Target group
The funding program is aimed at researchers working in the field of pandemic preparedness research at universities, non-academic research institutions, and related industrial research departments who are active in the field of pandemic preparedness.
Funding goals
The mission of the EP BE READY is to foster collaboration between researchers and other stakeholders across Europe and beyond, with the aim to increase knowledge and strengthening readiness for emerging health threats through interdisciplinary cooperation. The funded projects are expected to generate scientific knowledge and innovative tools that strengthen European and global pandemic preparedness, inform evidence-based policy-making, and/or contribute to the development of novel countermeasures (diagnostics, therapeutics and preventive strategies) with a potential for rapid deployment during future health emergencies.
Funding period and funding amount
The maximum funding period is 36 months.
Requirements
The requirements and specifications for the FWF programs Principal Investigator Projects or Clinical Research apply.
Information on the current call “Advancing knowledge of host and pathogen dynamics to better combat emerging diseases”
This call for proposals aims to support innovative, collaborative, interdisciplinary and transnational research projects (duration: three years) aiming at better understanding the pandemic potential of emerging and re-emerging pathogens, elucidating the pathophysiology induced by these pathogens and developing innovative medical countermeasures.
For further details, please see the BE READY website.
Each proposal must involve a minimum of three and a maximum of six partners from at least three different participating partner countries. A joint proposal must be submitted by the project coordinator to the central Call Secretariat.
The researchers are funded by their respective national/regional funding organizations.
Funding organizations from 21 countries are planning to take part in the call. The current list of participating countries can be found on the BE READY website.
Approval
Decided by the FWF Scientific Board based on a recommendation of the Call Secretariat
Application information
Applications must be submitted to both the Call Secretariat and the FWF. This applies to both pre-proposals and full proposals.
Submitting an application to the Call Secretariat
The pre-proposal must be submitted using the Call Secretariat’s online application system by April 13, 2026. The link to the application system is available here.
Application and review are carried out in a two-stage procedure.
- Submission of pre-proposals: January 19, 2026 to April 13, 2026 (1:00 pm CET)
- Submission of full proposals: deadline August 20, 2026 (1:00 pm CET)
- Decision on full proposals: expected in November 2026
Submitting an application to the FWF
In addition to the application to the Call Secretariat, administrative and financial data for the proposal and the academic abstracts (in compliance with the FWF application guidelines for Principal Investigator Projects or Clinical Research) must be submitted to the FWF on elane.
- In the pre-proposal phase, applications must be submitted under the program category “PIK – International Projects (Pre-Proposals)” (deadline: April 14, 2026, 2:00 pm Vienna local time).
- For the full proposal phase, please select the program category “KIN – International – Multilateral Initiatives” (deadline: August 21, 2026, 2:00 pm Vienna local time).
Please note that applications must be approved for submission by the research institutions before the deadlines indicated above. Research institutions must be registered in the FWF's research institution portal.
Funding institutions
Austrian Science Fund (FWF), Fonds Zukunft Österreich, co-funded by the European Union
Further information
- The maximum amount that can be requested by FWF principal investigators is €450,000.
- Details can be found on the BE READY website.
- For general questions about the call, please contact the Joint Call Secretariat (JCS) at beready(at)dlr.de. If you have specific questions about the budget, the criteria, or individual funding organizations’ requirements, please consult the funding organization directly.
