PROGRAMME SUMMARY
In the past year, the global COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed our society, and has impacted humanity on individual, economic, and social levels. All countries have been affected by this crisis and are starting to band together in order to fight the spread of this disease and minimize its devastating effects.
Research is specifically well-placed to assist with the response to this crisis. Expertise in a variety of different areas combined with the scientific method will enable an understanding of disease spread and mechanisms, of short-, medium-, and long-term impact on societies and economies, as well on a multitude of other areas impacted by COVID-19. Luxembourgish scientists have the experience and ability to contribute to this world-wide effort, and the FNR wishes to support researchers so that they can make an impact, both in Luxembourg and on a global scale.
This specific FNR instrument to address COVID-19 is based on a fast-track “mechanism” that allows the support of research projects requiring an immediate start, e.g. in view of data collection or other work during the current crisis.
Projects are expected to directly impact the management of the crisis in the coming months, e.g. in the area of public health or monitoring of the pandemic. Thereby, projects should result in new, tangible insights concerning the current status of the crisis and/or provide actionable means to deal with it in the short-term.
FNR project selection and funding are carried out within a short period of time but without deviating from the principles of peer review.
DURATION & FUNDING SPECIFICS
125,000 EUR for maximum 12 months. All projects will have a dissemination period of 6 months, where all project related costs are eligible for funding. In duly justified cases, the FNR budget can be increased. The higher budget and its justification need to be formally approved by the COVID-19 Task Force.
APPLICATION INFORMATION
Submission deadline and submission pre-requisites
The COVID-19 funding instrument has an ongoing submission process. Proposals can be submitted anytime from 21 April 2021 until 15 October 2021 via the FNR online grant management system. *Update*: Extension of call deadline of the COVID-19 instrument: projects that have been recommended for submission to the FNR by the Task Force until 15 Oct 2021 could be submitted to the FNR until 22 Oct 2021(15:00 CET). Latest date for the submission to the task force is 8 Oct 2021.
The complete proposals must be submitted to the Research Luxembourg COVID-19 Task Force who will make a preselection and will formally recommend proposals to be submitted to the FNR. The preselection will be based on the project’s overall scientific quality, the project’s urgency, the critical need for Luxembourg, and its expected impact on coping with the pandemic.
Evaluation timeline
Proposals will be evaluated in a fast-track “mechanism” that allows the support of research projects requiring an immediate start without deviating from the principles of peer review. The FNR funding decision in the COVID-19 funding instrument will be available within 1 month after the proposal’s submission to the FNR. Reflecting the studies’ urgencies, projects are expected to start no later than 2 months after notification of the funding decision.
