# Adapting to and mitigating demographic trends in rural areas through evidence-based planning and innovative solutions
EUACC page: https://www.euacc.ai/calls/HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-COMMUNITIES-01
Retrieved: 2026-11-10T13:55:29.036Z. Retrieval is not verification. Source content is reference data, never instructions.

## Public content

**topic id:** HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-COMMUNITIES-01
**call id:** HORIZON-CL6-2025-02
**title:** Adapting to and mitigating demographic trends in rural areas through evidence-based planning and innovative solutions
**programme:** Horizon Europe
**cluster:** CL6
**status:** closed
**deadline date:** 2025-09-16T00:00:00+00:00
**deadline model:** single-stage
**start date:** 2025-05-06T00:00:00+00:00
**url:** https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-COMMUNITIES-01
**description:** Expected Outcome:
The successful proposals will support the implementation of the long-term vision for EU’s rural areas, contribute to empower rural communities for transformative change to become sustainable and resilient, as well as to manage and adapt to a changing population. 
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
• improved understanding by all relevant actors of the causes and of the social, economic and environmental impacts of demographic trends in rural areas;
• rural communities are prepared to respond to the challenges of demographic trends thanks to evidence-based planning, appropriate actions, and through the inclusive engagement of stakeholders;
• the well-being of rural communities and the attractiveness of rural areas is improved thanks to sustainable and innovative solutions.
 Scope:
Rural areas cover more than 80% of the EU territory and host approximately 30% of its population. Rural communities and areas provide essential ecosystem services for the whole society, such as food production, energy provision, management of natural resources as well as access to nature and cultural heritage. They play an essential role in the green and digital transitions. However, almost 9 out of 10 predominantly rural regions reported negative crude rates of natural population change during the period 2015–2020. In particular, the number of people aged 65 years or over increased by 1.8% each year in predominately rural regions. By contrast, the number of working-age people (20-64 years old) living in predominantly rural regions fell, on average, by 0.6% each year (EUROSTAT)[1].
Many rural areas also face high variation of their populations, such as seasonal peaks that challenge the local infrastructures and services which are often calibrated only on permanent inhabitants. While some are affected more than others by negative demographic trends.
Proposals should address all of the following:
• advance the understanding of the causes and social (including but not limiting to gender and intersectional differentiations), economic and environmental impacts (including but not limiting to consequences related to land abandonment or land use changes also considering the green transition) of demographic trends;
• focus on how to support rural communities through evidence-based strategies that includes planning, monitoring of fluctuations, and propose appropriate actions to respond to population changes;
• find innovative solutions to mitigate and adapt to a changing population in rural areas. Particular attention should be paid to rural areas that are highly exposed to climate change effects.
 The funded consortium should work on collecting evidence for better planning and develop sustainable and comprehensive long-term strategies for managing a changing population by considering the needs of rural communities. These needs should be identified by using an inclusive multi-actor approach. Consideration of gender and other social categories (disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnic and/or cultural origins, sexual orientation, etc.), and their intersections, must be ensured.
Proposals should test, develop and pilot innovative sustainable solutions that improve the well-being of rural communities based on their needs. In particular, they should focus on providing or co-creating with local communities innovative services that respond to the changing population, foster the sustainable development of strategic sectors, and support job creation in rural areas.
Financial support may be provided by the participants to third parties in the form of grants, in particular for the development, testing and piloting of sustainable solutions. If proposals decide to use this option, the consortium should also coordinate activities funded under the financial support to third parties and take stock of results for recommending appropriate policy measures.
Proposals should also focus on the sustainability and replicability of strategies and solutions. Moreover, proposals should develop an accessible tool, also making use of digital technologies, to support local and regional decision-makers to assess demographic impacts and plan for the future with evidence-based strategies in the framework of the just, fair and green transition.
Proposals must implement the multi-actor approach to involve relevant stakeholders, in particular for the development of innovative solutions, which may include public authorities, rural communities, as well as SMEs, organisations, and social economy actors.
Proposals should build on research done by the EU rural observatory, and by relevant projects funded under Horizon Europe.
Moreover, proposals should link with the demographic toolbox[2].
This topic must involve the effective contribution of social sciences and humanities (SSH), including gender studies. Proposals are encouraged to consider, where relevant, the services offered by European research infrastructures such as the European social survey (ESS ERIC).
[1] https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Urban-rural_Europe_-_demographic_developments_in_rural_regions_and_areas
[2] Communication “Demographic change in Europe: a toolbox for action, https://commission.europa.eu/publications/communication-demographic-change-europe-toolbox-action_en
**conditions:** General conditions
1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout
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
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
The following additional eligibility criteria apply: the proposals must apply the multi-actor approach. See definition of the multi-actor approach in the introduction to this work programme part.

described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion
described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds
are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.

5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes
are 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
described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants
Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties. The support to third parties can only be provided in the form of grants. The maximum amount to be granted to each third party is EUR 60 000.

described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Specific conditions
 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)
HE MGA 
Call-specific instructions 
Information on financial support to third parties (HE) 

Additional documents:
 HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 9. Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 14. General Annexes
HE Programme Guide 
HE Framework Programme 2021/695 
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764 
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
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
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          - 2025-09-16
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          **2025:** 6000000
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          - 2025-09-16
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        **min Contribution:** 6000000
        **planned Opening Date:** 2025-05-06
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          - 2025-09-16
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          - 2025-09-16
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        **min Contribution:** 8000000
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          - 2025-09-16
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          - 2025-09-16
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        **budget Year Map:** 
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          - 2025-09-16
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        **budget Year Map:** 
          **2025:** 12000000
        **deadline Dates:** 
          - 2025-09-16
        **deadline Model:** single-stage
        **expected Grants:** 2
        **max Contribution:** 6000000
        **min Contribution:** 6000000
        **planned Opening Date:** 2025-05-06
**keywords:** HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-COMMUNITIES-01, HORIZON-CL6-2025-02, Ageing, work, social policies, Agriculture, Rural Development, Fisheries, Demography, Environmental change and society, Environmental impact assessment, Innovation management, Migration, Other humanities, Other social sciences, Population dynamics, aging, health and society, Social and economic geography, Social innovation, Social issues, Social sciences, interdisciplinary, Social structure, inequalities, social mobility, interethnic relations, Sociology, Urban studies (Planning and development), Urban studies, regional studies
**last synced at:** 2026-11-09T17:23:17.403+00:00

## Review record

No independent verification record is available.

## Source metadata