PES – Support for Project Establishment Aimed at Horizon Europe
Supports Norwegian organizations in preparing high-quality Horizon Europe and EDF research proposals through funding for scientific partnership building and proposal development, with extra support for Africa/Ukraine collaborations.
Funder: Research Council of Norway
Due Dates: July 8, 2026 | September 2, 2026 | November 4, 2026 | January 7, 2026 | March 4, 2026 | May 4, 2026
Funding Amounts: Typical awards: NOK 50,000–500,000 depending on project type/role; EIC Accelerator/STEP Scale Up: NOK 100,000; extra NOK 150,000 for African/Ukraine collaboration; de minimis cap applies.
Summary: Supports Norwegian actors in preparing competitive Horizon Europe and EDF proposals with funding for proposal development and partnerships, including extra support for collaboration with Africa or Ukraine.
Key Information: Apply at least 4 weeks before the relevant EU deadline; funding is contingent on the EU proposal meeting threshold scores.
Description
The Project Establishment Scheme (PES) is designed to boost the quality and competitiveness of applications with Norwegian participation to Horizon Europe and the European Defence Fund (EDF). The scheme provides financial and advisory support for preparatory activities such as travel, professional guidance, positioning, and proposal writing. It covers a wide range of EU funding mechanisms, including collaborative projects, EIC Accelerator, Women TechEU, EIC STEP Scale Up, EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges, ERC, Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions, and EDF. Additional funding is available for projects involving partners from African countries or Ukraine. The aim is to ensure that Norwegian applicants submit professional, high-quality proposals that meet the funding threshold in the targeted EU programs.
