The NCN to facilitate its grant procedures

The National Science Centre continues to improve the process of applying for and implementing grants. In December 2017 a round-table meeting took place at the Centre’s office. Representatives of both the research community and the NCN debated on how best to streamline the cooperation between the Centre and researchers. In the aftermath of the meeting the NCN will introduce a number of improvements.

Formal notifications will shortly be sent to host institutions involved in the implementation of the NCN research grants, informing them of the scope and dates of the improvements.

1. Costs will become eligible once the decision on funding has become final and binding (so far the practice has been to qualify the costs as eligible only upon signing the grant agreement). The change enters into force from the publication of MAESTRO 9, SONATA 13, SONATA BIS 7 and HARMONIA 9 calls.
2. Proposals with minor irregularities in the breakdown of project costs (ineligible costs) will not be rejected at the eligibility check stage. The change enters into force from the publication of the OPUS 14, PRELUDIUM 14 and DAINA 1 calls.
3. One will be able to propose the dates of commencement and end of one’s project by emailing or telephoning the project’s assistance officer at the NCN.
4. One will be able to move the project to another host institution not only – as has previously been the case – during its implementation (i.e. after signing the agreement), but also before signing the agreement, once the decision on funding has become final and binding.
5. From the publication of calls scheduled for 15th September 2018, the attachment of an additional form concerning state aid in the ZSUN/OSF system will no longer be required for every proposal.
6. For proposals submitted by natural persons the requirement of confirming the principal investigator’s employment by the host institution will be cancelled.
7. The short and full description of the project will constitute annexes to the proposal, so as to enable the applicants to work on the subject matter of the proposal until the date of deadline for submissions. Both annexes will be in English. Previously, the short description was in Polish, and both descriptions have constituted part of the proposal itself. The change enters into force from the publication of the OPUS 15 and PRELUDIUM 15 calls (March 2018).
8. One will be able to extend the project’s duration by 12 months without applying for a permit from the Centre (previously this period had been 6 months). This does not apply to projects carried out in bi- and multilateral cooperation.
9. The list of the equipment to be purchased in the project will not be deemed as final at the stage of the project’s implementation.
10. Additional funding from the host institution for investigators receiving their salaries from the grant will be allowed.

Changes regarding the implementation of grants will be applied RETROACTIVELY, i.e. they can be applied to projects already under way.

PLEASE NOTE:

The abovementioned modifications will have no effect in the case of projects funded under the POLONEZ programme, editions 1-3.

Modifications no 2, 3, 4, 8 and 9 do not apply to projects where state aid is involved (i.e. projects carried out by businesses or research consortia where the NCN funding constitutes state aid for at least one partner).