Call for Projects 2026 – TOGETHER FOR BETTER HEALTHCARE
Nurses as a central team players in the interprofessional care and treatment of sick people
SECOND COMPETITIVE FUNDING PROGRAMME OF THE NURSING SCIENCE FOUNDATION SWITZERLAND
The Nursing Science Foundation Switzerland has been supporting nursing science projects since 2005. With this call for proposals, the Foundation is launching a competitive funding programme for the second time with a focus on person-centred healthcare with the participation of those affected and the involvement of relevant stakeholders/actors.
The call for proposals is thematically open. Projects from all settings of nursing healthcare will be considered. Projects with a focus on the development and implementation of healthcare programmes for sick people are eligible for funding.
The Board of Trustees of the Nursing Science Foundation Switzerland has defined the following
funding criteria:
- The relevance of the problem, the need and the innovation potential of the project are clearly described.
- Carers should play a key role in this development and implementation.
- Cross-sector collaboration and interprofessionality with the intention of integrated care should be core elements in the projects to be funded.
- The participation of affected sick people and stakeholders is expected in the project development phase as well as in the further course of the research process.
- Further funding criteria are the generalisability or transferability of the research results to other settings or populations of people with the disease and the sustainability of the project.
CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATION
Applicants must be working at an institution in Switzerland at the time of application and for the planned duration of the project. Applications must have a clear nursing research focus. The feasibility and relevance of the project for practice must be explicitly described in the application. Preference will be given to interprofessional, interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral as well as cooperative research projects between academic and/or non-academic partners.
The following requirements must be met and proven:
- It is proven that the applicant has a background in nursing science and has the qualifications and research experience required for the project.
- It has been demonstrated that the applicant has the necessary infrastructure; and institutional support and access to clinical practice are guaranteed.
- A competent and interdisciplinary team that covers the various aspects of the project is demonstrably available.
- Roles, functions and responsibilities for the implementation of the project are clearly defined.
- The applicant’s professional position guarantees that the research project can be carried out under his/her own responsibility and with a substantial personal contribution.
- At the time of submitting the application, the applicant is engaged in academic research.
FUNDING CONTRIBUTION
Within the framework of this program, the Nursing Science Foundation Switzerland supports a maximum of four projects with a total amount of CHF 1.5 million. A contribution will be awarded for a maximum term of 24 months for each funded project. Implementation of the project will start on 1 January 2026.
Utilisation of contributions
The funding contributions will be used to finance expenses, including salary contributions for those persons who have received the funding amount. Projects may be in the planning phase; projects that are already running or otherwise financed will not be considered.
FUNDING AGREEMENT
The financial support of the project will be regulated in a detailed and binding funding agreement between the applicant and the Nursing Science Foundation Switzerland.
Evaluation
Applications that fulfil the formal requirements will be reviewed by a committee consisting of members of the Scientific Board and the Board of Trustees of the Nursing Science Foundation Switzerland in a two-stage evaluation process: In the first step, the applications will be evaluated on the basis of the information provided in the call for proposals and the expected success of the project’s implementation. Subsequently, if necessary or indicated, a short pilot study will be launched.
In the second step, applicants with projects worthy of funding will be invited to submit a complete proposal, which will be presented to a committee of the Board of Trustees and the Scientific Advisory Board. These proposals will then be evaluated and presented to the entire Board of Trustees for a final decision.
The final evaluation results will be announced in autumn of 2025.
SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS
Applications can be written in German or English in the form of a letter of intent and must be submitted online by 15 December 2024.
Only one application per applicant may be submitted.
Details on the format, application submission and assessment can be found on the registration page.
Submission deadline: 15 December 2024
SCHEDULE
15 December 2024
Submission of the letter of intent online via website
31 January 2025
Communication of evaluation results to all applicants
Invitation to selected projects to submit a complete proposal
30 June 2025
Submission of the proposal online via website
June – September 2025
Evaluation of the proposal
Invitation to present the proposal
Mid-October 2025
Communication of evaluation results to the applicants
20 November 2025, Anniversary conference
Announcement of projects worthy of funding and short presentation
1 Januay 2026
Start of the project
31 December 2028
End of the project with submission of final report