In March, 6.4% of the submitted applications in Forestry were selected for funding, and 12.4% in Ophthalmology respectively. Both programs attracted record application numbers in this round of funding. Here we explain how the selection process works to help future applicants prepare.
Both funding programs continue to generate strong interest from the research community. While this level of engagement is encouraging, the growing volume of applications has driven success rates down steadily over the past years:
- Forestry (2022–2026): 24%, 12%, 14%, 6.4%
- Ophthalmology (2021–2026): 21%, 32%, 26%, 16%, 12.4%
To support potential applicants, we are working to improve transparency in two aspects of the process:
- Eligibility: In the most recent Forestry call, 53% of the submitted applications were not eligible For the Ophthalmology call, this number was 30%. We are developing clearer guidance and improving our communication around eligibility to reduce this figure. Please read the call requirements thoroughly and check carefully if your project is eligible before submitting your full application.
- Selection procedure: Following an eligibility check (which includes the scope of the proposal matching the funding focus), all eligible applications are assessed by the scientific committee in a two-stage process. In the first stage, full applications are pre-selected based on their abstract and impact potential statement. Both should clearly convey the relevance, innovativeness, and potential for change of the proposed research and its alignment with the call for proposals. Be concise and compelling: this is where an application either advances for in-depth review or drops out.
Applications moving to in-depth review carry roughly a 20-25% chance of being funded. Full proposals are limited to 15 pages, no major revisions are permitted after submission, and rejected projects cannot be resubmitted. The scientific committee ranks all reviewed applications and recommends a shortlist for funding.
We hope this helps you put together the strongest possible application.