The New European Bauhaus (NEB) is an EU policy and funding initiative that empowers people, communities and businesses to work together in finding innovative solutions that combine inclusion, sustainability and quality of life through an innovative, transformative and bottom-up approach.

The New European Bauhaus aims to facilitate and steer the clean transformation of our societies according to three inseparable values:

• sustainability, from climate goals, to circularity, zero pollution, and biodiversity
• inclusion, from valuing diversity, to securing accessibility and affordability
• aesthetics and quality of experience for people, through design, and cultural benefits

New European Bauhaus solutions embody these values in actions that combine local, European and global dimensions and harness the potential of participatory and transdisciplinary approaches. The involvement of local stakeholders in co-creating NEB projects is at the heart of the New European Bauhaus initiative.

With the support of the European Parliament (European Parliament Pilot Project "Stimulating Local and Regional New European Bauhaus Grassroots Projects”), the Boost for Small Municipalities aims to reward the efforts of the local players that are developing projects that are inclusive, sustainable and beautiful. This prize brings visibility and provides recognition to the communities behind them and rewards small municipalities that adopt a NEB approach.

A first edition of the Boost in 2025 awarded 20 boost prizes to small municipalities. The present edition will again award 20 prizes, recognizing the value of bottom-up projects that promote participation and co-design processes with communities.  

Projects should be aligned with the NEB values (sustainable, inclusive, beautiful) and working principles (participatory process, multi-level engagement, transdisciplinary approach). They should focus on the built environment—such as the construction, renovation, and adaptation of buildings and public spaces—through the lenses of circularity, carbon neutrality, cultural heritage preservation, affordable housing solutions, and regeneration of rural or urban spaces.

Eligible projects should have achieved a sufficient level of maturity and demonstrate the involvement of the community. Applicants should emphasize the leadership of grassroot organisations in the ideation and development of the project, the steps undertaken to actively involve citizens, end-users and key stakeholders in the design, implementation and the life of the project.

If the project is already completed, it will be deemed ineligible. However, applicants are encouraged to apply under Strand A of the New European Bauhaus Prizes 2026 competition.

The winners will be selected from a shortlist of 30 highest-rated applications, representing a diverse range of geographical and socio-economic realities across the EU. The 20 winners of the Boost for Small Municipalities will be proposed by an external expert jury. For more information, please see the information under ‘Selection process’ below.

The selected projects will receive a monetary prize of EUR 30,000. In addition, each winner benefit from a communication package provided by the European Commission (e.g., promotion in the European Commission’s social media and websites, assistance to produce a short video and support in promoting the projects).

The New European Bauhaus Boost for Small Municipalities will run in parallel to the New European Bauhaus Prizes 2026 competition. Applications should be submitted through the dedicated New European Bauhaus Prizes platform and should be described in detail in the relevant application form. You are invited to consult the platform for more information and further updates, and you can send your questions to the functional mailbox that you will find indicated on the platform.

The application period will start on 20 February 2026 and end on 17 March 2026 at 19:00 CET (during the applications period, the European Commission may issue a decision to extend the deadline for applications. A decision on extension is communicated on the website of the New European Bauhaus Prizes).

The application should detail how the project reflects and translates the New European Bauhaus values and working principles. It should also include elements reflecting the eligibility and award criteria (see below).

For further reference, applicants are invited to consult the NEB compass which outlines the different values and principles of the NEB and establishes different ambition levels. 

Each application can be submitted only once. Applications can be modified and updated while they are in draft state. Please do not wait until the final deadline to submit your application to avoid last minute problems, such as page loading delays that may occur around the closing date of submissions. Only applications that are submitted by the official deadline will be considered by the Evaluation Committee.

All applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. All applications must be submitted by a public authority representing a Local Administrative Unit (LAU) (see note 1 below) within an EU Member State listed in Annex 1 (the list is based on the latest Correspondence Table available on the Eurostat website). To be eligible, these authorities must meet at least one of the following criteria:

   a) Classified by Eurostat's degree of urbanisation (DEGURBA code 2 or 3), meaning they are recognised as a town, suburb, or rural area.

   b) Have a population of less than 20,000 inhabitants.

2. Applicants must possess full legal authority to operate within their jurisdiction. They must be capable of implementing the project independently, without needing additional licenses from other authorities.
3. Applicants may apply as a formal or informal association or grouping of the local public authorities listed in Annex 1. However, only one public authority should be designated as the main applicant (the applicant's Member State could play a role in the final selection of finalists and winners to ensure balanced geographical representation). All associated authorities must be clearly identified, listing their respective LAU codes and population figures. While all public authorities must fulfil the criteria described in point 1, the combined population of the entire grouping or association may exceed the threshold of 20,000 inhabitants.
4. Special rules apply for certain entities (e.g. entities subject to EU restricted measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) (please note that the EU Official Journal contains the official list and, in case of conflict, its content prevails over that of the EU Sanctions Map) and entities covered by Commission Guidelines No 2013/C 205/05 - Commission guidelines No 2013/C 205/05 on the eligibility of Israeli entities and their activities in the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967 for grants, prizes and financial instruments funded by the EU from 2014 onwards (OJEU C 205 of 19.07.2013, pp. 9-11). Such entities are not eligible to participate in any capacity.
5. The applicant should not be in one or more of the exclusion situations foreseen under Article 136 of the Financial Regulation (Article 136).
6. The applicant will assume sole liability in the event of a claim relating to the activities carried out in the framework of the contest.
7. The name of the legal representative must be indicated.

In addition, all applications must meet the following criteria:

1. The application must be submitted via the New European Bauhaus Prizes online platform no later than 17 March 2026, 19:00.00 CET (during the applications period, the European Commission may issue a decision to extend the deadline for applications. A decision on extension is communicated on the website of the New European Bauhaus Prizes).
2. Applications must be submitted in English.
3. Double funding is strictly prohibited. Projects, that have received a monetary EU prize are ineligible for this competition. However, projects that have previously received public funding, including from the EU, (e.g. a grant) are eligible, as long as they have not won a monetary EU prize.
4. Applicants may submit more than one application, but each must represent a different project. Submitting the same application twice is not permitted. Multiple submissions of the same project will be considered ineligible.
5. The application must consist of a fully completed form found on the dedicated platform, with all mandatory fields filled in. Each applicant is also required to sign the accompanying Privacy Statement.
6. Applications must explain how the project integrates and promotes the New European Bauhaus values and working principles. For further reference, applicants are invited to consult the NEB compass which outlines the different values and principles of the NEB and establishes different ambition levels.
7. Each application must be related to a specific location or region, with a clear target group and defined objectives. It should explain how the project addresses the specific challenges faced by the location or region.
8. Projects must be replicable in other contexts. Replicability means that the project can be implemented or adapted in a different location from where it originated.

9. All projects must be based in the EU and aim to have a positive impact on the built environment. Applicants are encouraged to take inspiration in the categories of the NEB prizes: 

   a) Enhancing Circularity, Sustainability, and Innovation

   b) Strengthening Local Democracy and Inclusion

   c) Arts, Culture, and Heritage as Drivers of Change

   d) Enablers for New European Bauhaus Transformation

10. Projects can be at different stages of development; however, applicants should demonstrate that the project has achieved a sufficient level of maturity. This means that:

    a) an infrastructure element or public space has been identified,

    b) a political commitment to the project idea has been secured,

    c) the involvement of the citizens, partners, end users and other relevant stakeholders in the decision-making process through a participatory/co-creation approach has been ensured, an

    d) the project is not yet finalised at the time of submission of the application.

11. The application must include basic information and credits for the project, along with the following documentation:

    a) A development plan of your initiative that outlines the general timeline, the steps for further development and implementation and demonstrates a commitment to further implement the project 

    b) At least six photographs with indications on copyright and the authorisation to use them by the European Commission. For projects which cannot be presented through photographs, other types of visual representation can be used (graphs, drawings, etc.). Additionally, a photograph of the specific infrastructure or public space that will be transformed must be included.

    c) A letter from the political representative of the applying public authority, endorsing the project.

    d) Evidence that budget has been committed to the development/implementation of at least a part of the project (e.g. approved annual budget of the municipality).

    e) Evidence demonstrating that citizens, end-users, and main stakeholders are involved in the decision-making process across the different project phases in a meaningful manner (articles, declarations, proofs of meetings and discussions, brochures, online posts). The documentation provided should prove beyond any reasonable doubt that the project originated in the community or it has its full support, there is a clear intention in fostering community engagement and provide spaces to foster community agency and engagement in the future.

Notes:

(1) The definition of Local Administrative Units (LAU) and degree of urbanisation (DEGURBA) are available here: 

• Local Administrative Units (LAU) - NUTS - Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics - Eurostat (europa.eu)
• Glossary: Degree of urbanisation - Statistics Explained (europa.eu)

The final ranking and selection of the winners shall be confirmed by the Evaluation Committee, consisting of Members from the European Commission. This committee holds full responsibility for ensuring the proper conduct of the competition and its final outcomes.

The quality assessment of applications will be conducted by external, independent experts based on the award criteria outlined below. A maximum of 100 points will be awarded for the quality of the application. A minimum score of 50 % of the maximum aggregate score is required. Only the applications meeting this threshold can be included in the list of finalists.

1. Exemplary character in terms of the three core values of the New European Bauhaus (40 / 100 points): 

   a) Sustainability:  in the environmental sense, for example, reducing the environmental impact of human activities, advancing circularity and eco-design, implementation of nature-based solutions, preventing biodiversity loss, and promoting economic activities that encourage preservation, regeneration, and lifecycle thinking. Note: Social sustainability and financial sustainability (such as project maintenance or funding) are not part of this criterion.

   b) Inclusion: in its various dimensions, ranging from accessibility and affordability for all, inclusive governance, and design for all. It includes celebrating diversity, promoting intergenerational exchanges, addressing spatial segregation and isolation, supporting vulnerable members of community, and increasing opportunities for social interaction among everyone.

   c) Aesthetics and quality of experience for people: through design and emotional/cultural benefits, for example by connecting to the qualities of a place, fostering a sense of belonging through meaningful experiences or integrating new enduring cultural and social values.

2. Exemplary character in terms of the three main working principles of the New European Bauhaus (40 / 100 points): 

   a) Participatory process:  involvement of communities affected by the project in the co-design, decision-making and implementation phase, empowerment of local communities. (20)

   b) Multi-level engagement: effective exchange both horizontally – with peers – and vertically – with others operating in different scales; to connect stakeholders from different levels who share similar purposes.(10)

   c) Transdisciplinary approach:  engagement of practitioners and knowledge from different fields as well as drawing on the knowledge of non-academics and the public. (10)

3. Innovative dimension as compared to mainstream practices. (10 / 100 points)
4. High potential for transferability and replicability (e.g. of the methodology, solutions and experiences) to different contexts. (5 / 100 points).
5. Demonstrated feasibility and strong potential for implementation. A clear commitment to implementation such as through the inclusion of the project in an existing budget allocation or its incorporation into a strategic development plan, underscoring the applicant's dedication to seeing the project through to completion. (5/100 points).

The process of selecting the support is organised and scrutinised by an Evaluation Committee composed of representatives of the European Commission. The Committee will ensure the respect of applicable rules, including in terms of conflict of interest. The Committee does not evaluate the applications themselves. 

The selection process will take place in several steps.

1. Eligibility check (planned for March 2026)

The Evaluation Committee will review all the applications to assess their eligibility following the criteria enlisted in section 3.

2. Quality assessment (planned for April 2026)

External experts selected by the European Commission services will carry out the assessment of the applications. To select these experts, the European Commission published a ‘Call for Expression of Interest’ seeking experts that demonstrate relevant expertise in relation to the New European Bauhaus (balanced diversity of expertise around sustainability, inclusion, and aesthetics). The selection process also ensured a balanced representation in terms of gender and geography. The experts must not have any part in or conflict of interest with applications submitted for the New European Bauhaus Boost for Small Municipalities competition.

The selected experts will evaluate the applications and attribute points based on the award criteria mentioned in Section 4. Each eligible application will be evaluated by two different experts.

3. Establishment of the list of finalists 

The list of finalists will be established by selecting the 30 highest-scored applications submitted for these prizes, provided they meet all eligibility criteria and achieve the minimum quality threshold of at least 50% of the points in each award category. Additionally, efforts will be made to ensure a balanced representation of geographical and socio-economic realities across the EU.  

These rules apply provided that the top-rated application(s) passed all eligibility criteria, and gathered minimum quality, understood as at least 50% of points of the maximum aggregate score.

4. Jury assessment (planned for June 2026)

The finalists’ applications will be assessed by a final jury of experts. These experts will be selected to ensure a balanced diversity of expertise around the three dimensions of the New European Bauhaus project (sustainability, inclusion and aesthetics) and working principles (participatory process, multi-level engagement, transdisciplinary approach), as well as expertise in working with small municipalities. Members will also certify the absence of any conflict of interest with respect to any of the finalist applications.

The final jury will propose to the Evaluation Committee a list of 20 winners. These decisions will be based on the quality of the applications, alongside the following complementary criteria:

i) geographical diversity,

ii) balance between topics,

iii) diversity of contexts (rural/urban, socio-economic reality, etc.)

The final jury will operate on a consensus basis. In case of persistent divergence of views, decisions can be taken by a simple majority voting rule.

5. Establishment of the results (planned for July-September 2026) 

The Evaluation Committee will first check the regularity of the whole process, and the proposal of the final jury, and will establish the list of the 20 selected winners. 

The European Commission will award the prizes to the selected winners on the recommendations of the Evaluation Committee in an award ceremony in Brussels.

The Commission may cancel the contest or decide not to award the prizes without any obligation to compensate participants, if: (a) no applications are received; (b) the evaluation committee cannot find a winner; c) the winners are not eligible or must be excluded.

The Commission may withdraw the prizes after its award and recover all payments made, if it finds out that: (a) false information, fraud or corruption was used to obtain it; (b) a winner was not eligible or should have been excluded; (c) a winner is in serious breach of its obligations under the above rules of this contest.

Annex 1 - Eligible municipalities 

Annex 2 - Eligibility criteria at a glance