Overall Description

The Welsh Government provides financial support through Agile Cymru to help organisations in Wales access Horizon Europe. Funding supports activities that increase the number, quality and value of Welsh Horizon Europe applications and enable Welsh participants to assume stronger roles in European research and innovation projects.

Funding Amount

Agile Cymru does not establish fixed grant thresholds, but the following amounts are described as typical:

• Small projects, including travel, engagement and consultancy: up to £3,000
• One-off or straightforward engagements: normally below £1,000
• Strategic projects, including networks, feasibility studies and pilot projects involving substantial staff time or materials: up to £20,000
• Exceptional strategic projects: up to £50,000
• Open-funding-pot proposals may exceed these amounts in very specific circumstances.

Funding may cover up to 100% of specified eligible costs where justified. The actual intervention rate depends on the proposal’s strength, risks, portfolio considerations and available budget.

Awards are subject to limited budget availability.

Submission Deadlines

• No fixed application deadline is stated for Horizon Europe access support through the Agile Cymru open funding pot. Applications may be considered at any time, subject to available budget.
• Applicants must discuss their proposal with the Welsh Government’s Agile Cymru Team before submitting an open-funding-pot application.
• Applications are considered on a first-come, first-served basis, although proposals may be placed on a reserve list because of strategic priorities or budget limitations.

Submission Conditions

• Applicants should contact the Agile Cymru Team before applying, particularly when they have not previously received support.
• Open-funding-pot applicants must raise their proposal with the team before submitting an application.
• Signed application forms may be submitted as scanned PDFs to AgileCymru@gov.wales.
• The activity must have a clear, credible relationship to a specific Horizon Europe call or partnership.
• Applicants must demonstrate identifiable benefits and expected outcomes for Wales.
• Costs incurred before formal approval are ineligible unless the Welsh Government provides written confirmation otherwise.
• Expenditure must be reasonable, necessary, properly evidenced and consistent with procurement requirements.
• One quote is normally required for contracted work worth up to £4,999.99; contracts above that amount generally require three competing quotes.
• Activities or costs already supported by another funding source are normally ineligible.
• Initial Horizon Europe opportunity-scoping that is already available free of charge is not funded.
• The initial gateway stage of an EIC Accelerator application is generally not supported; full applications may receive support after the applicant passes the first stage.
• Applicants may be required to provide proof that the resulting Horizon Europe proposal was submitted, a copy of the proposal and relevant consortium documentation.
• Awards must comply with UK subsidy-control rules, including the applicable Minimal Financial Assistance limits.
• Applications undergo due-diligence and financial-viability checks and are assessed against need, value for money, expected benefits for Wales, deliverability and available budget.

Eligible Types of Applicants

Applicants must be legal entities that operate in Wales and with which the Welsh Government can enter into a grant agreement. Relevant applicant types include:

• Businesses and SMEs
• Universities and other higher education institutions
• Research organisations
• Public-sector organisations and public bodies
• Third-sector and non-profit organisations
• Sector bodies, clusters and innovation networks
• Other legally constituted organisations undertaking eligible activities in Wales

UK-registered companies based outside Wales may be eligible if they actively operate in Wales and the proposed activity delivers a clear benefit to Wales. Registration in Wales alone does not guarantee eligibility if the organisation is not operationally active there.

Eligible Countries

• The direct Agile Cymru applicant must operate in Wales, United Kingdom.
• International and other UK partners may participate in the proposed cooperation or Horizon Europe consortium. Certain non-Welsh partner costs may be eligible when incurred and claimed by the contracted Welsh applicant, provided they are essential, reasonable and compliant with the applicable purchasing requirements.