Viable Business Case for Infrastructure Initiatives

KWF Dutch Cancer Society has an infrastructure portfolio that reaches approximately 30 ongoing and closed projects, including biobanks, databases, platforms and research or training facilities, all supporting groundbreaking and effective oncology research. A recurring challenge for many infrastructure projects is the successful transition towards a sustainable business model, in which the infrastructures are not dependent on project subsidies and find new ways to remain viable.  

Maintaining a successful business model as an infrastructure project is dependent on different factors. These factors are for instance: 

• Scalability of the infrastructure: the more users the infrastructure can serve, the more successful it can become 
• Understanding the need for and the market in which you are operating as an infrastructure: who are your users (and thus clients)?  
• Collaboration between different parties  
• Sustainable funding

Goal

The aim of the unique ‘Viable Business Case’ program is to stimulate existing oncology infrastructure projects to create a viable business model and find new methods to (financially) support their infrastructure, especially by exploring possible partnerships and collaborations. With this program, our ambition is to enhance and expand upon the significant efforts already invested in current infrastructure projects, rather than exploring new projects in the infrastructure domain.

In Scope

All oncology infrastructure projects – biobanks, databases, facilities, platforms – are eligible to apply for this program. We encourage the formation of collaborations and scaling up, with the requirement that at least one infrastructure project funded by KWF is included as part of the collaboration.

Out of Scope

• The business case program aims to further develop a viable business case. This implies that the funding is not intended for continuation of the original infrastructure plan, nor for covering personnel salaries during an extension period.
• The development of a new infrastructural initiative is beyond the scope of this program.

Terms and Conditions

The KWF Funding Conditions 2025 and the KWF Accountants Protocol apply (see downloads).

In addition, the following conditions apply:

• Twice a year, a meeting with the project team and KWF will be organized to evaluate the progress of the Project. During these meetings, milestones will be reviewed, a go/no-go decision will be made, and the project plan, along with the expertise composition of the project team, will be assessed.
   
• Once a year a meeting with project members from all projects that have been funded from this program will be organized to discuss best practices and common hurdles/challenges.
   
• The business case program has been established to encourage the further development of a viable business case. This implies that the funding is not intended for continuation of the original infrastructure plan, nor for covering personnel salaries during an extension period. 

Submitting procedure (incl. Baseline Assessment)

Before submitting a full proposal through our Grant Management System (KWF-GMS), you are required to submit a baseline assessment (available for download below). 

The purpose of the baseline assessment is to assess what projects are eligible to write a business case strategy to further develop the business case of their infrastructure project. The baseline assessment provides insight into the current state of the infrastructure, the maturity of the infrastructure, as well as the capabilities the project has or lacks to develop into a viable business case.

Please submit your baseline assessment and Excel-file to our Infrastructure team via email at [email protected] before February 18th, 2025.

Within two weeks after the deadline the baseline assessment will be evaluated. If your project is eligible according to the baseline assessment, you will receive an invitation to submit an action plan as full proposal in GMS (deadline for the action plan: June 24 2025 12:00 CET).

If your project is not in scope, you will receive a justification and a suggestion for applying in another KWF call (if applicable).

For any questions or guidance in assembling the assessment, we strongly advise you to contact our Infrastructure team by email: [email protected]. KWF can help you form new collaborations.

Timeline

Indicative budget and duration

Recommendations and considerations 

It is required to apply for the program in a collaboration or partnership form, with at least one partner that is a KWF funded infrastructure.