IMPETUS supported and gave recognition to citizen science (CS) by enabling a wider range of citizen science initiatives (CSIs) to access innovative funding. We aimed to bring CS closer to society and policymakers and to acknowledge its role in tackling the greatest challenges of our times. We had a strong focus on enhancing its contributions to the Green Deal and the UN SDGs.

What is the Green Deal? The European Green Deal is a set of policy initiatives developed by the European Commission with the overarching aim of making the European Union (EU) climate neutral in 2050. It was approved in 2020. Learn more here and download the EU Green Deal here.

What are the UN SDGs? The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or Global Goals are a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future”. They are 17 interlinked global goals, set up in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly (UN-GA) and are intended to be achieved by 2030.
Learn more here and download the app here!

How did we support Citizen Science?
  1. Between 2022 and 2025, IMPETUS ran three Open Calls to select citizen science initiatives for its Accelerator Programme. Projects were assessed on expected impacts, volunteer engagement, EDI, openness, and data quality. Successful applicants received either €20k to kick-start 97 new CSIs or €10k to sustain 32 existing CSIs, all of which address the pressing needs of European society.
  2. Setting up an accelerator that provided an integrated programme of support, training, mentoring, and resources. The accelerator facilitated peer learning, enabled CSIs to contribute to UN SDGs and GD targets, and forged connections with quadruple-helix stakeholders.
  3. Launching the EU Prize for Citizen Science, awarded to CSIs for outstanding achievements, allowing them to continue and expand their work and showcase it to a broader audience. We awarded 3 prize categories over 3 years: the grand prize (€60,000), the diversity and collaboration award, and the digital communities award (each €20,000), along with 27 projects that received honourable mentions. These prizes were selected by an independent jury composed of experts in citizen science and innovation.
  4. Convening a citizen panel that provided feedback on our work.
  5. Shaping EU policy in and with CS, through horizon scanning, anticipatory policy and action research, informing policy briefs, webinars and workshops with key policy stakeholders. The aim was to foster more CS data to inform evidence-based policies and identify future directions in CS policy.
  6. Developing impact assessment tools and assessing the impact of CSIs and our own framework, especially on GD and SDG targets. Insights were presented within the wider CS ecosystem and fed into recommendations for national and EU policies.

How was our project structured? We organised our work into 7 work packages

WORK PACKAGE 1:

OPEN CALLS

The overall objective of this work package was to implement three open calls, through which a total of 97 kick-starting grants and 32 sustaining grants were awarded to citizen science initiatives.

Led by KCL

 

WORK PACKAGE 2:

ACCELERATOR

The objective of this work package was to establish an impact-driven accelerator that supports the CSIs selected through WP1’s open calls and empowers them to maximise their impacts towards the SDGs and Green Deal targets.

Led by SfC

WORK PACKAGE 3: 

EUROPEAN UNION PRIZE FOR CITIZEN SCIENCE 

The overall objective of this work package was to implement the annual European Union Prize for Citizen Science, which recognises and rewards outstanding citizen science initiatives.

Led by Ars Electronica

WORK PACKAGE 4:

POLICY WITH AND FOR CITIZEN SCIENCE

The overall objective of this work package was to improve the evidence base for CS-related policy and strengthen the capacity of the citizen science community to achieve policy impact.

Led by Nesta

WORK PACKAGE 5:

IMPACT & EXPLOITATION

The overall objective of this work package was to assess the impacts of the pilots and of the IMPETUS project as a whole.

 

Led by T6 ECOSYSTEMS

WORK PACKAGE 6:

DISSEMINATION & COMMUNICATION

The overall objective of this work package was to raise awareness of the Open Calls and Prize, communicate the activities and outcomes of IMPETUS and its pilots, provide promotional material, and engage with relevant stakeholders.

 

Led by EUSEA

WORK PACKAGE 7: 

PROJECT  MANAGEMENT 

The overall objective of this work package was to ensure the smooth performance and delivery of results throughout the project.

 

Led by Zabala