Deadline Date: December 01, 2026
The European Commission is inviting grant applications to support the development of systematic and context-sensitive approaches for reusing vacant, obsolete or underutilised spaces to address local community challenges and needs.
The program focuses on reuse of vacant spaces, obsolete buildings, underutilised infrastructure, neighbourhood development, community needs assessment, identification and prioritisation of spaces for reuse, analysis of vacancy drivers, co-creation methods, stakeholder engagement, circularity principles, sufficiency principles, environmental sustainability, social inclusion, cultural value, economic efficiency, climate resilience, biodiversity protection, and funding and financing mechanisms for space reuse.
The funding available for this initiative is €9,000,000, with an indicative amount of around €4,500,000 per project. Eligible applicants include any legal entity established under national, EU, or international law, including organisations from non-associated third countries and international organisations, subject to Horizon Europe conditions.
The initiative addresses Europe’s need to improve housing efficiency, reduce land take, and make better use of existing buildings and infrastructure, including brownfield land and vacant office spaces. It promotes long-term, context-sensitive planning approaches that move beyond small-scale or temporary reuse solutions.
Projects are expected to develop a structured approach that includes analysis of why spaces become vacant, obsolete or underutilised, identification and prioritisation of such spaces, and assessment of community needs and potential impacts of reuse, including social, environmental, cultural, and economic effects.
Proposals must also consider possible challenges such as overcrowding, loss of green space, displacement risks, affordability issues, gentrification, legal and regulatory barriers, and lack of funding or data. In cases where spaces already serve ecological or social functions, projects should identify governance measures and strengthen community oversight.
The approach must use co-creation methods involving local stakeholders and identify viable funding and financing mechanisms. It must be validated in at least three neighbourhoods across urban, peri-urban, and rural areas in different Member States or Associated Countries.
Projects are expected to assess the overall value of the approach across social, cultural, environmental, and economic dimensions and provide recommendations for adapting the model to different neighbourhood contexts.
For more information, visit European Commission.
