Within the Dutch Research Agenda – Research along Routes by Consortia (NWA-ORC), interdisciplinary and knowledge chain-wide consortia can submit innovative research proposals. The goal of NWA-ORC: to stimulate research and innovation to get closer to social and scientific breakthroughs!

There is a € 87 million budget available in 2026, which is divided among 12 themes. For each theme, € 7.25 million is available. This is therefore the maximum grant amount to be received for an application.

NWA-ORC 2026

A number of themes are selected each year on which consortia can submit research proposals. The themes represent an elaboration of one or more of the cluster questions. For 2026, the themes are:

• Regional food future: Water-smart, climate-proof and consumer-inspired
• Identities under pressure? Secondary education and the identity development of young people
• Reinventing work: Artistic research into labour in the digital age
• Sustainable remembrance. Nature-inclusive knowledge of the past for an ecologically sustainable future
• Materials that learn, and learning how to use them responsibly
• Integrated collaboration on climate-neutral mobility, logistics and accessibility in 2050
• The brain behind family choices: insights for health and equal opportunities
• Personalised care for patients in a low socio-economic position
• Smart technological infrastructure for sustainable and appropriate prevention in multimorbidity
• The right balance in immune responses: interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary insights for regenerative therapies
• Digitally resilient, locally anchored
• Fact and fiction in times of Generative A

Who can apply for NWA-ORC?

Applications can be submitted by Dutch consortia consisting of knowledge institutes, universities and applied and practical institutes. Consortia thus consist of partners from the public, semi-public and private knowledge chain. Applications can be submitted by a consortium in which the various types of research (fundamental, applied and practice-oriented) are represented. A consortium consists of the following categories of participants:

• Main applicant
• Co-applicant(s)
• Co-funder(s)
• Cooperating partner(s) (optional)

The main applicant submits the application on behalf of the consortium.

What will you receive funding for?

In this round, you can apply for research projects with a duration of four to eight years. You can receive a maximum grant of € 6.75 million. You will receive a grant for:

• Personnel and material costs
• Investments
• Knowledge utilisation
• Project management

When can you submit your NWA-ORC application?

The NWA-ORC 2024 application process consists of three stages:

1. Apply for collaborative workshops (mandatory for main applicants)
2. Mandatory collaborative workshops (main applicant or substitute): 6 February 2026 until 17 March 2026
3. Submission final application: closes on 6 October 2026

Your initiative consists of a brief explanation of the research question, the NWA pathway to which the research fits, a first indication of the consortium, the lead applicant and contact details. Initiatives are published online so that parties wishing to participate in the research can contact the initiative submitters.

NWA Thematic research

Besides the NWA-ORC calls, there are also regular NWA thematic calls with a specific focus. These calls often have a budget of several million euros and smaller project budgets. In these calls, interdisciplinarity and knowledge-chain-wide consortia are also very important.

More information

Would you like to know more about NWA-ORC or our services? Or are you curious whether your project is eligible for funding? Contact us directly via 088 495 20 00 or leave your details using the form below. Our specialists will be happy to advice and support you and your project!