Following the preliminary announcement in December 2025, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) has now published the details of significant changes to its Project Funding scheme. These measures take effect for the submission deadline of 1 April 2026.

Key measures

• Maximum of two simultaneous project funding grants per researcher, one of which must be a Lead Agency/Weave/ICIS project
• Only one project funding proposal per researcher within a 12-month period, except for proposals rejected in random selection or recommended for funding by the SNSF but not approved by the partner organisation.
• Average annual maximum of CHF 250,000 per grant and per applicant, with personnel costs capped at CHF 200,000
• Maximum funding amount per project: CHF 3 million
• Applicants based abroad are now only permitted in Lead Agency/Weave/ICIS projects, but cooperation with project partners abroad is still possible.

To cushion the impact of those measures, the SNSF is introducing a transition phase for ongoing and approved collaborative projects until the end of their duration. Collaborative grants approved before 1 April 2026 will be treated the same as ongoing Lead Agency/Weave/ICIS grants. This allows grantees of a collaborative project to submit a second proposal even if their current grant is not a Lead Agency/Weave/ICIS grant.

Note that, as a consequence of these measures, applicants with a Project Funding proposal currently under evaluation cannot submit again in April 2026 (unless the project under evaluation is rejected in random selection, or is recommended for funding by the SNSF but not approved by the partner organisation).

The Project Funding webpage on the SNSF website provides details on how these measures are implemented.

Why these changes?

Since October 2021, the SNSF has recorded a 55% increase in applications and a 69% increase in requested funding, while available resources have not kept pace. Success rates have dropped to critical levels (~27% in summer 2025, potentially ~20% this winter), leading to the rejection of many excellent projects. These measures aim to stabilise success rates and ensure fair opportunities for all researchers.

What should you do?

If you are considering submitting a proposal for the April 2026 deadline, please carefully review your eligibility under the new rules. Our team is available to provide strategic advice on how these changes may affect your funding plans.

Information event

The SNSF will hold an online information session on 10 February 2026 from 13:30 to 15:30 CET to present these changes and answer questions. Registration details are available here .

Do not hesitate to contact the SPR if you have any questions.