GroundWork - Open Call for Farms
Up to €27,000 for farmers to implement and test regenerative livestock grazing practices through a 36-month programme focused on improving soil health and ecosystem resilience.
The GroundWork Open Call supports farmers in implementing and testing regenerative livestock grazing practices within regional Living Labs. Selected farming projects will take part in a 36-month Regenerative Grazing Programme combining practical experimentation, monitoring and knowledge exchange to improve soil health, ecosystem resilience and regenerative food production.
TYPE OF PROJECTS TO BE FUNDED: Farming projects implementing Regenerative Livestock Grazing Practices (RLGPs) adapted to regional farming conditions. Activities may also include soil health assessment and sensor-based monitoring, animal welfare assessment, environmental performance assessment, social impact assessment, and the co-design and exchange of expertise on regenerative grazing practices.
SECTORS / DOMAIN: Agriculture and livestock farming, with a focus on regenerative farming, soil health, ecosystem resilience and sustainable food production.
INDIVIDUAL OR CONSORTIUM: The call is addressed to farmers and individual entities engaged in farming activities, regardless of their legal form. Consortium applications are not specified in the call guidelines.
SPECIFIC ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: Applicants should normally be located in the GroundWork Living Lab countries of Portugal, Germany, Belgium, Sweden or Serbia and must meet the general and Living Lab-specific farming requirements. Farmers must commit their land as an experimental site for three years, own the farm or hold an appropriate lease covering the required period, own and manage livestock integrated into the land, be willing to implement RLGPs and the experimental protocol, allow monitoring and data sharing, and participate in Living Lab knowledge-exchange activities. In specially justified cases, participants may also be registered in EU Member States and their Overseas Countries and Territories or Horizon Europe Associated Countries outside the Living Lab areas.
SPECIFIC TOPICS OR CHALLENGES: Implementation and assessment of regenerative livestock grazing practices, including adaptive livestock management, soil health improvement, ecosystem resilience, animal welfare, environmental performance and regenerative food production.
PROJECTS DURATION: 36 months.
BUDGET, FUNDING RATES AND PAYMENT CONDITIONS:
Funding rate: 100% lump sum.
Budget conditions / limitations: Up to €27,000 per Farming Entity. The total budget available for the Open Call is €891,000, supporting up to 33 Farming Projects.
Payments: The grant is provided as a lump sum and paid in tranches subject to successful milestone reviews: up to €3,000 at month 1 (11%), €6,000 at month 12 (23%), €9,000 at month 24 (33%) and €9,000 at month 36 (33%).
Links
Closes
19/11/2026
Max funding per project
27.000€