SPIRIT

The SPIRIT programme finances joint projects between researchers in Switzerland and developing countries. The choice of topic is free. All projects must make a contribution to equal opportunities and the advancement of women.
The SNSF offers a wide range of international funding schemes and works closely with foreign funding organisations to promote cross-border collaboration. The SPIRIT programme facilitates knowledge exchange between Swiss researchers and researchers in selected countries that are receiving development assistance. With SPIRIT, the SNSF is giving Swiss researchers more opportunities to collaborate with partners in many countries around the world.
Funding is awarded to research projects with clearly defined goals that are submitted by excellent research consortia from two to four countries. Researchers from all disciplines can apply for a SPIRIT grant; the topics are chosen by the researchers themselves. The grants contribute to the education of researchers in all participating countries. Special focus will be given to equal opportunities and the promotion of women scientists, as well as to raising awareness of gender-specific questions.
Projects must contribute to promoting gender awareness and equal opportunities. This can be reflected at the level of the research content and at the level of the project team. Please read Chapter 3 of the SPIRIT Guide: Guidelines for the submission of SPIRIT applications
Gender Awareness in SPIRIT – Introduction
Gender Awareness in SPIRIT – Further Reading
Gender Awareness in SPIRIT – Content
Gender Awareness in SPIRIT – Team
Applicants can request between 50,000 and 500,000 francs in project funds for two to four years. At least 30% of each approved grant must be allocated to Switzerland and at least 30% to the relevant partner country/countries.
Only partner countries included on the list of eligible countries can be part of a SPIRIT application: List of eligible partner countries
Sanctions have been imposed on several partner countries. We recommend that applicants inform themselves about the sanctions before submitting an application. Sanctions by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO)
Iran: As it is currently not possible to transfer grants to Iran, researchers in Iran are not eligible to apply to SPIRIT.
We recommend considering the principles of the Commission for Research Partnerships with Developing Countries (KFPE) when designing the proposal.
The programme is intended for two to four research groups, out of which one applicant must engage in research work in Switzerland, and at least one applicant must do so in an eligible partner country. Further applicants in a partner country or in Switzerland may be added. However, the total of applicants may not exceed four persons. Swiss applicants must meet the eligibility requirements applicable to SNSF project funding. These requirements apply mutatis mutandis to applicants from abroad.​
Project Funding Regulations
The SNSF determines the eligible partner countries based on the official list of countries receiving development assistance, which is issued by the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD. Excluded are EU member states, countries associated to the European Union's 8th Framework Programme as well as countries collaborating on a bilateral call with the SNSF.
List of eligible partner countriesBilateral programmesOfficial list of countries receiving development assistance, issued by the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD
SPIRIT finances original, relevant and team-oriented research that is to the benefit of all concerned. One of its top priorities is to support young researchers. Projects must contribute to promoting gender awareness and equal opportunities. If two or more applications are deemed to be of equal quality, applications by women or applications that show better gender awareness are given preference. Twelve projects are funded per year based on a competitive funding procedure.
Gender Awareness in SPIRIT – Introduction
Gender Awareness in SPIRIT – Further Reading
Gender Awareness in SPIRIT – Content
Gender Awareness in SPIRIT – Team
The duration of projects is limited to 2-4 years. The research groups can request between 50,000 and 500,000 Swiss francs. At least 30% of each approved grant must be allocated to Switzerland and at least 30% to the relevant partner country/countries. In accordance with the bottom-up principle, applicants are free to choose their own research topics. Researchers from all disciplines are eligible to submit an application.
SPIRIT grants
Duration: 2-4 yearsMaximum grant amount: CHF 500,000; minimum grant amount: CHF 50,000At least 30% of each grant must be allocated to Switzerland and at least 30% to the relevant partner country/countries.The salaries of applicants in Switzerland or abroad cannot be charged to the grant.Projects must contribute to promoting gender awareness and equal opportunities.
Applicants
A SPIRIT proposal can be jointly submitted by a minimum of two and a maximum of four applicants. At least one applicant must engage in research work in Switzerland, and at least one must do so in an eligible partner country.One of the Swiss-based applicants (the responsible applicant) represents the research team.The funding periods of SPIRIT grants must not overlap with those of other SPIRIT grants or of Ambizione grants.Swiss applicants must meet the eligibility requirements applicable to SNSF project funding. These requirements apply mutatis mutandis to applicants from abroad.
Project Funding Regulations
Partner countries
The SNSF determines the eligible partner countries based on the list of countries receiving development assistance, which is issued by the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD.
The following countries do not qualify as partner countries:
Member states of the European Union;Countries associated to Horizon 2020, the European Union's 8th Frame-work Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020) or subsequent programmes;Countries collaborating on a bilateral call with the SNSF.
List of eligible partner countries
Sanctions have been imposed on several partner countries. We recommend that applicants inform themselves about the sanctions before submitting an application. Sanctions by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO)
Iran: As it is currently not possible to transfer grants to Iran, researchers in Iran are not eligible to apply to SPIRIT.
Restrictions
Applicants whose proposal was rejected may not submit a SPIRIT application for four months following the date of the ruling.The SNSF only considers a re-submitted application if it is a significantly modified version of the rejected application.An application that has been rejected can be revised and re-submitted at the most twice.Only one SPIRIT grant may be awarded per person.SPIRIT grant holders may not submit SPIRIT applications, unless the planned end date of the ongoing grant lies before the planned start date of the proposed research project.
The SNSF defined a new format for the CV and requests a standardised set of information from all applicants. Additional information can be found under portal.snf.ch and in the corresponding my SNF data container “CV and major achievements”. Please also refer to Your curriculum vitae and the Guidelines for CV and major achievements.
The SNSF recommends reserving enough time for entering the proposal in mySNF. Setting up a new mySNF user account can take up to one week. Detailed instructions on entering and submitting proposals can be found in mySNF.
Proposals must be submitted in English.
The CVs and track record of all applicants must be submitted as PDF documents via mySNF together with the research plan. In this context, please refer to the requirements set out in the guidelines:
Guidelines for the submission of SPIRIT applications
For funded applications, grantees receive an invitation to submit their DMP on the mySNF platform. The DMP has to be written in the same language as the research plan. Submitting a DMP is a condition for the release of funds.
Evaluation procedure – this is how we selectEvaluation form – SPIRIT
​Assessment criteria
The evaluation is conducted in accordance with the following criteria:
scientific relevance of the research project;originality of the aims and objectives;suitability of the methodology, feasibility;track record and expertise of the researchers;complementarity of the research partners;contribution to increasing scientific capacities in the relevant research field; andcontribution towards raising gender awareness and promoting equal opportunities.
If proposals are deemed to be equal in terms of their scientific quality, proposals submitted by female applicants, or proposals that show better gender awareness, are given priority.
Gender Awareness in SPIRIT – Introduction
Gender Awareness in SPIRIT – Further Reading
Gender Awareness in SPIRIT – Content
Gender Awareness in SPIRIT – Team
Evaluation and review
On receipt of the proposal, the SNSF Administrative Offices verify that the formal and personal requirements for submission are met. In addition, the SNSF checks whether the proposal meets the rules of scientific integrity:
Regulations on scientific misconduct
The proposals are internationally peer-reviewed and evaluated by the SPIRIT Evaluation Commission (SEC).
They make a funding decision that is subsequently examined and endorsed by the Specialised Committee International Cooperation. The Presiding Board approves the decision of the SEC. Once the evaluation procedure has been concluded, the anonymised reviews are made available to the applicants via mySNF.
Communicating the decision
The final decision is generally made seven months after submission of the proposal and communicated to the responsible applicant in the form of a ruling (in accordance with the Federal Act on Administrative Procedure).
SPIRIT RegulationsGuidelines for the submission of SPIRIT applicationsFunding Regulations of the SNSFGeneral implementation regulations for the Funding RegulationsList of eligible partner countries
​The Specialised Committee International Cooperation appoints the SPIRIT Evaluation Commission (SEC), which is composed of a pool of permanent international members from the humanities and social sciences, mathematics and the natural and engineering sciences, and medicine and biology. Gender expert(s) ensure that the committee acts in accordance with its gender awareness and equal opportunity criteria. High importance is attached to balancing the percentage of female and male researchers on the Commission at no less than 40% each.
Submission: No call until at least the end of 2028
Project duration: 2 to 4 years