SNSF Project Funding: April 2024 call for proposals

The integration of Sinergia programme into Project Funding brings collaborative and interdisciplinary research together in the SNSF’s largest funding scheme. The second call for proposals under the amended Project Funding regulations has now been open.

Project Funding can be requested by applicants who receive a salary from their home institution but who still need additional funds to carry out their research project. Research conducted for directly commercial purposes will not be funded.

Who can apply:
SNSF Projects can be held by one or more applicants. Each applicant must individually meet the following requirements:

• PhD obtained at least 4 years prior to the application deadline or 3 years of research work. This restriction does not apply to independent researchers who can apply as soon as they get the said position.
• All applicants must be in a position to carry out research projects under their own responsibility and to lead project staff.
• Applicants must be employed at least 50% at a research institution for the duration of the project or have been given assurance of such employment in writing.

• Single-applicant projects: Disciplinary OR Interdisciplinary projects
• Collaborative projects: Disciplinary OR Interdisciplinary projects

• PhD students: max. 4 years after matriculation date, max. possible requested annual gross salary after including the inflation rate is CHF 51'291, max. 4 years + 16% social charges, balance of the salary must be covered by the host lab.
• Postdocs: max. 5 years after their PhD defence, max. 5 years actual salary + 16% social charges, balance must be covered by the host lab.
• Other employees: actual salary + 16% social charges, balance must be covered by the host lab.
• Equipment: The maximum chargeable costs for material of enduring value and equipment are now capped at CHF 100'000, regardless of whether there is one, or several pieces of equipment, or even several functional units. If co-funding (for total equipment costing more than 100K) is necessary, please contact [email protected] at least 30 days before the deadline and enclose in the application a letter of support from the unit providing the co-funding.
• Expenses of third parties, project partners and subcontractors: Project partners (partners must make a scientific contribution, but are not responsible):Salaries of the project partners' employees are eligible for funding.Subcontracting (buy-in of services, often from companies). Costs for project partners and subcontracting is max 20%.
• Coordination costs can be requested if 3 or more applicants are involved in the research project.
• Costs for open access publications are NOT ELIGIBLE and must be requested separately.
• Do NOT INCLUDE overheads in the budget. Please note: Overheads are transferred by the SNSF to the host institution of the corresponding applicant as a lump sum for the handling of all their SNSF grants.