A step up in SOILL support for Soil Living Labs

As the second implementation project under the SOILL Framework, SOILL-Stepup aims to strengthen and expand the SOILL one-stop-shop structure by enhancing and consolidating services for Mission Soil Living Labs (LLs) and Lighthouses (LHs), while extending support to new applicants and aligned or emerging Europe-wide Soil LL/LH initiatives. Building on the foundations laid during SOILL-Startup (2024-2025), this follow-up project delivers targeted actions during SOILL’s 2026–27 period, directly supporting the Soil Mission’s Expansion and Innovation phase. This involves: 1) Enhancing the support structure through upgraded coordination, quality assurance, and alignment of support actions. The SOILL Hub will be further developed into a fully integrated collaborative platform offering information, training, monitoring and matchmaking. 2) Supporting LL/LHs across all stages of development—from setup to consolidation—via modular capacity building, personalised mentoring, and thematic guidance. Support will also extend to aligned and emerging initiatives with potential to grow in Soil LL/LHs. 3) Assisting new applicants through promotion of upcoming Mission Soil topics, mentoring, training, and matchmaking. A multilingual helpdesk, guidance tools, and tailored webinars will ensure inclusive support across all the eligible countries. 4) Mapping, evaluating and validating initiatives through harmonised monitoring and labelling system of Mission-funded, aligned and emerging LL/LHs. Annual assessments of network expansion will inform support actions and feed into policy recommendations. 5) Fostering collaboration and visibility through working groups, mutual learning events, international exchanges, and structured policy dialogues, strengthening community ties, knowledge sharing and accelerating the uptake of LL-generated solutions.