SACCCT – Internacionalização da I &D - operações que visem o apoio à preparação e submissão de candidaturas a programas de I&I financiados pela União Europeia

The main goal of this opportunity is to strengthen the international presence of Portuguese research and innovation organizations by supporting their participation in European research and development programs. It aims to build the capacity of non-business research entities to successfully prepare and submit proposals to EU-funded initiatives such as Horizon Europe, Digital Europe, and others. The focus includes key areas like Digital and Green Transitions, Materials and Production Technologies, Society and Creativity, Health and Biotechnology, and Natural Assets such as Forests, Oceans, and Space. This grant is available to organizations located in the Norte, Centro, Alentejo, and Algarve regions of Portugal. The support is designed to help organizations align with national research and innovation priorities and expand their international collaborations.

• Projects must involve the submission of applications to European research and innovation programs during the project period.
• Each project can last up to 24 months, with possible extensions only in exceptional, justified cases.
• A detailed two-year participation plan in European programs must be included, with estimated budgets and alignment with the organization's research strategy.
• Applicants with prior experience must provide a list of previous European program proposals and outcomes.
• Actions must meet all admissibility conditions and be relevant to European program priorities.
• Projects must not be considered economic activities that fall under State Aid rules.

Example projects:

• A university develops a plan to submit a proposal as a coordinator to Horizon Europe for a digital health project.
• A research institute partners with European organizations to prepare a joint proposal for the European Defense Fund.
• A technology center organizes meetings and networking events to build a consortium for a Green Transition call under Digital Europe.

• Personnel costs for technical staff involved in proposal preparation, based on actual time spent and employment contracts.
• International travel expenses for meetings, events, and networking related to preparing applications.
• Accommodation and daily allowances for staff during travel, calculated per official unit costs or actual costs if not listed.
• Consulting services directly related to proposal development, acquired at market rates from independent third parties.
• Participation fees for events and conferences relevant to the application process.
• Costs for organizing or attending partner meetings for proposal preparation.
• Networking costs directly linked to building project consortia.

All expenses must follow the defined rules and limits in the official guidelines. Only costs directly related to the preparation and submission of European program applications are eligible.

• Total budget of the grant: €3,600,000
• Co-financing rate: Up to 85% of eligible expenses
• Maximum per project: €50,000 (as coordinator); €25,000 (as partner)
• Maximum project duration: 24 months (extendable in exceptional cases)
• Other financial details: Funding is distributed regionally. Payment can be made as advances, reimbursements, or final balances. An initial advance of 10% is possible. Special conditions apply for financial regularity and compliance with strategic and environmental priorities. If a project does not meet evaluation thresholds, the funding rate may be reduced to 45% for some expenses.

• Applicants must be non-business research and innovation organizations (ENESII).
• Financial health and stability must be demonstrated for the year before the project (2023 or 2024).
• Projects must align with national and regional research and innovation priorities (RIS3).
• Applicants must secure necessary funding sources to complete the project.
• Actions must be non-economic and not fall under State Aid rules.
• Applicants must be located in the Norte, Centro, Alentejo, or Algarve regions of Portugal.
• Applicants with previous participation in European programs must provide a documented history of proposals and results.