Community-led actions to restore our ocean, seas and waters

Last updated: 16.7.2025
Grant

The 'Community-led actions to restore our ocean, seas and waters' program, part of Horizon Europe's Mission 'Restore our ocean and waters by 2030', focuses on empowering local communities to drive transformative change. It supports innovative solutions and strategic roadmaps through direct grants to consortia, which then provide cascading grants and technical assistance to diverse Mission community actors across Europe's key sea basins and the Danube river basin. The program uniquely emphasizes a bottom-up, participatory approach to achieve ambitious environmental restoration goals.

Who is Funded for Ocean and Water Restoration

The 'Community-led actions to restore our ocean, seas and waters' program targets a broad spectrum of entities and individuals dedicated to environmental restoration across specific European aquatic regions. It aims to mobilize diverse community actors, from local authorities to private companies, to implement actions that contribute to the Mission's overarching objectives of protecting ecosystems, eliminating pollution, and fostering a sustainable blue economy.

What is Funded to Restore Oceans and Waters

The program funds actions that implement innovative and transformative solutions to restore marine and freshwater environments, focusing on achieving biodiversity, pollution, and climate targets. Support extends across various sectors, covering both research-driven innovation and practical deployment initiatives.

Type and Scope of Funding for Ocean and Water Restoration

The funding program provides financial grants under the Horizon Europe framework, offering substantial support to consortia for pioneering community-led actions. Funding amounts are structured to enable both large-scale pilot projects and strategic planning, with clear provisions for how these funds are distributed and managed. The total available budget for this specific topic is 50 million Euros.

Conditions and Requirements for Applicants

Applicants to the 'Community-led actions to restore our ocean, seas and waters' program must adhere to specific conditions regarding application submission, consortium formation, state aid compliance, budget management, and operational requirements. These provisions ensure project quality, financial integrity, and alignment with the broader objectives of the Horizon Europe Mission.

Application Procedure Overview

The application process for the 'Community-led actions to restore our ocean, seas and waters' program follows a structured evaluation by EU representatives. The selection prioritizes both excellence and a balanced portfolio across all four Mission basins, ensuring comprehensive coverage and impact.

The 'Community-led actions to restore our ocean, seas and waters' funding program is firmly rooted in the legal framework of the European Union, specifically under Horizon Europe. It operates within a comprehensive set of regulations and policies designed to govern EU research and innovation funding.

Similar Programs

#Ocean Restoration Funding#Community-Led Marine Restoration#Horizon Europe Ocean Mission#EU Water Restoration Grants#Sustainable Blue Economy#Marine Ecosystem Protection#Freshwater Ecosystem Restoration#Ocean Pollution Prevention#Climate Neutrality Blue Economy#Cascading Grants EU#Horizon-MISS-2024-OCEAN-02-01#EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030#Zero Pollution Action Plan#Danube River Basin Projects#Atlantic Arctic Sea Basin#Mediterranean Sea Basin#Baltic North Sea Basin#Research and Innovation Actions#Financial Support to Third Parties#Regional Development Funding

Funding Overview

Funding Status

Funding Status:

Closed

Maximum Amount

Maximum Amount:

12,500,000 €

Allocated Budget

Allocated Budget:

50,000,000 €

Open Until

Open Until:

Ongoing

Award Channel

Award Channel:

Framework Programme Call

Region

Region:

Danube river basin, Atlantic and Arctic sea basin, Mediterranean Sea basin, Baltic and North Sea basin (covering Member States and Associated Countries)

Sectors

Sectors:

Agriculture and Agribusiness, Food Processing, Renewable Energy, Water and Waste Management, Information and Communication Technology, Green Technology, Healthcare, Research and Development, Service Sector, Tourism, Environmental and Climate Protection, Social Enterprises

Beneficiaries

Beneficiaries:

Various types of individuals, public or private sector entities, or other actors actively involved in activities relevant to the Mission's objectives, such as ports, islands, fishing communities, aquaculture producers, blue economy representatives, vessel operators, Local Action Groups, waterfront cities or regions, conservation communities, and tourism sector representatives.

Application Type

Application Type:

Consortium Required

Funding Stages

Funding Stages:

Applied Research, Pilot Testing, Scaling, Commercialization, Implementation

Funding Provider

Program Level:

European Union

Funding Body:

European Commission

Managed By:

European Commission services, Mission Ocean and Waters Secretariat

Additional Partners:

Prep4Blue, EcoDaLLi, BlueMissionAA, BlueMissionMed, BlueMissionBANOS (Mission lighthouse CSA projects), Mission Implementation Platform (MIP). Further funding from EMFF/EMFAF, LIFE, ERDF, ESF+, JTF, CEF Inland Waterways or Maritime, InvestEU, and private funds is encouraged.

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