Why should solutions for the sea come only from researchers? Under the RISTANC project, we've launched a call that's deliberately open to a very wide range of applicants! From associations and schools to individuals, fishers, divers and artists. Projects can receive between €7,500 and €12,000, and applications are open until November 28, 2026.
The Slovenian sea is small, which is exactly why it's so precious, and so vulnerable. Every day it faces challenges that no single actor can solve alone: not scientists on their own, not one municipality, not one institution. Innovative solutions are often found by those closest to the sea: fishers, divers, associations, teachers, artists, or simply people who grew up beside it. That's why, as part of the European project RISTANC, we've launched a call that is deliberately designed to be very broad. Anyone with an idea for helping the sea can apply.
What challenges does the Slovenian sea face?
RISTANC is part of the EU's ambitious Mission "Restore Our Ocean and Waters by 2030," which aims for the health of Europe's seas and waters. The Mission has set three major goals: protecting and restoring marine ecosystems and biodiversity, stopping pollution of our oceans, seas and waters, and building a sustainable, circular "blue" economy. RISTANC brings these goals to the Slovenian sea, addressing them through three concrete challenges:
Mooring
A single anchor dropped in the wrong spot can damage, in seconds, a seagrass meadow or other sensitive seabed that took decades to grow. We're looking for mooring solutions that let recreational and tourist boats anchor safely without harming seabed habitats.
The coastal belt
Development, tourism and everyday life all meet nature along the same narrow stretch of coast — and their interests often clash. We're looking for ideas on how to plan and manage this space so that people's needs and nature's needs are better balanced.
Everything else that makes the sea healthier
This third area is deliberately broad, covering every other route to a healthier sea: from reducing pollution (including plastic and other waste) to restoring marine ecosystems that have been left to fend for themselves for years, all the way to developing a sustainable "blue" economy: economic activities on and around the sea (such as fishing, tourism or other activities) that don't burden the environment but actually benefit it. This is where all kinds of solutions have a place, from awareness-raising to concrete action on the ground.
The call is designed to be broad because we know that good ideas don't come only from research institutes. The established players often take part in European calls, while individuals, small associations, informal initiatives or local communities rarely get the chance to bring their idea to life. With this call, we want to change that and actively invite applications from those who haven't worked with EU funding before. You don't need to be a researcher or a large organisation; you just have to have an idea that genuinely helps make the sea healthier.
Who can apply?
NGOs and associations,
institutes, social enterprises and other legal entities,
research organisations,
educational institutions (schools, kindergartens, etc.),
local communities and informal or local initiatives (represented by an individual who takes responsibility for the project),
individuals.
Legal entities must be registered in an EU member state (or a country associated with Horizon Europe); individuals must have permanent residence in the EU. Partners of the RISTANC consortium are not eligible to apply to this call.
What can we fund?
We fund a wide range of activities, including:
experimental activities and prototype development,
feasibility studies,
research and innovation,
artistic, cultural and community activities,
educational activities and capacity-building,
marine monitoring and citizen-science activities,
knowledge brokering and transfer,
or a combination of the above.
What matters is that your project addresses one of the challenges described above and takes place in the area of the Slovenian sea. You can find all details on eligible activities and other conditions in the Guidelines for Applicants.
Practical information
A total of €60,000 is available for funding small projects, with individual projects receiving between €7,500 and €12,000. We expect to support 5 to 8 projects, lasting between 6 and 12 months (to be completed by February 28, 2028, at the latest).
Key dates
September 28, 2026 — call opens
October 6, 2026 — information webinar (Zoom), where we'll present the call requirements and application process in detail (at 17:00 CEST in Slovenian and at 18:00 CEST in English)
Until October 31, 2026 — period for submitting questions
November 28, 2026, by 11:59 PM — application deadline
By December 15, 2026 — results announced
Webinar recording and Q&A
The webinar recording, presentation PDF, and FAQ document can be found HERE.
How to apply
Send your application, together with all the required documents, by email to ristanc-funding@zrs-kp.si, in Slovenian or English. You can also send any questions to the same address until October 31, 2026.
UPDATE – 28.9.2026: Revised call documents published
The call documents have been revised. The revised version (version 2, 28 September 2026) replaces the version published on 15 September 2026 and is the only valid version. The previous version remains available below for reference.
What has changed:
New deadline: applications may be submitted until 28 November 2026, 23:59 CET. Info day on 6.10. Questions may be sent 31.10.2026. The other key dates have been updated accordingly (results by 15.12.2026; earliest project start 1.1. 2027).
Clarifications to the Guidelines for Applicants: the organisation of the call and the role of the RISTANC consortium; the evaluation procedure (conflicts of interest, oral presentations, equal scores); publication of results; how the amount of support is determined and paid; indirect costs; and the funding disclaimer to be used in communication.
Application form: a declaration on double funding has been added (Section B). Please use the new form.
Evaluation criteria: renumbered 1–7. Their content and points are unchanged.
The eligibility conditions, eligible activities, available budget and amounts of support (EUR 7,500–12,000 per project) are unchanged.
Applications already submitted remain valid. If anything is needed, we will contact these applicants and ask them to send the double-funding declaration. They may also replace their application with an updated version by the new deadline; in that case, only the latest version will be considered.
DOCUMENTATION AND APPLICATION FORMS
Valid documents (version 2, 28 September 2026):
Previous version (15 September 2026) – replaced, for reference only:
The RISTANC project (Research and Innovation Cooperation for Sustainability and Reaching EU Missions Objectives) has received funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101217089 (call HORIZON-MISS-2024-CROSS-02). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union.