The Driving Urban Transitions (DUT) Partnership has launched its 2026 call for proposals, supporting transnational research and innovation projects that help cities address urban challenges and transition towards climate-neutral and resilient futures. The call is co-funded by the European Commission under Horizon Europe.

The call is open from 1 September 2026, with the first-stage deadline on 17 November 2026.

Eligibility

The call is open to a wide range of organisations, including research organisations and universities, companies and commercial organisations, urban and local authorities, civil society and community organisations, as well as actors from the cultural and creative sectors.

Consortia must include at least three funded partners from three participating countries and at least one urban government authority, such as a city or municipality. Projects addressing the cross-cutting topic must also include at least one private sector organisation.

Applicants should also check the specific eligibility and funding rules of their national or regional funding agency, as these may differ between countries.

Topics

The DUT Call 2026 is structured around three Transition Pathways:

• 15-minute City: adaptive reuse of existing urban structures and spaces; mobility transitions across sectors; and neighbourhood economies and local everyday offers.
• Circular Urban Economies: adaptive reuse of existing urban structures and spaces; innovative maintenance of urban green and blue spaces; and rethinking urban production for circular and resilient cities.
• Positive Energy Districts: adaptive reuse of existing urban structures and spaces; solutions for private housing; and sustainable Positive Energy Districts, energy-system flexibility and integrated technologies.

Projects may address several topics and Transition Pathways. However, each project must select one main topic and Transition Pathway as the basis for evaluation.

Application process

The call follows a two-stage application process:

• Stage 1 – Pre-proposal: 1 September to 17 November 2026, 13:00 CET. The Main Applicant submits a concise project description, information on the partners, budget indications and an outline of the proposed work programme.
• Stage 2 – Full proposal: February to 15 April 2027, 13:00 CEST. Only consortia invited following Stage 1 can submit a full proposal.

Info Day

The DUT Partnership is organising an online Info Day on 9 September 2026. The event provides an opportunity to learn more about the call, its topics, eligibility requirements and application process.

Register for the Info Day here.

Find partners through ERRIN

Organisations and local authorities looking to build a consortium for the DUT Call 2026 can use the ERRIN partner search platform to present their expertise, identify potential partners and connect with organisations interested in developing proposals.

Find partners through the ERRIN Project Development Tool

Read the full DUT Call 2026 information and call documents