ISF-DFG Standing Open Procedure on a Lead Agency Basis

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) and the Israel Science Foundation (ISF) are pleased to announce the continuation of their funding opportunity to support joint Israeli-German research projects in an updated format. 

Israeli-German research teams are invited to submit outstanding joint research proposals within the scope of basic research in all fields of the sciences and the humanities. From now on, the funding opportunity follows a Standing Open Procedure (SOP) on a lead agency basis, which allows the continuous submission of joint bilateral proposals to the DFG as the Lead Agency until further notice. 

This SOP works without proposal deadlines, although a few requirements have to be considered in the schedule of the proposal process, such as the yearly pre-registration obligation of the Israeli researchers on the ISF side.

Please note that there are no separate funds available for this joint initiative. This funding opportunity follows the general funding lines and budgets of the ISF and the DFG. Proposals must succeed on the strengths of their intellectual merit and teams in competition with other proposals. The funding organisations aim to support the proposals among the top 20 percent in the respective evaluation.

Lead Agency Procedure

Joint proposals must be prepared according to the rules, guidelines and templates of the DFG.

The DFG is responsible for the review and evaluation process in compliance with its internal rules set out for the DFG’s Research Grants Programme. Following the assessment, the results will be shared with the ISF, which uses the results for its own decision-making process. Funding recommendations made by the DFG will be subject to approval by ISF and DFG decision bodies, taking into account the availability of funds.

Funding of the joint research projects is contingent upon positive decision by both funding organisations. If granted, each organisation supports the researchers for whom it is responsible. Unilateral funding of only one part of the project is not possible.

Detailed Instructions

For detailed instructions on scope, eligibility, proposal preparation and proposal submission, please refer to the information available on the ISF-DFG cooperation web page(interner Link) of the DFG website.

Additional Information

This funding opportunity will be reviewed continuously by the DFG and the ISF and will be evaluated after three years of operation to ensure that it continues to meet the requirements of the DFG and the ISF. Should any changes within the procedure be necessary, they will be communicated on the above-mentioned ISF-DFG cooperation web page.

Please note that bilateral Israeli-German proposals for individual research projects (Research Grants Programme) are to be submitted in this initiative. Submission of respective bilateral Israeli-German proposals in the DFG funding line “Middle East Collaboration” is no longer possible. The submission of trilateral proposals of German and Israeli researchers together with a third partner from one of Israel’s neighbouring countries within the DFG funding line “Middle East Cooperation” remains open.

Please also note that the DFG is providing support for researchers who have fled their home country(interner Link) by making it easier for them to join research projects and apply for funding under the Walter Benjamin Programme.

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.

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 ISF-DFG cooperation web page(interner Link) as well as on ISF website(externer Link).

Contact Persons at the DFG Head Office

Please refer to the ISF-DFG cooperation web page(interner 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.