Boosting sustainable competitiveness in rural areas through innovation
Funding under Horizon Europe to enhance the sustainable competitiveness of rural regions through innovation; call until 14.04.2026.
Discover your potential with AI support
- Find out if this grant matches your project
- Develop your application together with AI
- Get matched with many more suitable grants
Grant criteria
Funding objective
Promotion of strengthening the sustainable competitiveness of rural regions through research and innovation, improving access to services and business opportunities, fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, and skills, especially among young people.
Eligible expenses
- Personnel costs
- Material expenses
- Travel expenses
- Subcontractor services
Non-eligible expenses
- Retroactive costs
- Debt settlement
Eligible to apply
- Companies
- Educational Institutions
- Public Institutions
- Non-profit Organizations
Funding requirements
- Involvement of at least three independent institutions from three different EU Member States or associated countries
- Consortium with public administration, companies, and research institutions
- Project start not before 14.01.2026
Documents required for application
- Project description
- Financing plan
- Application part A in the portal
- Application part B (PDF)
- Detailed budget table
Evaluation criteria
- Innovative content of the project
- Contribution to rural development
- Quality and efficiency of implementation
Description
Under Horizon Europe, an EU-wide funding opportunity is opening that is dedicated to enhancing sustainable competitiveness in rural regions. Consortia consisting of companies, educational institutions, public bodies, and non-profit organizations can submit innovative solutions by 14.04.2026 to create opportunities for young entrepreneurs, improve access to services, and advance environmentally friendly value chains. A prerequisite is the collaboration of at least three independent entities from three different EU Member States or associated countries. With a funding amount of €5–6 million per project, initiatives related to research & innovation, digitalization, and agriculture will be supported with a 100% funding rate covering personnel costs, material costs, travel expenses, and subcontracting services.
Projects will be evaluated based on their degree of innovation, contribution to rural development, as well as the quality and efficiency of implementation. A focus lies on the integration of social sciences, humanities, and the gender perspective in all project phases. For the application, a detailed project description, a financing plan, application parts A and B in the portal, and a budget table must be submitted. Following positive evaluation and formal review, the project start will be no earlier than 14.01.2026. Through transnational cooperation and targeted funding linkage, this call offers a unique opportunity to prepare rural areas for the future while simultaneously empowering young people as innovation actors.
Ready to secure your funding?
Register now and let our AI guide you through the application process – from eligibility check to finished application.