The POLICY ENLARGE project, implemented under the Horizon Europe programme, has launched its comprehensive Open Call, making a total of €300,000 available to strengthen cross-border cooperation in research and innovation (R&I) across the entire enlargement region.

The Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) programme is designed to help research and innovation actors build cross-border partnerships, support the uptake of research results, and strengthen people-to-people cooperation. Up to 45 projects and mobility grants are expected to be supported through three funding instruments.

Three Funding Instruments

Through each of the three funding instruments, the project aims to build a research and innovation collaboration ecosystem that supports high-growth startups and specialised researchers in accessing large-scale European Union funding opportunities.

• Funding Instrument No. 1: Small Grants for Joint Regional Innovation Actions
  Up to €8,000 per project to support the development of joint research and innovation projects, access to EU funding opportunities, research and innovation management and technology transfer capacities, evidence-based policy reforms, and digital and green transformation.
  
  Read the application guidelines for the FI#1 Call.
• Funding Instrument No. 2: Small Grants for Collaborative Uptake of Results
  Up to €8,000 per project for joint cross-border activities supporting research and innovation, as well as the regulatory, social, or practical uptake of existing results.
  
  Read the application guidelines for the FI No. 2 Call.
• Funding Instrument No. 3: Small Grants for People-to-People Cooperation Projects
  Up to €5,000 per mobility grant to support short-term cooperation and mobility involving researchers, artists, creative professionals, and entrepreneurs.
  
  Read the application guidelines for the FI No. 3 Call.

Who Can Apply?

The Open Call focuses on 10 eligible enlargement countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, and Ukraine.

Funding Instruments Nos. 1 and 2 require cross-border consortia comprising at least two independent legal entities established in two different eligible enlargement countries. Funding Instrument No. 3 supports researchers, artists, or entrepreneurs affiliated with independent legal entities and enables cooperation between different enlargement countries, as well as eligible hosting arrangements involving an enlargement country and an EU Member State, an Overseas Country or Territory, or a country associated with the Horizon Europe programme.

Key Application Dates

Applications must be submitted in English via the OnePass platform. The Open Call follows a continuous submission structure, with periodic evaluation cut-off periods to accommodate different project readiness cycles:

• Deadline 1: 12 November 2026, 17:00 Brussels time
• Deadline 2: 5 May 2027, 17:00 Brussels time
• Deadline 3: 3 November 2027, 17:00 Brussels time
• Deadline 4 and Final Call Deadline: 3 May 2028, 17:00 Brussels time

Application and Partner-Finding Support

POLICY ENLARGE provides matchmaking support for potential partners and local contact persons to help applicants identify cross-border partners and build eligible consortia. Applicants should review the official Terms and Conditions and Applicant Guidelines available via OnePass before submitting their proposals.

Apply here

POLICY ENLARGE is funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe programme. The project is managed by FundingBox Accelerator in partnership with the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro.