Project Funding (Project Call) – Diligentia Foundation for Empirical Research
Funding of empirical research projects in economics and social sciences including method development. Funding amount up to €50,000, duration up to 3 years; two-stage application process (short proposal by 31.01.2026, full proposal by 30.04.2026) via email.
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Grant criteria
Funding objective
Promotion of empirical research and the development of necessary methods in the field of economics and social sciences.
Eligible expenses
- Costs of data collection and analyses
- Conducting experiments or surveys
- Access to databases
- Acquisition of necessary software
- Payments to research assistants
Non-eligible expenses
- Overheads
- Travel expenses for conference attendance or event organization
Eligible to apply
- Individuals
Funding requirements
- Doctoral studies
- Activity at state-recognized scientific institutions in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland
- Submission only by natural persons, maximum one application per person per year
Documents required for application
- Short application form
- Project description (relevance, objectives, research design)
- Curriculum vitae (max. 2 pages)
- Details on funding requirements and financing plan
- Schedule
Evaluation criteria
- Empirical added value of the planned research project in terms of the foundation's purpose
Description
The Diligentia Foundation for Empirical Research supports innovative research projects in economics and social sciences as well as the development of accompanying methods. Funding is provided for projects with a clear empirical added value that rigorously investigate theory- and practice-relevant questions through data collection, experiments, or surveys. Grants of up to 50,000 euros may be awarded for a duration of up to 36 months. Applicants initially submit a concise preliminary proposal by January 31, 2026; following a positive initial evaluation, they will be invited to submit a detailed full proposal by April 30, 2026. The selection process primarily focuses on the potential of the projects to expand existing empirical methods and to demonstrate realistic insights.
Eligible for funding are doctoral degree holders who are natural persons employed at state-recognized scientific institutions in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland. Early-career researchers and women are expressly encouraged to apply. Eligible expenses include costs for data collection, software licenses, database access, and payments to research assistants. Overhead costs and travel expenses for conferences or event organization are excluded. The preliminary proposal must include, in addition to the title, relevance, and research design, a brief curriculum vitae (max. 2 pages), a financing plan, and a timeline. The final decision on project funding is made by an independent panel of reviewers based on the empirical benefit in line with the foundation’s purpose. Funded projects are expected to be announced in July 2026.
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