1. Estonian Research Council 28 March 2016 Tartu 29 March 2016 Tallinn
Applying for personal research funding in 2017
Estonian Research Council 28 March 2016 Tartu 29 March 2016 Tallinn

2. Previous Call (2016) (1/2) Research Field Processed applications
Funded applications
Start-up
Exploratory
TOTAL
Biosciences and Environment 29 49 78 7 12
19 (24%)
Natural Sciences and Engineering 30 87
117 11 18
29 (25%)
Health 5 31 36 1 13
14 (39%)
Culture and Society 33 56 89
18 (20%)
Postdoc 35
9 (26%)
Total 97
223
355 26 54
89 (25%)

3. Total funding applied for Total sum of funded applications
Previous Call (2016)(2/2)
Total funding applied for
Total sum of funded applications
Research field
Start-up
Exploratory
TOTAL
Biosciences and Environment
Natural Sciences and Engineering
Health
55 561
Culture and Society
PUT total
PUT postdoc
 556945
= 19,4%
Grand total

4. New System of Research Grants and Baseline Funding (1/3)
General principles of PUT have not been changed:
Research grants are for individual researchers and research teams;
Research grants for capable researchers from all countries;
Employment contract with an Estonian R&D institution is obligatory;
The most important evaluation criteria are the scientific quality of the researcher and the research team, and the capability to conduct the project.

5. New System of Research Grants and Baseline Funding (2/3)
The most important changes in grants:
Research grants correspond to different levels of research career;
New grant type: Team grants;
The Principal Investigator of a team grant can be changed;
Research teams can be inter-institutional (researchers from different Estonian R&D institutions);
Fixed grant volumes for each grant type.  

6. New System of Research Grants and Baseline Funding (3/3)
The most important changes in applications:
To describe the importance of the project for Estonian science, society and economy;
To confirm that research ethics principles will be followed;
To explain how project data will be managed;
To describe the roles and distribution of tasks of research staff involved in the project;
To justify the requested grant volume.

7. Fixed Grant Volumes
The grant volumes are based on the amount of direct expenses. Overhead expenses will be added to the direct expenses;
The direct expenses consist of personnel costs and research related costs;
Based on the estimated personnel costs, the grants are either small or large ones (SG–1-2 FTE persons; TG–2-5 FTE persons);
Depending on the specifics of a research field, the small and large grants are divided into experimental and non-experimental;
Overhead costs are 5% of direct expenses in case of an (outgoing) postdoctoral grant, and 25% in case of start-up and team grants;
The applicant of a start-up or team grant has the right to request a smaller grant amount than the fixed grant volume.

8. Postdoctoral grant (PUT JD)
Up to 3 years, only for outgoing postdocs (incoming postdocs can apply for a grant in Mobilitas Pluss);
A non-recurrent relocation allowance can be also applied for;
Can be awarded to the same person only once;
An applicant can not apply simultaneously for more than one PUT grant but may be listed as primary research staff in yet another start-up or team grant;
has been awarded the PhD no more than 5 years prior to the closing date of the call;
A person can not apply for a grant if
his/her application in two consecutive calls has failed to reach the thresholds;
he/she has not timely submitted reports of projects previously financed by the Council.
The host institution (Estonian R&D institution) shall enter into an employment contract with the posdoctoral fellow.

9. Postdoctoral Grant Volumes
Direct expenses (per annum)
Overhead expenses (per annum)
Total fixed grant volume (per annum)
Non-experimental outgoing
32 000
1 600
33 600
Experimental outgoing
34 000
1 700
35 700
The rates of relocation allowance are as follows:
For projects lasting up to one year – 4000 euros;
For projects lasting up to two years – 5500 euros;
For projects lasting up to three years – 7000 euros.

10. Start-up grant (PUT SG) (1/2)
Up to 4 years;
Can be awarded to the same person only once;
An applicant can not apply simultaneously for more than one PUT grant but may be listed as primary research staff in yet another start-up or team grant;
has been awarded the PhD at least 2 years before and no more than 7 years prior to the closing date of the call;
A person can not apply for a grant if
his/her application in two consecutive calls has failed to reach the thresholds;
he/she has not timely submitted reports of projects previously financed by the Council.

11. Start-up grant (PUT SG) (2/2)
The Principal Investigator is employed full-time at the host institution and has a place of work in Estonia, and who shall fully or in part be remunerated from the grant;
The primary research staff are employed by the host institution full-time, have the necessary qualification for carrying out the research tasks, and shall fully or in part be remunerated from the grant. A member of primary research staff cannot act as any of the following during the grant term:
A Principal Investigator or primary research staff of another PUT (start-up, exploratory, team) project nor as a postdoctoral fellow;
A Principal Investigator or primary research staff of an IUT topic;
Other research staff, incl. Master and PhD students: can be persons whose wages or (in case of students) scholarships are fully or in part covered from the grant, and whose work is substantively related to the project.

12. Start-up Grant Volume Start-up grant Direct expenses (per annum)
Overhead expenses (per annum)
Total fixed grant volume (per annum)
Non-experimental small
37 500
9 375
46 875
Non-experimental large
60 000
15 000
75 000
Experimental small
40 500
10 125
50 625
Experimental large
65 000
16 250
81 250

13. Team Grant (PUT RG) (1/2) Up to 5 years;
Can be awarded to the same person several times;
The Principal Investigator can be changed;
An applicant can not apply simultaneously for more than one PUT grant but may be listed as primary research staff in yet another start-up or team grant;
No time limits concerning the PhD;
A person can not apply for a grant if
he/she has not timely submitted reports of projects previously financed by the Council.

14. Team Grant (PUT RG) (2/2)
The Principal Investigator is employed full-time at the host institution and his/her place of work is in Estonia (exeptions can be applied for);
The primary research staff have a PhD degree (exeptions can be applied for) and are employed by an Estonian R&D institution; A member of primary research staff cannot act as any of the following during the grant term:
A Principal Investigator or primary research staff of another PUT (start-up, exploratory, team) project nor as a postdoctoral fellow;
A Principal Investigator or primary research staff of an IUT topic;
Other research staff, incl. Master and PhD students: can be persons whose wages or (in case of students) scholarships are fully or in part covered from the grant, and whose work is substantively related to the project.

15. Team Grant Volume Team grant Direct expenses (per annum)
Overhead expenses (per annum)
Total fixed grant volume (per annum)
Non-experimental small
105 000
26 250
131 250
Non-experimental large
148 000
37 000
185 000
Experimental small
114 000
28 500
142 500
Experimental large
160 000
40 000
200 000

16. Tips to applicants (1/2)
Call will open on 1 April 2017 and close on 5 May :00 Estonian time. NB! The application is submitted only after the institution has confirmed it via ETIS. Please follow the deadlines of your institution.
Write the application yourself. In case using texts from ohter authors cite them properly;
Update your CV–check your employment data, projects, clearly indicate your research experience (e.g. postdoc), etc;
Clearly bring out your contribution in the research articles and projects attached to the application;
Use the text boxes provided in the application form to make all relevant comments.

17. Tips to applicants (2/2)
Present your bibliometric data drawn from ISI WoS, Scopus or Google Scholar data bases in the tab „Persons“.
NB! See recommendations
Calculate a realistic budget and justify the requested grant volume.
NB! If the grant volume applied for is not justified enough, the application will be denied.
Read very carefully the „Guidelines for evaluating personal research funding applications“. Put on the „reviewer hat“ before confirming your application.

18. Tips to Principal Investigators
The annual report is drawn up in Estonian or in English by the PI and the host institution submits it to the Council via the ETIS no later than by 1 March of the year following the reporting year;
If there are any changes in the project (e.g. the PI will take the parental leave; changes in the employment contracts of the primary research staff, etc.), please contact your host institution and the Council immediately. You can allways ask us for advice.
NB! The Estonian Research Council will audit the fulfilment of conditions.
Upon publication of the project results, it is indicated which funds were used for the implementation of the research project. Scientific articles which do not contain such an indication (= acknowledgement) will not be considered in the final report;
Please think already during the project how the results of the project could be made public in a clear and understandable way for „common people“.

19. More information
New system of research grants and baseline funding:
Call 2017:
General information: Siret Rutiku tel )
PUT Postdoc: Kadri Mäger
tel )

20. Funding Officers Biosciences and Environment:
Silja Moik (tel ,
Natural Sciences and Engineering:
Rainer Randmeri (tel ,
Health:
Iige Maalmann (tel ,
Culture and Society:
Madis Saluveer (tel ,