2nd SMURF open call for small forest owners’ organisations.

Description

The 2nd SMURF open call for small forest owners' organisations continues the work started by the first call, further enhancing their participation in the activities of the SMURF project. Running from 9 April to 2 July 2025, this call will provide up to €825,000 in grants, with each organisation eligible for up to €60,000 (up to €55,000 for recipients of the first call). The goal is to fund at least 40 organisations, fostering knowledge exchange and networking among forest associations and cooperatives throughout all 27 EU member states. Aligned with the EU Forest Strategy, the SMURF project aims to promote sustainable forest management by developing innovative organisational and business models tailored to small forest properties. It provides new management approaches, training, digital tools, and policy guidelines to support closer-to-nature forestry practices and establish standardised remuneration systems for ecosystem services. To achieve this, the project fosters a knowledge-sharing network among forest associations. For this second call, funded organisations are expected to: drive the implementation of 10 innovative business opportunities; take the lead in the development of 10 Close to Nature Silviculture (CNS) demo stands; participate actively in one of the 7 training sessions focused on CNS practices, to be held across Europe; drive the execution of 5 innovative pilot carbon projects; engage actively in one of the 15 National Working Groups promoted by the project; attend the 2nd Conference on Small Forest Holdings; and play a key role in the joint communication and dissemination activities of the SMURF project.

Beneficiary & submission

The SMURF project will launch its second call for applications on 9 April 2025 at 08:00 CET. Two online information sessions are scheduled for 30 April and 28 May at 11:00 CET. The deadline for submission is 2 July at 17:00 CET. Organisations may submit a single application via the SMURF website, using the forms provided through this platform. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Once submitted, applications will undergo an admissibility and eligibility check. Eligible applications will then be assessed by the Evaluation Committee based on the specific award criteria and guidelines for this call. Final decisions and rankings will be announced on 3 October 2025. Applications must be submitted in English.

Further information

Details available at www.smurfproject.eu; Email address for further information: info@smurfproject.eu