Call for Selection of Collaborative Projects: Go Green, Get Digital, Be Resilient Programme

Deadline: 2 September 2025

The Go Green, Get Digital, Be Resilient Programme is now open to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and organizations operating at the intersection of food and tourism, collectively referred to as “food in tourism.”

Objectives

This initiative aims to enhance the competitiveness of tourism SMEs by facilitating their transition to sustainable, digital, and resilient business models. The programme emphasizes the development of innovative food tourism initiatives, the adoption of digital solutions for improved operations and customer engagement, and the strengthening of resilience through diversification and sustainability planning.

Topics

Applicants may focus on the following topics (minimum 2 from different blocks):
- Green Transition and Sustainability:
  - Food waste and circular food systems
  - Sustainable food sourcing and local supply chains
  - Low-carbon food operations
  - Sustainability certifications
  - Accessibility
  - Health and Nutrition
  - Heritage preservation
- Digital Transition
  - Smart food tourism
  - Digital storytelling and immersive experiences
  - E-commerce and digital marketing
  - Food traceability and blockchain
  - Data analytics for waste reduction
  - Digital skills for tourism SMEs
- Resilience
  - Diversification of tourism offer
  - Food security and contingency planning
  - Risk management strategies
  - Staff wellbeing and working conditions
  - Business model adaptation

Benefits

Selected collaborative projects will enjoy several advantages:
- Financial Support: Each project will receive €15,000, with the top 15 projects post-Demo-Day eligible for an additional €10,000.
- Growth and Visibility: Participants will enhance their innovation capacity and gain visibility through high-impact international events organized by TASTE. Funding will also cover attendance at these events, with the lead applicant required to represent the project.

Eligible Costs

Collaborative projects will incur costs for services and supplies from external providers during the project duration. The €15,000 funding must cover compulsory expenses, including travel and accommodation for TASTE events, and may also cover optional expenses related to service providers, innovation development, sustainability certification, and training. The budget breakdown must clearly indicate the allocation of activities and associated costs, with at least 60% of the funding dedicated to tourism SMEs. Financial support will be awarded as a lump sum.

Eligibility Criteria

Administrative:
- To join the programme, collaborative projects must meet the following criteria:
  - Partnership Requirements: Projects must be submitted by a partnership of at least two (2) and a maximum of five (5) organizations, which must be independent from each other (no structural, legal, or financial control).
  - Tourism SME Participation: At least 50% of the partners must be tourism SMEs. For example, a 3- or 4-partner consortium must include at least 2 tourism SMEs, and a 5-partner consortium must include at least 3. Additionally, at least 60% of the financial support must be allocated to the tourism SMEs involved.
  - Partnership Composition: Partnerships can be formed in one of the following ways:
    - A tourism SME as Lead Applicant with one or more additional tourism SMEs.
    - A tourism SME as Lead Applicant with one or more tourism-related entities, ensuring at least 50% of partners are tourism SMEs.
    - A tourism SME as Lead Applicant with SMEs from other sectors (e.g., agri-food, culture, digital technologies), again ensuring tourism SMEs make up at least 50% of the total partners.
Eligibility of Project Applicants:
- The Lead Applicant must be legally registered in Belgium, Italy, Latvia, Slovenia, or Spain.
- Other partners can be registered in any EU Member State or non-EU countries associated with the Single Market Programme, provided they meet specific criteria.
- If an organization is an SME, it must comply with the EU definition set out in recommendation 2003/361. Tourism SMEs must be classified under relevant NACE codes related to tourism activities or demonstrate active economic activity within the tourism ecosystem.
Technical Eligibility Criteria:
- Collaborative projects must:
  - Align with TASTE objectives, addressing at least two of the following transformation goals:
    - Green Transition and Sustainability, Digital Transition, and Resilience.
  - Clearly integrate the tourism and food sectors through initiatives such as local sourcing, immersive experiences, and curated gastronomic events.
Other Application Criteria:
- Applications must be submitted in English.
- They must be submitted electronically before the official deadline; late submissions will not be considered.
- Each legal entity can only be involved in one collaborative project, either as a lead applicant or a partner.
- Applications must be submitted via the official online submission link; paper or email submissions are not accepted.
- All required documentation must be included for review.