Upscaling Citizen Science
As part of the BOKU project "Unsere Mission: Gesunde Böden und Gewässer" (“Our Mission: Healthy Soils and Waters”), a BOKU citizen science project related to the EU Missions “A Soil Deal for Europe” and/or “Restore our Ocean and Waters” will be funded. The goal is to expand an existing small-scale citizen science project from the local to the regional level, or to open a conventional project to the general public.
By scaling up a citizen science project, a larger segment of the population can be introduced to the goals of the EU’s Mission Soil and Mission Water and actively involved in the research process.
Key points:
| Area of action | Mission Soil &/ Mission Waters |
| Funding | € 60.000 |
| Amount of funded projects | 1 Project |
| Funding rate | 100% |
| Submission period | April 27, 2026 to June 18, 2026 |
| Announcement of funded project | August 01, 2026 |
| Deadline for final report | February 28, 2028 |
| Submission platform | Via E-Mail to hanna.rummel@boku.ac.at |
| Contact | Hanna Rummel (hanna.rummel@boku.ac.at) |
All details are provided in the document “Upscaling_CALL FOR PROPOSALS”. Please read it carefully!
All relevant documents are listed at the end.
Upscaling Citizen Science Webinar:
On May 21 we hosted a webinar on Zoom to discuss the call in further detail and answer any questions. You can find a recording of the webinar unter the following link:
Passcode: 7iC&PPw.
FAQ's:
Is it possible to apply with a new independent citizen science project?
No, the call in intended for the expansion of already existing projects and not for the creation of a new citizen science project.
Does my project focus on the areas of action of Mission SOIL &/ Mission WATER?
To find out if your project falls within the scope of our call, you can read through the Austrian National Mission Action Plans for Mission Soil and Mission Water, published by the FFG.
How was the jury selected?
The jury consists of international citizen science experts, who were found through the citizen science network and previous collaboration.
Will the proposal with the highest score from the jury be funded?
No, the questions that have to be answered differ depending on whether the project is a small citizen science project that will be expanded or a conventional project that will be opened up to citizen science. The difference in the maximum achievable points will be taken into account during the final decision.