Participatory research on the health of communities in contact with polluted soils

Overview

Funding for participatory research projects that engage communities living or working near polluted or potentially polluted soils to identify health risks, map diseases, and develop mitigation strategies. Targets interdisciplinary teams combining soil science, epidemiology, and social sciences to inform policy and public awareness.

Who Can Apply

Consortia of legal entities (e.g., research institutions, universities, NGOs, public authorities, private companies) from eligible countries. Involvement of communities, private entities with industrial operations in polluted sites, and policymakers is required.

Funding Details

• Maximum grant amount: €12,000,000
• Funding rate: Not specified (lump-sum model)
• Total budget: Not specified

What Is Funded

• Community-based participatory research to identify and map human diseases and health outcomes linked to soil pollution.
• Engagement with populations exposed to polluted soils (e.g., interviews, focus groups) to assess direct and indirect health risks.
• Collaboration with private entities to develop mitigation and remediation strategies.
• Locally tailored interventions to enhance community resilience and inform policymaking.
• Interdisciplinary approaches integrating soil contamination, epidemiology, and social sciences.
• Coordination with other Horizon Europe projects and alignment with the EU Soil Observatory and SoilWise for FAIR data sharing.

Technology / Maturity Requirements

• Technology Readiness Level (TRL): 4–6

Key Dates

• Open date: 2027-02-03
• Deadline: 2027-04-07T22:00:00Z

Application Process (High-Level)

• Single-stage submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal.
• Proposals must adhere to page limits and templates outlined in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.

Post-Award Obligations

• Open access and FAIR data requirements for project outputs.
• Collaboration with other Horizon Europe projects and Mission Soil initiatives.
• Reporting and dissemination obligations as per the lump-sum grant agreement.

Geographic Scope & Language

• Eligible countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, United Kingdom, Switzerland.
• Application language: English.

Notes

• Proposals must prioritize populations with significant unmet medical needs and those most vulnerable to soil pollution.
• Soil sampling by non-experts is excluded; expert-led testing is required for potentially polluted sites.
• Projects must demonstrate corporate responsibility and polluters’ due diligence.