ZonMw Open Competition: for research proposals for free, fundamental research

ZonMw Open Competition funds research proposals for non-programmed, fundamental research. This funding instrument has no thematic limitations and focuses on research proposals in all scientific disciplines with a question or problem that concerns, or overlaps with, fundamental research into healthcare and innovation.

Through this programme, ZonMw wants to bring together researchers from two or more disciplines to facilitate excellent team science that results in innovative (groundbreaking) research of exceptional quality in the field of healthcare research. The expected outcome of a project is primarily scientific advancement (increased knowledge, development of modelling and theory) within a new collaboration between research groups (team science). ZonMw considers this open stimulus for science to be the primary driver for innovation in science and healthcare for the longer term.

Funding for different modules

Within the ZonMw Open Competition, funding can be requested for different modules: Personnel, Material Credit, Investments, Knowledge Utilisation and Internationalisation.
Via the module Investments, extra funding can be requested for medium-sized infrastructure. Within this module, a minimum of € 100,000 and a maximum of € 250,000 can be requested, and this is intended for funding an investment such as innovative scientific equipment. For this extra investment in infrastructure, financial matching must be provided.
In summary, the ZonMw Open Competition is about:

• Innovative (groundbreaking) science with a broad impact on science and/or society;
• Team science: innovative and synergistic collaboration between research groups.

The research domain Health Research and Medical Sciences (ZonMw), just like the other NWO research domains, works with broadly composed committees of researchers who provide recommendations about the quality and ranking of the proposals.