Science and scholarly research relies upon the exchange of ideas through peaceful cooperation. In line with the Government of Ireland’s response, Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) condemns in the strongest terms the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation in violation of international law. In an effort to help tackle the humanitarian and economic loss, SFI is launching a new supplemental grant scheme to encourage and enable holders of existing SFI grants, and their associated Host Institutions, to provide opportunities for displaced researchers from Ukraine to join and collaborate on existing SFI-funded grants in order to integrate swiftly into the Irish research system, to enable them to maintain continuity in their research career and to bring added benefit to the SFI grant from their expertise.

Applications are open to principal investigators of existing SFI-funded grants to provide relevant research positions to displaced researchers from Ukraine at any stage of their research career.

  • To encourage and enable SFI grant holders of existing SFI grants, and their associated Host Institutions, to provide opportunities for displaced STEM researchers from Ukraine to join and collaborate on existing SFI-funded projects.
  • To integrate displaced Ukrainian researchers into SFI-funded projects, so that they may gain valuable research experience, relevant to their field of STEM.
  • The displaced Ukrainian researcher will add significant value to the research project, contributing to, for example research papers, conference proceedings and/or training of students.

Eligibility of Research Body

The research body of the lead applicant is the body responsible for the overall financial and administrative co-ordination of research programmes supported by funding from SFI. The research body must also provide assurance that the space and infrastructure to carry out the proposed research are available for the duration of the supplemental grant.

Eligible Grants

Applications are welcomed from principal investigators on active SFI grants across all schemes with the exception of Research Infrastructures Awards, SFI Discover Awards and SFI Industry RD&I Fellowship Awards.

The host institution for the Supplemental Grant for Displaced Researchers from Ukraine will be the same as for the active SFI grant.

The Lead Applicant is the Principal Investigator of the host grant and will serve as the primary point of contact for SFI during the review process and on the supplemental grant, if successful. The Lead Applicant will be responsible for the scientific and technical direction of the research programme associated with this supplemental grant. He/she has primary fiduciary responsibility and accountability for carrying out the research within the funding limits granted and in accordance with the terms and conditions of SFI. Lead Applicant eligibility is determined by the eligibility of the original SFI grant.

Funded Personnel: The individuals supported by this supplemental scheme need to be located in the Republic of Ireland and to provide a copy of their permission letter from the Department of Justice in Ireland confirming Temporary Protection has been granted under the EU Directive.

An outline of how their research skills and experience will complement the existing SFI-funded project and research group should be included. Responsibility for determining an individual’s academic and professional qualifications and checking the legal requirements for the integration of named researchers rests with the Host Institutions.

Roles and responsibilities of the displaced researcher to be funded though this grant must be differentiated and clear.

This programme will remain open until further notice.

Notification of closure of the call will be made at least one week in advance through the SFI website and SFI eAlerts.

SFI will accept applications at any time while the call remains open and will endeavour to issue grants as soon as possible thereafter for successful applications.

These supplemental grants will be issued for a maximum period of 1 year and a minimum period of 3 months. 

Eligible costs in this scheme include:

  • Salary-related costs for research staff (see further details below).
  • Materials and consumable costs up to a maximum of €2,000.
  • A contribution of €2,000 towards the purchase of a computer.

SFI will contribute to the indirect costs of the research through an overhead payment of 30% of Total Direct Costs (excludes student fees and equipment costs).

Grants will have a duration of up to 12 months. The duration of the supplemental grant cannot exceed the expiration date of the host grant.

Salary Costs

The total funding per grant will largely be determined by one of the four appropriate salary scales listed below. Eligible costs include gross salary, an Employer’s PRSI contribution at 11.05% of gross salary and pension provision up to a maximum of 20% of gross salary. The level of employer contribution should be in accordance with SFI’s Grant Budget Policy.

Applicants must use one of the following four salary scales:

  • Existing PhD postgraduate student. SFI will fund postgraduate student stipends at a flat rate of €18,500 per annum plus a contribution of €5,500 towards fees.
  •  SFI will fund a contribution to the salary of Research Assistants at the SFI Team Member Budget Scale, Research Assistant Point 1.
  • SFI will fund a contribution to the salary of Postdoctoral Researchers at the SFI Team Member Budget Scale, Level 2A Point 1.
  • For senior team members who have unique and essential skills, SFI may fund a contribution to the salary of a Research Fellow at the SFI Team Member Budget Scale Level 3 Point 1.

SFI will consider contributions to Research Fellow positions only where such an appointment is justified within the application form and through the supporting documentation (see below). Further detail on budget categories and Staff can be found in SFI’s Grant Budget Policy.

The Host Institution will review and administer the SFI grant funding and is responsible for compliance with the grant conditions including those outlined in the Letter of Offer and SFI's Terms and Conditions of Research Grants.

Interested PIs should email displacedresearchers@sfi.ie with their name, and the proposal ID of their existing funded SFI project to which the Supplemental Grant for Displaced Researchers from Ukraine will align to. Following an eligibility check, the PI’s SESAME profile will be updated to provide access to the supplemental grant application form.

Additional information that is required beyond the completion of the Application Form is:

  1. A permission letter from the Department of Justice in Ireland confirming Temporary Protection has been granted under the EU Directive.
  2. A Letter of Support from the hosting HEI
    • indicating that the space and infrastructure to carry out the proposed research are available and,
    • endorsing the salary scale of the Researcher
  3. A CV outlining the incoming Researchers experience and background including a short list of publications, if appropriate. The Researcher’s CV is to be in English, and while a narrative CV is preferrable, it is not essential.

For further details please see the call document.