The ‘Call for Collective Actions” 2025

Every year the EU4Ocean Coalition selects and funds a (limited) number of projects for one year that contribute to the strengthening of ocean literacy in Europe, focusing on the topics identified in the ‘Challenge of the year’.  In 2025, the Challenge of the Year is entitled “Blue citizenship: engaging citizens, organizations and institutions” and will deepen the work started in 2024 on Blue Citizenship. More detailed information is available on the webpage of the Challenge of the Year.  

The selected projects contribute to ‘collective action’, meaning that they bring together members of the communities to work together on concrete ocean literacy activities related to the topic covered by the Challenge of the Year. The selected projects are implemented within one year after their selection.  

Eligibility   

The Call for Collective Action is accessible to all members (individuals and organizations) of the different EU4Ocean communities (the EU4Ocean platform, the Youth4Ocean Forum and the EU network of Blue Schools). Individuals and organizations that wish to join the coalition can participate as partners of proposals.  

• The proposal must focus on the Challenge of the Year and have a measurable impact on the ground.  
• The project must be implemented within a 6-month period maximum (between the announcement in July and December 2025 – implementation periods can be shorter) with a (final or progress) report due by the end of December 2025.  
• The application/proposal must be written in English.  
• The application must be complete (both technical and financial proposal)). The form is available on the EU4Ocean coalition below on this web page.  

Selection criteria  

 The proposal is evaluated in light of 4 key principles:  

• A scientific, social and collective learning– the project relies on a co-construction process associating different organisations and individuals with complementary roles and expertise for increasing its scientific quality and impact on audience from different sectors, countries and regions    
• High sustainability and replicable potential, so as to reach larger stakeholder groups by establishing means to facilitating its replicability in other contexts and on a long-term.   
• An innovative character – in terms of audience, the vehicle or tool developed to enhance ocean literacy, the process and methodology established to develop it   
• Engagement and impacts on ocean literacy - the project worked on the relevance of the audience reached, not in terms of numbers, but on the public needing access to ocean literacy including non-ocean related fields (art, science, schools) and vulnerable groups.  

Beyond these 4 key principles, the operational feasibility of each proposal will be assessed (adequacy between proposed activities and requested financial resources, reliability of proposed co-financing, coherence between activities-results-expected outcomes, planning of activities/timeline, partnership and expertise mobilised, communication and contribution to high visibility events…).  
 

EU4Ocean financial support  

The requested financial support by the EU4Ocean coalition is between 20 000 € maximum. Overall, it is expected that 5 projects are funded in 2025.   

Secured co-financing will be required for ambitious proposals.  

Eligible costs are those related to the implementation of the project and its actions (e.g. staff costs, travel and accommodation, research implementation, printing, social medias, venues for expositions, etc.).  

Submission  

A complete application must present the following documents:  

• The application form,  
• Including: the excel of projected expenditure and a six pages pdf document of the project presentation with the approach to the subject, how it is innovative, the collective dimension and catalytical impact, the ground impacts and how it can be replicated.  

The deadline for submitting the proposal will be May 16, 2025, 18.00 (CET).  
 

Selection process  
 

The selection process will be carried out by an expert group of the EU4Ocean coalition to promote projects that meet the values of the EU4Ocean community.  

1. First, all proposals will be screened to check eligibility and feasibility. Proposals that are not eligible nor feasible will not be further considered in the selection process, the coordinator who submitted the proposal being informed of the reasons explaining reasons why the proposal is not considered for evaluation.  

2. Eligible/feasible proposals will then be evaluated individually according to the 4 criteria; evaluation scores and results being summarised in a pre-established evaluation grid.  

3. The final selection will be published early July 2025.  

4. All coordinators of proposals will be contacted by emails to inform them of the results of the selection process. The results will be announced via the EU4Ocean website and social media.  

Implementation  

An agreement will be signed between the project coordinator and ACTeon, on behalf of the consortium managing the EU4Ocean coalition. The funding schedule will be as follows: payment of 70% of total (eligible) EU4Ocean financial support after the signature of the agreement at the start of the project’s implementation; the remaining 30% upon reception and approval by ACTeon of the final report. Payments will be made to the coordinating institution, which will distribute the funding among the partners. 

The project coordinator will produce a one page for the presentation of the project on the web-site (format provided by the EU4ocean coalition).  

Implementation will include regular information exchanges with ACTeon and relevant EU4Ocean secretariat members, assessing progress, identifying bottlenecks and proposing solutions for addressing these. It is proposed to organise three meetings between ACTeon and the project coordinator and partners during the project implementation phase: a kick-off meeting at the start of the project after signature of the agreement; a (mid-term) progress meeting; and, a final meeting for presenting final results.  

Once implemented, the project coordinator will submit a report presenting activities carried out, challenges faced, key results, and a summary of financial resource uses. A one-pager presenting key findings and impact on the ground (format provided by the EU4ocean coalition) will also be produced and shared on the EU4Ocean coalition web-site.  

Planning