New Funding Call: 'ScienceServe: Boosting Research Software at Helmholtz'
Helmholtz has launched a new call for proposals to promote the development of research software, funded by the Helmholtz Initiative and Networking Fund. Building on important existing initiatives and activities, this call supports projects that drive innovation, promote exchange between developers and scientists, and foster good practices in the field of research software.
This call is placing a clear emphasis on the advancement of research software and builds on the momentum from the Helmholtz Codes working group within the Information & Data Science Incubator, and is supported by key initiatives such as the Helmholtz Forum Research Software, the Helmholtz Information & Data Science Platforms (notably HIFIS), the Helmholtz Open Science Office, the Open Science Working Group, and the Joint Lab HIRSE from the Helmholtz Research Field Information.
The call aims to support software teams that enhance the quality, reusability, visibility, and long-term availability of their scientific software at Helmholtz. Beyond the adoption of proven software engineering best practices, the initiative also seeks to strengthen the exchange between developers and scientists, and to support the implementation of the FAIR principles for research software (FAIR4RS).
The call is open to Helmholtz researchers, software engineers, and teams affiliated with Helmholtz centers. Funded projects will be connected to strong networks within the Helmholtz Association. The funded projects will benefit from numerous viable networks and points of contact within the community.
The call has been published on April 28, 2025, with funding available for projects only in 2026. Note that co-funding of 50% is required by the institute applying.
Deadline for submissions will be June 30 2026.
Detailed information about the call is available at: https://www.helmholtz.de/en/research/current-calls-for-applications/article/scienceserve-boosting-research-software-at-helmholtz/
If you're submitting a proposal to this call and would need some guidance (either during proposal writing or during the project), you can contact the JuRSE Team. Since each proposal needs a signed letter from the board of directors to confirm co-funding, you need to get in touch with Sven Rank or Dorit Jerger early.
Below is our interpretation of the Q&A session from the recent webinar.
Q. How many projects will be funded?
A. Approximately 10 projects. The total budget is 1,250,000 euros. Each project can ask for 150,000 EUR max.
Q. Does the PI have to be on a permanent contract?
A. No.
Q. Can the projects collaborate with non-Helmholtz partners?
A. Funding can only go directly to Helmholtz Institutions. External partners may be included through sub-contracts, but prior consultation with the HGF head office is recommended in this case.
Q. Is it essential to collaborate with more than one Helmholtz center?
A. Technically no, but we want to foster collaboration, so naturally, we strongly encourage more than one center on a proposal.
Q. Is the funding period fixed?
A. Yes, the funding period is only for 2026.
Q. Does the project have to be open source code?
A. No, but we would encourage your code to be open source.
Q. Can projects involving multiple codes be funded?
A. Yes.
Q. Are there better chances of success if applying for a small grant?
A. No, you should ask for the most reasonable amount of money for your project.
Q. Can the proposals be used to contribute to established community projects?
A. Yes.
Q. Can postdocs apply?
A. Yes.
Q. Does the maturity of the code impact the chance of funding?
A. No.
Q. Do we need anything additional on the CV?
A. Yes, include metrics such as software and data publications.
Q. Can the funds be used for workshops or hackathons?
A. Yes.