FutureLakes Open Call for Associated Regions

FutureLakes Open Call for Associated Regions

Type of grant: Cascade funding

Opening date: 31 January 2025

Deadline model: single-stage

Deadline date: 31 March 2025 17:00 (Brussels time)

Status: Forthcoming

Expected duration of participation: Projects are expected to start in September 2025 and last until 30 September 2027.

Total funding available: €162,000.00

Project acronym: FutureLakes

Full name of the EU funded project: Integrating Innovations for the Protection and Restoration of European Lakes

Grant agreement number: 101156425

Topic: HORIZON-MISS-2023-OCEAN-01-04 - European natural lakes: demonstration of integrated approaches for protection and restoration of natural lake ecosystems and their biodiversity

Submission & evaluation process

The open call aims to select three associated regions that will receive financial support up to €54,000 each in the form of a grant to develop an action plan for restoring a natural lake in their region and producing an upscaling plan for implementing restoration measures in their region.

The Guidelines for Applicants and the Application Forms can be downloaded from the FutureLakes website: https://www.futurelakes.eu/calls

Application forms must be submitted as a pdf document by email to: futurelakes@niva.no

All applications must:

1. Be submitted in English.
2. Be in PDF format.
3. Use the Application Form provided at https://www.futurelakes.eu/calls.

Proposals will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

1.Suitability: Regions must have one or more natural lakes that could benefit from building knowledge and capacity in implementing innovative solutions to restore the ecological status and biodiversity of lake ecosystems in their region.

2.Relevance: How much does the proposal relate to the aims of the FutureLakes project and have a European dimension? Does the proposal include a lake affected by similar pressures to one of the existing FutureLakes Demo sites?

3.Implementation: Do the planned activities for co-creation with stakeholders and implementation of restoration measures seem feasible in terms of resources available (human, technical, financial, institutional) to undertake the project activities? Is there already some existing knowledge (experts, previous projects) or ambition to implement restoration measures?

4.Impact: What is the estimated impact nationally and for FutureLakes for the associated region to join the project? What are the capacity needs of the region/country? What is the expected impact on the goals of the MISSION Restore our Ocean and Waters? Please note that proposals from countries not represented in the consortia of any of the four projects funded under the Topic will be prioritised to maximise impact.

Further information

Who can apply?

Local and regional authorities, as well as river basin organisations and authorities, from EU member states and Horizon Europe associated countries, except Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and the United Kingdom.

These local and regional authorities can apply as a single applicant or as a consortium. In the latter case, one of the consortium participants will act as the project beneficiary and be the Lead Applicant.

More details about the FutureLakes Open Call for Associated Regions can be found at: https://futurelakes.eu/calls.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to carefully read the Guidelines for Applicants before preparing their application.

Questions may be submitted by email to futurelakes@niva.no up to 1 days before the submission deadline. Please add FSTP call to the subject line.

Task description

Specification for Associated Region projects

Each Associated Region project will include the following tasks:

1.Identify an individual from the Associated Region to act as a main contact point for engaging with FutureLakes activities.

2.Attend online meetings for FutureLakes Task 5.3 and other relevant WP workshops (online, so no travel costs anticipated).

3.Attend two FutureLakes in-person all-partner meetings in Poland in 2026 and the Netherlands in 2027. Travel costs of representatives from the Associated Region are to be covered by the financial support they receive.

4.Consult with key regional and national stakeholders in their country on a lake basin management plan.

5.With support from FutureLakes Task 5 .3 partners and key stakeholders, co-develop a regional action plan for at least one large lake in their region.

6.In collaboration with FutureLakes Task 5 .3 partners, finalise an Upscaling Roadmap for their region (D5.3, Month 34, July 2027). This is a plan to replicate and scale-up measures to restore one or more lakes in their region.

In line with FutureLakes objectives and the Mission Restore our Ocean & Waters goals this action plan for upscaling restoration measures should focus on the following aims:

1. Improving ecological and chemical status of your lake
2. Restoring biodiversity in and around your lake
3. Enhancing the Blue Economy in and around your lake
4. Making society more resilient to climate change
5. Establishing circular economies through recovering resources from lake sediments or lake biota

Application forms are not expected to propose any specific restoration measures to be implemented during FutureLakes to achieve these goals, but more focus on activities to engage with regional and national stakeholders to ensure your action plan is co-developed and has regional and national support. We need you to provide sufficient background on the lake(s) of your region, and your team, for us to evaluate your suitability to receive support from FutureLakes to develop an ambitious plan to achieve these goals.