What this call funds
Expected Outcome
Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
- Policy makers get a mapping of in-kind benefits across Member States and a comprehensive measurement framework.
- Policy makers gain insights on the availability of in-kind services, on potential gaps in their provision, and on reasons for non-take up.
- Policy makers gain insights into the redistributive role of in-kind benefits and on the segregation of different social groups, through SSH research.
- Policy makers receive operational advice to make informed policy choices which reduce inequality and strengthen fairness and cohesion.
Scope
In-kind benefits refer to non-cash goods and services provided to individuals or households, typically by the government (national, regional and/or local), to support their well-being or fulfil basic needs. Unlike cash transfers, which can be spent at the recipient's discretion, in-kind benefits ensure that resources are used for specific purposes for free or at a subsidised cost (e.g. food banks, social housing, health and long-term care services, childcare, schooling, sport infrastructure, public transport). Despite the wide range of in-kind benefits, there is poor empirical knowledge basis of the impact of in-kind benefits (except for healthcare) on the income distribution and on vulnerable groups, unlike the impact of cash benefits.
Research activities may focus, as a baseline, on establishing a full mapping of in-kind benefits (both for free and at a subsidised cost, universal and means-tested) provided by national, regional and local governments. This mapping, potentially structured along the life-cycle perspective and/or around specific groups, might help to develop EU indicators on in-kind benefits and improve comparability.
Proposals may develop a comprehensive measurement framework based on methods, tools, available data and indicators, both qualitative and quantitative and both ex ante and ex post. The framework may translate in-kind benefits into income and show their redistributive role (on income groups, vulnerable populations, marginal and/or small size groups) and ensure cross-country comparability.
Proposals may consider identifying the availability of in-kind benefits at local level, potential gaps, take-up rates for in-kind benefits and their reasons (e.g. capacities' incompatibility with the local needs). They may involve vulnerable communities in the evaluation design.
Proposals may provide operational advice to policy makers on how to translate the research results into concrete actions to reduce inequality and strengthen fairness and cohesion.
The overall aim is to close the knowledge gap covering various dimensions. Therefore, it is expected that proposals apply a gender-sensitive and intersectional approach, including age, to their research.
Eligibility & conditions+
General conditions
1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout
As described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
2. Eligible Countries
As described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
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. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
3. Other Eligible Conditions
As described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion
As described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds
As described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes
As described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement
As described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants
The granting authority may, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results, as set out in the specific provision of Annex 5.
Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025) [[This decision is available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, in the reference documents section for Horizon Europe, under ‘Simplified costs decisions’ or through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-decision_he_en.pdf]].
In addition, as described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Specific conditions
As described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.
Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA):
Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System
Standard application form (HE RIA, IA)
Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA) 
Guidance
HE Programme Guide 
Model Grant Agreements (MGA)
Lump Sum MGA 
Call-specific instructions 
Detailed budget table (HE LS) 
Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?"
Additional documents:
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 5. Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes
HE Programme Guide
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions 
Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement
Source: EU Funding & Tenders Portal · synced 2026-10-13