Upscaling innovative payments to support farmers in the delivery of agri-environment-climate public goods

This program targets a broad range of stakeholders, including policymakers, businesses, and farmers, to collaboratively develop and implement innovative payment schemes for environmental services. It emphasizes a multi-actor approach to ensure diverse perspectives and effective uptake of solutions for a just and sustainable transition.

The program funds projects focused on developing, testing, and evaluating innovative payment schemes for environmental services in diverse farming contexts, with a strong emphasis on mobilizing private funding and robust monitoring. It supports activities leading to high Technology Readiness Levels (TRL).

This program provides grants as Innovation Actions under Horizon Europe, with a significant budget allocated to support upscaling innovative payment schemes. Each funded project is expected to receive up to 6 million Euros.

Applicants must adhere to Horizon Europe's general conditions for admissibility, eligibility, and financial capacity. A multi-actor approach is mandatory for proposals, emphasizing collaboration among diverse stakeholders. Financial support to third parties is permitted under specific conditions to foster SME involvement.

The application process is single-stage and requires submission through the Funding & Tenders Portal. Evaluation is based on predefined criteria, with indicative timelines for evaluation and grant agreement detailed in the general annexes.

The program operates under the comprehensive legal framework of Horizon Europe, established by foundational EU regulations and further governed by specific work programmes and financial rules.