For farmers

This section provides information for farmers interested in participating in GroundWork activities, including lighthouse farms, training opportunities and funding schemes.

Lighthouse farms

Lighthouse Farms are the flagship demonstration sites within GroundWork’s five Living Labs, showcasing the practical and measurable benefits of regenerative livestock grazing. As highly visible, illustrative, and financially proven examples, they bring GroundWork’s approach to life by serving as central hubs for communication, peer-to-peer learning, field visits, and hands-on demonstrations of tested practices.

By opening their gates to farmers, advisors, and other stakeholders, Lighthouse Farms play a vital role in sharing practical knowledge, inspiring farmer engagement, and accelerating the adoption of resilient, regenerative grazing systems across Europe.

Funding opportunities

GroundWork aims to actively involve farmers in testing new practices. To make this feasible without financial risk, the project will provide Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) to 75 regenerative farming projects, ensuring that farmers are fairly compensated for the time, land, and resources they dedicate to on-farm experimentation. Forty-two experimental sites were initially pre-selected to begin testing practices quickly-shortly after the Living Labs (LLs) are set up.

Open call!

GroundWork launches its Open Call to support 33 additional farming projects within the five Living Lab regions to implement Regenerative Livestock Grazing Practices.

Call Opening: 1st September 2026

Objectives

Expand the network of experimental farms by selecting 33 additional farms.
Support the implementation of Regenerative Livestock Grazing Practices (RLGPs).
Improve data collection on soil health, grazing management, and environmental performance.
Access to finance and business consultation

Elegibilty

Applicants must be farmers or individual entities established in one of the Living Lab countries: Portugal, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, or Serbia.

Applicants under EU restrictive measures are ineligible.

Selected applicants will need to provide documentation proving their agricultural activity.

Duration and budget

Deadline submission

19th November 2026 (15:00 CET)

Maximum grant

€27,000 per farm (€9,000 per year)

Programme duration

3 years

Resources

Open Call Terms & Conditions

Open Call Poster

EN | DE | FR | SE | PT | SR

Open Call FAQ

Any questions about the application process? Let us help you! GroundWork.Help@fundingbox.com

Living Labs Requirements

Livestock farms located in Beira Interior or within a 150 km radius of Monte Silveira Farm.
Farmers should produce livestock on pasture.
Availability for rotational grazing, bale grazing and silvopasture.
Three-year commitment: installation of sensors, field days and project events.

Grazing livestock farming (dairy or beef cattle) in Bavaria or Baden-Württemberg, within 50 km of the Living Lab
At least 5 ha of pasture; trial plots on cambisols and sloping land
Interest in Holistic Planned Grazing (HPG) and regenerative practices
Three-year commitment: soil assessments, possible installation of sensors and participation in events.

Farms with sheep and/or cattle in Wallonia
An experimental plot divided into two sections (with and without grazing) over a period of three years
Cover crops to be planted at least twice during that period.
Consider applying bale grazing or sowing biodiverse pastures.

Farms with sheep, goats or cattle in Serbia, within a 150 km radius of Gospođinci.
Farmers should own sheep, goats or cattle.
Production on natural or cultivated pasture, or innovative manure management.
Experimental field divided into two parts (regenerative vs. conventional) over 3 years.

Pasture-based cattle husbandry farming (dairy or beef) in the Gothia region.
Cropland with current or potential grazing, including the location of experimental and control plots.
Interest in Holistic Planned Grazing (HPG) and regenerative practices
Three-year commitment: soil assessments, possible installation of sensors and participation in events

Site visits or Living Lab visits

Are you a journalist specialising in food, agriculture, or soil health? Join GroundWork’s Living Lab visits to discover how regenerative livestock farming is helping restore Europe’s soils.

Please complete the form below to express your interest in taking part in GroundWork’s press visits.