CR. EU. IN. HERITAGE: Cultural Heritage Innovation Grants

"The present Call for Proposals is part of the CR. EU. IN. HERITAGE Project (Grant Agreement n. 101236464), an initiative co-funded by the European Union under the SMP Programme (SMP-COSME-2024-CLUSTER call), and aims to select at least 20 projects across Europe, funding at least 40 SMEs to implement cross-innovation projects related to the Cultural Heritage Value Chain."

APPLY

Eligibility Conditions

These criteria apply to both Step 1 and Step 2. Applicants must meet all legal, financial, and compliance requirements to be considered.

1. SME Status: Applicants must qualify as an SME according to the EU SME definition (Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC). This covers headcount, turnover, and balance sheet totals.

2. Geographical Eligibility: Organizations must be legally established in a Single Market Programme (SMP) participating country, including EU Member States and associated countries.

3. Financial Capacity: Applicants must demonstrate the financial viability to manage and sustain project activities, verified via an indicator-based assessment.

4. Exclusion Criteria: Applicants must not be in any exclusion situations (e.g., bankruptcy, fraud, or corruption) as defined in Article 136 of the EU Financial Regulation.

5. EU Compliance: Projects must adhere to standard EU obligations, including data protection, the DNSH (Do No Significant Harm) principle, the EU AI Act (where applicable), and EU funding visibility.

   
   

The Call offers financial support through two distinct strands:

Strand 1 - Product Innovation: Directed at the development of new-to-the-firm products or services (Grant amount: €120,000.00 fixed lump sum for consortia of at least 2 SMEs).

Strand 2 - Process Innovation: Directed at business process innovation linked to green and digital transition (Grant amount: €77,000.00 fixed lump sum for consortia of at least 2 SMEs).

The maximum amount that will be granted to each SME is €60,000.00.

The submission procedure follows a two-step approach:

Step 1 (Submit Concept Note): Applicants (individual SMEs or existing groups) submit a concise project concept and select a strand to apply to (Strand 1: Product innovation; Strand 2: Process Innovation). Budget forecast is not required at this stage.

Step 1 Application Form: https://www.f6s.com/cultural-heritage-grants-step-1/apply

Deadline: 20 April 2026.

Please note that being awarded under the Step 1 of the call does not entail any financing. Only the SMEs selected under Step 2 of the call (opening in June 2026, after completion of Step 1) will receive funding.

1. Mandatory Capacity Building: Applicants must participate in the "Capacity Building and Matchmaking Programme" (May–June 2026). Completion of this programme is a strict prerequisite to be considered eligible to apply under Step 2.

   
   

Selection: Step 1 evaluation results are published, all applicants will be duly informed. Selected projects are eligible to apply to Step 2.

1. Step 2 (Full Collaborative Project): Deatailed information about Step 2 can be found in the call document.

Deadline: 31 August 2026

Further information

Find more information about the call, including details about Step 2, in the call document and call annexes.

National Contact Points (NCPs): For enquiries, please contact the relevant partner at least 5 working days before the deadline. All contacts email on National Contacts Points are available in the call document.

Webinar – Call presentation: 17 March 2026 from 13.00CET to 15.00CET in English, during event “Culture as an Economic Driver in the New AgoraEU Programme”. Register to the webinar at this LINK. Please note that physical seating is now restricted; online registration is the only remaining option for SMEs.

Task description

Applicants are invited to submit proposals for collaborative innovation projects specifically focused on the Cultural Heritage Value Chain (CHVC). Projects must contribute to European strategic autonomy and the twin transition (green and digital).

Proposals must align with one of the following strand:

Strand 1: Developing new-to-the-firm products or services.

Strand 2: Adopting new-to-the-firm business processes.

For further information, please check the call document.

Key Requirements:

Consortium: The Step 2 proposal must be submitted by a consortium of at least two SMEs from eligible SMP countries.

Technology: Projects must demonstrate the application of EU-based digital solutions/technologies and/or the engagement of Innovation Leaders.

Duration: The project implementation period is fixed at 12 months. If selected under Step 1, the SMEs will have to complete a set of mandatory activities (between May-June 2026) to be considered eligible to apply under Step 2.

Projects require a minimum 15% co-financing contribution from the applicants based on the total project budget (e.g., a grant of €77,000 or €120,000 plus the mandatory 15% contribution). This contribution is mandatory for all participating SMEs within a project. While 15% is the minimum requirement, providing a higher percentage of co-financing will result in additional points during the evaluation process.