, and Regeneration, each with specific topics and funding allocations. The projects should contribute to robust evidence-based policies and strategies for the green transition of neighbourhoods, including nature-positive transformation and climate resilience.

The call emphasizes a participatory and transdisciplinary approach, requiring the effective contribution of social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines. Proposals should involve a diversity of people, including vulnerable and marginalized groups, and validate findings across different sociodemographic groups and neighbourhood characteristics in at least three EU Member States and/or Associated Countries.

The funding is provided as a lump sum grant, and the application process is a single-stage submission. The call encourages applicants to engage with the Horizon Europe-funded 'New European Bauhaus hub for results and impact' and provides various support resources, including National Contact Points (NCPs) and the Enterprise Europe Network.

In essence, this call seeks to foster research that directly informs and improves the quality of life in European neighbourhoods by promoting inclusivity, sustainability, and a sense of belonging, aligning with the goals of the New European Bauhaus initiative.