Who can apply for funding under national calls and European Union programs?

Funding opportunities are open to a wide range of applicants - private enterprises, municipalities, non-governmental organizations, scientific and educational institutions, as well as partnerships between them. Each fund, each call or procedure has specific conditions and requirements, so it is important to analyze the eligibility and potential of the applicant in advance.

What does "eligibility of costs" mean and why is it important?

The eligibility of costs is one of the most strictly controlled aspects of any project. Only costs that are directly linked to the activities carried out within the eligible period and supported by correct documentation can be recognized. NORTAN experts perform detailed verification and ensure compliance with the requirements of the governing authorities, which reduces the risk of financial corrections.

What are the main stages in managing an EU-funded project?

The project cycle goes through several key phases: 1. Analysis of client needs and identification of suitable financing opportunities; 2. Development of a project idea and preparation of a proposal; 3. Assessment and approval by the Managing Authority; 4. Implementation, monitoring and control of activities; 5. Final reporting and sustainability of results. NORTAN Ltd offers comprehensive support at every stage - from concept to successful completion of the project.

What are the most common reasons for project proposals being rejected?

Among the most common errors are incomplete or incorrect documentation, a mismatch between the project objectives, the scope and priorities of the program, as well as incorrect budget structuring, which includes expenses for remuneration, the purchase of equipment and other external services. Our team conducts a thorough analysis before submitting the project proposal to ensure full compliance and increase the likelihood of approval.

How does the project reporting and control process work?

Reporting includes the presentation of detailed technical and financial reports that demonstrate the implementation of activities and the achievement of results. NORTAN provides methodological and expert support throughout the entire process, from documentation preparation to communication with governing bodies, ensuring accuracy, transparency, and legality at the completion of each project. NORTAN Ltd. experts, with proven experience in writing technical and financial reports, provide full support in their preparation and reporting to the competent institutions.

What is cascade funding?

Cascading Funding is a mechanism where the European Commission provides funds to a lead beneficiary (usually a consortium), which then distributes part of these funds to third parties (SMEs, start-ups, NGOs, researchers) through open calls for applications. This type of funding is widely used in programs such as Horizon Europe and Digital Europe and is also known as Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) .

Do you work with municipalities?

Yes, we work with municipalities and municipal enterprises , providing expert support in project development and implementation, including strategic planning, application and subsequent management.

Do you work with non-governmental organizations (NGOs)?

Yes, we work with non-governmental organizations , including foundations and associations, in preparing and implementing projects in areas such as social activities, education, culture, innovation and sustainable development.

Do you work with other organizations?

Yes, in addition to SMEs, municipalities and NGOs, we also work with: • universities and scientific organizations; • public institutions and agencies; • startups and innovative companies; • consortia and partnerships on international projects.

What does co-financing mean?

Co-financing is the part of the project budget that is not covered by European funding and is provided by the beneficiary or other sources.

What are eligible costs?

These are costs that: • are directly related to the project; • were made within the eligibility period; • comply with the rules of the relevant program; • are duly documented.

Up to 60 000 EUR for demonstration and pilot projects by SMEs, focused on security

2 hours ago
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For SMEs (in consortium) | Budget – EUR 1 million (up to EUR 60,000 per project) | TRL 5–6 → 6–7+ | Security and digital technologies | Deadline – 5 May 2026

The first open call under the CITADEL project will support demonstration and pilot projects in the field of security, aimed at strengthening the protection and resilience of critical infrastructures, urban environments and territories against physical, cyber and hybrid threats.

The call targets projects implemented by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for the validation of advanced digital security technologies in real or near-real operational environments – progressing from TRL 5–6* to TRL 6–7 and beyond. Supported technologies include artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics, IoT and intelligent sensor systems, photonics and optical systems, among others.

The objective is to demonstrate the effectiveness of already developed security-related prototypes at a larger scale, in order to support the deployment and market uptake of innovative technologies.

The call is implemented under the CITADEL project, which supports innovation, networking and the introduction of new processes and advanced technologies across the security value chain. The consortium consists of eight partners (clusters) from France, Lithuania, Romania and Finland.

Funding

The procedure is funded by the European Single Market Programme (SMP) 2021–2027, with a total budget of EUR 1 million.

Financial support is provided in the form of lump-sum grants of up to EUR 60,000 per project, with a minimum 20% co-financing required.

The available budget is expected to support at least 17 projects.

Beneficiaries

Eligible beneficiaries are European micro, small and medium-sized enterprises registered in an EU Member State or in a country associated with the SMP programme.

Applications must be submitted by consortia composed of:

an SME operating in the digital sector (technology provider – supply side); and
a public or private organisation from the security sector (SME or other entity), acting as an end user – demand side.

Applicants from newer EU Member States, including Bulgaria, are particularly encouraged.

Each SME may participate in only one project proposal.

Eligible activities and costs

The call will support projects focusing on on-site validation, operational testing, performance measurement and integration into the security value chain, with the aim of accelerating the market uptake of innovative technologies.

Innovations should lie at the intersection of the digital and green transitions and address one or more of the following priority areas:

protection of critical infrastructures (energy, transport, healthcare, water supply, digital infrastructure, etc.);
resilience to natural and technological disasters;
security in urban environments, including the security of large-scale events.

Projects must address at least one stage of the security value chain: risk assessment, prevention, detection, response, or recovery/business continuity.

Eligible technologies may include:

AI and data analytics (predictive analytics, anomaly detection, decision support, digital twins);
IoT and intelligent sensor systems (multi-sensor monitoring, edge AI, secure IoT architectures);
photonics and optical systems (computer vision, advanced sensing, robotic perception);
cybersecurity solutions (threat detection, secure data management, cyber resilience);
secure communications and interoperable platforms for crisis coordination and emergency response.

Eligible costs include personnel, subcontracting (up to 30% of the project budget), travel, equipment and other related expenses.

Management and evaluation

The procedure is managed by the partners of the CITADEL project. Applications that pass the administrative eligibility check will be evaluated by two independent external experts based on the criteria of excellence, impact and implementation, with the highest weight assigned to impact.

Up to 24 top-ranked applicants will be invited to an online interview, to be held between 15 and 17 June 2026.

The final ranking results will be announced on 18 June 2026.