Final round of NWO Perspectief open: up to €5 million for research consortia

After more than twenty years, the NWO Perspectief programme is coming to an end. The final funding round is now open. Research consortia have one last opportunity to apply for between €2 million and €5 million in funding for large-scale technical and scientific research.

Final opportunity for NWO Perspectief

Through Perspectief, NWO supports large-scale research programmes in which knowledge institutions collaborate with companies, public authorities and other societal organisations. The focus is on technical and scientific research that not only generates new knowledge, but also offers clear prospects for tangible societal and economic impact.

After more than twenty years, funding for the programme is being discontinued. The 2026-2027 round is therefore the final opportunity to submit a new Perspectief project.

A total budget of €26.5 million is available for this final round. Projects can apply for a minimum of €2 million and a maximum of €5 million in funding. Projects may run for up to six years.

Strong consortia are essential

Perspectief is specifically designed for large-scale partnerships. A consortium must include at least three Dutch research organisations as applicants or co-applicants, at least two of which must be universities.

Users of the knowledge developed within the programme also play an important role. These may include companies, public authorities and societal organisations. They contribute practical expertise, support the further application of research results and provide part of the required co-funding.

A strong Perspectief proposal therefore requires more than an excellent research plan. The composition of the consortium, the connection between the different research lines, the involvement of users and the pathway towards societal and economic impact must come together in one convincing programme.

First deadline on 6 October

The application process consists of several stages. The following deadlines apply to the final Perspectief round:

• 6 October 2026, 14:00: Letter of Intent
• 24 November 2026, 14:00: Pre-proposal
• 25 May 2027, 14:00: Full proposal

The Letter of Intent is relatively concise, but it is required to proceed to the next stage of the application process. It includes, among other things, the research theme, the intended main applicant, the relevant Knowledge and Innovation Agenda (KIA), and the key enabling technologies involved.

This means research teams already need to make important choices about how they position their programme and which organisations they want to involve in further developing the proposal.

Developing a Perspectief proposal

Developing a Perspectief programme is an extensive process. Different research lines, knowledge institutions and users need to be brought together into one clear and coherent story. At the same time, the proposal must convincingly demonstrate scientific quality, technological development and societal and economic impact.

Enablemi supports knowledge institutions throughout the entire process, for example by:

• Structuring and sharpening the programme;
• Building and organising the consortium;
• Engaging companies and other user organisations;
• Developing the impact and knowledge utilisation strategy;
• Coordinating the different work packages and partners;
• Writing and editing the final proposal.