What do EU funding words mean?

EU funding is full of jargon. Here are the 36 terms you'll meet most often, explained in one or two sentences each.

Associated Country

A non-EU country that has an agreement to take part in an EU programme, so its organisations can usually apply as if they were in the EU. Check the programme's list.

Blended finance

A grant and an equity investment combined in one package, as offered by the EIC Accelerator.

Call for proposals

An official invitation to apply for EU funding, with a set budget, rules and deadline.

Cascade funding (FSTP)

Financial support to third parties. An EU-funded project passes smaller grants on to startups or SMEs through its own simpler open calls.

Co-funding

The part of a project's costs that you pay yourself when the EU funding rate is below 100%.

Consortium

A group of organisations that apply together and share the work and budget of a project.

Coordinator

The consortium member who submits the proposal and is the main contact with the EU.

CSA (Coordination and Support Action)

A project type that funds networking, coordination or support activities rather than research.

Cut-off date

A date when all proposals submitted so far are collected and evaluated together.

Deadline model

Whether a call is single-stage (one full proposal), two-stage (a short proposal first, then a full one) or continuous with cut-offs.

EIC (European Innovation Council)

The part of Horizon Europe that funds breakthrough innovation and startups through Pathfinder, Transition and Accelerator.

EIC Fund

The EU investment fund that takes equity stakes in companies selected by the EIC.

Eligibility criteria

The rules on who can apply (country, type of organisation, size, number of partners). If you don't meet them, your proposal is not evaluated.

EU Login

The EU's single sign-on account, which you need to use the Funding & Tenders Portal.

Evaluation criteria

What experts score your proposal on, usually excellence, impact and quality of implementation.

Expected outcomes

The results the EU wants a topic's projects to achieve. Your proposal should clearly address them.

Funding & Tenders Portal

The European Commission's official website where calls are published and proposals are submitted.

Funding rate

The share of eligible costs the EU pays for a given type of action. It is set in the work programme.

Grant agreement

The legal contract you sign with the EU that sets out the project, its budget and the obligations.

IA (Innovation Action)

A Horizon Europe project type focused on prototyping, testing, demonstration and getting closer to market.

InvestEU

The EU programme that backs loans, guarantees and equity offered through banks and investment funds.

Lump sum

A funding model where the EU pays a fixed amount for completed work instead of reimbursing actual costs.

NCP (National Contact Point)

A free, official national advisor who helps applicants with EU programmes.

Non-dilutive funding

Money, such as a grant, that doesn't require you to give up shares in your company.

Part A / Part B

The two parts of a proposal: Part A is the online administrative form, and Part B is the uploaded project description.

PIC (Participant Identification Code)

A 9-digit number that identifies your organisation in the EU system. You get it by registering in the Participant Register.

Pre-financing

An advance payment made at the start of a project, before you have spent the money.

Prize

Money awarded for an achievement rather than for a future project. Applications are usually simpler.

Proposal

Your application, usually an online form (Part A) plus a written project description (Part B).

RIA (Research and Innovation Action)

A Horizon Europe project type focused on research and developing new knowledge or technology.

Small mid-cap

A company larger than an SME but still relatively small. Some EIC calls accept companies with up to 499 employees.

SME

A small or medium-sized enterprise. The EU has an official definition based on staff headcount and turnover or balance sheet.

Topic

The specific subject within a call that you apply to. Each topic has its own ID, budget and conditions.

TRL (Technology Readiness Level)

A 1–9 scale of how mature a technology is, from basic idea (1) to proven in real operation (9).

Widening countries

EU countries with lower research and innovation performance, which some calls give extra support or require as partners.

Work programme

The official document that sets out a programme's calls, budgets and rules for a given period. It is the go-to source for figures.

Want the bigger picture? Read Start here or How EU funding works.