What is cascade funding?

Cascade funding (also called financial support to third parties) is money the European Commission gives to an EU-funded project, which the project then passes on to startups, SMEs, researchers or other organisations through its own open calls. You apply to the project, not to the Commission, and the project's own call rules apply.

Each call sets its own eligibility in its call document: usually organisations established in an EU member state or a Horizon Europe associated country, often startups and SMEs. Check the call's eligibility section and the official guide before you apply.

Do I need a consortium?

Most cascade calls accept single applicants, which makes them one of the easiest ways into EU funding. Some calls ask for small teams; the call document says which.

How large are the grants?

Typically tens of thousands of euros per applicant and rarely more than €200,000, because the EU rules for financial support to third parties keep amounts per recipient modest. The exact maximum is in each call.

Can I combine it with other EU funding?

Yes, as long as the same costs are not funded twice. Many startups use a cascade grant to build evidence before applying to larger programmes such as the EIC Accelerator.

ForestPathways – Building Knowledge and Solutions for…

ForestPathways – Building Knowledge and Solutions for Resilient Forests and Sustainable Forest-Based Futures

Open call run by the EU-funded project FOREST (European Partnership for Forests, forestry, and the forest-based sector: Research and innovation for a Sustainable Transition (FOREST)). You apply to the project, not to the European Commission. Synced from the EU Funding & Tenders Portal on 9 November 2026.

On this page · 7 sections→

01The project
02Consortium
03Similar calls
04Cascade funding FAQ
05Call scope
06Eligibility & conditions
07Official source

The project running this call: FOREST

European Partnership for Forests, forestry, and the forest-based sector: Research and innovation for a Sustainable Transition (FOREST)

The European FOREST Partnership (FOrests, forestry and the forest-based Sector: REsearch and Innovation for a Sustainable Transition) promotes cutting-edge research and innovation (R&I) to accelerate the transformation of the European forest-based sector into a resilient and knowledge-intensive contributor to a sustainable circular bioeconomy and to society. In line with Horizon Europe’s Destination “Circular economy and bioeconomy sectors” and Expected Impact 29 of Cluster 6, the Partnership will coordinate transnational R&I across 28 countries, involving 100 partners from ministries, funding agencies and research performing organisations.A core feature of the Partnership is the joint coordination of national and regional R&I programmes to overcome fragmentation and align efforts across Europe. Open to all eligible entities, it will actively promote international collaboration, with…

EU contribution

€70.0M

Total cost

€240M

Runs

1 Jun 2026 to 31 May 2036

Programme

Horizon Europe

Funded under the EU call HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-15. Official project record ↗

Who runs it: the consortium

20 organisations in the project. The coordinator usually manages the open call and its evaluation.

Accademia Italiana di Scienze Forestali · ItalyPartner
Autoritatea Nationala Pentru Cercetare · RomaniaPartner
Viesoji istaiga Forest 4.0 · Lithuania · SMEPartner
Land Og Skogur · IcelandPartner
Ministrstvo Za Visoko Solstvo, Znanost In Inovacije · SloveniaPartner
Styrelsen for Gron Arealomlaegning Og Vandmiljo · DenmarkPartner
Homo Silvestris Europae SARL · France · SMEPartner
Ministerstvo Zivotniho Prostredi · Czech RepublicPartner
Ministerul Mediului, Apelor Si Padurilor · RomaniaPartner
Syrion Institut zur Forderung Systemischer Forschung und Innovation · AustriaPartner
Forestwise Associacao Para O Laboratorio Colaborativo Para A Gestao Integrada da Floresta e do Fogo · PortugalPartner
Ministerie van Landbouw, Visserij, Voedselzekerheid en Natuur · NetherlandsPartner
Agentia Nationala Pentru Cercetare Si Dezvoltare · MoldovaPartner
Agencia Estatal de Investigacion · SpainPartner
Technologicka Agentura Ceske Republiky · Czech RepublicPartner
Agrar- es Elelmiszergazdasagert Felelos Miniszterium · HungaryPartner
Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus VTT Oy · FinlandPartner
Luonnonvarakeskus · FinlandPartner
Innovationsfonden · DenmarkPartner
Kliimaministeerium · EstoniaPartner

Similar open calls from EU projects

Other cascade calls on related topics that you can apply to now.

Cascade funding: what to know before you apply

What is cascade funding?: Cascade funding (also called financial support to third parties) is money the European Commission gives to an EU-funded project, which the project then passes on to startups, SMEs, researchers or other organisations through its own open calls. You apply to the project, not to the Commission, and the project's own call rules apply.
Who can apply?: Each call sets its own eligibility in its call document: usually organisations established in an EU member state or a Horizon Europe associated country, often startups and SMEs. Check the call's eligibility section and the official guide before you apply.
Do I need a consortium?: Most cascade calls accept single applicants, which makes them one of the easiest ways into EU funding. Some calls ask for small teams; the call document says which.
How large are the grants?: Typically tens of thousands of euros per applicant and rarely more than €200,000, because the EU rules for financial support to third parties keep amounts per recipient modest. The exact maximum is in each call.
Can I combine it with other EU funding?: Yes, as long as the same costs are not funded twice. Many startups use a cascade grant to build evidence before applying to larger programmes such as the EIC Accelerator.

Cascade funding in the glossary · All open cascade calls

What this call funds

The Joint Call follows a two-stage application and evaluation procedure.

Pre-proposals must be submitted electronically through the FOREST Electronic Submission and Evaluation System (ESES). They will undergo a formal eligibility check by the Call Office, national/regional eligibility checks by the relevant Research Funding Organisations, and scientific evaluation by an independent International Expert Panel.

Following the first-stage evaluation, selected consortia will be invited to submit full proposals. Full proposals will undergo a further formal and national/regional eligibility check and independent scientific evaluation by the International Expert Panel.

Final recommendations for funding will be made by the Call Steering Committee on the basis of the scientific evaluation, ranking lists and available national/regional and EU funding.

Applicants must also comply with the applicable national/regional requirements set out in the Funder Regulations.

Eligibility & conditions+

Full information on the FOREST Joint Call 2026 – ForestPathways, including the Call Announcement, Funder Regulations, application documents, information webinar, networking and partnering opportunities, and access to the Electronic Submission and Evaluation System (ESES), is available on the official Joint Call website:

https://forest-partnership.eu/jointcall2026

Applicants should consult the Joint Call website regularly for additional and updated information.

General enquiries concerning the Joint Call should be addressed to the FOREST Call Office:

calloffice-jc2026@forest-partnership.eu

Technical enquiries concerning ESES:

ptj-forest-calls@ptj.de

Official source

Confirm the current call documents and submission conditions with the funding authority.

View on EU portal ↗

Source: EU Funding & Tenders Portal · synced 2026-11-09

On this page · 7 sections→

01The project
02Consortium
03Similar calls
04Cascade funding FAQ
05Call scope
06Eligibility & conditions
07Official source

The project running this call: FOREST

European Partnership for Forests, forestry, and the forest-based sector: Research and innovation for a Sustainable Transition (FOREST)

EU contribution

€70.0M

Total cost

€240M

Runs

1 Jun 2026 to 31 May 2036

Programme

Horizon Europe

Funded under the EU call HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-15. Official project record ↗

Who runs it: the consortium

20 organisations in the project. The coordinator usually manages the open call and its evaluation.

Accademia Italiana di Scienze Forestali · ItalyPartner
Autoritatea Nationala Pentru Cercetare · RomaniaPartner
Viesoji istaiga Forest 4.0 · Lithuania · SMEPartner
Land Og Skogur · IcelandPartner
Ministrstvo Za Visoko Solstvo, Znanost In Inovacije · SloveniaPartner
Styrelsen for Gron Arealomlaegning Og Vandmiljo · DenmarkPartner
Homo Silvestris Europae SARL · France · SMEPartner
Ministerstvo Zivotniho Prostredi · Czech RepublicPartner
Ministerul Mediului, Apelor Si Padurilor · RomaniaPartner
Syrion Institut zur Forderung Systemischer Forschung und Innovation · AustriaPartner
Forestwise Associacao Para O Laboratorio Colaborativo Para A Gestao Integrada da Floresta e do Fogo · PortugalPartner
Ministerie van Landbouw, Visserij, Voedselzekerheid en Natuur · NetherlandsPartner
Agentia Nationala Pentru Cercetare Si Dezvoltare · MoldovaPartner
Agencia Estatal de Investigacion · SpainPartner
Technologicka Agentura Ceske Republiky · Czech RepublicPartner
Agrar- es Elelmiszergazdasagert Felelos Miniszterium · HungaryPartner
Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus VTT Oy · FinlandPartner
Luonnonvarakeskus · FinlandPartner
Innovationsfonden · DenmarkPartner
Kliimaministeerium · EstoniaPartner

Similar open calls from EU projects

Other cascade calls on related topics that you can apply to now.

Cascade funding: what to know before you apply

What is cascade funding?: Cascade funding (also called financial support to third parties) is money the European Commission gives to an EU-funded project, which the project then passes on to startups, SMEs, researchers or other organisations through its own open calls. You apply to the project, not to the Commission, and the project's own call rules apply.
Who can apply?: Each call sets its own eligibility in its call document: usually organisations established in an EU member state or a Horizon Europe associated country, often startups and SMEs. Check the call's eligibility section and the official guide before you apply.
Do I need a consortium?: Most cascade calls accept single applicants, which makes them one of the easiest ways into EU funding. Some calls ask for small teams; the call document says which.
How large are the grants?: Typically tens of thousands of euros per applicant and rarely more than €200,000, because the EU rules for financial support to third parties keep amounts per recipient modest. The exact maximum is in each call.
Can I combine it with other EU funding?: Yes, as long as the same costs are not funded twice. Many startups use a cascade grant to build evidence before applying to larger programmes such as the EIC Accelerator.

Cascade funding in the glossary · All open cascade calls

What this call funds

The Joint Call follows a two-stage application and evaluation procedure.

Final recommendations for funding will be made by the Call Steering Committee on the basis of the scientific evaluation, ranking lists and available national/regional and EU funding.

Applicants must also comply with the applicable national/regional requirements set out in the Funder Regulations.

Eligibility & conditions+

https://forest-partnership.eu/jointcall2026

Applicants should consult the Joint Call website regularly for additional and updated information.

General enquiries concerning the Joint Call should be addressed to the FOREST Call Office:

calloffice-jc2026@forest-partnership.eu

Technical enquiries concerning ESES:

ptj-forest-calls@ptj.de

Official source

Confirm the current call documents and submission conditions with the funding authority.

View on EU portal ↗

Source: EU Funding & Tenders Portal · synced 2026-11-09

ForestPathways – Building Knowledge and Solutions for Resilient Forests and Sustainable Forest-Based Futures

The project running this call: FOREST

Who runs it: the consortium

Similar open calls from EU projects

Cascade funding: what to know before you apply

What this call funds

Official source

Track this call and plan your application.

ForestPathways – Building Knowledge and Solutions for Resilient Forests and Sustainable Forest-Based Futures

The project running this call: FOREST

Who runs it: the consortium

Similar open calls from EU projects

Cascade funding: what to know before you apply

What this call funds

Official source

Track this call and plan your application.