Open Call for
Associated Regions
Scaling up SEACURE solutions to tackle nutrient pollution
across Associated Region's basins
Are you a public authority involved in land or water management in a basin facing nutrient-pollution challenges?
The SEACURE Open Call invites 7 public authorities to join the project as Associated Regions and build regional capacity for the implementation and scale-up of innovative solutions and governance strategies that prevent, reduce, and remediate nutrient pollution in soil and waters.
The SEACURE Open Call is now open!
Apply before 28 February 2026 (17:00 CEST)
Open Call
in a nutshell
SEACURE Open Call for Associated Regions
Through its Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP), the SEACURE project will support selected public authorities with grants of up to €100,000 and an 18-month support programme to mobilise regional action towards effective nutrient pollution management.
The main objective is to empower regions facing nutrient pollution-related challenges to implement effective approaches for managing biogeochemical cycles, particularly those of Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P), by leveraging the knowledge, tools, and systemic solutions developed within the project.
This Open Call offers a unique opportunity for regions to receive financial and technical support to strengthen their capacity to replicate and scale up effective nutrient management strategies and related governance approaches for the future uptake across their basins.
Seven selected public authorities will assess the feasibility and replicability of selected innovative solutions in their territorial context, reinforce the capacity of regional and local actors to address nutrient-related challenges, and develop the strategic plans, policies, and mechanisms needed to enable their future implementation and scale-up.
What’s in it for you?
Replicability assessment of selected SEACURE solutions
preparing the ground for future implementation and scale-up of selected holistic strategy after the technical assistance of the project
Tailor-made roadmaps to replicate and scale up solutions
including the development of public policies, strategic plans, or implementation mechanisms, such as mobilising new funding and resources, or planning specific projects.
Engagement with the regional innovation ecosystems
to build capacity and enable coordinated action among key actors through trainings, workshops, societal awareness activities and collaborative approaches.
Access to Technical Assistance from SEACURE partners
to support action plans and implementation through tailored guidance from SEACURE partners’ multidisciplinary expertise.
Eligibility Self-assessment Tool
Check your eligibility in 2 minutes
Take the self-assessment to see if your organisation is eligible to apply for the SEACURE Open Call
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants for the SEACURE Open Call are local and regional public authorities involved in land and/or wastewater management, applying as individual organisations or as a consortium. Eligible public authorities include;
- Municipal governments.
- Regional authorities, provincial councils, counties, delegations, or similar public bodies.
- Metropolitan authorities or inter-municipal cooperation bodies.
- Environmental Agencies.
- Water and sewerage authorities.
- Other Public Authorities or Agencies with proven responsibilities affecting nutrient management.
Private entities are not permitted to join the consortium. However, once local or regional authorities have been awarded the contract, they may consider alternative collaboration methods with these entities, such as subcontracting.
For complete details on the eligibility criteria, please see the Applicant Guidelines.
Geographic Eligibility
Applicants must be public authorities located in the following countries:
EU Member States, excluding Austria, Belgium, Italy Greece and Spain.
Eligible countries: Germany, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, and Sweden.
Horizon Europe Associated Countries. Please check the full list of Third Countries elegible for Horizon Europe support here.
For full details on the eligibility criteria, please see the Applicant Guidelines.
Eligible Countries Map
SEACURE solutions
Based on their regional context, applicants must select and prioritize the SEACURE solution(s) that best fits their nutrient-pollution challenges.
The selected solution(s) will guide the objectives and financed activities of the applicant’s proposal under the Open Call, and will form the basis of each Associated Region’s Action Plan, to be developed with the support of the SEACURE consortium.
The innovative solutions for nutrient management demonstrated by the project target different stages of the nutrient flow cycle and fall under three strategies: (1) Prevention, (2) Reduction, and (3) Remediation.
- PREVENTION. Solutions for preventing and reducing nutrient losses from agriculture.
- REDUCTION. Solutions for preventing and reducing nutrient entry in river catchements.
- REMEDIATION. Solutions for reducing and eliminating nutrient excess in ecosystems to prevent eutrophication.
The list including the 16 solutions and their detailed descriptions can be found in the SEACURE Solution Factsheets (Annex 1 to the Terms of Reference and Applicant Guidelines).
Funded Activites
- Attendance at SEACURE’s physical events.
- Mobilization of regional actors’ ecosystem through networking and participatory approaches (consultations, site visits, workshops, and other engagement actions).
- Capacity building activities for regional actors (trainings, knowledge-transfer sessions, etc.).
- Social awareness and/or citizen science to improve data collection and sharing.
- Preparation or update of Environmental Management Plans/Policies.
- Design of Regional Upscaling Plan.
- The purchase of small equipment, plants, etc., may be eligible if necessary for the future replication of a specific solution on a small scale.
Technical Support Programme
During the 18-month project duration, each Associated Region will receive Technical Assistance from the SEACURE consortium to carry out the funded activities under the call. Guided by the Action Plan to be co-developed with SEACURE partners, the Support Programme will be tailored to the eligible activities selected, offering each Associated Region targeted guidance, training, and knowledge exchange. The technical assistance will revolve around:
- Knowledge exchange in bilateral discussions (attending at least 2 sessions held after SEACURE’s General Assemblies) and ad-hoc meetings.
- Advice on the design and implementation of transferable nutrient management solutions, supported by replicability assessments using SEACURE Decision Support Tool (DST) and access to SEACURE’s Upscaling Regional Business Plans methodology.
- Training in participatory methodologies for multi-actor planning and regional action on nutrient pollution.
- Advice on the deisng and implementation of societal awareness campaigns and citizen science programs.
- Advice on design or update of policies and plans to facilita scaling-up of nutrient management solutions, based on the lessons learned from the SEACURE project.
Application Process
Applications for the SEACURE Open Call must be submitted electronically through the SEACURE RedCap Form no later than 28 February 17:00 CET. Applicants must complete the form and attach the documentation as provided in the guidelines below:
Read the Terms of Reference and Applicant Guidelines and check if you comply with the rules and eligibility criteria to apply.
Download and familiarize with the Open Call documents provided below the menu.
Select form the SEACURE Solution Factsheet the solution(s) that best address your region-specific nutrient-pollution challenges.
Prepare your proposal by completing all sections of the Application Form and the Budget Template.
Fill in the online RedCap Form and attach the complete Application Form and Budget Template.
Make sure to answer all mandatory questions in the online REDCap form and that all required documents are attached to submit your proposal.
If any of the required documents are missing, the proposa will not be considered.
Timeline
Opening Date: 1 December 2025
Closing Date: 28 February 2026, 17:00 CET (Brussels time).
Info Webinars – Q&A:
1st Open Call Info Webinar: 26 January 2026 – Register now using this link.
2nd Open Call Info Webinar: TBD
Evaluation and Selection Phase: final decision is expected for mid-end June 2026.
Negotiation and Contracting Phase: between June and October 2026.
The sub-grant agreements will be signed by October 31, 2026, at the latest.
Project Implementation: from November 1, 2026, to April 30,2028.
Associated Regions projects may run for a maximum of 18 months.
Open Call Documents
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