Funding Opportunities

Open for application

PROOF OF CONCEPT 2025-1

With the Proof of Concept (PoC) programme KWF wants to stimulate the translation of impactful innovations to ensure they reach patients more quickly. The programme focuses on mapping out the path towards (clinical) application. The PoC application must be related to an ongoing or recently finished KWF project (up to 6 months after completion).

Call number: 2025-1 PoC
Call type: open call
Contact address:  [email protected]
  • Timeline 
Call opens: 2 December 2024
Call closes: 21 January 2025 (12.00 noon)
Funding decision: 8 April 2025

LONG-TERM PROGRAMME BIOMARKERS

This programme is meant to translate the most promising biomarker(s) into practice. Biomarker development will be supported until the biomarker is implemented on a national scale. This goal should be achieved within the shortest, yet realistic timeframe possible. 

Call number: 2025-LTP
Call type: Long-term programme
Contact address: [email protected] 
  • Timeline
Opening checklist: 3 September 2024
Opening pre-proposals: 24 September 2024
Closure checklist: 22 October 2024
Closure pre-proposals: 3 December 2024 (12.00 noon)
Opening full proposals:  28 January 2025
Closure full proposals:  1 April 2025 (12.00 noon)
Interviews: 27 May 2025
Funding decision: July 2025

ATTRACT 2025: INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR RESEARCH PROPOSALS ON RARE CANCER DRUG DEVELOPMENT

6 European anti-cancer charities join forces and launch the ATTRACT 2025 call to stimulate international research on the treatment of rare cancers. We are pioneering with this partnership to tackle the funding gap for international research projects, especially in the field of rare cancer therapeutics. Our ambitious aim is to improve the treatment of rare cancers by helping new drug innovations from research into clinical practice, making the best possible treatments accessible to rare cancer patients everywhere. 

  • Provisional Timeline
Application Open Pre-proposal: 9 September, 2024
Application Deadline Pre-proposal:  11 October 2024, 3pm CET
Application Open Full proposal: First half of Feb 2025
Application Deadline Full proposal: End of April 2025
Rebuttal week: First half of Sep 2025
Funding decisions: Oct-Nov 2025

Upcoming calls (subject to changes)

Call for advancement of biomarkers to daily practice

The aim of this call is to validate (combinations of) already discovered, promising biomarkers that correlate with patient relevant outcomes or treatment responses and that can be used in daily clinical practice in the near future (TRL 5/6). Therefore, efforts are needed to set up collaborative, multidisciplinary studies with special attention to (combinations of) biomarkers that are potential candidates for clinical implementation. The focus of this call is to bring together the necessary expertise in the field of biomarker research and clinical care to reach the next developmental phase of the biomarker candidate(s) on their way to daily practice and to provide the appropriate framework and funding. 

Call number: 2025-Biomarkers
Call type: theme call
Contact address:  [email protected]
  • Timeline
Opening pre-proposals: 4 March 2025
Closure pre-proposals: 29 April 2025 (12.00 noon)
Opening full proposals:  17 June 2025
Closure full proposals:  9 September 2025 (12.00 noon)
Interviews: November 2025
Funding decision: December 2025

PROOF OF CONCEPT 2025-2

With the Proof of Concept (PoC) programme KWF wants to stimulate the translation of impactful innovations to ensure they reach patients more quickly. The programme focuses on mapping out the path towards (clinical) application. The PoC application must be related to an ongoing or recently finished KWF project (up to 6 months after completion).

Call number: 2025-2 PoC
Call type: open call
Contact address:  [email protected]
  • Timeline 
Call opens: Mid-April 2025
Call closes: 27 May 2025 (12.00 noon)
Funding decision: Mid-September 2025

PROOF OF CONCEPT 2025-3

With the Proof of Concept (PoC) programme KWF wants to stimulate the translation of impactful innovations to ensure they reach patients more quickly. The programme focuses on mapping out the path towards (clinical) application. The PoC application must be related to an ongoing or recently finished KWF project (up to 6 months after completion).

Call number: 2025-3 PoC
Call type: open call
Contact address:  [email protected]
  • Timeline 
Call opens: End of June 2025
Call closes: 23 September 2025 (12.00 noon)
Funding decision: December 2025

Closed calls (awaiting funding decision)

PPP PILOT 2024

KWF has been given the opportunity to participate in the Health~Holland PPS Pilot of 2024. The purpose of this pilot is to allow parties to gain experience with the structure of the new 'PPP Innovation Subsidy Regulation'. This includes, among other things, new funding conditions.

Opening: 28 June 2024
Closure: 1 October 2024 (12.00 noon)
Funding decision: Mid-February 2025

CALL 2025-2 / DEVELOPMENT

Development is outlined as the process needed to translate research findings into practical implementation. The Development Call is reserved for project proposals within the Creation of Modality, Preclinical, Clinical and Implementation research phase.

Call number: 2025-2 / DEV
Opening: 24 September 2024
Closing: 26 November 2024 (12.00 noon)
Consortium/YIG-interviews: May 2025
Funding decision: July 2025

CALL 2025-1 / EXPLORATION

This call is dedicated to basic research to uncover the underlying mechanisms that drive the onset, growth, and spread of cancer. Its aim is to address knowledge gaps, gain new scientific insights, and identify new leads and targets for preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The call is intended for project proposals within the Basic research and Credentialing phases.

Call number: 2025-1 / EXPL
Opening: 24 September 2024
Closure: 19 November 2024 (12.00 noon)
Consortium/YIG-interviews:   Mid-April 2025
Funding decision: July 2025

Completed calls

CALL 2024-3 / EXPLORATION

This call is dedicated to basic research to uncover the underlying mechanisms that drive the onset, growth, and spread of cancer. Its aim is to address knowledge gaps, gain new scientific insights, and identify new leads and targets for preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The call is intended for project proposals within the Basic research and Credentialing phases.

Opening: 20 February 2024 (12.00 noon)
Closure: 14 May 2024 (12.00 noon)
Funding decision: 12 December 2024
Awarded grants: News release | List of awarded grants

THEME CALL SMART MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGY

The aim of this call is to stimulate the further development of smart measurement technology to provide (early) diagnosis and monitoring of oncological patients in a minimally invasive manner and closer to home.

Opening pre-proposals: 5 March 2024
Closure pre-proposals: 7 May 2024 (12.00 noon)
Closure full proposals:  10 September 2024 (12.00 noon)
Consortium interviews: 12 November 2024
Funding decision:   12 December 2024
Awarded grants: News release | List of awarded grants

THEME CALL ADVANCEMENT OF BIOMARKERS TO DAILY PRACTICE

The aim of this call is to validate (combinations of) already discovered, promising biomarkers that correlate with patient relevant outcomes or treatment responses and that can be used in daily clinical practice in the near future. Therefore, efforts are needed to set up collaborative, multidisciplinary studies with special attention to (combinations of) biomarkers that are potential candidates for clinical implementation. The focus of this call is to bring together the necessary expertise in the field of biomarker research and clinical care to reach the next developmental phase of the biomarker candidate(s) on their way to daily practice and to provide the appropriate framework and funding. 

Opening: 5 March 2024 
Closure pre-proposals: 7 May 2024 (12.00u)
Closure full proposals: 10 September 2024 (12.00 noon)
Interviews: Mid-November 2024
Funding decision: 12 December 2024
Awarded grants: News release | List of awarded grants

CALL PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT FROM INNOVATIVE ACADEMIC RESEARCH (PIPELINE)

The PIPELINE call aims at the clinical development of new pharmaceuticals that originate from academic research and have the potential to substantially improve the treatment for cancer patients with unmet medical needs. Any type of pharmaceutical that is regulated as a medical product in the European Union is eligible.

Opening pre-applications: 19 September 2023
Closure pre-applications: 30 November 2023
Opening pre-proposals: 9 January 2024
Closure pre-proposals:  19 March 2024 (12.00 Noon)
Opening full proposals: 4 June 2024
Closure full-proposals: 10 September 2024 (12.00 Noon)
Funding decision: 12 December 2024
Awarded grants: News release | List of awarded Grants

THEME CALL PALLIATIVE CARE

The aim of this call is to contribute to an inclusive palliative care environment, where every patient, regardless of their cultural, religious or social background, receives respectful and high-quality care.

Opening pre-proposals 3 October 2023 (12.00 noon)
Closure pre-proposals: 5 December 2023 (12.00 noon)
Closure full proposals: 28 May 2024 (12.00 noon)
Funding decision: 5 November 2024
Awarded grants: Press release | List of awarded grants 

IMPLEMENTATION RESEARCH FOR CANCER PREVENTION IN EUROPE

Opening: 15 December 2023
Closure: 15 March 2024
Funding decision: 11 September 2024 
Awarded grants: Press release KWF / Press release UICC

CALL 2024-2 / DEVELOPMENT

Opening: 22 August 2023 (12.00 noon)
Closure: 7 November 2023 (12.00 noon)
Consortium/YIG-interviews 23 & 25 April 2024
Funding decision: 16 July 2024
Awarded grants: List of awarded grants

LONG-TERM PROGRAMME BIOMARKERS

The long-term programme is meant to translate the most promising biomarker(s) into practice. Biomarker development will be supported until the biomarker is implemented on a national scale. This goal should be achieved within the shortest, yet realistic timeframe possible. 

Opening checklist: 14 September 2023
Closure checklist:                 6 November 2023 (12.00 noon)
Opening pre-proposals: 3 October 2023
Closure pre-proposals: 5 December 2023 (12.00 noon)
Opening full proposals: 30 Januari 2024
Closure full proposals:  9 April 2024 (12.00 noon)
Funding decision: 9 July 2024 [
Awarded grant: See press release [Dutch]