Target group
This funding program is aimed at researchers working in the field specified in the call.
Funding goals
In cooperation with the WE&ME Foundation, the FWF is inviting proposals for the WE&ME Award. Projects should be dedicated to deciphering the pathomechanism and/or the effects and possible treatments of ME/CFS-PAIS with the cardinal symptom PEM (post-exertional malaise). The WE&ME Foundation is particularly interested in biomedical projects and studies. A prerequisite for studies is that patient cohorts fulfill the strict inclusion criteria according to the Canadian Consensus Criteria (CCC) and/or the International Consensus Criteria (ICC). The research must be relevant to the goal of improving and advancing these fields.
Additional program-specific information
Proposals can be submitted to the following programs:
- Principal Investigator Projects
- Clinical Research: For projects submitted to the Clinical Research program, proof of approval or confirmation of fundamental approval from the ethics committee responsible is required by April 1, 2026.
Applications submitted for this call are not subject to the restriction on the number of projects in progress.
Funding period and funding amount
- Funding period: up to 48 months
- Depending on the proposed research, project-specific funds (personnel and non-personnel costs) can be applied for. The number of reviews required depends on the amount of funding requested.
- For projects funded by the WE&ME Foundation, the general project costs are increased to 10%.
Requirements
The requirements and specifications for the FWF programs Principal Investigator Projects or Clinical Research apply, as well as the Supplementary Application Guidelines for this subject-specific funding.
Approval
- Decision by the WE&ME Foundation based on a recommendation by the Scientific Board
- €450,000 in funding provided by the Foundation; if the required funding amount for an approved project exceeds this amount, the FWF will cover the difference.
- Proposals that have received outstanding reviews that cannot be funded by the Foundation will be funded by the FWF (but without the increase in general project costs).
- Award ceremony in July 2026
Application information
- Proposals are submitted online using the electronic application portal elane.
- The application guidelines for Principal Investigator Projects or Clinical Research apply.
- The relevance of the proposal to the topic of this subject-specific call must be detailed in an additional form on elane.
- The Supplementary Application Guidelines include additional specifics of the call.
Funding institution
WE&ME Foundation, Austrian Science Fund (FWF)