The New European Bauhaus (NEB) is a European Union initiative that brings together sustainability, inclusiveness and aesthetics to support the transformation of neighbourhoods and living spaces across Europe. Under Horizon Europe, the NEB Facility is being implemented as a multi-annual funding instrument for 2025–2027, translating this approach into research and innovation projects.
HORIZON-NEB-2026-01 – Beautiful, inclusive and sustainable neighbourhoods for communities call supports research and innovation projects aimed at making neighbourhoods more sustainable, inclusive and liveable. The call includes a total of 9 topics under three main areas:
Connecting the green transformation, social inclusion and local democracy
Circular and regenerative approaches for the built environment
Innovative funding and new business models for the transformation of neighbourhoods
The total budget of the call is €101.1 million. Depending on the topic, projects will be supported through either Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) or Innovation Actions (IA). The call opened on 5 May 2026, with a submission deadline of 1 December 2026, 17:00 Brussels time.
Key approaches in NEB projects
A common approach stands out across the 2026 calls: rather than focusing solely on technical solutions developed within a single discipline, the NEB supports approaches that bring together different forms of knowledge and different actors, take the local context into account, and are tested under real-life conditions.
For this reason, participatory and transdisciplinary approaches, the active contribution of the social sciences and humanities, and the involvement of different actors throughout the process are particularly emphasised in the calls. Projects funded under the NEB Facility are also expected to share their interim and final results with the New European Bauhaus Results and Impact Centre and allocate at least 0.8% of their budget to these activities.
Application process and useful resources
This framework positions the NEB not simply as a funding area focused on architecture or design, but as a research and innovation field that brings together different disciplines to address the transformation of cities, neighbourhoods and the built environment.
Applications for the NEB Facility 2026 Call are submitted through the Funding & Tenders Portal. The call document, detailed information on the topics, eligibility conditions and application documents are available through the portal.
The NEB Facility 2026 Call Info Day, organised by the European Commission on 24 February 2026, covered the three main destinations of the call and answered the questions of the potential applicants. The event recording is available here.
For applicants, reviewing the call document alongside resources explaining the NEB’s approach to projects and investment is important for assessing how well a project aligns with the NEB’s broader approach to sustainability, inclusiveness and aesthetics.
Key resources:
