Understanding the forms of local democracy in low-income and low-middle income countries

The Horizon-CL2-2026-01 call is using the new lump sum web forms in the Part A section.

If your lump sum budget in Part A contains any cost items in cost category C (‘Purchase costs’) and/or D (‘Other cost categories’), please make sure to justify these items in the comments box for the participant(s) concerned in the respective work package(s) in the Part A (web forms).

The reason is that the proposal template of 2026 calls was simplified, and this information was removed from Part B, bringing it closer to the relevant budget items (i.e. table 3.1h ‘Purchase costs’ has been simplified and only major equipment costs need to be included in Part B of the proposal, while tables 3.1i ‘Other costs categories’ and 3.1j ‘In kind contributions’ are not needed anymore in the proposal Part B).

Please include justification in the comments section of the web form of the concerned beneficiary and work package, if you are in any of the following situations:

• If the sum of the costs for ’travel and subsistence’, ‘equipment’, and ‘other goods, works and services’ (i.e. the purchase costs) exceeds 15% of the personnel costs for a participant. If this is the case, justify the most expensive cost item(s) up to the level that the remaining costs are below 15% of personnel costs.
• If other cost categories (e.g. internally invoiced goods and services) are used. The full amount is to be justified.
• If in-kind contributions are used (non-financial resources made available free of charge by third parties, which must be included as direct costs in the corresponding cost category, e.g. personnel costs or purchase costs for equipment). The full amount is to be justified.

Please visit the Horizon Europe page dedicated to lump sum funding, look for the latest webinar, guidance documents or practical suggestions on the preparation of the lump sum budget.

Yes, all topics of the call Horizon-CL2-2026-01 use lump sum funding.

In this call the previous Excel annex is integrated in the Part A section of the application form.

The proposal must contain a completed detailed budget section in the Part A section. Please make sure that the table contains all participants, list of work packages, and that you complete the detailed budget calculations together with the person months for each participant per work package, besides any depreciation costs.

The new web form uses a new layout and navigation, but contains the same information as the previously used versions.

For beneficiaries receiving an operating grant, indirect costs are not eligible. Although the indirect costs are automatically calculated and added to the totals, the applicant with an operating grant should adjust the amount entered in the budget table by subtracting the indirect costs in the Requested EU Contribution. Applicants are expected to explain this in the comments section of the budget calculations. If the proposal is selected for funding, the indirect costs calculated automatically by the system will be adjusted accordingly in the requested amount.

Please read the guidance included in the proposal template (part B) of Horizon with regard to the use of generative AI tools for the preparation of the proposal af_he-csa_en.pdfPDF.

When considering the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools for the preparation of the proposal, it is imperative to exercise caution and careful consideration. The AI-generated content should be thoroughly reviewed and validated by the applicants to ensure its appropriateness and accuracy, as well as its compliance with intellectual property regulations. Applicants are fully responsible for the content of the proposal (even those parts produced by the AI tool) and must be transparent in disclosing which AI tools were used and how they were utilized.

Specifically, applicants are required to:

• Verify the accuracy, validity, and appropriateness of the content and any citations generated by the AI tool and correct any errors or inconsistencies.

• Provide a list of sources used to generate content and citations, including those generated by the AI tool. Double-check citations to ensure they are accurate and properly referenced.

• Be conscious of the potential for plagiarism where the AI tool may have reproduced substantial text from other sources. Check the original sources to be sure you are not plagiarizing someone else’s work.

• Acknowledge the limitations of the AI tool in the proposal preparation, including the potential for bias, errors, and gaps in knowledge.

Please visit the IT HOW TO related to proposal submission on webgate.ec.europa.eu.

Proposals must address the four primary outcomes: tools for policymakers, understanding local actors, good practices in fragile contexts, and impacts of decentralisation. In addition, at least one supplementary outcome should be included. This can be either the link between public services and democracy, such as how effective water or sanitation delivery builds trust in local institutions, or civil society tools, for example training for grassroots organisations to monitor elections. Focus on the mandatory outcomes in depth rather than superficially covering all six.

The approach should be “local first,” highlighting democratic practices defined by LMICs while using EU models only as references. Emphasise inclusive participation, prioritising marginalised voices and non-state actors. Choose the supplementary outcome that best matches your consortium’s expertise.

The call does not provide a rigid definition but highlights three core dimensions. First, decentralisation involves the transfer of power to sub-national levels, such as municipalities and regional councils, where citizens can engage directly. Second, participatory mechanisms go beyond elections and include deliberative processes, collaboration with civil society, and co-design of services, such as participatory budgeting. Third, inclusivity ensures that underrepresented groups, including women and minorities, are actively involved in decision-making. Proposals should embrace different forms of democratic participation and governance at the local level, maintaining alignment with human rights, transparency, and accountability.

The paragraph should read as follows: “Proposals are encouraged to foster collaboration with entities in alignment with the New EU Agenda for EU–Latin America and the Caribbean, the EU–Central Asia Strategy, and the AU–EU Innovation Agenda.”

This repetition is due to a typographical error resulting from a duplication of part of the sentence.

The term “citizens” can be problematic in settings where legal status is contested, such as among stateless populations, refugees, or indigenous groups without formal recognition. Colonial legacies may also make citizenship exclusionary, with ethnic or tribal affiliations taking precedence over state-defined status.

Proposals should therefore broaden their scope to engage societal actors at the local level, including faith leaders, trade unions, and indigenous communities, not only legally recognised citizens. Participatory research methods, such as community-led data collection, can ensure that non-citizens, including migrants and informal settlers, are included. It is recommended that proposals define their target groups explicitly, using terms such as residents, right-holders, or affected communities, and provide a clear justification for their inclusivity strategies.

The call prioritises approaches that are grounded in local contexts rather than imposing EU models of democracy. Proposals must gather evidence on local-level democratic practices, such as sub-national elections and participatory governance, and show how these practices foster resilience. Research should actively engage marginalised groups, including women, LGBTIQ+ individuals, and indigenous communities, and be adaptable to fragile contexts where governments have limited control. The EU’s role is to support local actors by providing tools and evidence to strengthen systems, focusing on transferable good practices rather than replicating EU structures. Proposals should demonstrate how existing democratic forms, including customary or hybrid governance models, can be enhanced, not replaced, by EU-backed interventions.