POLICY ENLARGE Small Grants Support the Uptake of Research Results

Deadline: 12-Nov-2026

The Small Grants for Collaborative Uptake of Results support cross-border consortia in eligible EU enlargement countries to help move existing research and innovation results toward practical, regulatory, societal, or market use. The grants are part of the POLICY ENLARGE Support Programme, funded by the European Commission under Horizon Europe. The programme supports collaborative activities that test, validate, demonstrate, or otherwise facilitate the real-world uptake of research and innovation outcomes.

About the Small Grants for Collaborative Uptake of Results

The Small Grants for Collaborative Uptake of Results are designed to strengthen the connection between research results and their practical application. The funding supports cross-border joint activities that help existing research and innovation outcomes move closer to use in real-world settings. Supported activities may focus on regulatory, societal, or market uptake. The instrument can support small-scale collaborations that test, validate, or demonstrate how research findings can be applied beyond the research environment. What Does the Grant Support? The programme focuses on the uptake and practical application of existing research and innovation results.

Supported activities may include:

- Testing research results in real-world settings. - Validating existing research and innovation outcomes. - Demonstrating the practical use of research findings. - Supporting regulatory uptake of research results. - Facilitating societal uptake of research outcomes. - Supporting market uptake of existing research and innovation results. - Conducting cross-border collaborative activities between eligible enlargement countries. The focus is therefore on moving existing results toward practical use rather than solely generating new research findings. How Much Funding Is Available? The programme provides funding of up to EUR 8,000 per Third Party Project.

The funding structure is:

- Maximum grant per project: EUR 8,000

- Maximum funding per third party: EUR 4,000

- Funding rate: Up to 80% of justified eligible costs

- Number of supported projects: Up to 10 projects

- Project duration: Up to six months

Applicants should ensure that their proposed costs are justified and eligible under the programme’s applicable Terms and Conditions. Who Can Apply? Applications must be submitted by a cross-border consortium consisting of at least two independent legal entities.

The consortium members must:

- Be independent legal entities. - Be established in different eligible enlargement countries. - Work together on activities supporting the uptake of research and innovation results. The cross-border structure is an important feature of the funding instrument because the programme is designed to encourage collaboration between actors from different eligible enlargement countries. Who Can Participate in a Consortium? The programme is open to different types of research, innovation, business, and non-profit actors. Potential consortium participants may include: - Companies. - Research organisations. - Academic research groups. - Non-profit entities. - Digital Innovation Hubs. - European Digital Innovation Hubs. - Other relevant research and innovation actors. Applicants should ensure that all consortium members meet the applicable eligibility requirements for the relevant enlargement countries. **What Are Eligible Enlargement Countries? The programme is intended for organisations and actors established in eligible EU enlargement countries. Each consortium must include at least two independent legal entities, with each entity established in a different eligible enlargement country. The cross-border requirement means that applicants should establish their consortium structure before preparing and submitting the proposal. What Is the Purpose of the Funding? The Small Grants for Collaborative Uptake of Results aim to help research and innovation outcomes move from research activities toward practical application.

The programme can help supported teams:

- Bring research findings closer to real-world use. - Test the relevance of existing research results. - Validate potential applications. - Demonstrate how research outcomes can work in practice. - Explore regulatory pathways. - Support societal adoption. - Develop opportunities for market uptake. - Strengthen cooperation between organisations across enlargement countries. The emphasis is on collaborative uptake of results and practical implementation. Cross-Border Collaboration Requirement A key requirement is that applicants must form a consortium involving organisations from different eligible enlargement countries. The consortium must contain at least two independent legal entities. Each participating entity must be established in a different eligible enlargement country. This structure is intended to encourage knowledge sharing and joint activities across national borders. Applicants should therefore identify suitable partners and establish clear responsibilities before submitting their proposal. What Types of Activities Can Be Supported? The funding can support small-scale activities that help existing research and innovation results move toward practical application.

Examples include:

- Testing a research result in a real-world environment. - Validating an existing innovation with relevant users or stakeholders. - Demonstrating the application of a research outcome. - Exploring regulatory requirements for the use of a research result. - Supporting societal uptake of an innovation. - Examining pathways toward market application. - Conducting collaborative cross-border activities related to research uptake. The specific activities and costs must comply with the programme’s Terms and Conditions. Project Duration Each supported project can run for up to six months. Applicants should develop a realistic work plan that fits within this period and clearly connects the planned activities with th