The “EU Award for Gender Equality Champions” is a recognition prize scheme designed as a booster and complement to the Gender Equality Plan (GEP) eligibility criterion in Horizon Europe, and a tool for advancing inclusive GEPs and policies in the framework of the European Research Area Policy Agenda.

The eligibility criterion applies to legal entities from Member States and Associated Countries that are public bodies, research organisations or higher education establishments (including private research organisations and higher education establishments) applying as beneficiaries or affiliated entities to Horizon Europe. They must have a Gender Equality Plan in place at the moment of grant signature and during the duration of the grant (HE general annexes p. 18-19). Legal entities listed above, plus entities from candidate countries for the accession to the EU, can apply in one of the three following categories: 

• Sustainable Gender Equality Champions (link to F&T portal call topic page)

Organisations that can demonstrate a significant and sustained record of activity and a high level of achievement through the implementation of their GEP(s).

• Newcomer Gender Equality Champions (link to F&T portal call topic page)

Organisations without a sustained record of activity in gender equality that have recently completed the implementation of their first GEP and can demonstrate the most progress achieved through its implementation.

• Inclusive Gender Equality Champions (link to F&T portal call topic page)

Organisations that have developed the most innovative inclusive GEP – namely a GEP addressing intersectionality, meaning links between gender and at least two other social categories, including for example racial or ethnic origin, social origin, sexual orientation and gender identity (LGBTIQ) or disability – and can demonstrate concrete results obtained through its implementation.

Each prize winner will receive a 100 000 euro prize. There will be one winner in the prize category “Sustainable Gender Equality Champions”, two winners in the prize category “Newcomer Gender Equality Champions”, and one winner in the prize category “Inclusive Gender Equality Champions”.

The call for the EU Award for Gender Equality Champions in R&I opened 16 June. The deadline for applications is 28 September 2026. Previous champions come from Germany, Slovenia, Czechia, Ireland, France, Poland, Spain,  Sweden and a pan-European research infrastructure INSTRUCT-ERIC.  

More information is available in the European Commission press release and prize webpage (including the rules of contest) and the above call topic pages on the European Commission Funding & Tender portal.