Funding guide
Grant policy
The Foundation mainly supports research projects and education related to the humanities.
The Foundation awards grants to Swedish universities and similar research and education institutions within the following areas:
- Research projects with high scientific potential; researcher-initiated projects of the highest international standards focusing on a coherent scientific issue.
In addition, the Foundation supports children and youth projects run by established non-profit national organizations, academies, museums and universities.
Operating grants are not awarded, nor are funds granted to individuals.
Priority projects include new research areas and research of a cross-border nature.
Applications must be prioritized by the vice-chancellor (or the person designated by the vice-chancellor to represent him or her) at the university where the principal investigator is employed. For other institutions the head of operations must prioritize.
The Foundation sends applications out for peer review.
Publishing
Research funded by the Marcus and Amalia Wallenberg Foundation must be published with open access, that is, published articles must be archived in openly searchable databases. The respective university's rules apply to open access. The additional cost for this can be taken up as a direct cost in project applications.
Other
Direct applications to the Foundation concerning travels, conference fees etc. will not be accepted. No grants for individual education are awarded, except for the Foundation’s stipend programs. Grants for reconstruction of buildings or interior design or publishing are normally not accepted. Grants are only awarded to non-profit organizations.
Current calls
Project grants
Call in Youth Psychology/Psychiatry and research of relevance to forest management and conservation.
The Foundation mainly supports research in the humanities and learning.
The application period begins March 1.
Show guidelines
During 2025, two targeted calls will be made within:
- Youth Psychology/Psychiatry
- Humanities research research of relevance to forest management and conservation
Youth Psychology/Psychiatry
The area includes methods for assessing, investigating, diagnosing, treating, following up and preventing mental illness and psychological/psychiatric problems in children and youth (0–18 years). Developmental psychology and knowledge about medical, societal and social factors that affect children's and youth' mental health, including evidence-based psychological working methods, are of relevance. Knowledge building about pharmacological treatment and how these interact with psychological treatment as well as knowledge development about laws and regulations and ethical issues that affect the work with children and young people are also covered by the call.
Humanities research of relevance to forest management and conservation
Sweden is a country where forest has had and is very important. The use of the forests is an issue where the balance between sustainable forest production and environmental concerns is in focus. Biodiversity and the role of forests in the climate are today central issues that require more knowledge. In order to, promote both sustainably forest production and safeguard forest biodiversity, Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation funds a basic scientific research program that addresses these large and complex issues; The Wallenberg Initiative in Forest Research, WIFORCE.
Story WIFORCE: Future use and management of Swedish forests
Who can apply?
An application can be made by individual researchers or research groups connected to a Swedish institution of higher education or other scientific research institutions. An application can also be submitted by the management of a Swedish institution of higher education or other scientific research institutions.
Applications from individuals without a long-term connection to a Swedish academic institution are not considered.
Application period
The application period begins March 1. Last day of application April 1 until 1:00 pm.
Guidelines for research projects
- The Foundation mainly supports research within humanities
- Research projects of high scientific potential are prioritized
- Projects must have an independent objective and not only constitute auxiliary funding for ongoing operations or other projects in progress
- Projects can be applied for by an individual researcher or project group consisting of two to four researchers who collaborate around a coherent scientific question
- When the application comes from a group of researchers, priority is given to projects where it obvious that the complementing competences of the researchers make it possible to address hypotheses and research questions, where a single researcher would have had difficult to address on their own
- It is the combined competence in the research group that will be assessed, i.e. not the main applicant and co-applicant separately
- PIs must have a long-term association with a Swedish institution of higher education and spend at least 70 % of their position and working time in Sweden. Co-investigators must spend at least 50 % of their position and working time in Sweden
- The research must be undertaken at a Swedish institution of higher education but otherwise there are no limits regarding the localization of research groups in terms of organization or geography
- Projects normally have a budget of between SEK 3 million and SEK 5 million with a duration of three to five years. Up to 20% of the granted amount may be used for indirect costs and rent
- An individual researcher is only allowed to participate in two ongoing projects, and act as a PI on one of these
- A project can only be subject for reviewing at two separate application periods
Projects will be evaluated on the following criteria:
- The PI or scientist group competence and the project quality
- The feasibility of the research plan and proposed methods
- The project originality and novelty
- Is there a coherent research question
- For the 2025 calls, how well the projects fit the specific calls also applies
Grants for equipment are normally awarded as part of a project in which the cost of the equipment is directly related to the scientific operations of the project. Equipment is financed through depreciation, which must be calculated linearly across its entire economic/scientific life, not merely across the project period sought. Procurement must take place no later than 2 years after the project starts, and depreciation can thereby commence and be sought for 2 years longer than other costs.
Application
In the e-application the compulsory data and appendices are stated. It is important that the application is extensive and complete for a correct handling of the application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
In the application the following must be stated/attached:
- The vice-chancellor’s or equivalent’s certification
- CVs of the PI and the co-investigators
- A list of ten selected publications per applicant
- A comprehensive project description in English, must not exceed 10 pages, 12 p font
- A scientific summary in English, max 2 000 characters incl. space
- A popularly summary in Swedish, max 3 500 characters incl. space
- A project budget, using the Foundation’s template
- If the project is co-funded by the applicant’s own higher-education institution and other financiers
- If funding has been applied for, will be applied for, or has been received for the same purposes from another organization
Decision
The decisions of the Board of Directors will be sent to the applicants by letter and information about approved grants will be posted on the Foundation’s web site when the board minutes have been approved.
Publishing
Research funded by the Marcus and Amalia Wallenberg Foundation must be published with open access, i.e. published articles must be archived in open searchable databases. The respective university's rules apply to open access. Extra costs for open access may be included as a direct cost in the application.
Processing of personal data
Apply for grants online
Requisitions
Please observe the following for requisitions:
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Remuneration is for actual costs incurred. Advances are granted only in exceptional cases.
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In requisitions, consideration must always be given to budget, grant letter, and special conditions
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A Profit & Loss statement (P&L) for the project from the accounting system for the project must always be enclosed
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The balancing requisition form must be completed and enclosed
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In connection with the final requisitioning, a financial summary of the entire grant must be appended.
Note that the grant recipient always has full responsibility as employer as well as responsibility for any scholarships awarded.
Funds may only be used for the purpose stated in the grant letter. Administrative costs or additional costs for unspecified purposes may not be offset against the grant.
The utilization period for the grant is stated in the grant letter. Prolongation will be accepted only in exceptional circumstances, and only upon written request.
Any funds remaining undisbursed upon maturity of the grant period will automatically revert to the Foundation.
Disbursement – electronic requisition
The requisition should be done electronically through the Foundations electronic portal.
Postdocs overseas with no BankID is still allowed to send in their requisition form through email or post.
If you have any questions, please contact the Foundation's controller.
Manual requisitions are to be sent by regular mail to the address given below, in the footer. Forms in Swedish can be found in the form archive on the Swedish site.
Disbursement requisitions received by the Foundation prior to the 10th day of each month are paid out at the end of that month, provided the requisition is correct.
Reporting
Funded projects must be started on January 1 or July 1 of the year following the date of the decision. If this is not feasible, the Foundation must be informed in writing and a new projected starting date be assigned.
Financial reporting is to be done in conjunction with the requisitioning of funds. Furthermore, in connection with the final requisitioning, a financial summary of the entire grant must be appended. The Foundation reserves the right to review the project with the purpose of controlling that the funds have been used to the approved purpose.
In accordance with the conditions in the grant letter and without notice, a scientific report must be submitted to the Foundation along with, where appropriate, a list of scientific publications that mention the support provided by the Foundation.
All reports are to be submitted via e-mail to [email protected]
The reporting requirement also applies to equipment projects and must contain information about the placement and level of utilization of the equipment as well as the names of the investigators who are its principal users.
Scientific publications where access to the equipment has played a central role in the execution of the research project must be listed. If the equipment is moved, the Foundation must be informed.