Project grants for novel science communication and public dialogue

Purpose

The Novo Nordisk Foundation aims to strengthen scientific and technical aspirations, knowledge and competencies among children, young people and the general population in Denmark.

The purpose of this call is to contribute to engagement and interest in natural science and technology and to facilitate communication and qualified public debates on topics within natural and technical science including health and sustainability.

Areas of support

Applicants may apply for grants for projects that in creative and engaging ways communicate topics and facilitate scientific public dialogue on natural sciences research, technology development, sustainability, climate, energy production and health.

Projects on these topics may involve all types of media, instruments and channels in order to;

• contribute to inspire and engage broad target groups;
• raise awareness of challenges relevant to society;
• facilitate knowledge based, scientific public dialogue; and
• increase the dissemination of reliable sources of natural science knowledge and counteract misinformation

The projects’ target group(s) must be within the Danish Realm and can be children, young people and/or the general population.

It is important to demonstrate that the chosen media is in accordance with the purpose and target group(s) of the project, and that the project is focused and coherent as well as based on selected, relevant activities and instruments.

It is important that the application clearly states how the project is novel and facilitates dialogue. The project should engage and involve the target group(s), not just inform them.

Assumptions on expected reach and impact, such as number of users, visitors, listens, must be qualified in the application.

It must be made clear from the application how knowledge and experiences from the project are made available to other actors.

Applications for extending an existing project must include results and an evaluation of the preceding project.

Projects outside the scope of the call

It is not possible to apply for support for projects that are primarily made available within the education system or to professional groups within a professional setting.

Support is not provided for pure research projects.

It is not possible to apply for support for communication on health, specifically targeted patient groups, or for information campaigns on health.

Eligibility

During the grant period, the applicant must be responsible for the project applied for at the administrating institution. The administrating institution must be a public institution and/or nonprofit organisation, including educational institutions, municipalities, research institutions, museums, or associations in the Danish Realm.

Private commercial companies can apply for support for non-commercial projects with nonprofit aims that benefit a wider group in society. When applying, private companies must complete and attach this questionnaire in NORMA, which is used to explain the public benefit of the project. This applies if the company is the main applicant or a co-applicant.

The Foundation has three calls for applications in 2026 within natural science education and outreach:

• Project grants for novel science communication and public dialogue
• Project grants for natural science education and informal learning environments
• Project grants for Strengthening Vocational- and Profession-oriented Education within Technology, Sustainability and Health

It is only possible to be the main applicant for one application in these calls. Co-applicants are not subject to similar rules. Applications submitted for the calls ‘Project grants for natural science education and informal learning environments’ or ‘Project grants for vocational education and training’ will not be considered in this call.

Main applicants and project groups with active project grants awarded in open competition within Education & Outreach in the period 2018-2025 may only apply for a new grant in this open call during the last project year of the active grant. A new grant cannot be paid out before the existing grant expires.

Funding

A total of up to DKK 23 million is available for grants between DKK 100,000–4,300,000 for projects of up to 6 years duration.

The project may be an independent, delimited project or a part of a larger project that is also supported by other partners.

It is possible to apply for smaller pre-projects of up to DKK 150,000 to mature a larger project to follow, e.g. by establishing collaborations or mapping needs and challenges. It must be clearly stated if the application concerns a pre-project. Please note that support for a pre-project does not guarantee support for the following project.

Applicants may apply for funding for the following types of expenses in the project

• Salaries for employees or affiliated personnel at all staffing levels, including project management, however, subject to the following:
  • Researchers in permanent positions at universities and university colleges may apply for funds to pay for substitutes for the time they use in a development project if the project extends beyond the description of their duties in their position;
• Operating expenses: direct expenses for developing, implementing and operating projects, including materials and equipment;
• Travel expenses in relation to the project, e.g. conference and workshop participation and presentation of results derived from the project;
• Evaluation in connection with development projects;
• External auditing costs: Institutions that are not subject to audit by public authorities can include expenses for this in the project’s last budget year; and
• Administrative support (up to 5% of the applicant’s overall budget and included in it) to cover administrative expenses directly related to the project being based at an administering institution.
• Net expenses for fondsmoms (for municipalities and regions). It is the municipality’s and/or region’s responsibility to thoroughly investigate fondsmoms conditions and related expenses when applying. The Novo Nordisk Foundation cannot advise further on this matter.

Please note that applications are not eligible to apply for project supplement as research projects are outside the scope of the call.

The Foundation will not award funding for

• Commercial activities;
• Buildings;
• Overhead/indirect costs (such as rent, electricity, water and maintenance); and
• Double funding of projects:
  • If the applicant has received funding for the proposed project from other sources, in part or in full, this must be accounted for in the budget, as no budgetary overlaps are allowed;
  • If an identical or overlapping project proposal has been submitted to other funding institutions than the Foundation, it must be noted in the application;
  • If the applicant receives funding for the project, or parts of the project, from other sources following submission of the application to the Foundation, the Foundation must be informed immediately.

Language

The application system is in English, but applications can be submitted in either Danish or English. The language chosen will not influence the assessment of the application.

Application process

The application must be completed and submitted using the Foundation’s online application and grant management system, NORMA.

When all applications have been assessed, applicants will be notified about whether they have been awarded a grant. The notification e-mail will be sent from [email protected] to the e-mail address used when creating a profile in NORMA.

PLEASE NOTE: The Foundation does not provide feedback in case an application is declined.

Assessment criteria

The Novo Nordisk Foundation’s Committee on Science Communication and Dialogue will assess the applications based on the following criteria:

• The project’s consistency with the purpose of the call for applications;
• The capacity and qualifications of the applicant and the applicant’s institution with emphasis on the relevance for the given project;
• The quality of the project in terms of novelty, as well as engagement, reach and impact;
• The originality, relevance and importance of the proposed project;
• The justification of the project with regard to existing initiatives in the field;
• The short-term and long-term project goals and the alignment between project goals, the method of dissemination to the specific target group, and the resources used;
• When relevant, the scalability and opportunities for national dissemination of the project;
• The project plan, method and feasibility of the project, including plan for evaluation and knowledge sharing;
• The expected benefit for the specified target group and in the form of knowledge-building and long-term effects; and
• The capacity and qualifications of any co-applicants and collaboration partners.