The KWF Young Investigator Grant (YIG) is a newly dedicated annual funding call launched by the Dutch Cancer Society (KWF) to support early-career researchers in establishing a strong, independent oncological research line. As of September 2025, the YIG has been separated from the regular Open Call and given its own competition to ensure equal and independent evaluation of emerging talent across all cancer research themes and areas. The grant is specifically designed to give talented junior researchers the space and resources to initiate hypothesis-driven projects that they lead entirely independently, with a clear scientific vision and personal leadership trajectory. Applicants are expected to reflect explicitly on their scientific development, leadership ambitions, and positioning within the broader field of oncology research.
Eligibility Criteria:
Applicants must:
- Hold a PhD degree at the start of the project
- Be in the early stage of their scientific career
- Be employed at a Dutch research institution for a minimum of 0.5 FTE per year for the full duration of the project
- Be capable of independently conceiving, designing, leading, and executing the proposed research
- Propose a hypothesis-driven research question with a defined duration and final analytical phase
- Include a maximum of 1.0 FTE of scientific personnel (postdoc or PhD candidate) in addition to their own allocated FTE
Funding Details:
- Maximum budget: €1,000,000
- Exceptional major equipment costs: up to an additional ~€400,000 (must be thoroughly justified)
- Covers personnel, running costs, and research-related expenses
- Project duration: defined by the proposal scope
Deadline:
- Dedicated YIG call open annually; 2026 cycle deadlines confirmed via KWF Grant Management System (GMS)
- Contact KWF directly for pre-proposal and full proposal submission windows
Where to go for further information:
- Programme page
- Application platform: KWF Grant Management System (GMS)
- Contact: secretaris.exploratie@kwf.nl