Circular solutions for forestry, plastics and textiles

Develop a solution and the conditions needed to put it into use: for example, more sustainable forestry, more efficient use of forest raw materials, or circular use of plastic and textile products. The forestry focus includes climate and biodiversity; the plastic and textile focus can also address microplastics or toxic substances. Projects are expected to have potential to reduce their climate and environmental footprint.

The 2026 call offers up to SEK 5 million per project for at most 24 months. Funding for each partner is assessed separately. For experimental development—using existing knowledge to create or improve products, processes or services—the base rates are 45% of eligible costs for small companies, 35% for medium companies and 25% for large companies. With a qualifying bonus, the call lists 60%, 50% and 40% respectively.

A collaboration bonus requires independent partners to jointly define and carry out the work and share risks and results; buying research services alone does not count. For company collaboration, at least one participant must be an SME, or the work must span two EU countries or an EU and an EEA country, and no company may bear more than 70% of eligible project costs. For company–research organisation collaboration, the research organisations must bear at least 10% of eligible costs and be allowed to publish their own results. Wide dissemination through conferences, publications, open databases or free/open-source software is another bonus route.

De minimis support can cover up to 100% of a participant's costs, within the remaining EUR 300,000 allowance over three years across awards and the company group. Non-economic work, meaning activities that do not supply goods or services on a market, can also receive up to 100%. An organisation doing both types of work must keep separate accounts and ensure the grant does not benefit its economic activities. These participant rules do not increase the SEK 5 million total project cap.

Costs can include project staff, equipment and additional premises, external consultancy and licences, necessary materials and travel. Consultancy and licences are capped at 20% of each organisation's budget. Costs must be actual, reasonable, necessary and separately recorded; another organisation's costs cannot be claimed as your own. Project costs cannot be covered with other public grants or with your own money earmarked for other projects.

Actual overhead is normally capped at 30% of eligible salary costs. Universities and higher education institutions use their full-cost method. Qualifying state-controlled research companies, research foundations with government-appointed board members, and other government agencies required to do their own research may use a 45% cap if they receive government funding for independent research. Economic activities must be separated and use the 30% cap.