A project must have a freestanding purpose and not merely constitute auxiliary funding for current operations or other projects in progress. For subjects in which research is generic in nature, such as mathematics, a project can consist of joint concept development.
Guidelines for research projects with high scientific potential
Vice-chancellor’s letter of support
According to Foundation rules, the vice-chancellor or the equivalent must approve the application. A separate appendix signed by the vice-chancellor (or the person designated by the vice-chancellor to represent him or her) must be attached to the application. The vice-chancellor must certify that the project application has undergone internal prioritization and that faculty resources will be made available to the researcher(s), in cases where such resources are accounted for in the budget submitted. Furthermore, the vice-chancellor must certify that indirect costs beyond those approved by the Foundation will be covered by the university and that indirect project costs will be accounted for in accordance with the established model.
- The Foundation primarily grants funding in natural sciences, technology, and medicine
- Projects in other disciplines may receive support on the condition that they are related to research questions of relevance to natural sciences, technology, and medicine
- The Foundation supports investigator-initiated projects of the highest international standard
- The project must focus on a coherent academic research question
- For subjects in which research is generic in nature, such as mathematics, a project can consist of joint concept development
- High-priority projects include new research areas and research that is interdisciplinary in nature
- Project allocations must not primarily constitute auxiliary funding for current operations or other projects in progress. There are no limits on the number of research groups or the localization of research groups in terms of organization or geography
- Applicants must have a long-term association with a Swedish institution of higher education
- Projects normally have a budget of between SEK 15 million and SEK 60 million. Projects can have a duration of three to five years. Grants for equipment necessary to the project are approved through financing of depreciation costs
- From 2016, an individual researcher is only allowed to participate in two ongoing projects, and act as a principal investigator on one of these.
- Research funded by the Foundation must be published with open access, that is, published articles must be archived in openly searchable databases. The additional cost for this can be taken up as a direct cost in project applications
- Grants can be applied for once a year, with February 1st as the deadline
- A letter of support from the vice-chancellor must be attached to the application.
- When an application isn’t approved for granting, the application cannot be submitted again based on the same scientific question within three years. The only exception is when an application has been rejected due to lack of funding. In this case it can be submitted again during next year’s application period
Grants for equipment are normally awarded as part of a project in which the cost of the equipment is directly related to the scientific operations of the project. Equipment is financed through depreciation, which must be calculated linearly across its entire economic/scientific life, not merely across the project period sought. Procurement must take place no later than 2 years after the project starts, and depreciation can thereby commence and be sought for 2 years longer than other costs.
Assessment criteria for evaluation of project grants
Instructions for E-application