Impact Innovation: Implementation project for a reformed public sector in 2026

This the call for proposals is aimed at need owner in the public sector - municipalities, regions and government agencies - who want to strengthen their ability to collaborate across organizational boundaries.

In the implementation project, you will test and further develop a solution in your activities. The solution must have a clear connection to the system problem within one of SustainGov's focus areas and have potential to have an effect in your own operations. The goal is to solve a real challenge for residents or users and create lasting change.

You can apply for up to 4,000,000 SEK for an implementation project that may last a maximum of two years and will start on October 1, 2026. We expect to finance between 4 and 7 project per focus area.

This call for proposals is carried out within the framework of the SustainGov program, part of Impact Innovation – an initiative of the Swedish Energy Agency, Formas and Vinnova. The call for proposals aims to contribute to SustainGov's mission and program goals.

Implementation projects within SustainGov are expected to test and further develop concrete solutions in operations. This may involve new ways of organizing, financing, governing and working, both within the public sector and in collaboration with other societal actors. The goal is to better meet the needs of the end target group and strengthen the public sector's ability to handle complex societal challenges.

Let the projects become tools for testing new forms of collaboration in the organizational gaps where system problems arise today!

The projects should focus on a systems approach and collaboration. Collaboration means that several actors jointly define a problem, formulate objective and implement measures. Everyone needs to adapt their structures, priorities and working methods for the good of the whole. It is not just about collaboration, but about sharing responsibility, risks and results. Collaboration is based on mutual dependence, joint governance and often changes in ordinary systems.

Proposal is expected to exhibit:

• A clear connection to the needs of the designated end target group and the systemic problems within one or more of SustainGov's focus areas (see heading "3. SustainGov's mission and focus areas").
• A clear commitment from involved parties to contribute to public sector reform (its role and capacity to change attitudes, behaviours, practices, governance, frameworks, funding and organisation).
• An objective to test and further develop a business-related solution that provides concrete results for the end target group. The solution should be able to be implemented in the parties' own core operations beyond the individual project.

Part of a larger effort

The call for proposals if the Implementation Project is part of a larger effort with several calls for proposals. It is also possible to search support for:

Preparatory project – mobilize actors, identify, analyze and begin addressing systemic issues. Develop proposals for concrete solutions in operations to create lasting change from a holistic perspective.

Change alliances - long-term change in governance, structures, working methods and culture. Build joint capacity and reuse, further develop and disseminate solutions that contribute to lasting system transformation.

The three project types are planned to recur annually.

Learning and exchange of experience

SustainGov is actively working with its project portfolio to enable learning between project, program offices and other system actors. Your project is expected to contribute to this learning process by actively participating in joint forums for the exchange of experience.

Special process and method support, which focuses on the systems perspective and conditions for scaling up and reusing system innovation, is planned from SustainGov, which the project will co-create with.

Contribute to a sustainable system transition

Impact Innovation is Sweden's major innovation initiative to tackle the challenges of our time and the future. In collaborations between actors in the private, public and non-profit organisations sectors, Impact Innovation meets real technical and societal needs with groundbreaking solutions. On the way to a sustainable and competitive Sweden, attractive to live in for everyone. Together we show what is possible, and are ahead internationally.

Impact Innovation will contribute to global competitiveness through transformation for sustainable development in line with the UN's global sustainability goals, defined in the 2030 Agenda.

An innovative force in a sustainable world

In this call for proposals we focus on two perspectives: gender equality and climate transition. This means that gender equality and climate transition should be integrated into both how your project group is composed and in the intended outcome of your project.

Equalized funding by innovations

Your project should integrate gender equality both into how your project team is composed and how you carry out the project. This means that you need to:

• take into account the gender balance within the project team
• assess whether aspects of sex and gender are relevant to the design of the project, and if so, in what way.

By integrating different perspectives, more inclusive and relevant solutions are developed. This strengthens both the innovative capacity and the project's results.

Gender equality as a tool for innovative social development

SustainGov is a mission-driven programme within Impact Innovation which is a joint effort of the Swedish Energy Agency, Formas and Vinnova. SustainGov's mission is: to have achieved a reformed public sector by 2035 that holistically promotes and facilitates health and well-being for all residents regardless of geography and socio-economic status and ensures society's sustainability transition within the limits of the planet.

A reformed public sector with a systems approach

SustainGov wants to strengthen the public sector as a proactive actor with the ability to handle complex societal challenges.

To achieve the program's mission, the public sector needs to move from simply doing things right to doing the right things. The following shifts are considered central to achieving SustainGov's mission:

From reactive to proactive – shift focus from only dealing with problems as they arise to anticipating and preventing them. This enables more sustainable and efficient use of resources.

From seeing the individual as a passive recipient to an active co-creator – recognizing individuals as active co-creators in the development of solutions to achieve more sustainable and relevant results.

From process and indicator-driven to impact-focused – shift focus from being process-driven and only measuring short-term results with simple indicators to assessing long-term effects that truly contribute to societal development.

From organization-oriented to individualized interaction – creating joint solutions that are based on the needs of individuals, rather than being tied to fixed organizational structures.

With these starting points, SustainGov intends to contribute to long-term shifts in how the public sector works and co-creates value for society and its inhabitants. Fundamentally, it is about a reformed public sector with a systems perspective.

Focus areas

SustainGov has four focus areas:

1. System-wide collaboration for complex care needs. Residents with complex care needs, which account for a large part of healthcare costs, are currently faced with fragmented systems and a lack of coordination. This creates quality deficiencies, inefficient use of resources and inequality. To meet the needs of the future, a renewed and collaborative public sector is required, where the individual's health and long-term well-being are at the center.
2. An inclusive society for all. Today, there are groups in society that face significant obstacles to fully participating in society. Structural problems, lack of a holistic perspective and lack of coordination between public actors to meet the actual needs of the individual exacerbate exclusion. A more inclusive society requires joint efforts from the public sector that address the fundamental causes of exclusion and strengthen individuals' opportunities for participation and co-creation.
3. Future-proof food security for health and well-being. Sweden faces major challenges with a vulnerable food system, while climate change and unhealthy eating habits affect both the environment and public health. A future-proof food security requires long-term solutions that strengthen preparedness, reduce environmental impact and ensure access to nutritious and affordable food for all. The public sector has a key role in the transition, but the work is hampered by fragmented governance and complex conflicts of objectives.
4. The social contract of the future – a renewed relationship between citizens and the public sector. To handle increasing eligibility requirements and complexity, the public sector needs to redefine its role and create stronger ties to citizens, business and civil society. A renewed social contract is based on active collaboration, where everyone actors contributes to common solutions and sustainable development. By strengthening trust and designing needs-driven services, we can ensure a public sector that is efficient, inclusive and equipped for complex challenges.

More information about SustainGov

For further information about SustainGov, the four focus areas and the efforts that the program is implementing to achieve systemic changes in the public sector, see SustainGov's website. There is also a page with information about the project that have been granted in previous calls for proposals

The implementation project shall be conducted jointly by at least three participants.

At least two participants should be need owner in the public sector and represent at least two different levels of government (municipal, regional or state level). The reason for these eligibility requirements is to create ownership of the change at multiple levels of government relevant to addressing the system challenge.

The coordinating participant shall be a public sector actor, such as municipality, municipal association, municipal association, region or state public authority.

We would like to see universities and publicly owned companies participate as participants but do not categorize them as need owner in this context. In addition, other relevant actors from civil society or business can participate as participants. It is also possible to participate in the role of other stakeholders, for example in a reference group or similar.

We have identified that the following types of actors can be crucial for a successful implementation:

• Need owner in the public sector – Swedish municipalities, municipality- and municipal associations, regions, state agencies. These represent the organisation that are expected to implement a solution and thereby improve the system's results. In this context, higher education institutions and publicly owned companies are not included.
• Enablers in the public sector – normative or governing organisations and functions, such as administrative managers, lawyers, economists, management strategists who have the ability to interpret, adapt or change normative conditions.
• End target group, i.e. users or recipients - those affected by the solutions, for example users, clients, patients or customers.
• Perspective providers – for example, universities and institutes with expert knowledge, business and non-profits organisations that contribute with new ways of thinking and with good knowledge of current challenges and how initiatives can be further developed in other contexts.
• Boundary-crosser – actors with a systems perspective and expertise in systems analysis, methodology, etc. that contributes to active action, implementation and system movement.

There may of course also be other people with relevant skills to succeed, such as the communicator, the innovation leader, or the designer.

In this call for proposals implementation projects are financed .The projects shall test and further develop concrete solutions in operations, for example new ways of organizing, financing, governing and working within the public sector and between sectors.

Some examples of activities that may be included:

• Testing and development of new methods, processes and models in a confined environment, for example through various forms of experimental activities such as testbeds, system demonstrators and policy labs.
• Activities to create new knowledge and new skills that can strengthen the public sector's ability to handle complex societal challenges with a focus on the effects for the end target group.
• Preparation of documentation to describe the conditions required to introduce or test the solutions on a larger scale.
• Activities that bring together broad constellations of actors and help them create a common overall picture and leverage points for change linked to the end target group, for example through system mapping and analyses.
• Time for continuous learning and follow-up.

What costs can we finance?

Our funding is subject to rules about state aid. The rules govern what kinds of costs we can finance. These are called eligible costs.

In this the call for proposals, these types of costs are eligible:

• Salary costs: Gross salary paid, employer contributions and other salary costs.
• Equipment, land and buildings: Costs for instruments, equipment and rent for premises other than regular business premises.
• Consulting and licensing costs: Costs for consulting services, knowledge and patents purchased or used under license from an external party. These costs may not exceed 20 percent of an organization's budget. In special cases, for example if the project requires specialist expertise, we may accept a higher percentage. This must be justified in proposal, and the justification will be taken into account in our assessment.
• Other direct costs: Costs for, for example, materials, supplies and travel that are necessary to carry out the project.
• Indirect costs (overhead): Costs that are linked to the project but do not arise directly, such as premises and cleaning. Indirect costs may amount to a maximum of 30 percent of salary costs. Universities, university colleges, research organizations and government agencies may have higher permitted levels, depending on activities.

For more detailed information about which costs we can finance, see Instructions for eligible costs

Which eligibility requirements apply to costs we finance?

In order for your costs to be eligible for support, the following applies:

• They must be factual, reasonable and necessary for the activities in the project.
• They must be booked correctly and under a separate project code in the accounting. You may not cover project costs with other public funding or own funds intended for other project.
• You may not claim someone else's expenses as your own.

For more detailed information on which eligibility requirements, limitations and exceptions apply, see our general terms and conditions.

The rules about state aid govern how large a proportion of the costs we can finance. This is determined individually for each organisation. We therefore differentiate between how large a funding project can get, and how much a participant organisation can get.

How big funding can the project get?

The grant can amount to a maximum of 4,000,000 SEK, and a maximum of 80 percent of the project's total eligible costs.

The project that are funded shall have a project duration of 12 to 24 months with the project start on October 1, 2026.

How much funding can a participant organisation get?

How much funding a participant organisation can receive depends mainly on:

• the organisation's size and activities
• which activities the organisation will carry out in the project.

Descriptions in the following sections about what support we can provide are simplified. For complete information, see Support bases and support levels for funding.

Support to public organisations with non-economic activities, as well as to universities and university colleges

In this the call for proposals we give support to organisations that do not engage in economic activities. This means that the organisation do not offer a service or product on a market. This includes state authorities, municipalities, regions and other public bodies in their public missions, as well as most often universities and university colleges, research institutes and other public organisations.

We can finance up to 100 percent of such an organization's costs.

How is it determined whether a organisation is engaged in economic activities?

A organisation that offers any kind of service or product on a market is considered to be conducting an economic activities and cannot be granted this form of support. It does not matter how the the organisation is financed: whether it is public or private, or whether it has a profit motive. It also does not matter what legal form the business has. For example, whether it is a limited liability company, a trading company, an economic association, a non-profit association or a foundation.

If you are unsure whether a organisation in your project conducts economic activities, contact call manager. However, The organisation is responsible for assessing whether it conducts economic activities.

Support of minor importance to companies

Businesses and organisations that conduct economic activities can receive de minimis-support, also known as support of minor importance. We can finance up to 100 percent of an organization's costs.

A organisation can receive a maximum of 300,000 euros over a three-year period in this form of support, regardless of the funder and project. This means that if the same organisation has received support of lesser importance in other project from other funders before, it affects how large the support can be in this the call for proposals.

Submit a certificate of de minimis support when you submit proposal. This is required for us to be able to grant this support.

Certificate of de minimis-support

Support to companies for research and development

Companies and organisations that conduct economic activities can also be granted funding with the Industrial research support basis. Industrial research can be simply described as seeking new knowledge through planned research or critical analysis. This is to develop or significantly improve products, processes or services.

How much of the costs can we finance?

The organisation's The size and type of activity determines how large a proportion of the costs we can finance. This is called the maximum support level.

Maximum aid intensity for industrial research

• Small business: 70%
• Medium-sized company: 60%
• Large company: 50%

Situations where we finance a higher proportion

If the project is covered by any of these bonus bases, we can finance a higher proportion of the costs.

• Actual collaboration: Some level of collaboration between small and larger companies, between companies in two different European countries or between research organisations and companies.
• Dissemination of results: Extensive dissemination through, for example, conferences or open databases.
• Other bonus basis.

Maximum aid intensity for industrial research at bonus basis

• Small business: 80%
• Medium-sized company: 75%
• Large company: 65%

A organisation who applies for support in their financial activities, and who has not attached a de minimis certificate, can be granted funding with the Industrial researchsupport basis. The activities that the organisation will carry out in the project must then correspond to Industrial research as defined in art. 25, see Support grounds and support levels for funding.

In order for us to assess your proposal it must meet certain formal eligibility requirementsrequirements. If the requirements are not met, we will reject your proposal immediately.

Eligibility requirements on participants

• All participants organisations must be legal entities. Individuals or individual companies cannot participate. Participant who apply funding must be a Swedish legal entity. In this respect, a foreign organisation that has a branch or establishment in Sweden is considered a Swedish legal entity.
• The coordinating party must be a Swedish legal entity and operate activities in Sweden.
• The coordinating party must be a Swedish municipality, municipal association, municipal association, region or state public authority. Higher education institutions and publicly owned companies (companies owned by the state, region and municipality) cannot be coordinating participant.
• At least three participants must participate in the project. This includes the coordinating party.
• At least two of the project partners must belong to one of the following categories:
  • municipality
  • municipal association
  • municipal association
  • region
  • state public authority
• At least two of the following levels of government shall be represented among the project partners:
  • municipal level
  • regional level
  • state level
• The project manager must be employed by one of the project parties.

Eligibility requirements on the project

• The project may apply for a maximum of SEK 4,000,000.
• The requested grant shall amount to a maximum of 80% of the project's total eligible costs according to the budget in proposal.
• The project must start on October 1, 2026 and the project duration must be between 12 and 24 months.
• The project may not be started before you have submitted your proposal.

Eligibility requirements on proposal

• Proposal should be written in Swedish or English.
• Proposal should follow the instructions under the heading "10. How do I apply?".
• Proposal should contain all requested attachments. It is optional to attach a statement of intent to show that the project is anchored with relevant decision-makers among the need owners.

Applications that meet our eligibility requirements criteria will be forwarded to assessment. In the assessment, we look at how relevant the project proposal is, how big your idea is, how realistic it is and who will implement the project.

What do we assess?

When assessing applications, we look at four main criteria:

• Relevance: We assess how relevant the project proposal is to SustainGov's mission and focus areas.
• Potential: We analyze what effects and what value we can expect from the project
• Actors: We assess the participants' competence and ability to implement the project and achieve the desired results and effects.
• Feasibility: We assess how realistic and credible the project plan is, both for implementing the project and for achieving the desired results.

Relevance

• How relevant the project proposal is to SustainGov's mission and focus areas (as described under heading "3. SustainGov's mission and focus areas").

Potential

• How much the potential project has to contribute to SustainGov's mission and to systemic change within one or more of the program's focus areas.
• How well anchored the project is with relevant decision-makers for the possibility of scaling up the results after completion project.
• How innovative the project proposal is in relation to existing solutions and ongoing major initiatives in the area.
• How credible the project proposal's analysis is of the problem picture and the results that the proposed solution is expected to achieve.
• How well the project proposal contributes to increased gender equality by integrating perspectives on sex and gender.

Actors

• The extent to which the project partners represent a breadth of actors with resources and capacity to implement the project.
• The extent to which the project manager and other key individuals have the competence and shared ability to implement the project.
• How well composed the project team is in terms of, for example, mandate, authority and responsibility to be able to work towards change in the direction of the project.
• How well the financial contribution, participation, power and influence are distributed equally between women and men in the project team.

Feasibility

• The realism, credibility and appropriateness of the project plan and budget.
• How well relevant actors, including the end target group, are involved in the implementation.
• How good the conditions are for the project's results to be taken forward and used after the end of the project.
• How well the need for consulting services and licenses is justified. This only applies if an organization's budget includes more than 20 percent consulting and license costs.

In addition to assessing the quality of each application, we aim to achieve a spread of the approved projects between SustainGov's focus areas. We expect to fund between 4 and 7 project per focus area.

We would like to see the approved projects together involve a wide range of public actors from across the country, which includes, for example, both resource-rich and resource-poor municipalities and regions.

How do we assess?

Once we receive the applications, we review them. We screen out any applications that are incomplete or do not meet our eligibility requirements.

The applications that are correct and complete are distributed among different evaluator and assessed in competition with each other. The evaluators are appointed by us based on their expertise in the field. Each proposal is assessed by at least three evaluator.

Once the evaluators has reviewed the applications, we have an assessment meeting where the evaluators recommends which applications should be granted.

How does it affect an organization's financial status?

Before we decide on funding we also make a comprehensive assessment of the organizational and financial status of those who receive funding.

We use information we receive from credit reports, currently from Dun & Bradstreet. We may also ask small and medium-sized businesses to demonstrate that they have the financial capacity to carry out the project.

In our assessment we check this:

• That organisations who are granted funding for salary costs are registered as employers with the Swedish Tax Agency. If such registration does not exist when we make a decision, you must be able to show that a notification has been made. We do not approve retroactive registration.
• That organisations is not insolvent, or undergoing liquidation or corporate restructuring. You must also not have any significant unpaid debts with the Swedish Enforcement Authority.
• That the project manager is employed by one of the project parties.
• That a limited liability company has not used up half or more of its share capital.

Once we have assessed all applications, we will send you a decision either granting or rejecting your proposal. Since applications are assessed competitively, you may be rejected even though you meet all eligibility requirements and criteria.

In the decision, we state how large a proportion of the costs we cover for each organisation.

You cannot appeal our decision, but you are welcome to apply to us again at another time.

What happens if you are granted funding?

If we grant you proposal you must follow our general terms and conditions for funding. The terms include, among other things:

• That you will sign a special document in which you approve your participation and commit to carrying out the project.
• That you report how things are going, your costs and achievements to us during the project period.
• If you are several parties, you must have a written project agreement that regulates your mutual rights and obligations in the project. Since it can take time to develop and negotiate an agreement, we recommend that you start with this as soon as possible. The project parties must have entered into the project agreement no later than the day on which the first progress report is to be submitted to Vinnova. If a progress report is not to be submitted in the project, the project parties must have entered into the project agreement no later than the day for submission of the start report.

See our general terms and conditions

Special conditions

You also need to follow the special conditions that apply to this the call for proposals:

• The implementation project shall allocate at least 100 hours per year for participation in joint forums for learning and exchange of experiences within SustainGov.
• The project must be represented by at least one participant at the conferences and other activities organised within the programme, approximately one to two times per year. The costs of such participation are eligible for support.
• The project shall maintain a continuous dialogue with the SustainGov program office throughout the duration of the project.
• When providing information about the project and when publishing project results, it must be stated that the work was carried out within Impact Innovation-programmet SustainGov – an initiative of the Swedish Energy Agency, Formas and Vinnova.
• In connection with the final reporting of the project, a summary of the project results shall be sent to SustainGov's program office according to the template available at www.impactinnovation.se. This summary shall be freely available for distribution and publication on the website of the Swedish Energy Agency, Formas, Vinnova and Impact Innovations and the program office. The summary may not contain confidential or otherwise sensitive information.
• We may also decide to add additional special conditions for individual project. In that case, they will be stated in the decision.
• It may be relevant to have a targeted or open call for proposals, or an extension, of the project funded in this call for proposals.
• Freely making scientific publications and results. Results from research and innovation that are made freely available increases the opportunity for more people to contribute to solutions to societal challenges. This the call for proposals will contribute to more results being made freely available to everyone. Therefore, all scientific publishing should be open access.

Could you have to pay back funding?

If you have received more money than you are entitled to or if you do not follow our term, you may be liable for repayment.

When the call for proposals closes, your proposal will be registered as. We will then send an email confirmation to the person responsible for the user account, as well as to the project manager and the signatory. If you have not received a confirmation within 24 hours of the call for proposals closing, please contact us.

When the call for proposals is closed, you cannot change anything in proposal. Then you can only supplement if we ask you to.

Who can read you proposal?

Your proposal will be read by employees at Vinnova and those evaluator who participate in this the call for proposals. Everyone works under a duty of confidentiality.

Applications submitted to us become public documents. This means that we must disclose them if requested. However, we keep certain types of information confidential if disclosure could be expected to cause financial harm to the individual. This applies to information about business and operational conditions, inventions or research results.

General documents and confidentiality