The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) maintains cooperation agreements with a number of funding organisations in Europe and worldwide that offer complementary funding possibilities in order to facilitate transnational research activities. In addition to funding opportunities in the framework of calls for proposals with deadlines that the DFG issues with some funding organisations (see link below), the DFG has agreements for so-called Standing Open Procedures, in which proposals can be handed in at any time (at least from the DFG’s end). 

Standing Open Procedures within Europe

In Europe, the DFG currently collaborates with the following organisations in the Weave Lead Agency Initiative:

• Austria, Austrian Science Fund (FWF)
• Belgium, Research Foundation Flanders (FWO)
• Belgium, Fund for Scientific Research (F.R.S.-FNRS)
• Czech Republic, Czech Science Foundation (GACR)
• Luxembourg, Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR)
• Poland, National Science Centre (NCN)
• Switzerland, Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)

For further information, please refer to our respective website (see link below).

In addition, the DFG collaborates within a bilateral Lead Agency agreement with: 

• South Tyrol (Italy), Autonomous Province of Bolzano. In this case, the DFG always acts as the Lead Agency. For further information, please refer to our respective website (see link below).

For proposals with Turkey, see “Standing Open Procedures worldwide”.

Standing Open Procedures Worldwide 

The DFG collaborates with a number of partner organisations worldwide that offer complementary funding opportunities:

• Brazil, The São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP): all areas; on the Brazilian side, only researchers who are located in universities/research institutions within the State of São Paulo may apply 
• Colombia, Universidad de los Andes (UNIANDES): all areas 
• Colombia, Universidad de Antioquia (UdeA): all areas  
• India, Indian Council of Social Sciences Research (ICSSR): only for the social sciences and humanities
• Turkey, Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TÜBITAK): all areas

Projects can be applied for using a parallel application process. Proposals, which have to be written jointly, must be submitted in parallel to the DFG and to the respective partner organisation according to the applicable rules of the respective funding organisation. Researchers in Germany must submit their proposals within the DFG’s Individual Research Grants Programme (“Sachbeihilfe”) in compliance with the guidelines outlined in DFG forms 50.01 and 54.01 (see links below) via the electronic proposal processing system elan. These include the eligibility criteria and proposal preparation instructions for applicants to be funded by the DFG. The review process is carried out separately on each side. The funding organisations make the funding decision on their own based on these review reports. The DFG and the respective partner organisation only provide funding of joint research projects upon positive assessment and funding decisions on both sides. Unilateral funding of only one part of the research project is not possible. Please find further information under the links below.

In addition, the DFG collaborates with the National Science Foundation (USA)

• United States, National Science Foundation (NSF): selected areas in the natural, life and engineering Sciences. Different application procedures apply; for details, please view the country specific page on the DFG´s website (see link below). 

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.

Further Information

Detailed information on Standing Open Procedures within Europe (Lead Agency Processes): 

• Weave Lead Agency Procedure and DFG partner organisations within Weave (currently Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Poland, Luxemburg, Switzerland):
  • www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/programmes/international_cooperation/joint_proposal_weave_process
• Lead Agency Procedure with South Tyrol (Italy); only available in German:
  • www.dfg.de/foerderung/programme/inter_foerdermassnahmen/antragstellung_suedtirol

Detailed information on Standing Open Procedures worldwide can be found by choosing the respective country on the DFG´s website “International relations with individual countries and regions”:

• www.dfg.de/en/research-funding/funding-opportunities/countries-regions

Information on Individual Research Grants Programme (Sachbeihilfe): 

• www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/programmes/individual/research_grants
• Please note that the eligibility requirements of the Individual Research Grants Programme apply. This includes the duty to cooperate (“Kooperationspflicht”) within Germany for members of non-university institutions with permanent positions.
• www.dfg.de/formulare/50_01 
• www.dfg.de/formulare/54_01 

Please note the DFG’s data protection notice on research funding, which can be viewed and downloaded at:

• www.dfg.de/privacy_policy

If necessary, please also forward this information to those individuals whose data will be processed by the DFG due to their involvement in your project.

Further information on elan:

• The electronic proposal processing system elan can be accessed at https://elan.dfg.de/en
• After the login, please use the respective link “Proposal for a Research Grant” in the Proposal Forms column. 
• If you are using the DFG’s elan system for the first time, please note that you will need to register before you may use the system. Allow at least three business days to process your registration. 
• elan flyer: www.dfg.de/download/pdf/foerderung/antragstellung/elan/flyer_eant_en.pdf
• elan FAQ: www.dfg.de/download/pdf/foerderung/antragstellung/elan/faq_eant_en.pdf

General information on Standing Open Procedures: 

• www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/international_cooperation/funding/countries_regions/standing_open_procedures

Apart from the Standing Open Procedures, the DFG also announces specific calls with fixed deadlines for proposal submission together with other countries/partner organisations. Such calls will be announced in separate press releases (Information for Researchers) on the DFG homepage. Please note that no linkages exist between Standing Open Procedure and such specific calls with fixed deadlines for proposal submission: 

• www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/announcements_proposals/calls_for_proposals

Further general information on the international cooperation of the DFG: 

• www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/international_cooperation/funding/countries_regions/standing_open_procedures

For international cooperation possibilities within other DFG funding programmes such as the Initiation of International Cooperation or Coordinated Programmes, please contact the DFG Head Office: 

• www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/international_cooperation/funding/countries_regions/standing_open_procedures

Questions related to the Standing Open Procedures may be directed to the responsible contact person for the respective region/country/procedure: 

• Weave Lead Agency Procedure in the Individual Research Grants Programme (currently with Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Poland, Luxembourg, Switzerland): weave@dfg.de
• Brazil: Marina Hesse, phone +49 228 885-2585, marina.hesse@dfg.de
• Colombia: Martina Richtberg, phone +49 228 885-3178, martina.richtberg@dfg.de
• India: Sandra Kristin Muskalla, phone: +49 228 885-2923, sandra.muskalla@dfg.de
• Turkey: Theresa Henn, phone +49 228 885-3262; theresa.henn@dfg.de 
• South Tyrol: Stephanie Laß, phone +49 228 885-2442, stephanie.lass@dfg.de
• United States: Olga Golke, phone +49 228 885 -3126, olga.golke@dfg.de

Note (27.08.24): Compared to the original version, the contact person for India has been adjusted.