Collaborative Institutional Proposals

The DFG offers funding opportunities for eligible research institutions in Germany for collaborative projects that combine research with the development of specialist or institutional core areas or structures.

  • Funding Focus: Themes
    Under the heading ”Themes”, funding is offered for cooperative projects that combine a clearly defined research programme with the development of core areas or structural development at the applicant institution. The collaboration brings together coherently interrelated projects and offers recognisable added value compared with implementing these projects individually. Funding is long-term, which is consistent with the nature of the research programme and the intended structural effect. Universities and equivalent doctorate-granting institutions are eligible to submit proposals either individually or jointly with other institutions. Initially a draft proposal is submitted, after which the applicants may be invited to submit a full proposal. The resources required are justified by a work programme that is clearly structured in terms of research content, duration and personnel. Evaluation is based on the scientific quality of the joint collaboration and its individual projects, as well as the development of core areas and structures at the applicant university.
  • Funding Focus: Forum
    The category ”Forum” also includes funding opportunities that support cooperative research projects submitted by institutions. As research groups or centres, these follow a coherent, medium- to long-term research programme that is linked to the development of core areas or structural development at the applicant institutions. They offer recognisable added value compared with a group of individual projects. The proposal is not required to describe the structure of the planned work in detail with respect to research content, duration or personnel. Evaluation focuses on the scientific quality of the joint research idea and the development of core areas and structural aspects which it intends to achieve.
  • Funding Focus: Infrastructure
    This category includes funding opportunities for technical equipment and information systems. This type of support, which may supplement the basic funding received by research institutions or infrastructure facilities, also promotes the creation of coordinated systems of research and information infrastructures. Proposals are evaluated primarily on the basis of the technical quality of the equipment and information systems and their contribution to improving cross-location or non-location-dependent infrastructure.