European Funding

Our mission is to positively impact the environment, animal well-being and the health of consumers.

INTRODUCTION

VistaMilk European Funding

Since the launch of the Centre in September 2018, VistaMilk researchers have already been participating in 32 EU-funded projects. Team members now coordinate 4 large EU projects totalling over €50 million and involving more than 120 partners. In total, the VistaMilk team has secured over €11M in EU grants.

Most of these projects are funded by Horizon 2020, the EU’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, across its different sub-programmes (including Marie Curie and FET-Open), but also by Interreg and Life.

VistaMilk has a dedicated team responsible for supporting both national and international funding opportunities supporting proposals development, facilitating partner searches and navigating open calls. We also facilitate access to the National Contact Points and National Delegates to advise and support our team when applying for funding.

If you are interested in collaborating with VistaMilk in EU-funded projects and programmes, then please contact one of the team (VistaMilk@teagasc.ie)

CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES

EU Funding | VistaMilk

Greener Cattle Initiative 2022

Background: This call supports research efforts to identify and develop new practices and technologies, or validate existing practices and technologies that enable the sustainable decrease in enteric methane emissions from cattle. The GCI recognises that fundamental research may be the basis for future breakthroughs and commercially viable solutions.

Research Area: Proposals must address one of the three following topics:

1. Nutrition and management strategies that enable mitigation of enteric methane, inclusive of grazing systems, without negatively impacting productivity or well-being or animals

2. Genetic approaches and phenotypic strategies that enable selective breeding as a tool for the mitigation of enteric methane

3. Rumen microbiome research (inclusive of non-invasive, high-throughput sampling methods to phenotype the microbial community) that enables mitigation of enteric methane

4. Sensing and data technology to accurately measure enteric methane emissions in commercial production environments and to accurately compare different nutrition, management, or other intervention strategies

Who can Apply: Teagasc Researchers (Permanent staff)

Duration: Up to 36 months

Budget: Up to US$ 4.676 M

Application Stage: Letter of Intent (Pre-application) submission

Full application submission (on invitation)

Application Procedure: Visit call document here (How to Apply section)

Application Deadline:

Letter of Intent (Pre-application) – 17:00 Eastern time; 22 June 2022

Full Application – 17:00 Eastern time; 7 September 2022

Information Webinar: Download from here

Click here for more details

MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships (PFs)

Objective: To support researchers’ careers and foster excellence in research. The PF action targets researchers holding a PhD who wish to carry out their research activities abroad, acquire new skills and develop their careers. PFs help researchers gain experience in other countries, disciplines and non-academic sectors.

Two types of PF:

– European PF: taking place in an EU MS/AC, open to researchers of any nationality moving within Europe or coming to Europe from another part of the world; 1-2 years duration

– Global PF: funding the mobility of nationals/long-term residents of EU MS/AC outside of Europe; 1-2 years spent outside Europe, followed by mandatory return phase of 1 year spent in an organisation in an EU MS/AC

Criteria:

· PhD degree at time of application

· Max. 8 years of experience in research from the date of award of PhD degree (time outside of research, career breaks etc. will not count towards this)

· Mobility Rule: must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the beneficiary (for European PFs), or the host organisation for the outgoing phase (for Global PFs) for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the call deadline

Who can Apply: Teagasc researchers (permanent staff) as mentors, postdoctoral researchers as applicants (NB: mobility rule)

Funding: fixed unit costs for the postdoctoral fellow (living, mobility & family allowance), research, training & networking costs and management & indirect costs.

Application Deadline: 14 September 2022

Further info: Call Topic page Net4Mobility+ webinar

Irish Webinar recording & slides

Check out the VistaMilk researchers who are happy to work with prospective candidates to develop a proposal

EU Funding | VistaMilk

Horizon Europe

EU Funding | VistaMilk

Pillar 1 – Excellent Science

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

MSCA Doctoral Networks (DNs)

Objective: To implement doctoral programmes through partnerships of organisations from different sectors across Europe and beyond to train highly skilled doctoral candidates. DNs are open to international consortia of universities, research institutions, businesses, SMEs and other non-academic organisations.

Three Types of DNs: Standard DNs, Industrial Doctorates (involving joint supervision by non-academic partners) and Joint Doctorates (leading to joint/multiple doctoral degrees awarded by participating institutions).

Criteria:

· At least 3 independent legal entities, each established in a different EU MS/AC and with at least one of them established in an EU MS

· Duration: 3 – 36 months (typically 36 months)

· Additional criteria apply to Industrial and Joint Doctorate DNs

Who can Apply: Teagasc researchers (permanent staff)

Funding: max. 360 Person-Months for standard DN and max. 540 PMs for industrial and joint doctorate DNs. Funding comprises fixed unit costs for the recruited researchers (living, mobility & family allowance), research, training & networking costs and management & indirect costs.

Application Deadlines: 15 November 2022

Further info: Call Topic page Net4Mobility+ webinar

Irish Webinar recording & slides

Bitesize overview of MSCA DN 2022

MSCA Staff Exchanges

Objective: funds short-term international & inter-sectoral exchanges of staff members involved in R&I activities of participating organisations. The aim is to develop sustainable collaborative projects between organisations from the academic and non-academic sectors (in particular SMEs), based in Europe and beyond.

Criteria:

· At least 3 organisations in three different countries, two of which need to be located in a different EU MS/AC. Above this minimum, the participation of organisations from any country is possible.

· If all participating organisations are from the same sector (academic or non-academic), at least 1 must be from a non-associated Third Country.

· Staff exchanges between organisations in EU MS/AC are required to be between different sectors (academic or non-academic), except if they are interdisciplinary. For partnerships with non-associated Third Countries, exchanges within the same sector and the same discipline are allowed.

· Duration: up to 4 years

Staff funded by Staff Exchanges:

· can be researchers at any career stage, as well as administrative, technical or managerial staff involved in R&I activities

· can be of any nationality

· must be engaged in, or linked to, R&I activities at their sending organisation for at least 1 month prior to the secondment

· should return to their sending organisation after the secondment, to pass on their knowledge and foster collaboration

Who can Apply: Teagasc researchers (permanent staff)

Funding: financing the mobility of seconded staff members from 1 month to 1 year. Award includes top-up allowance for T&S, research, training & networking costs and management & indirect costs. Maximum 360 PMs per project.

Application Deadline: 8 March 2023

Further info: Call Topic page

Irish Marie Skłodowska-Curie Office Webinar: Recording and slides

EC Info Session: Recording and slides, Q&A from the event

European Research Council (ERC)

Mission: to encourage the highest quality research in Europe through competitive funding and to support investigator-driven frontier research across all fields, on the basis of scientific excellence. ERC calls are ‘bottom-up’, allowing researchers to identify new opportunities and directions in any field of research. Proposals will be evaluated on the basis of excellence as the sole criterion.

There are several different types of grants:

ERC Starting Grants:

– for researchers of any nationality with 2-7 years of experience since the completion of their PhD, a scientific track record showing great promise and an excellent research proposal

– Funding of up to €1.5 million for a period of 5 years (+ possible additional €1M)

– Next deadline: 25 October 2022 (tentative)

– More info here

ERC Consolidator Grants:

– for researchers with 7-12 years of experience since completion of PhD, a scientific track record showing great promise and an excellent research proposal

– Funding of up to €2 million for a period of 5 years (+ possible additional €1M)

– Next deadline: 2 February 2023 (tentative)

– More info here

ERC Advanced Grants:

– for active researchers with a track-record of significant research achievements in the last 10 years. The Principal Investigators should be exceptional leaders in terms of originality and significance of their research contributions

– Funding of up to €2.5 million for a period of 5 years (+ possible additional €1M)

– Next deadline: 23 May 2023 (tentative)

– More info here

ERC Synergy Grants:

– for 2 to maximum 4 PIs working together and bringing different skills and resources to tackle ambitious research problems. PIs must present an early achievement track-record or a ten-year track-record, whichever is most appropriate.

– Funding of up to €10 million for a period of 6 years (+ possible additional €4M)

– Next deadline: 8 November 2022 (tentative)

– More info here

Who can Apply: Teagasc Researchers (Permanent staff)

EU Funding | VistaMilk Pillar 2 – Global Challenges & European Industrial Competitiveness

Cluster 6 – Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Background: Pillar 2 under Horizon Europe aims to turn the results of research into innovative solutions to improve citizens’ daily lives by tackling global challenges. R&I activities are organised across 6 thematic areas called Clusters and there is a huge emphasis on achieving and demonstrating impact. Cluster 6 relates to Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment.

Who can Apply: Teagasc researchers (permanent staff)

Funding: project funding ranges from €0.4M – €23M, depending on the topic (average ~ €6M). Staff costs (permanent + contract), T&S, equipment, other goods, works & services and indirect costs are eligible.

More info: The 2023-2024 Work Programme is being prepared. If you have interest in a particular area for 2023-2024, contact us for more information on the draft topics.

EU Funding | VistaMilk Circular Bio-Based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU)

Background: The CBE JU is a €2 billion partnership between the European Union and the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) that funds projects advancing competitive circular bio-based industries under Horizon Europe. It is the successor of the BBI JU. The 2022 Call will open on the 22 June 2022.

Who can Apply: Teagasc researchers (permanent researchers)

Funding: typically in the range of €3 million to €12 million with durations of 2 – 5 years.

Application Deadline: 22 September 2022 (indicative)

More info: Info on the 2022 Call here

EU Funding | VistaMilk LIFE Programme

Background: The LIFE Programme is the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action. Any legal persons registered in the EU are eligible to apply and applications are encouraged from public and private organisations seeking co-funding for projects, including large and small companies, local government and other public authorities, NGOs, Higher Education Institutes and community groups. The LIFE programme has four sub-programmes: nature and biodiversity, circular economy and quality of life, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and clean energy transition.

Who can Apply: Teagasc researchers (permanent researchers)

Funding: typically in the range of €1million to €5 million with durations of 3 – 5 years

Application Deadline: LIFE Call 2022 opened on 17 May 2022 with deadlines between September and November 2022.

More info: view the recordings of the Irish LIFE Information Day and Irish LIFE Bid Writing Workshop. Visit the EC’s LIFE website and the LIFE page on gov.ie. List of recordings from the EU LIFE Info Days (18-20 May 2022) available here

EU Funding | VistaMilk

Innovation Fund – 2^nd call for small-scale projects

Background: The Innovation Fund is one of the world’s largest funding programmes for the demonstration of innovative low-carbon technologies, financed by revenues from the EU’s Emissions Trading System. This second call for small-scale projects has a budget of €100M and will finance breakthrough technologies for renewable energy, energy-intensive industries including substitute products, energy storage, and carbon capture, use and storage.

Scope: the following can be funded under this call:

– activities that support innovation in low-carbon technologies and processes in

sectors listed in Annex I to the EU ETS Directive 2003/87, including environmentally safe carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) that contributes substantially to mitigating climate change, as well as products substituting carbon intensive ones produced in sectors listed in Annex I to the EU ETS Directive,

– activities that help stimulate the construction and operation of projects that aim at the environmentally safe capture and geological storage of CO₂ (CCS)

– activities that help stimulate the construction and operation of innovative renewable energy and energy storage technologies

Award criteria: greenhouse gas emission avoidance potential, degree of innovation, project maturity, scalability and cost efficiency.

Who can Apply: Teagasc researchers (permanent researchers)

Funding: small-scale projects with capital expenditure between EUR 2.5 and 7.5 million located in EU MS, Iceland and Norway

Application Deadline: 31 August 2022 17:00 Brussels time (1-stage)

More info: EC Info Day recording and slides available here. Call topic page here.