Overhead Funding
The Higher Education Pact 2020, signed on 14 June 2007, enables the DFG to grant overhead for DFG-funded projects. Effective 1 January 2007, an overhead allowance will be granted for Collaborative Research Centres, DFG Research Centres and Research Training Groups to cover indirect costs associated with the project. With only a few exceptions, from 1 January 2008 (award date) this will also apply to newly approved projects under the DFG’s general research support programme.
The overhead allowance amounts to 20% of the applicable direct project expenses. It does not require a separate funding proposal, but instead is paid out together with each project allocation. The relevant forms for funding claims may be found below (in German only).
Funding for research overhead, amounting to €703.5 million between 2007 and 2010, will be provided by the German federal government as a special payment to the DFG. The continuation of this funding beyond 2010 has been provisionally agreed to by the federal and state governments, pending submission of a report on the first funding period by 31 October 2009.
