Pandemic: SNSF provides flexible solutions for researchers

As the Covid-19 pandemic makes it more difficult to do research, the SNSF is supporting scientists in every way it can. For example, it has moved the submission deadline for project funding proposals to 8 April 2020.

The Covid-19 pandemic affects us all. And researchers all the more - it is up to them to find answers to fundamental questions, thereby making innovation in the service of society possible.

For many of you, the current situation also affects how you plan or conduct your research project or your stay abroad. We are acutely aware of this. SNSF grant holders are primarily bound by the rules issued by their employer, the federal government, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) and the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) and - for stays abroad - by the guidelines published by the authorities in the country in question.

New deadline for project funding proposals: 8 April 2020

Normally, the submission deadline in project funding is 1 April. In view of the special situation in which we find ourselves, the SNSF has decided to evaluate all applications that arrive by 8 April 2020 at the latest.

Were the deadline to be postponed for a longer period, the SNSF would not be able to guarantee high-quality evaluation. Researchers for whom this deadline is still too tight can submit their project proposal by 1 October 2020.

If you manage to complete your application by 1 April, you can of course send it to us without delay. This would give us more control over the evaluation process during this extraordinary phase and enable us to assign the applications more efficiently.

A tolerance limit of 2 months applies to lifetime management deadlines for ongoing projects. This concerns, for example, the submission of scientific and financial reports.

Researchers' salaries

As the situation is changing continually, please check the SNSF website regularly for the latest information and contact the responsible division if you have any questions concerning your project. The salaries of staff employed on SNSF-funded projects and all other costs relevant to the project will be paid by the SNSF via the higher education institutions until the official end of the project. This continues to apply even if work at the institute is suspended in-between.

Adherence to timetable and budget

As far as possible, research work should be organised in a way that allows the project to finish on time without exceeding its budget. However, if your research project is delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, you may apply for a cost-neutral extension of your grant pursuant to the relevant regulations. You can submit such an extension application via the "Messages/Requests" data container of your project in mySNF.

Has your research project been delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic? Do you need more money to successfully complete it? Based on Article 36 of the Funding Regulations of the SNSF, you can apply for a supplementary grant for project completion. You can submit the application via the "Supplementary grants" data container of your project in mySNF.

Researchers with care duties

The SNSF appreciates that some researchers may not be able to work the number of hours they usually do because of the pandemic. Specifically, we will take into account the impact on researchers with care duties. Their applications for supplementary grants should generally be approved. That said, the duty of employers to continue salary payments takes precedence. Separate provisions apply to recipients of mobility fellowships for a stay abroad (seeFAQsExternal Link Icon).

We will continue to follow developments closely and adjust our measures as needed.