Call for proposals for project grants 2026

Area: All scientific areas. The research must clearly demonstrate relevance to sport.

Applicant: Individual researcher at a Swedish Higher Education Institution

Co-applicants: A maximum of 3 other researchers can participate

Granted for: 2 years

Funding amount: Up to SEK 500,000 per year; total funding up to SEK 1 000 000

Application period: 12 June 2026 – 15 September 2026 at 17.00 (CET)

Grant decision published: 10 December 2026

Project period: 1 January 2027 – 31 December 2028

What is funded?

The Swedish Research Council for Sport Science (CIF) is announcing project grants for research with relevance to sport. Sports research can be conducted in any scientific field. An application must clearly demonstrate relevance to sport to be eligible for funding. CIF adopts a broad definition of what constitutes sport. Read more about this in the CIF definition of relevance to sport.

The grant can cover operating costs, overhead costs and salaries for the main applicant and other staff involved in the project, including doctoral students. The grant cannot be used for stipends.

Who can apply?

• The main applicant must have submitted the final report of a previous CIF grant on time.
• The main applicant should hold a Swedish doctoral degree or an equivalent foreign degree.
• The main applicant should be employed by a Swedish higher education institution (HEI) and the research should be performed as part of the employment.
• The main applicant is the project manager and is scientifically responsible for and active in the project. The funds are administered by the recipient’s department. By submitting an application, the applicant confirms that it has been approved by an authorised representative of the higher education institution (HEI).
• The main applicant should ensure that the research complies with the Swedish Research Council’s requirements on conducting ethical research and that an ethical review permission is obtained if required.
• The main applicant should be employed by the administering organisation at the start of the grant period. Exceptions are made for clinical researchers, for whom the administering organisation and another employer can agree on affiliation.
• Retired researchers can be the main applicant, provided they have an employment of at least 20% as a senior professor or equivalent at the time of application.
• Three co-applicants can be included in the application. It should be clearly described how the work is shared between the main applicant and co-applicants.
• Researchers may as the main applicant submit one application for a project grant, one application for a postdoc grant and one application for a grant for associations, networks and collaboration.
• Researchers with an active project grant from CIF at the start of the new project period cannot be the main applicant for a new project grant. A grant is considered ongoing during its entire project period. However, if the project period has ended but there is still remaining availability time, a new project grant can be applied for.