Guidelines for open project support
Open project support aims to support larger projects of high scientific quality with expected benefits for future patient treatment. Funding for such projects should help build research environments within the health trusts in Western Norway.
Who Can Apply – Requirements at the Time of Application
The project leader, who is academically responsible for the project, must be the applicant and must at minimum hold a doctoral degree.
The applicant must be employed at least 20 % at a health trust in the region or at a private non-profit institution with an agreement with Helse Vest and must have their main position at an institution eligible to apply for Helse Vest research funding. These include: the University of Bergen (UiB), University of Stavanger (UiS), Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL), private addiction treatment institutions, private rehabilitation institutions, health trusts, and private non-profit institutions. Employment must be stated in the applicant’s CV and apply for the entire project period.
If the employment requirements are not met, employees with a main position at universities and university colleges in the region, or at private addiction and rehabilitation institutions with agreements with Helse Vest, may still apply if a formal Agreement of Support with a health trust or a private non-profit institution in the region is included in the application. See “Who can apply for research funding” for more information.
If the applicant reaches retirement age during the project period, a statement from the applicant’s institution (e.g., the research department) must be attached, specifying who will take over responsibility for the project.
The applicant cannot submit more than one application within the same application category.
Quarantine (submission restriction period)
In June 2024, the Regional Liaison Committee (Samarbeidsorganet) adopted a quarantine scheme for recipients of Helse Vest research funding. In this call, submission restrictions apply to open project support. The following are not eligible to apply this year:
- Recipients of open project support in 2025 (project start in 2026).
- Project leaders who have unused funds at the end of the project period equivalent to one year of funding or more. This is based on the financial reporting for the last year with freshly allocated funds.
What You Can Apply For
Funding may be requested for:
- Research time for clinicians, other research personnel, and support staff at health trusts in the region or private non-profit institutions with agreements with Helse Vest
- Operating costs and funds for purchasing minor equipment for use in the project
These budget items may total up to NOK 5.1 million over 4 years, with a maximum of NOK 1.7 million per year. Applications must request at least NOK 3 million in total, and the project period must be at least 2 years.
It is not permitted to buy out or pay/employ personnel in other sectors (such as higher education or institute sector), other health regions, or abroad.
The applicant may also include a research fellowship in the budget for open project funding if justified by the scope of the project. In such cases, the application must not name a specific candidate, as the applicant institution must announce the fellowship externally after the funding has been awarded. Note that the employment period for the research fellow cannot extend beyond the planned project period.
It is not possible to apply for research fellowships or research positions beyond this.
Where the application includes equipment, it must be explained which research environments will use it. Ownership must be clarified, and maintenance must be ensured through multi-year service agreements. If similar equipment already exists nearby or is accessible through national agreements, the need for duplication must be justified in the application. Equipment purchased through Helse Vest research funding must, by agreement, be made available to all stakeholders.
Assessment of Applications
Applications to Helse Vest are assessed based on scientific quality and impact on the health services. The two criteria are equal in the sense that quality or impact alone is not sufficient for the allocation of funds. Read more in Aims and Criteria.
The Liaison Committee emphasizes regional collaboration to make effective use of expertise and resources, while also building strong regional networks. Collaboration also strengthens competitiveness for national and international funding. Therefore, in the open project funding category, regional collaboration will be considered positively.
In this call, regional collaboration refers to research collaboration between the members of the Liaison Committee across different geographical parts of the region. Note that patient recruitment and/or provision of research services alone is not sufficient to be considered as research collaboration. Documentation of regional collaboration is required (see attachment requirements).
If Funds Are Awarded
Helse Vest research funds must be used for research within the region. Personnel funded must be employed and have their primary workplace at the applicant institution (health trust/private non-profit institution).
If changes occur in the applicant’s employment after funding is awarded, the applicant institution has the final say on whether the project affiliation should change or whether a new project leader must be appointed. Any changes must be agreed in dialogue with Helse Vest and documented through agreements between the institutions involved.
Researchers receiving Helse Vest funding must complete a course in user involvement. Employees in health trusts will receive a course certificate if they complete the course via the internal elearning system.
Recipients of open project support are expected to apply to the next relevant call from the Research Council of Norway (NFR) or EU system. Project leaders will be asked to report on this in the annual scientific reporting.
Project description and other attachments
Two attachements must be uploaded:
Updatet June 2026