Sources of Research Funding
European Research Funding Opportunities
The EU and European Research Funding in Framework Programme 7
The European Union's executive arm, the European Commission (EC), is currently divided into twenty four Directorates General (DGs), which are in many ways comparable to the UK's Ministries. One of these is DG Research, which operates the Framework Programmes (FPs) under which the majority of European Union research funding is provided. The 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) commenced in January 2007 and is due to run until the end of 2013; it will then be replaced by FP8, plans for which are largely complete, and then in about 2020 by FP9, on which development is just beginning. Many of themes that are currently present in FP7 are expected to be carried forward in some shape or form to FP8 and FP9. The overarching aims of the Framework Programmes are to strengthen the scientific and technological base of European industry and encourage its international competiveness while promoting research that supports EU policies.
Just over €50 billion has been allocated from European budgets for FP7 overall which is split into four main "specific programmes":
- Cooperation is the core of FP7, representing two thirds of the overall budget. It fosters collaborative researc across Europe and other partner countries through projects which must be undertaken by transnational consortia, which may include both industry and academia. There are ten key thematic areas: health; food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology; information and communication technologies; nanosciences, nanotechnologies, materials and new production technologies; energy; environment (including climate change); transport (including aeronautics); socio-economic sciences and the humanities; space; security.
- Ideas will support "frontier research" solely on the basis of scientific excellence. Research may be carried out in any area of science and technology, including engineering, socio-economic sciences and the humanities. In contrast with the Cooperation programme, there is no obligation for cross-border partnerships. Projects are implemented by individual teams led by a principal investigator, and operated via the European Research Council (ERC).
- People provides support for researcher mobility and career development, both for researchers inside the EU and internationally. Implemented via a set of Marie Curie Actions which provide fellowships and other measures to help researchers build their skills and competencies throughout their careers. These include: initial training of researchers (Marie Curie Networks); industry-academia partnerships; co-funding of regional, national and international mobility programmes; intra-European fellowships; outgoing and incoming fellowships, an international cooperation scheme and reintegration grants; and the Marie Curie Awards.
- Capacities strengthens the research capacities that Europe needs if it is to become a thriving knowledge-based economy. It covers: research infrastructures; research for the benefits of SMEs; regions of knowledge; research potential; science in society; and specific activities of international cooperation.
In addition funding is directed towards EURATOM nuclear research and training activities and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) which in addition to nuclear energy research carries out research in a number of other areas to provide scientific and technological support to EU policy making.
FP7 is operated under a "co-financing" principle. In effect this means that, like most UK national Research Councils and other funders, FP7 projects are supported by the provision of a grant which will contribute to a certain percentage of the overall costs. The maximum reimbursement rate varies, but universities are typically eligible to receive up to 75% of eligible direct costs for research and technological development; 50% for demonstration activities; 100% for training, management or coordination and support actions, and 100% of direct costs plus a 20% flat rate contribution for indirect costs for applications submitted to the ERC. There may in addition be a maximum cap on the funding that can be provided, which in relation to the actual costs of a project may serve to reduce the percentage the EU will pay for.
For the Cooperation scheme under FP7 there are number of schemes under which research in a particular thematic area will be supported. This will be made clear in the relevant Work Programme or Call for Proposals and are as follows:
- Collaborative Projects (CP) are focussed research projects with clearly defined scientific and technological objectives and specific expected results (such as developing new knowledge or technology to improve European competiveness). They are carried out by consortia made up of participants from different countries, and from industry and academia.
- Networks of Excellence (NoE) are designed for research institutions willing to combine and functionally integrate a substantial part of their activities and capacities in a given field, in order to create a European "Virtual Research Centre". This is achieved through a "Joint Programme of Activities" based on the integrated and complementary use of resources from entire research units, departments, laboratories or large teams. Implementation will require a formal commitment from the organisations integrating part of their resources and activities.
- Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) do not cover the research itself but the coordination and networking of projects, programmes and policies, including for example: coordination and networking activities, dissemination and use of knowledge; studies or expert groups assisting the implementation of the FP; support for transnational access to major research infrastructures; actions to stimulate the participation of SMEs, civil society and their networks; and support for cooperation with other European research schemes.
Finding and Applying for FP7 Research Funding
Research funding opportunities under FP7 are published initially via annual Work Programmes, which give a close guide to what research activities will be supported in that year. Specific Calls for Proposals are published throughout the year giving deadlines and other information about applying, as well as repeating the information about the research activities that will be funded. The Calls for Proposals should be regarded as definitive if there are any differences, but very often the Call for Proposals is simply cut-and-pasted from the Work Programme.
Calls for proposals are published on the Community Research and Development Information Service (CORDIS) web pages which is the official source for DG Research FP7 funding information. In addition, the United Kingdom Research Office (UKRO) website also collates new Calls and presents a great deal of information gleaned from their twenty-plus years of experience working with and interpreting the Eurojargon of the Framework Programmes. It can only be accessed via UEL-networked computers but is probably a better place to start than CORDIS itself; it is also possible to set up email alerts by registering your account. Please click here to download a brief guide to the UKRO Information Services portal. In addition the Graduate School will publish a small selection of funding opportunity deadlines as they are announced. This will not represent all of the latest calls for proposals and tenders, but is intended to whet the appetite!
Applications for FP7 funding tend to be made online via the Electronic Preparation and Submission System (EPSS). You need to enter EPSS via the specific Call and Funding Scheme under which you propose to apply; you will create a logon and password which is unique to that particular application. Usual UEL research funding procedures apply; in addition, you may need to obtain official letters of support which must be signed by someone in the Vice Chancellor's Group. Please note that EPSS does not incorporate an institutional sign-off process like Je-S or other UK-based electronic submission systems, so it is your responsibility to ensure you have obtained the necessary approvals before you submit.
In order to reduce some of the administrative burden of applications, the EU has recently launched the Legal Entity Appointed Represenative (LEAR) and Participant Information Code (PIC) systems, the first whereby
an individual is nominated as a central point of contact for the EU with grant queries, the second being where information about our University is provided centrally rather than with each and every application. Applications do need to carry the PIC, however, to allow the EU to connect applications with their home institution. UEL has a PIC Code and LEAR, in the person of Tim Brooks. If you have any questions, please contact Daniela Amadio, the Research Support Officer (European) who can help you with any questions.
Finding and Applying for Non-FP7 Funding Schemes
In addition to DG Research and its Framework Programmes, many of the other DGs (e.g., DG Agriculture, DG Environment) run their own research programmes in areas directly relevant to their own areas of responsibility. Many of these programmes are operated by seeking tenders for specific research activities. Tendering is a very different process from regular research grant applications, because cost plays a much more important role and tenders need to be competitive (whereas under FP7 the scientific excellence of the project is a key driver). At present this means that academic engagement with tendered research is less than with FP7 programmes, and therefore that the chances of success are greater. Information on non-FP7 grants and tenders are published via the DGs own web pages - visit the European Commission home page and select the "contracts and grants" box; while tenders are also published centrally via Tenders Electronic Daily (TED).
There are also a number of programmes that exist outside the Framework Programmes; some of these may include opportunities for research and obtaining research funding:
- The Competitiveness and Innovation Programme aims to encourage the competitiveness of European enterprises. With small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as its main target, the programme will support innovation activities (including eco-innovation), provide better access to finance and deliver business support services in the regions. It will encourage a better take-up and use of information and communications technologies (ICT) and help to develop the information society. It will also promote the increased use of renewable energies and energy efficiency. See the CIP website for more information.
- The Lifelong Learning Programme(LLP) is a European funding programme which supports education and training across Europe. The LLP provides funding for all stages of lifelong learning; for activities at school, at college, at university, in the workplace and in the community. The LLP is made up of several different programmes - Erasmus (the biggest), Comenius, Leonardo, Grundtvig, and the Transversal Study Visits - which offer a variety of opportunities. In the UK it is managed by the British Council and ECOTEC; see their Lifelong Learning website for more information.
- The Public Health Programme is operated by the DG for Health and Consumer Protection (DG SANCO) and about €365.5 million has been made available. The Public Health Programme is the main instrument for implementing the EU's public health strategy and supports projects that will improve the level of physical and mental health and well-being of EU citizens and reduces health inequalities. For more information on workplans and Calls for Proposals to support the Public Health Programme, see the DG SANCO website.
- The Drugs Prevention and Information scheme, operated by DG Justice, Freedom and Security, builds on the EU's Drugs Strategy and Action plans, the ultimate aim of which is to significantly reduce the social harm and health damage caused by the use of, and trade in, illicit drugs. The general objectives of this programme are:
to prevent and reduce drug use, dependence and drug related harm; to contribute to the improvement of information on the effects of drug use; and to support the implementation of the EU Drugs Strategy. For more information on workplans and Calls for Proposals under the Drugs Prevention and Information scheme, see the DG Justice, Freedom and Security website.
- Erasmus Mundus is a co-operation and mobility programme in the field of higher education which promotes the European Union as a centre of excellence in learning around the world. It supports European top-quality Masters Courses and enhances the visibility and attractiveness of European higher education in third countries. It also provides EU-funded scholarships for third country nationals participating in these Masters Courses, as well as scholarships for EU-nationals studying at Partner universities throughout the world. For more information see the Erasmus Mundus website.
- TEMPUS is the Trans-European mobility scheme for university studies is the EU programme that supports the modernisation of higher education in the partner countries of the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, North Africa and the Middle East. It contributes to creating an area of cooperation in the field of higher education between the European Union and partner countries surrounding the European Union.it. Established in 1990 following the fall of the Berlin Wall, Tempus has been renewed four times. For more information see the TEMPUS website.
- EDULINK is a cooperative programme between the EU and the ACP (the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States). EDULINK's overall objective is to foster capacity building and regional integration in the field of higher education through institutional networking, and to support a quality higher education system, which is relevant to the needs of the labour market, and consistent with the socio-economic development priorities of ACP States. For more information see the EDULINK website.
- European and Developing Countries Clinical Trial Partnerships (EDCTP) was created in 2003 as a European response to the global health crisis caused by the three main poverty-related diseases of HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. These diseases account for over 6 million deaths each year, and the numbers are growing. Sub-Saharan Africa, the world's worst-affected region where besides ravaging lives, they impede development and cause poverty, is the current focus. For more information see the EDCTP website.
- European Cooperation in the field of Science and Technology (COST) is one of the longest-running European instruments supporting cooperation among scientists and researchers across Europe. COST is also the first and widest European intergovernmental network for coordination of nationally funded research activities. Its mission is to strengthen Europe in scientific and technical research through the support of European cooperation and interaction between European Researchers. It does not directly fund research, but does support the coordination and interaction activities to facilitate research. See the COST website for more information.
In addition to the above, previous Framework Programmes have supported the creation of ERA-nets - European Research Area networks of national research organisations, for example Heranet, for Humanities in the European Research Area; and ERASysBio, for Systems Biology in the European Research Area. While the main aim of these groupings is networking and coordination, they sometimes also act as funders in their own right. See the FP6 ERA-Net pages for background information about existing ERA-nets. Alternatively, a Google search for your subject plus ERA-net will bring back a lot of useful hits. The CORDIS ERA-Net website gives information about funding for setting up ERA-Nets under FP7.
A few tips on preparing your application
- Interdisciplinarity. By the nature of the Workplans and Calls for Proposals, European-funded research is almost always interdisciplinary. If your project is not interdisciplinary, it may not be suitable for Europe.
- Importance of policy relevance. EU research funding is driven by European policy. In some cases, this is clearer than others (e.g., for non FP7 research funded by a specific DG). Even research called for under Framework Programme 7 is in some way a response to a perceived European need arising from or addressing Europeam policy. Your application should identify and make reference to the policy the research is designed to support.
- Partners. In FP7, with the exception of research funding under the Ideas programme, applications are required to involve representatives from a number of different countries. Eligiblity varies from call to call but will include the EU member states and Associated Countries (non-EU countries which have subscribed to FP7), and could include a number of others. Typically FP7 projects must include at least three separate participants from at least three different eligible countries. This means applicants need to have or to make links with colleagues working overseas. Becoming a European Research Evaluator is a good way to network with others in your field. Similarly the ERA-Nets already referred to above may be a good way to find possible partners. The network of National Contact Points may also be a way of finding partners, and, the EU operates the CORDIS Partner Search facility. Finally, a private training provider, Singleimage, has recently launched its Ideal-ist partner search and mailing list services specifically for the ICT programme of FP7. However, the jury is out about involving partners who you have little or no previous experience of. The coordinating partner is responsible for ensuring that the project is completed; there is no EU process to ensure that partners complete their part of the agreement. This can, clearly, create problems, but others have reported that using partner with no prior experience is the norm and that it tends to work well.
- Group sizes. Previous framework programmes have encouraged larger and larger groups. FP7 appears to have recognised that, while larger groups can be appropriate in certain circumstances, smaller groups applying for funds to support them over shorter periods bring "more bang for the buck". Larger groups entail a greater administrative burden on the coordinatring partner and in particular where the maximum award has been capped, a larger group will mean the money is spread more thinly.
- Language. Remember that you are writing in English for an audience that will consist of a large number of non-native English speakers, and that moreover a "Official European" jargon/dialect has developed. You should look at the Work Programmes, relevant EU white papers, and the CORDIS news section to get a feel for the kind of language that is used, as a guide to how you can best phrase your applications.
More Information and Assistance
Daniela Amadio in the UEL Graduate School has recently assumed responsibility for European research funding matters as Research Support Officer (European). Please consult with her first on any questions you may have.
The United Kingdom Research Office (UKRO) in Brussels was set up by the UK Research Councils to promote effective UK participation in EU funded research programmes, mainly through the provision of information, advice and guidance. Their website - best visited via a UEL-networked machine to obtain access to subscriber-only content - is packed with information about FP7 and other funding opportunities, and is often much easier to navigate and understand than the official European Research Funding website, CORDIS. You can set up regular email bulletins of the latest funding opportunities via their website; click here to download a brief guide to the UKRO Information Services portal. As part of their service, a UKRO officer visits UEL on an annual basis - please see the Researcher Development Programme for details. Inga Benner is the current UKRO officer responsible for UEL, and will be pleased to answer your questions, but ideally you should route your queries through Daniela in the first instance. UKRO also operates the National Contact Points for the European Research Council and the Marie Curie schemes. UKRO also operates an Annual Conference and a number of training courses each year - see their website for more information.
The UK government has also set up a UK FP7 website, which provides parallel information to CORDIS, and other help and support. See
The thematic areas of FP7 (listed under the Cooperation programme above) are each supported by a "scientific officer" based at the EU. These people can be extremely useful contacts, but they are also very busy, so you need to be very sure that your question is a sensible and meaningful one - they will not appreciate their time being wasted for trivial matters.
A number of external consultancy companies offer various training opportunities designed to assist academic and administrative colleagues prepare applications for FP7 funding. As with the advisability of cooperating with previously unknown partners, mixed reports have been received about such training programmes. UKRO's view was in general that you can learn the ropes just as effectively by preparing an application yourself as you can from attending a training course. Other views are very much in favour of training. As news about training programmes comes in to UEL, it is posted on our Events Calendar, but please note that this is for information only and no endorsement or responsiblity can be accepted for such courses.
In September 2008, the European Commission published a new 'Practical Guide to EU funding opportunities for Research and Innovation' which expands on the information provided on this page. The EC news release described it thus: "In the multifaceted field of EU funding, this guide is intended to help stakeholders find the right funding programme for their projects in a user-friendly and comprehensive way. It provides a description of each programme including the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) and the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP), as well as the Structural funds (European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund) and the Cohesion Fund, explaining their structures, their overall budgets, who is eligible and how to apply." For more information visit the CORDIS webpage, or click here to directly download the guide.
Last updated: June 2010
