NEB Academy Grant for Development of Educational Programs

EIT Culture & Creativity invites proposals under NEB Academy | Skills Infrastructure to develop lifelong learning programmes that support the transformation of the lived environment.

The call focuses on creative and cross-sectoral skills initiatives that embed the New European Bauhaus values of sustainability, inclusivity, and aesthetics into scalable educational frameworks.

Selected projects are expected to address skills gaps in the building and lived environment ecosystem by:

• developing practice-based learning for professionals, public bodies, education and training providers, and other relevant actors;
• building on existing assets and initiatives;
• connecting regional ecosystems;
• supporting financially sustainable learning models with long-term transformation potential.

The call is open to legal entities established in EU Member States and/or Horizon Europe Associated Countries, unless otherwise specified in the call guidelines.

Proposals must be submitted by consortia comprising:

• a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 8 independent participants;
• participants established in at least two different eligible countries;
• at least one education provider;
• at least one public authority, public body, municipality, regional or local authority, or other relevant public-sector organisation;
• at least one private organisation from the lived environment ecosystem.

Eligible applicants may include higher education institutions, Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers, training organisations, public authorities, municipalities, regional and local authorities, SMEs, companies, sectoral organisations, associations, foundations, NGOs, and other relevant organisations active in the building ecosystem, provided that they meet the eligibility requirements set out in the call guidelines.

Funding and Co-Financing

The EIT Culture & Creativity call provides a total maximum financial support of EUR 3,500,000 under the Business Plan 2026–2028. An indicative 5–6 projects are expected to be funded, with a maximum EIT funding amount of EUR 600,000 per project.

Financial support may reimburse up to 100% of the total eligible project costs. Any remaining share of the project costs must be covered by the project participants through their own resources or other eligible sources.

Payments are made according to the following schedule:

• initial pre-financing — 25% of the maximum grant amount;
• interim payment — cumulative payments of up to 70% of the maximum grant amount;
• final payment — the remaining balance up to 100% of the maximum grant amount.

Interim and final payments are subject to the applicable reporting schedule and the submission and verification of the required reports.

Eligible Costs

Eligible expenditure categories include:

• personnel costs — salaries, social security contributions, taxes, and other related costs in accordance with the applicable rules;
• subcontracting costs for specific tasks described in the proposal;
• purchase costs — including travel, accommodation, subsistence, participation in events, experts, and the eligible share of equipment, research infrastructure, and other assets;
• other costs permitted under the call conditions;
• indirect costs at a flat rate of 25% of eligible direct costs, excluding costs specifically excluded by the applicable rules.

All costs must be incurred by the grant recipient during the implementation period, included in the submitted budget, connected with and necessary for the action, identifiable and verifiable, properly recorded, and compliant with applicable accounting and national legal requirements.

Non-Eligible Costs

Non-eligible costs include, among others:

• costs arising from the organisation of the consortium, including the sale or purchase of goods or services between consortium members;
• return on capital and dividends;
• debt and debt servicing;
• provisions for future losses or debts;
• interest owed;
• currency exchange losses;
• bank costs charged to the recipient for transfers from the granting authority;
• excessive or reckless expenditure;
• deductible VAT;
• costs incurred during suspension of the action;
• costs declared under another EU/Euratom grant or local funding, as double funding is not allowed.

Internally invoiced goods and services within the applicant’s own organisation are also not eligible unless expressly authorised under the call conditions.

The call supports proposals for lifelong learning programmes that contribute to the transformation of the lived environment through creative approaches and practices.

Projects must address skills gaps by leveraging existing NEB networks and initiatives and establishing financially sustainable and scalable models capable of supporting regional systemic transformation.

Selected programmes are expected to demonstrate the following characteristics:

• Skills and learning — development of CPD, VET, or other lifelong learning formats responding to the needs of professionals and organisations working in the lived environment.
• New European Bauhaus values — embedding sustainability, inclusivity, and aesthetics into learning design, delivery models, and expected impact.
• Target groups — addressing relevant target groups, including education and training providers, the building ecosystem, public bodies and decision-makers, civil society, and creative practitioners.
• Regional transformation — building scalable, financially sustainable models that strengthen local and regional ecosystems.
• Creative contribution — including creative, artistic, or design-led approaches in the development and delivery of learning activities.
• Learning quality — defining clear learning outcomes, delivery formats, assessment methods, and evidence of learner completion to achieve KPIs and comply with EIT reporting requirements.

The programme includes the following key milestones:

1. Call opening — 9 June 2026.
2. Application deadline — 31 August 2026, 17:00 CEST.
3. Evaluation of proposals — September–November 2026.
4. Communication of results — end of November 2026.
5. Publication of results — end of December 2026.
6. Start of projects — January 2027.
7. End of projects — July 2028.

To submit an application, the applicant should:

1. Review the call requirements.
   The applicant should review the admissibility, eligibility, evaluation, and portfolio selection criteria provided in the Call Guidelines and read them carefully before submitting the application.
2. Obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC).
   The applicant must ensure that it has a PIC. If it does not have one, it must first register on the EU Funding & Tender Portal.
3. Complete and submit the application.
   The application form is available from 09/06/2026 until 31/08/2026, 17:00 CEST (Berlin time).

Applications are assessed through several stages. Following the application deadline, EIT Culture & Creativity conducts an admissibility and eligibility check, an external quality evaluation and, where applicable, an internal portfolio selection.

The main evaluation is conducted by three independent external experts against the defined call criteria.

The scoring system provides that:

• each proposal is assessed against the call criteria using a numerical scoring system;
• maximum scores and minimum thresholds are established for each criterion;
• only proposals meeting all thresholds and the overall minimum score proceed to final ranking;
• the final ranking is based on the quality evaluation score and, where applicable, the portfolio selection score;
• funding is awarded in strict ranking order until the available budget is exhausted;
• proposals meeting the thresholds but not funded due to budget limitations may be placed on a reserve list valid for up to one year.

Tie-Breaking Rules

Where proposals receive the same score, priority is given to:

1. proposals with a higher expected contribution to the mandatory KPIs and targets of the call;
2. proposals offering a higher earmarking rate for creative practices.

List of documents to be submitted: 

• Budget plan and EIT Culture & Creativity funding template 
• Gantt chart with project timeline and work packages 

Reporting and Post-Funding Compliance Requirements

Selected projects must be implemented in accordance with established implementation, monitoring and reporting procedures. The project coordinator is responsible for implementing the approved work plan, timely delivery of outputs, milestones and KPIs, and submission of interim and final reports within the applicable deadlines.

Key requirements include:

• implementation of the approved work plan and timely achievement of the required outputs, milestones and KPIs;
• submission of interim and final reports within the deadlines specified in the call;
• participation in interim and final reviews, where applicable;
• prior approval from EIT Culture & Creativity for significant project changes, including changes to the consortium, budget or budget allocation;
• compliance with the Grant Agreement and project implementation requirements. In cases of underperformance or non-compliance, corrective measures may be applied, including adjustments to financial support.

Mandatory Deliverables and KPIs

Each proposal must include the following mandatory deliverables:

• D1 — Integrated NEB x EIT Curricula Framework;
• D2 — Revenue Strategy & Market Alignment Plan;
• D3 — agreement establishing the financial sustainability and revenue-sharing mechanism;
• D4 — Course Structure and Learning Outcomes of the Specific Learning Path;
• D5 — Creative Earmarking Report;
• D6 — EIT Label framework.

Projects must also address the following minimum KPIs:

• EITHE07.1 — 390 graduates from EIT-labelled programmes;
• EITHE08.1 — 730 successful participants in EIT professional courses and learning activities;
• CCSI02 — 770 students/professionals with new entrepreneurial skills.

Projects are also required to meaningfully embed gender equality, diversity and inclusion (GEDI) throughout the design, development and implementation of project outputs, using an intersectional perspective where relevant.

By submitting an application, applicants agree to the applicable call conditions. EIT Culture & Creativity reserves the right to make reasonable amendments and additions to the call conditions before the application deadline.

Key legal and regulatory requirements include:

• submission of an application does not create an unconditional entitlement to funding;
• EIT Culture & Creativity may cancel the call before the Grant Agreement is signed without an obligation to compensate applicants for incurred costs;
• personal data is processed in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) and used for application evaluation and the conduct of the call;
• confidential information expressly identified by applicants is used solely for evaluation purposes;
• applicants must comply with requirements concerning conflict-of-interest avoidance, transparency, and non-discrimination;
• proposals must comply with ethical principles, applicable EU, international and national law, and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union;
• applicants retain ownership of their prior information and intellectual property rights and must have the legal right to use the materials included in their application;
• funding may be withdrawn and payments recovered in cases of substantial errors, irregularities, fraud, serious breaches of obligations, or ineligibility;
• EIT Culture & Creativity reserves the right to conduct checks, reviews, audits and investigations concerning funded applicants;
• the call is governed by the applicable European Union legal framework, including relevant EU financial rules and Horizon Europe regulations;
• disputes that cannot be settled amicably shall be finally settled before the courts of Brussels.

Selected applicants must sign a Declaration of Honour in the form provided under the Grant Agreement – Project Agreement.

Participation in EIT Culture & Creativity calls takes place entirely at the applicants’ own cost and risk. Activities or costs incurred before the Grant Agreement – Project Agreement is signed will not be covered.