Research Support

Dutch Research Council (NWO)

> Knowledge and Innovation Covenant

Profile: the Knowledge and Innovation Covenant (KIC) programmes focus on societal challenges in the Netherlands and aim to have an impact on the economy, people and society. The focus is on cooperation between knowledge institutions, private parties and the government. It is therefore essential that companies invest in every research project. There are four main lines: Mission, Demand, Strategy and Practice.

Target group: the KIC funding programmes offer an excellent opportunity for researchers, companies and civil society organisations to work together on innovative solutions which solve societal challenges.

Amount: between 2024 and 2027, NWO will invest € 120M a year in the Mission, Demand and Strategy main lines and € 18M a year in the Practice main line. The budget range and mandatory co-funding per project varies per main line and call.

> ENW Open Competition

In the NWO Open Competition Domain Science, researchers can apply individually or in collaboration for curiosity-driven, fundamental research in the research fields of the NWO Domain Science (ENW).

This funding instrument is open for research proposals with a question in or overlapping the fields of earth sciences, astronomy, chemistry, computer science, life sciences, physics and mathematics. Proposals can be monodisciplinary, multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary in nature. The NWO Domain Science has three different types of funding that you can submit proposals for in open competition. These are the small-scale (XS, M) and large-scale (XL) grants.

Open Competition Domain Science – XS; 4 rounds per year

XS grants are intended to support promising ideas and to facilitate innovative and more speculative initiatives within the seven Domain Science disciplines. The proposed research is ground-breaking and high-risk. What counts is that all results, be they positive or negative, must contribute to the advancement of science.

Budget: € 50,000

Open Competition Domain Science – M; rolling deadline

Researchers are welcome to apply – individually or in collaboration – for investment in non-programmed, curiosity-driven fundamental research.

Budget: € 400,000 – 800,000

Open Competition Domain Science – XL; once every 2 years

The ENW-XL grants are aimed at curiosity-driven fundamental scientific research by consortia. The grant gives researchers the opportunity and freedom to start, strengthen, and/or expand world-class, groundbreaking, challenging and innovative lines of research within the research areas of the Domain Science.

Budget: M€ 1.0 – 3.0, maximum duration project 3 years

NWA-ORC

The Research along Routes by Consortia (ORC) programme line within the National Research Agenda (Nationale Wetenschapsagenda; NWA) funds research projects by interdisciplinary consortia that include representatives from the full breadth of the knowledge chain as well as relevant societal (public and/or private) partners, including citizens.

In the annual NWA-ORC funding round, consortia can submit thematic proposals that provide a joint expression of the breadth and innovative character of the NWA. The research will address so called wicked problems, focused on themes that are proposed by NWA-route networks and based on one or more of the 140 cluster questions. Per NWA route, 1 theme is proposed every 2 years.

Budget: max M€ 6.7; no cofinancing required

Please contact rgs@amsterdamumc.nl if you are interested in applying.

> Open Technology Programme

Profile: the Open Technology Programme (OTP) focuses on all disciplines of engineering sciences and application‐oriented practice of mathematics, natural sciences, medical sciences and life sciences and is characterised by the absence of disciplinary boundaries.

Target group: applied and technical-scientific research in close cooperation with public and private users of knowledge in order to contribute to a sustainable and inclusive society.

Amount: total grant ceiling per year is € 25.9M. NWO contributes a max. of € 900,000 per project. Projects with an investment character (min. € 150,000 in equipment), this contribution is a max. of € 1M. If the total project costs exceed € 650,000, co‐funding by users is required (i.e. 25% of the sum in excess of
€ 650,000).