[European Commission](https://commission.europa.eu/index_en)

November 2, 2025 (Opening) | February 18, 2026 (Deadline, 17:00 Brussels time)

Up to €50,000 per project (minimum 16 projects funded) | Total call budget: €800,000 | 6-month project duration

Funds preparatory projects to support the creation of future EOSC Nodes, enhancing coordination and sustainability in the EOSC ecosystem.

Maximum €100,000 per organisation across all EOSC Gravity calls.

--- ## Description This call supports preparatory work for future Candidate EOSC Nodes, aligning with the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) Federation build-up process. Funded projects are expected to develop a project charter, laying the groundwork for a future Node application—whether national, multi-country, or thematic. The call aims to help organisations clarify their alignment with EOSC objectives, define project scopes, engage stakeholders, and demonstrate integration with the EOSC Academy. Projects must address governance, technical readiness, community engagement, and curriculum delivery, sharing resources and best practices for future adoption and reuse. --- ## Due Dates - Opening date: November 2, 2025 - Submission deadline: February 18, 2026 (17:00 Brussels time) - Funded projects expected to start: May 6, 2026 --- ## Funding Amount - Total call budget: €800,000 - Maximum funding per project: €50,000 (minimum 16 projects will be funded) - Maximum funding per organisation across all EOSC Gravity calls: €100,000 - Project duration: 6 months - Funding is provided as a lump sum, linked to achievement of milestones and deliverables --- ## Eligibility ### Eligible Countries - EU Member States (including outermost regions) - Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) linked to Member States - Horizon Europe associated countries (as of October 2024), except those only associated with Pillar II: - Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Tunisia, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and potentially Egypt, Morocco, Switzerland (subject to association agreements) - Hungary: Entities established under Hungarian Law IX of 2021 or maintained by such trusts are not eligible ### Eligible Entities - Potential Candidate Nodes - Mandated Organisations - Research Performing Organisations - Other parties from the research infrastructure landscape (e.g., organisations/networks aiming to become a Node, including thematic communities) **Note:** EOSC Gravity consortium partners, their affiliates, and employees are not eligible to apply. --- ## Application Process - Applications must be submitted via the [ESF online platform](https://esf.smartsimple.ie/). - [First connection registration](https://esf.smartsimple.ie/s_signup.jsp?token=XVtQC1oGYV5ZSxtZXxJXR1JWYUl1H3Rt) - [Subsequent logins](https://esf.smartsimple.ie/) - Submission consists of: - Online form (preliminary information) - PDF upload detailing Excellence, Impact, and Implementation - All applications must be in English. ### Evaluation - 5-stage process: eligibility check, pre-assessment, review panel, consensus report, and announcement of results - Proposals evaluated on Excellence, Impact, and Implementation - Applicants receive feedback and decision via email ### Guidance - [Guidelines for Applicants and supporting documents](https://eosc.eu/eosc-about/calls-grants/) - FAQ section available and regularly updated on the call website --- ## Additional Information - Funding is awarded to the project coordinator only. - Projects must demonstrate alignment with EOSC goals and detail strategies for stakeholder engagement and curriculum delivery. - Deliverables include sharing training content, best practices, and documentation for future adoption and reuse. --- ## External Links - [Call details and application portal](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/competitive-calls-cs/12103?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate) - [Guidelines, FAQs, and supporting documents](https://eosc.eu/eosc-about/calls-grants/) - [European Commission main page](https://commission.europa.eu/index_en) --- ## Contact Information | Contact | Details | |-------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------| | General email for queries | [EOSC-Gravity-grants@esf.org](mailto:EOSC-Gravity-grants@esf.org) | | European Commission general contact | [Contact the European Commission](https://commission.europa.eu/about-european-commission/contact_en) | | Phone | +32 2 299 11 11 |

EOSC Gravity Preparatory Grants Open Call

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