Legislative amendment to Act on Independent Research Fund Denmark

The legislative amendment introduces three changes affecting the fund: a limitation on the number of applications per applicant, collaboration with other foundations on calls for proposals for thematic funding, and an extension of the strategy period. The fund will provide ongoing information on the implementation of the new initiatives resulting from the legislative amendment.

Read the Act amending the Act on the Danish Council for Research and Innovation Policy and Independent Research Fund Denmark (In Danish). 

Limitation on the number of applications

Independent Research Fund Denmark receives more high-quality applications than it is possible to fund with the resources available to the fund. This reflects the high quality of Danish research, but unfortunately it also means that too many researchers prepare applications for research projects that are not granted.

The legislative amendment provides Independent Research Fund Denmark with the legal basis to limit the number of applications. The fund may now:

• Limit the number of applications an applicant may submit to the fund
• Limit the number of applications from active grant holders with two or more grants
• Impose a quarantine period on applicants on the basis of one or more applications that are of a quality far below the threshold to get into consideration for funding.

With the legislative amendment, the fund is thus able to limit the number of applications in a manner similar to other comparable funding organisations, such as the Swedish Research Council, the Research Council of Norway and the European Research Council (ERC).

The fund expects to implement limitations on the number of applications with the calls for proposals in 2026, once the specific options have been more clearly defined by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science. The specific criteria governing limits on the number of applications an applicant may submit to the fund, and limits on applications from active grant holders, will be laid down in the Executive Order on the Grant Administration, etc. under Independent Research Fund Denmark (Bekendtgørelse om bevillingsfunktionen m.v. under Danmarks Frie Forskningsfond), which is currently being prepared by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science. The Executive Order is expected to be finalised in March 2026.

The Board of Independent Research Fund Denmark will also decide on the criteria governing the imposition of quarantine periods. It is expected that quarantine periods will be introduced with the fund’s calls for research funding in 2027.

Collaboration with other public and private funds

The second element of the legislative amendment means that Independent Research Fund Denmark may in future participate in joint calls for proposals with other public or private funds for the allocation of Independent Research Fund Denmark’s thematic funding. Until now, the fund has not had the possibility to do so. This change does not affect the fund’s independent fundings.

Independent Research Fund Denmark will enter into such collaborations where this is deemed appropriate with a view to strengthening research and knowledge building within a politically prioritised area.

Extension of the fund’s strategy period

As the final element of the legislative amendment, the fund’s strategy period is extended from three to four years. This means in concrete terms that Independent Research Fund Denmark’s current strategy, “Independent Research in a Changing World”, is extended by one year and will run from 2024 until the end of 2027.

The content of the current strategy remains unchanged, but the legislative amendment enables the fund to continue its work on the strategic priorities that Independent Research Fund Denmark wishes to emphasise in the coming years.

Implementation of the legislative amendment

From January 2026, Independent Research Fund Denmark will begin implementing the legislative amendment. It is important to the fund that the implementation is carried out in a proper and transparent manner. Therefore, over the coming months the fund will continuously publish a series of news items on the consequences of the legislative amendment that will be of relevance to applicants.

As in previous years, the fund will, among other things, hold webinars for applicants and meetings with administrative staff from research support units, etc.

The fund will continuously update its website with answers to frequently asked questions about the changes that the Act will entail in the period ahead.

Find answers to questions (FAQ) about the legislative amendment here.