ERC first calls for proposals of Horizon Europe are open.
On 22 February 2021, the European Commission presented the Work Programme 2021 for the European Research Council (ERC), which is the first Work Programme approved under Horizon Europe. This legal document sets out how the ERC will allocate its funding of €1.9 billion in 2021 to pursue frontier research. It includes three main calls for proposals:
- ERC Starting Grant (estimated budget of €619 million);
- ERC Consolidator Grant (estimated budget of €633 million);
- ERC Advanced Grant (estimated budget of €626 million).
Among the innovations, researchers will now be invited to present their proposals in interviews to a panel as part of the evaluation process for the Advanced Grant.
Synergy Grants and Proof of Concepts Grants are not available under this work programme, but the ERC is hoping to open the calls later this year, with funding from the next Work Programme.