Recognising the importance of international collaborations in promoting scientific discoveries, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on research cooperation. The MoU provides an overarching framework to enhance opportunities for collaborative activities between US and German research communities and sets out the principles by which jointly supported activities might be developed. To facilitate the support of collaborative work between US researchers and their German counterparts under this MoU, the Division of Chemistry (CHE) and the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems (CBET) at the NSF and the Divisions of Physics and Chemistry (PC) and Engineering Sciences (ING 1) at the DFG are pleased to announce this Lead Agency Procedure. 

The goal of this Lead Agency Procedure is to reduce current barriers to working internationally by al-lowing US and German researchers to submit a single collaborative proposal that will undergo a single review process while funding organisations maintain budgetary control over their awards. The pro-spective investigators must discuss within their research team where they feel the largest proportion of research lies and agree on a Lead Agency (either DFG or NSF). To be eligible for funding through this Lead Agency Procedure, proposals will need to have a research focus that falls within the scope of a participating division/programme at both the DFG and the NSF.

Proposals under this Lead Agency Procedure will need to have a research focus relevant to DFG’s subject areas(Download):

• 3.11–3.17 Chemistry
• 4.21 Process Engineering, Technical Chemistry
• 4.22 Fluid Mechanics, Technical Thermodynamics and Thermal Energy Engineering 

US researchers should review the CHE and CBET programme descriptions for research supported through these NSF divisions. Research teams are strongly encouraged to contact DFG and NSF programme officers prior to submission. 

Further, proposals must provide a clear rationale for the need for a US-German collaboration, including the unique expertise and synergy that the collaborating groups will bring to the project.

Proposal Preparation 

Proposals must be submitted in accordance with the proposal preparation requirements of the chosen Lead Agency. Researchers in Germany and the US must comply with the respective agency’s eligibility criteria. This includes the duty to cooperate (“Kooperationspflicht”, DFG form 55.01(interner Link)) within Germany for members of non-university institutions.

Proposals submitted to the DFG as Lead Agency must comply with the proposal preparation requirements outlined in the Guidelines for the Research Grants Programme (Sachbeihilfe, DFG form 50.01(interner Link)), and must be prepared according to the Proposal Preparation Instructions (DFG form 54.01(interner Link)) and the Project Description template (DFG form 53.01(interner Link)). 

Further details on proposal submission to the DFG will be published in due course on the dedicated webpage(interner Link) for this activity.

Timelines for Submission 

Research Proposals with the DFG as Lead Agency are accepted on a continuous basis from 1 September 2025 at the earliest. Proposals submitted earlier cannot be accepted. Proposals are to be submitted solely via the elan portal(externer Link) in order to ensure proposal-related data is recorded and documents are securely transmitted.

For proposals with the NSF as Lead Agency, please refer to the participating NSF programmes.

Equity and Diversity

The DFG strongly welcomes proposals from researchers of all genders and sexual identities, from different ethnic, cultural, religious, ideological or social backgrounds, from different career stages, types of universities and research institutions, and with disabilities or chronic illness. With regard to the subject-specific focus of this call, the DFG encourages female researchers in particular to submit proposals.

Good Research Practice

According to a resolution of the DFG General Assembly, DFG funding may only be awarded to research institutions that have implemented the guidelines laid down in the Code of Conduct for Safeguarding Good Research Practice(externer Link) in their own regulations. The management of your institution is responsible for implementing the guidelines in a legally binding manner. In order to avoid delays in the disbursement of funding, please verify implementation within your institution in good time. For information regarding the implementation, please refer to the Research Integrity Portal(externer Link). If you have any questions on this subject, please contact the Research Integrity team(externer Link) at the DFG Head Office.

Further Information 

Please find detailed information on submitting proposals to the NSF as Lead Agency here(externer Link).

Please find detailed information on submitting proposals to the DFG as Lead Agency here(interner Link). 

Contact Persons at the DFG Head Office

Subject area 3.11–3.17:

Ilka Paulus, phone +49 228 885-2021, NSF-DFG-Chemistry@dfg.de(externer Link)

Markus Behnke, phone +49 228 885-2181, NSF-DFG-Chemistry@dfg.de(externer Link)

Subject areas 4.21 & 4.22: 

Sebastian Peukert, phone +49 228 885-2834, NSF-DFG-Chemistry@dfg.de(externer Link)

Simon Jörres, phone +49 228 885-2971, NSF-DFG-Chemistry@dfg.de(externer Link)

Contact persons at the NSF:

CHE: Tomislav Pintauer, phone +1 703-292-7168, NSFDFG@nsf.gov(externer Link)

CBET: Sachin Velankar, phone +1 703-292-2894, NSFDFG@nsf.gov(externer Link)

Privacy Policy

We, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation), take the protection of your personal data and its confidential treatment extremely seriously. Therefore, please refer to the DFG’s Privacy Policy(interner Link). If you intend to transmit personal data of third parties, please make sure to do so only if the necessary legitimation under data protection law exist. Before transmitting data of third parties to the DFG, please forward the DFG’s Data Protection Notice to the individuals affected (data subjects). If there is a legitimate interest not to inform individuals beforehand (e.g. for reasons of secrecy or in case of a nomination or candidate proposal), these individuals should be informed no later than at the time of publication.