The FERRO project is pleased to announce the launch of its FSTP Open Call (Financial Support to Third Parties), starting 1 September 2025 and closing on 30 November 2025.

Through this call, FERRO will award grants of up to €100,000 each to three selected regions. The funding will support the development of two-year action plans to transfer, adapt, and implement FERRO restoration solutions in local contexts. These plans will be co-created with stakeholders to ensure solutions are tailored to local needs, with the broader aim of scaling nutrient recovery and reuse efforts to tackle eutrophication.

As part of the process, remotely-sensed water quality data for the associated lakes will be made available to participating regions via a dedicated dashboard during the lifetime of the project.

Eligible applicants are local or regional authorities in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country, with the exception of Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Sweden, and Estonia. Applicants must:

• Have jurisdiction over a natural lake or its catchment and responsibility for restoration activities.

• Identify a specific lake or catchment where FERRO solutions will be implemented.

• Demonstrate past experience in restoration, particularly in cases where previous measures had limited impact.

• Ensure the selected lake is suitable for remote sensing (≥ 0.5 km² preferred, though smaller lakes are welcome for inclusiveness).

• Confirm that the site has not received overlapping Horizon Europe funding (only one grant per lake or catchment).

To support interested applicants, FERRO will host a webinar presenting the Open Call, explaining the application process, and answering questions. The webinar will be held online, via Zoom on 11 September 2025, from 10:00-12:00 CEST. A link for the registration form can be found here.

The Guidelines for Applicants and Application Forms can be downloaded from the FERRO website.
Proposals will be evaluated according to the criteria outlined in the Guidelines for Applicants. Questions may be submitted by email to info@ferroproject.eu no later than 7 days before the submission deadline (please include “FERRO Open Call” in the subject line).