Call for Competition: Financial Support for SMEs under the PHOENIX 4.0 Alliance

Applicants are required to consult the Guidelines for Applicants available on the PHOENIX 4.0 website. Applications must be submitted through the online application form and must include all required supporting documents, using the official templates provided.

The application consists of Administrative Information, Technical Description, and the following mandatory attachments:

1. Annex F – Estimated Budget (Excel format)
2. Official document confirming the legal status of the Lead Applicant
3. Proof of identity of the Lead Applicant’s legal representative (ID or Passport)
4. Draft Partnership Agreement (Annex G)

Templates are available for download on the PHOENIX 4.0 website.

The Call opens on 15 January 2026 and applications must be submitted no later than 18 March 2026 at 17:00 CET.

Evaluation and Selection

Applications will be evaluated through a competitive selection procedure in two stages.

1. Admission and eligibility check

All applications will first undergo an administrative verification to assess compliance with the eligibility and admissibility criteria defined in the Call for Competition. Only applications submitted on time, via the official online submission platform, and including all required documentation will be considered admissible and proceed to evaluation.

2. Evaluation and award procedure

Each eligible application will be assessed by two independent evaluators, appointed by the PHOENIX 4.0 project partners and acting in full independence and without conflict of interest. Evaluations are carried out at national or regional level, following a common methodology agreed by a European evaluation panel, which ensures consistency, fairness, and equal treatment across all participating countries and regions.

Applications are evaluated against the following award criteria:

1. Feasibility (10%)
2. Innovation and Creativity (20%)
3. Replicability and Transferability (10%)
4. Collaboration and Partnership Potential (20%)
5. Efficiency and Cost-Effectiveness (10%)
6. Resilience and Sustainability Potential (20%)
7. Contribution to the Transition Pathway for Tourism and SMP objectives (10%)

Additional bonus points may be awarded for transnational partnerships and project pitch evaluation.

Funding will be awarded to the highest-ranked proposals until the available budget is exhausted, in line with the indicative regional and national allocations defined in the Call.

Applicants are encouraged to consult the Guidelines for Applicants and the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) published on the PHOENIX 4.0 website, where further guidance on the application and evaluation process is available.