ScaleDem Scaling Grounds: Piloting Programme
Seeks to enhance democratic engagement and sustainability by supporting projects that demonstrate scaling potential and innovative contributions to democracy .
The ScaleDem Scaling Grounds: Piloting Programme is an initiative aimed at supporting projects that contribute to democratic scaling. This open call seeks innovative projects that can demonstrate significant impact, sustainability, and a clear alignment with democratic principles.
Type of projects to be funded: Action-oriented pilot projects that test innovative and out-of-the-box ideas to scale democratic innovations in real-world contexts, with a strong focus on experimentation and practical results. Projects should address at least one scaling dimension or gap (ideally several) and aim for measurable real-world impact within the funded period.
Sectors / domain: Democracy and civic participation, with a focus on democratic innovations and participatory practices, including institutional embedding of participation and approaches that strengthen democratic governance.
Individual or consortium: Applications are expected from organisations (public or private legal entities). Consortia may apply, but each proposal must identify one coordinating organisation that signs the sub-grant agreement and manages the funds on behalf of all partners, where relevant. Individuals (natural persons) are not eligible.
Specific eligibility requirements: Applicants must be legally established in an eligible country under the Horizon Europe framework (HORIZON-CL2-2024-DEMOCRACY-01-12, as defined in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes). Eligible applicants include public authorities or bodies, NGOs and civil society organisations, community initiatives, research organisations or teams, and mission-driven companies (including SMEs or similar innovation-oriented actors).
Specific topics or challenges: Proposals should clearly identify the scaling challenge(s) they aim to address. The call understands scaling through four complementary dimensions: Scale Out (reaching more people or communities), Scale In (improving quality and internal capacity), Scale High (institutional embedding and engagement with decision-makers), and Scale Deep (cultural resonance, values, and long-term democratic change).
Projects duration: 12 months. Only activities implemented after the signature of the sub-grant agreement and within the agreed 12-month period are eligible for funding.
Budget, funding rates and payment conditions:
Funding rate: funding is provided as a lump-sum grant, based on the approved project budget.
Budget conditions / limitations: Up to €100,000 per pilot project (maximum; lower amounts may be requested). Eligible costs include personnel, travel, equipment, and other services, with an additional 25% flat-rate overhead where applicable. Subcontracting must be limited and justified. Infrastructure costs are not eligible. Co-financing is encouraged but not mandatory.
Payments: Two instalments — 70% paid at the start of the project after the sub-grant agreement is signed, and 30% paid upon successful completion, subject to approval of the final report (including a public-facing summary) and participation in the programme’s concluding activities.
Links
Closes
31/03/2026
Max funding per project
100.000€