Developing methods to assess the presence, functions and sensitivity of groundwater ecosystems

Development of Innovative Methods for the Assessment of Groundwater Ecosystems is a 36-month funding initiative under Horizon Europe with a grant amount of up to €5,000,000 per project. It is aimed at companies, non-profit organizations, public and educational institutions within the EU as well as associated countries. Interdisciplinary research projects in the fields of environmental/nature conservation, research & innovation, science, and energy efficiency & climate protection are supported. The objective is the harmonization and advancement of survey methods to capture the presence, functions, and sensitivity of groundwater ecosystems, to protect biodiversity and secure drinking water resources. Funding is particularly relevant for research and expert consortia with expertise in hydrology, environmental chemistry, biology, and data management. A coordinator from an EU member state and a consortium of at least three independent entities are required. The full funding rate of 100% covers personnel and material costs, travel expenses, equipment, measuring instruments, as well as subcontractor services; acquisition of real estate and retrospective costs are excluded. Evaluation criteria include innovation content, consortium quality, and expected impact on EU water policy and environmental standards.

Applications must be submitted by 17 September 2026, 17:00 CET, via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Required documents include the project description, financial plan, researchers’ CVs, and an ethics application. Eligible participants must comply with requirements on fairness, transparency, and FAIR data, ensuring that data remain sustainably accessible within the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC). Evaluation is conducted by independent experts focusing on scientific excellence, expected impacts, as well as implementation quality and resource efficiency. Submissions with outstanding potential may receive a “Seal of Excellence.” Projects will commence from 1 October 2026 and will make a decisive contribution to the advancement of evidence-based groundwater protection strategies in Europe.