Support programmes
With our financial resources we support individual researchers and research teams with personal fellowships and project funding.
All about support programmes
Research projects
Research projects
The junior and senior basic research, strategic basic research and applied biomedical research projects give teams of leading researchers and their partners the opportunity to set up medium- to large-scale research actions over four years. In addition, FWO funding financing is made available in the context of the action ‘Kom op tegen Kanker' and there are ERC runner-up projects in the context of ERC Starting and Consolidator Grants. The FWO calls related to the European Framework Programme can be consulted on this page. Thanks to the Odysseus programme, the FWO can attract top talent from abroad who can set up a research group or line of research at a Flemish university with start-up funding for five years.
Calls
-
Junior en Senior research project - call closed
The objective of the FWO's Research projects is to advance fundamental scientific research. This happens on initiative of the researcher in all scientific disciplines.
-
SBO (Strategic Basic Research) projects - call open
The Strategic Basic Research (SBO) programme focuses on innovative research which, if scientifically successful, will create prospects for economic or societal applications.
-
SBO strategic basic research projects security and defence - call open
-
TBM projects (Applied Biomedical Research with a Primary Social finality) - call closed
In the long term, the TBM programme aims at contributing to the implementation of (new) therapies, diagnostic techniques and preventive methods, which, without government funding, would not make it to the patient due to a lack of industrial interest.
-
Research project Kom op tegen Kanker - call closed
In the context of the actie 'Kom op tegen Kanker' campaign, the FWO has a yearly budget available, to support patient-oriented research projects with a specific scope.
-
Odysseus programme - call open
The Odysseus programme supports outstanding researchers who have built up a career outside Flanders. The programme provides start-up funding in order to develop a research group within a Flemish university or to set up a research line and become progressively more involved in the Flemish research establishment.
-
Thematic call for research projects in the field of the circular economy
The final call for these research projects took place in 2025. Starting in 2026, no new calls will be launched.
-
Thematic call for Research Projects in the field of "Innovation in the Agriculture and Food Sector"
The final call for these research projects took place in 2025. Starting in 2026, no new calls will be launched.
-
Research project JEZ!
The final call for JEZ! research projects took place in 2025. Starting in 2026, no new calls will be launched.
-
EOS Research project
The EOS-programme wants to promote joint research between researchers in the Flemish and French-speaking community by funding joint fundamental research projects in any scientific discipline. The FWO board decided not to launch any new calls under the EOS programme and to further optimise the possibilities for intra-Belgian collaboration via the Weave programme.