European funding programmes and international initiatives

The National Research Council of Italy (CNR) takes part in major European funding programmes and international initiatives that support research and innovation, fostering global scientific cooperation.

CNR projects bring together leading research groups across Europe and contribute to strengthening scientific excellence, supporting researchers’ career development, promoting innovative technological solutions, and addressing key strategic challenges with economic and social impacts.

 

European Funding Programmes

Horizon Europe, the European Union’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation for 2021–2027, allocates a total budget of €95.5 billion—a 24% increase compared to Horizon 2020. The programme funds research and innovation through open and competitive calls, aiming to maximise European added value by supporting initiatives that cannot be effectively pursued by individual Member States alone.

Participation in these programmes takes place through the European Commission’s Funding & Tenders Portal, which provides access to open calls, participation guidelines, and all relevant documentation.

CNR is registered in the portal under the Participant Identification Code (PIC): 999979500.

 

International funding initiatives

CNR actively engages in funding initiatives promoted by international foundations and agencies, with participation coordinated through its Institutes and Departments.

In cooperation with the International Relations Unit, the Research Support and Grant Office The Cnr Research Support and Grant Office (USRG) coordinates the participation of CNR Institutes, monitors submitted and funded proposals and assists local Grant Offices with project registration and management on the relevant platforms.

A particularly significant engagement concerns the opportunities offered by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH)—the leading American agency for biomedical research, comprising 27 research centres and institutes—which regularly issues funding calls open to non-U.S. institutions.

 

Support for Project Design and Participation

The Research Support and Grant Office (USRG) provides assistance to the CNR scientific community and its network of local Grant Offices at every stage of proposal preparation, project implementation, and management for research initiatives funded by the European Commission and other international organisations.

To encourage participation in the European Research Council (ERC) calls, the ERC Task Force offers information and support to prospective CNR applicants, while also promoting the attraction of external talent to strengthen the institution’s scientific leadership.

Further information on European and international funding programmes and opportunities is available on the USRG SharePoint page, accessible to CNR staff with Siper credentials. The page also includes guidelines, forms, and operational instructions to support all structures involved in project submission and management.

 

Contacts​

arbara Pernati, tel. +39/06/4993.2312, barbara.pernati[at]cnr.it; Giusy Lo Grasso, tel. +39/06/4993.2551, giusy.lograsso[at]cnr.it.

Information provided by Research Support and Grant Office - Central Directorate Central Research Services