Guidelines for Open Project Support
The purpose of the research funds is to contribute to ensuring research activity in health trusts and to increase the productivity, quality, and impact for the health service. A significant share of the funds should go towards research training and the building of research competence.
Evaluation of Applications
Applications are assessed based on scientific quality and impact for 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.
For applications in the "open project support" category, regional collaboration can also count positively. Regional collaboration in this context refers to research collaboration between institutions in different geographical parts of the region.
Who Can Apply – Requirements at the Time of Application
As a main rule, the principal investigator – the person with academic responsibility for the project – should be the applicant. The applicant must hold a PhD. Applicants can only send one application in the same category.
The applicant must be employed (min. 20%) by a health trust in the region or by a private, non-profit institution that has an agreement with Helse Vest. The employment must be stated in the applicant's CV.
If the employment requirement is not met, people who are employed by universities and colleges in the region, as well as private substance abuse centres and rehabilitation institutions with an agreement with Helse Vest, can still apply if an "agreement of support" with a health trust or a private, non-profit institution is attached, please see Who can apply for research funding for more information.
If the applicant is retiring during the project period, a statement clarifying who will continue the project must be attached to the application.
Quarantine Arrangement (new in 2025)
The Liaison Committee (Samarbeidsorganet) decided in June 2024 (case 23/2024) on a quarantine arrangement for recipients of Helse Vest research funds. In this call, the arrangement applies to "open project support". Those who are given quarantine and thus cannot apply this year are:
- Applicants who were awarded funds in the open project support category in 2024 (project start in 2025).
- Project leaders who have unused funds at the end of the project period equivalent to one year's allocation or more. This is based on the financial reporting for the last year with fresh funds.
What Can Be Applied For
Helse Vest grants up to NOK 5 million spread over three years. Funds can be applied to cover expenses for personnel, operations and equipment.
It is possible to apply for coverage of costs for support personnel such as laboratory technicians, research nurses, etc. It is possible to apply for the release of one or more clinicians in hospitals (basic salary) equivalent to up to 6 person-months per position. It should be justified that other alternatives for research leave have been used or are not available. It is not possible to apply for research scholarships/research positions.
Applications for PhD fellowships or postdoctoral fellowships connected to the project must be submitted separately, please see the guidelines for each fellowship. Running costs for candidates must be covered from other funding sources (refer to the guidelines for fellowships), and the category "open project support" shall not be used soley for running costs for fellowships.
If applying for equipment, it must be explained which environment will use the equipment. Ownership of the equipment must be clarified, and maintenance must be ensured through the acquisition of multi-year service packages. If the same or similar equipment already is available at the institution, in geographical proximity, or access to the equipment is secured through national agreements, the applicant must justify the need to duplicate the equipment. Equipment purchased via research funds in Helse Vest should, by agreement, must be available for use by all interested parties.
If Funds Are Awarded
Personnel financed by Helse Vest research funds are to be employed by the applicant institution (the health trust or the private, non-profit institution).
If changes occur in the applicant's employment situation during the project period (cf. Who can apply for research funds from Helse Vest), the applicant institution has the final say on whether the project's association is also to be changed or if a new project manager must be appointed.
Researchers receiving Helse Vest's research funding must complete a course in user participation. Employees in healthcare institutions will receive a certificate if they complete the course through the "Læringsportalen".
Recipients of open project support are expected to apply for funding from the NFR/EU system during the project period. Project leaders will be asked to report on this in the annual professional reporting.
Project description and other attachments
Two attachements must be uploaded:
Guidelines updated: May 2025.