With this call, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) launches a Major Instrumentation Initiative that invites proposals for the provision of electron diffractometers (EDs) for structural elucidation at German universities to explore the scientific potential of this technology in research.

Scope of the Call and Relevant Criteria for the Evaluation of Proposals

The main objective of this call is the early procurement of EDs and their evaluation and application in research projects of high quality. New instrument developments or improvements are not within the scope of this call. However, setups based on commercially available subsystems or on existing electron microscopes can be funded if they can be put into operation within a reasonable period of time.

Proposals must demonstrate the scientific and technical expertise necessary for the successful operation of the ED. Competencies with the interpretation of experimental results from electron diffraction in contrast to X-ray diffraction must be proven. Furthermore, the scientific and infrastructural environment designated for the ED must be described. Current and planned research projects that will benefit from the use of the ED should be concisely described. Principal investigators can also be affiliated with other research institutions to facilitate a high utilisation; however, funding necessary for the actual scientific research using the ED is not in the scope of this call.

While investment costs should account for most of the funding requested, it is possible to apply for additional staff and direct costs dedicated to the specific aims of this Major Instrumentation Initiative for a period of up to five years (e.g. for establishing the experimental procedures, for supporting external users of the ED). Funding for workshops and public relations related to the ED can also be requested.

Prerequisites for Proposals

Major Instrumentation Initiatives address universities (including universities of applied sciences) as applicant institutions. The institution is responsible for providing suitable space for the applied instrumentation and adequate base support (including personnel) for its operation and maintenance. A proposal demonstrates additional support by institutional infrastructures and explains how the ED will be embedded into the existing research environment to promote diverse, novel and interdisciplinary research.

The university must appoint a responsible spokesperson for the proposal (only one spokesperson is possible) who, in the event of approval, will be responsible for coordinating the efficient operation and successful use of the ED for the research projects.

In addition to the use of the ED for the projects outlined in the proposal, at least 25 percent of the available time must be open to external research groups for projects not yet planned in detail. Those groups may have to contribute to the operating costs of the ED accordingly. The proposal should explain how the operation and use of the ED will be managed in a scientifically and methodologically efficient manner. In the event of funding, corresponding rules for operation of and access to the ED must be submitted to the DFG.

Universities interested in applying are requested to send a non-binding letter of intent by e-mail to wgi@dfg.de(externer Link) by 5 May 2026, stating “Major Instrumentation Initiative 2026 LOI [university]” in the subject line. The letter should include the prospective responsible spokesperson, a non-binding list of the groups who will be involved in the proposal, and the instrument to be applied for. Please also list relevant collaboration partners to help us identify possible conflicts of interest.

Proposal Submission

Please submit your proposal to the DFG by 2 June 2026. 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.

When preparing your proposal, please refer to the project description template (DFG form 53.101(interner Link)) and the programme guidelines (DFG form 21.7(interner Link), Section I and III). These forms can either be downloaded from our website or accessed through the elan portal. Documents need to be submitted in English. 

The spokesperson must be registered in elan prior to submitting a proposal to the DFG. If you are using the elan portal for the first time, please note that you should set up an elan account by 26 May 2026 to submit a proposal under this call; registration requests received after this time may not be processed in time for proposal submission. Please make sure to select the Major Instrumentation Initiative call for “Electron Diffractometers for Structural Elucidation” during both the registration and submission of the proposal.

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 

For more detailed information on the programme and on other Major Instrumentation Initiatives, please visit www.dfg.de/wgi/en(interner Link).

When submitting proposals, please use the elan portal(externer Link) and refer to the respective guidelines and template (DFG forms 21.7(interner Link) and 53.101(interner Link)). The FAQ on Proposal Submission(interner Link) may also be helpful.

E-mail address to send the non-binding letter of intent to: wgi@dfg.de(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.