This call for proposals invites researchers and societal organisations to form a consortium. The consortium will conduct research into the mechanisms through which drug-related harm arises. In addition, it will develop and improve policy interventions to reduce drug(-related) harm.
Who can apply
The Call for Proposals invites knowledge institutions, societal organisations and citizens to jointly develop research proposals focused on the theme of drug(-related) harm. Pre-proposals and applications are submitted by a main applicant. The main applicant (or their replacement) must have participated in all synergy workshops of the second phase.
Within the consortium, four categories of participants are distinguished:
- Main applicant
- Co-applicant(s)
- Cooperation partner(s)
- Co-funder(s) (not mandatory)
The consortium must consist of at least a main applicant, a co-applicant and a cooperation partner.
Researchers may act as main applicants. Furthermore, two types of co-applicants are possible: co-applicants affiliated with research organisations and co-applicants affiliated with societal organisations.
The requirements are explained in more detail in the Call for Proposals.
What for
Drug use, production and trafficking affect health, the economy, safety and the living environment, and these domains continuously influence one another. The Netherlands has a high availability of a wide array of drugs, which are rapidly distributed, driven by its strong logistical hubs, advanced digital infrastructure and a stable level of consumer demand. Public attitudes towards drug use and drug(-related) harm are varying and highly malleable, depending on age, personal experiences with drugs, (marketing) trends, news consumption and (online) social influence.
Reducing drug(-related) harm and developing integrated policies is complex. Due to this, it remains unclear which policy instruments and interventions are effective in reducing the harms caused by drugs. This Call aims to contribute to the development of knowledge about the (societal) mechanisms through which drug(-related) harm arises and how it can be reduced in a sustainable way. The knowledge generated through this Call must be able to adapt to temporal and societal fluctuations.
What to request
The Call for Proposals follows a two-phase structure. In the first phase, pre-proposals can be submitted for two themes. In the second phase, a single consortium is formed through externally facilitated synergy workshops.
Within this Call for Proposals, a maximum of four pre-proposals will be selected in phase 1. This corresponds to a maximum planned budget of €1,067,737.75 per pre-proposal.
The funding limit for the joint application in phase 2 amounts to a total of €4,270,951. The maximum duration of the proposed project is five years. The applicant and co-applicants may budget costs for personnel, material, investments and knowledge utilisation.
Consortium building
To increase the potential impact of the research, collaboration between researchers, with researchers from other disciplines, and with partners from society – such as companies and societal organisations – is required. In this Call for Proposals, the Dutch Research Council (NWO) supports the formation of a consortium by organising synergy workshops.
Participation in all synergy workshops in phase 2 is mandatory for the main applicants of the selected pre-proposals if they wish to act as main applicant of the full proposal. Additional participants, including relevant stakeholders, may be invited if the selected applicants decide to do so.
Mandatory consortium-building activities
In phase 2, the development and submission of a single application will take place by a consortium consisting of the selected main applicants and other involved parties from the selected pre-proposals. The content of the pre-proposals serves as the starting point and is integrated into a single application using the Impact Plan approach as the guiding framework.
The structure of the collaboration and the integration of the pre-proposals are expanded upon through synergy workshops. These consist of a series of workshops organised in the period from November 2026 up to and including February 2027, under the supervision of an external, independent facilitator appointed by NWO. Participation in all synergy workshops in phase 2 is mandatory for the main applicants of the selected pre-proposals if they wish to act as main applicant of the full proposal. Additional participants, including stakeholders, may be invited if the selected applicants decide to do so.
Additional information on consortium formation can be found in the Call for Proposals.
When
Procedure phase 1 (pre-proposal)
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Assessment of (foreign) organisations | 23 June 2026 |
| Application deadline | 7 July 2026 |
| Assessment by assessment committee | August 2026 |
| Board decision | September 2026 |
Procedure fase 2 (full application)
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Synergy workshop 1 | November 2026 |
| Synergy workshop 2 | January 2027 |
| Synergy workshop 3 | February 2027 |
| Assessment of (foreign) organisations | 16 March 2027 |
| Application deadline | 30 March 2027 |
| Assessment for consideration | April 2027 |
| Interview | May 2027 |
| Board decision | August 2027 |
Applications can only be submitted via the online application system, Mijn ZonMw. Applications not submitted via Mijn ZonMw will not be processed. As the lead applicant, you are required to submit your application via your own personal Mijn ZonMw account.
Steps for preparing pre-prosals in phase:
- download the pre-proposal form from the online application system My ZonMw or from the NWO website;
- complete the pre-proposal or application form;
- save the form as a PDF and submit it, together with any mandatory appendices, in Mijn ZonMw;
- complete the online information requested in Mijn ZonMw.
Mandatory appendices (pre-proposal):
- budget (no template provided; an Excel-file suffices)
NB you will receive an automatic confirmation of submission that states that the form 'Verklaring akkoord indienen uitgewerkte subsidieaanvraag' must be submitted a week past the submission deadline. You can disregard this notice, since in this Call for proposals the NWO Grant rules (2024) apply.
Downloads voor uw aanvraag
Phase 1
- Do you already have an account in Mijn ZonMw?
- Have you completed the pre-proposal form?
- Have you submitted all mandatory appendices?
Additional information on submitting an application can be found in the Call for Proposals.
Please note: the opportunity to submit the pre-proposal via My ZonMw will become available in early May. You can start the pre-proposal by downloading the pre-proposal application form.
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Features
- Opening date: 6 May 2026
- Budget subsidy round: € 4,270,951,-
- Budget per application: € 1.067.737,75
- Part of programme:
Collaboration with NWO
This Call for proposals was created in collaboration with NWO. Information can be viewed on the website of NWO (the information is the same).