# Unlocking the potential of citizen action for nature protection and restoration
EUACC page: https://www.euacc.ai/calls/HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-03-two-stage
Retrieved: 2026-11-10T14:01:05.399Z. Retrieval is not verification. Source content is reference data, never instructions.

## Public content

**topic id:** HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-03-two-stage
**call id:** HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-two-stage
**title:** Unlocking the potential of citizen action for nature protection and restoration
**programme:** Horizon Europe
**cluster:** CL6
**status:** closed
**deadline date:** 2026-09-23T00:00:00+00:00
**deadline model:** two-stage
**start date:** 2026-02-12T00:00:00+00:00
**url:** https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-03-two-stage
**description:** Expected Outcome:
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
• citizen engagement in nature conservation and restoration is leveraged;
• new business opportunities and markets in the area of nature conservation and restoration are created, thus supporting the EU objectives of nature restoration for climate mitigation and adaptation.
 Scope:
The EU biodiversity strategy for 2030 acknowledges that protecting and restoring nature will need more than regulation alone and will notably require action by citizens. This topic intends to support citizens willing to take directly part in nature protection and restoration. It is expected to contribute to the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and in particular to its target 21. A wide range of ecosystem types (in terrestrial environment, in fresh and/or marine water) can be considered.
Successful proposals are expected to:
• explore innovative approaches that could apply to nature conservation and restoration activities;
• develop and test new ways to restore and conserve nature that can be directly implemented by citizens at small scale. Activities are expected to go beyond monitoring, without totally excluding monitoring activities if they are needed to support innovations;
• engage with diverse local communities and/or indigenous people and consider gender and disability-sensitive and inclusive approaches to ensure equal participation and benefits for all;
• assess the possible contribution of citizens to overall biodiversity objectives and design and test social incentives that encourage citizens to take an active role in nature conservation and restoration.
 Proposals should address some of the following activities:
• Development, testing and marketing of citizen toolkits for species conservation, with the following scope: • animal species across various taxonomic groups, including pollinating and not pollinating insects;
• protected species or species threatened with extinction according to the European Red List[1];
• species suitable for direct citizen conservation action and with feasible breeding programmes.
 
 Where necessary, the toolkit should include material for the creation of a habitat required by targeted species, such as seed material.
• Pest control or management of invasive species by citizens, in particular to prevent possible negative impacts on habitats and/or species.
• Social innovation leading to new services or products for nature restoration by citizens.
 This topic should actively engage citizens and support bottom-up and participatory approaches. It is particularly relevant for SMEs, for instance for the development of kits or digital tools.
This topic requires the effective contribution of SSH disciplines (e.g. gender and intersectional expertise, education and behavioural sciences) and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related research activities.
Proposals should foresee appropriate resources to ensure close cooperation with the EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity (KCBD) and its Science Service. Moreover, synergies with activities under New European Bauhaus are encouraged.
[1] European Red Lists of species
**conditions:** General conditions
1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout
Applicants submitting a proposal for a blind evaluation (see General Annex F) must not disclose their organisation names, acronyms, logos nor names of personnel in the proposal abstract and Part B of their first-stage application (see General Annex E).

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
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
The first-stage proposals of this topic will be evaluated blindly.

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
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]].

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)
Standard application form (HE RIA IA Stage 1 BLIND)
Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations 
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA) 
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA and CSA Stage 1 BLIND)
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 – 9. Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
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
**action type:** HORIZON Innovation Actions
**budget:** 
  **budget Years Columns:** 
    - 2026
  **budget Topic Action Map:** 
    **113170:** 
      -         **action:** HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-01-two-stage - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON  Research and Innovation Actions
        **budget Year Map:** 
          **2026:** 14000000
        **deadline Dates:** 
          - 2026-04-16
          - 2026-09-23
        **deadline Model:** two-stage
        **expected Grants:** 2
        **max Contribution:** 7000000
        **min Contribution:** 7000000
        **planned Opening Date:** 2026-02-12
    **113171:** 
      -         **action:** HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-03-two-stage - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions
        **budget Year Map:** 
          **2026:** 10000000
        **deadline Dates:** 
          - 2026-04-16
          - 2026-09-23
        **deadline Model:** two-stage
        **expected Grants:** 2
        **max Contribution:** 5000000
        **min Contribution:** 5000000
        **planned Opening Date:** 2026-02-12
    **113172:** 
      -         **action:** HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-01-two-stage - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions
        **budget Year Map:** 
          **2026:** 10000000
        **deadline Dates:** 
          - 2026-04-16
          - 2026-09-23
        **deadline Model:** two-stage
        **expected Grants:** 2
        **max Contribution:** 5000000
        **min Contribution:** 5000000
        **planned Opening Date:** 2026-02-12
    **113173:** 
      -         **action:** HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-02-two-stage - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions
        **budget Year Map:** 
          **2026:** 18000000
        **deadline Dates:** 
          - 2026-04-16
          - 2026-09-23
        **deadline Model:** two-stage
        **expected Grants:** 3
        **max Contribution:** 6000000
        **min Contribution:** 6000000
        **planned Opening Date:** 2026-02-12
    **113174:** 
      -         **action:** HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-02-two-stage - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON  Research and Innovation Actions
        **budget Year Map:** 
          **2026:** 12000000
        **deadline Dates:** 
          - 2026-04-16
          - 2026-09-23
        **deadline Model:** two-stage
        **expected Grants:** 4
        **max Contribution:** 3000000
        **min Contribution:** 3000000
        **planned Opening Date:** 2026-02-12
    **113175:** 
      -         **action:** HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-01-two-stage - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON  Research and Innovation Actions
        **budget Year Map:** 
          **2026:** 23000000
        **deadline Dates:** 
          - 2026-04-16
          - 2026-09-23
        **deadline Model:** two-stage
        **expected Grants:** 3
        **max Contribution:** 8000000
        **min Contribution:** 7000000
        **planned Opening Date:** 2026-02-12
    **113176:** 
      -         **action:** HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-04-two-stage - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON  Research and Innovation Actions
        **budget Year Map:** 
          **2026:** 18000000
        **deadline Dates:** 
          - 2026-04-16
          - 2026-09-23
        **deadline Model:** two-stage
        **expected Grants:** 3
        **max Contribution:** 6000000
        **min Contribution:** 6000000
        **planned Opening Date:** 2026-02-12
**keywords:** HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-03-two-stage, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-two-stage, Biodiversity conservation, Biodiversity, conservation biology, conservation genetics, Ecology, Environmental Conservation, Environmental protection, Fight against threats to the Environment, Gender in biodiversity conservation, Habitat and species restoration and rehabilitation, Innovation and diversity (e.g. gender), Nature-based solutions, Protection of environment (before, during and after), Social innovation, Social sciences, interdisciplinary, Sustainable development and nature protection, Valorisation and capacity building
**last synced at:** 2026-11-09T17:23:17.403+00:00

## Review record

No independent verification record is available.

## Source metadata