Entries open for ProBleu Funding Initiative

Topics

• The European Ocean Coalition (EU4Ocean) – each European is a citizen of their ocean and waters
• Open access data on marine and freshwater
• Protected waters
• Using ecosystem-based services and nature-based solutions to protect the coast and seas
• De-damming European rivers
• Ending destructive fishing practices, e.g. overfishing
• Removing single-use plastic/generate zero plastic litter
• Reduce pesticides in seas and waters
• Reduce micro pollution – zero spill
• Reduce underwater noise pollution
• Reduce CO2 emissions from the shipping sector
• Promoting renewable ocean energy
• Eat less fish, more algae – zero-carbon aquaculture
• Create blue biotechnology
• Carbon neutral marinas
• Ocean and water governance
• Biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction

Funding Information

• Group A
  • Maximum available funding: 95,000€
• Approximate number of projects to be funded
  • 20 projects
    • Maximum 6 projects of 7,500€
    • Maximum 6 projects of 5,000€
    • Minimum 8 projects of 2,500€
• Group B
  • Maximum available funding: 47,500€
• Approximate number of projects to be funded
  • 12 projects
    • Maximum 2 projects of 7,500€
    • Maximum 3 projects of 5,000€
    • Minimum 7 projects of 2,500€
• Group C
  • Maximum available funding: 10,000€
• Approximate number of projects to be funded
  • 4 projects
    • All projects of 2,500€
• The maximum duration of each project in this call is 7 (seven) months and the minimum duration is 3 (three) months. Projects will start from the 1st of September 2025 and must be concluded maximum by the 31st of March 2026.

Eligible Costs

• Travel, accommodation and subsistence
• Purchase and renting of equipment
• Other goods, works or services
• Subcontracting

Ineligible Costs

• Personnel costs
• Purchase or renting of real estate, construction works

Eligible Projects

• Develop and implement ideas that contribute to achieving the objectives of the Mission “Restore our ocean and waters by 2030”;
• Enlarge and strengthen the NEBS, contributing to the work of the EU4Ocean Coalition;
• Engage students, youth, teachers, school leaders and the wider school community in the pursuit of ocean and water literacy and sustainability.

Eligible Activities

• Activities to apply for or renew the accreditation as a member of the NEBS
• Organisation or participation in events and activities with student involvement (inside and outside the school premises)
• Development of in-classroom lessons and exercises
• Development of practical lessons and exercises
• Research-based activities
• Communication, promotion and engagement activities
• Organisation or participation in competitions
• Twinning
• Other Open Schooling activities

Eligibility Criteria

• This call is directed at primary and secondary schools (including vocational schools) providing education from ISCED level 1 up to level 31 of the EU-27 Member States and the third countries associated with Horizon Europe.
• ProBleu grants will be formally awarded to schools as legal entities (and not to teachers or students individually). However, it is expected that students, teachers, school leaders and eventually other stakeholders also actively participate in the preparation of the applications.
• The school projects should foster the engagement of different stakeholders in the Blue Sustainability topics. When preparing a project, applicant schools are encouraged to:
  • Include collaboration among various stakeholders inside and outside the school community: teachers, parents, ocean professionals (for example, researchers, marine scientists), NGOs, visitor centres, maritime companies, authorities (including municipalities), the wider community (civil society);
  • Search for collaborative approaches with other schools, teachers and students (during and after the grant period). They encourage twinning among schools from different locations;
  • Ensure equal opportunities for participants with fewer opportunities
• If the school does not have legal autonomy, the application can be submitted by the entity that legally represents the school (e.g. a municipality). In this case the application must include supporting documentation confirming this arrangement/status. This documentation must also include a declaration stating that if the project is approved, the ProBleu funds will be used exclusively for carrying out the activities described in the project proposal by the school.

For more information, visit ProBleu.