Terms and conditions for our grants 

The Swedish Research Council’s general terms and conditions for grants to research or research-supporting activities

The terms and conditions were adopted by the Swedish Research Council on 17 December 2018. The terms and conditions apply for decisions to award funds made as from 1 January 2019. The terms and conditions shall be applied unless otherwise follows from the decision to award funds or from specific terms and conditions. In the event of a conflict between the general terms and conditions and specific terms and conditions issued for a decision, the specific terms and conditions shall take precedence.

Definitions

In these terms and conditions, the following definitions are used with the meaning stated below.

Administrating organisation: A legal entity approved by the Swedish Research Council as a recipient of research funding.

Applicant: The person or organisation applying for research funding from the Swedish Research Council and who is responsible for planning and conducting the research or the research-supporting activity, such as a project leader.

Research or research-supporting activity: The activity or activities covered by the decision to award funds.

Terms and conditions: All the terms and conditions that apply to the funds awarded.

1. About the funds awarded

1.1. 1.1. The decision to award funds

The Swedish Research Council’s decision to award funds is valid as from the day both the administrating organisation and the applicant have accepted the terms and conditions for the funds awarded. The terms and conditions are valid up to and including the date when final scientific and financial reports have been received by the Swedish Research Council and, as applicable, unused funds have been repaid.

The funds are paid to the administrating organisation.

The funding amount and funding period stated in the decision are valid on condition that the Swedish Research Council is allocated central government funds to the extent on which the decision is based.

1.2. Payment period and availability period

The decision to award funds states the period during which the funds will be paid out (the payment period). Unless the decision states otherwise, the funds are available for one further year after the end of the payment period. If special reasons exist, and following application, a further extension of the period during which funds paid are available may be allowed. Such an application shall be submitted by the applicant and be approved by the administrating organisation via the Swedish Research Council’s application system before the end of the availability period, but after the end of the payment period. The application for such an extension shall be accompanied by an explanation of the special reasons, information on whether there are funds as yet unused, and a summary plan of how the research or the research-supporting activity will be completed.

The funds shall be used to carry out the research or the research-supporting activity mainly in the way stated in the application for funding, however with such adjustments as may be required if the funds awarded are less than the amount applied for. The funds shall also be used in accordance with the terms and conditions for the use of the funds. A joint written request to the Swedish Research Council from the administrating organisation and the applicant is required for more major changes to the use of the funds. Such as request shall be made in conjunction with the need for changes arising. Following evaluation, the Swedish Research Council may allow changes within the framework for the decision to award funds.

2. Undertakings by the administrating organisation and the applicant

2.1. Responsibility for ensuring the research or research-supporting activity is carried out according to applicable Swedish legislation

The applicant and administrating organisation are responsible for ensuring the research or research-supporting activity is carried out according to applicable Swedish legislation.

2.2. Employment relationship

The applicant for the research or research-supporting activity shall be employed by the administrating organisation stated in the application, or by a new administrating organisation following a change approved by the Swedish Research Council, throughout the grant period and any further availability period. An exception may be allowed for applicants employed by a county council, or otherwise where the Swedish Research Council on application allows an exception.

2.2. Employment relationship

The applicant shall be employed by the administrating organisation stated in the decision to award funds, or another administrating organisation approved by the Swedish Research Council following a change. The employment shall last throughout the payment period and any further availability period. An exception may be allowed for applicants employed by a county council, or otherwise where the Swedish Research Council on application allows an exception.

2.3. Equipment

Except as stated in Item 4.1.3, the administrating organisation is the owner of equipment and other fixtures and fittings acquired for the research or research-supporting activity awarded funds from the Swedish Research Council. The equipment shall be used for the research or research-supporting activity for as long as this is conducted.

2.4. Reporting

The administrating organisation and the applicant shall provide the information and the data requested by the Swedish Research Council in conjunction with follow-up and evaluation of the research or the research-supporting activity, both during and after the payment period.

Accounts and reports relating to the research or research-supporting activity funded by the Swedish Research Council shall be submitted in the order stated in the decision to award funds, or when the Swedish Research Council so requests.

2.5. Publication of research results

The scientific responsibility includes publishing the results of the research in scientific periodicals and books with national and international reach, or making them available in another corresponding way. The obligation to publish results only applies to the extent the publication may be done according to applicable Swedish legislation.

An agreement with a commercial actor or other stakeholder may not limit the opportunities to publish the results of research carried out with funds from the Swedish Research Council. Nor may such an agreement delay publication by more than two months. However, the delay may amount to at most four months if the purpose is to enable a patent application based, wholly or partly, on the research results referred to above.

The research results shall be made available with “open access” within six months after publication. In the event the publication is done in the form of parallel publication in open institutional archives, the research results shall be deposited at the time of publication and be made available with open access within six months. For publications within humanities, social sciences, and educational sciences, the research results shall be been made available with open access within 12 months.

Open access applies to research results in scientifically reviewed texts published in periodicals and conference reports. The obligation to make research findings openly accessible does not apply to monographs and book chapters.

In the event the person publishing has paid a fee for his/her open access publication, the publication shall be by means of a cc-by licence.

Research results of more general interest shall also be disseminated to recipients outside the research community.

2.6. Stating the Swedish Research Council as funding body

When publishing or otherwise disseminating research results, the fact that the research was conducted with funds from the Swedish Research Council shall be stated. When publishing original scientific articles, the name “Swedish Research Council” and the registration number of the decision to award funds shall be stated under the heading “Acknowledgements” or corresponding heading.

2.7. The Swedish Research Council’s right to disseminate information from and about the research or research-supporting activity

The Swedish Research Council may reproduce and disseminate whole or parts of reports from the research or research-supporting activity, and also otherwise make available information on what the Swedish Research Council is funding.

2.8. Access to the research material

On request, the Swedish Research Council shall be given access to the complete research material for scientific review.

2.9. Obligation to inform about other funds

If funds from another funding body are received for the same purpose during the period when the research or research-supporting activity is ongoing, this shall be reported to the Swedish Research Council as soon as possible. The report to the Swedish Research Council shall particularly state to what extent the other funding body may influence the conduct, analysis, interpretation and reporting of the results, and the financial prerequisites that apply. It shall also state who will dispose of the results. The Swedish Research Council may reassess a decision to award funds on the basis of new information about other funding.

2.10. Other undertakings

The administrating organisation shall

• receive and manage the funds awarded;
• ensure the funds awarded are used only for research or research-supporting activities and according to the terms and conditions applicable to the funds;
• in its capacity as employer, ensure that the applicant is able to use their own and other employees’ working hours to the extent required to conduct the research or the research-supporting activity according to the plan submitted to the Swedish Research Council, which also includes publishing the results of the research;
• ensure the applicant and other personnel involved have access to premises, equipment and other resources required to conduct the research or the research-supporting activity;
• ensure a data management plan is drawn up before the research starts, and that the plan is maintained;
• ensure that the research or research-supporting activity conducted within the operation funded by the Swedish Research Council does not have commercial ties that affect its objectivity, independence or openness; and
• submit annual financial reports according to the Swedish Research Council’s instructions.

The applicant shall

• have scientific responsibility for the research or research-supporting activity as described in the application to the Swedish Research Council in terms of objective and method. The responsibility includes planning and conducting the research mainly according to the research plan or plan for research-supporting activity submitted to the Swedish Research Council, however with the adjustments that may be required if the funds from the Swedish Research Council are less than the amount applied for;
• have responsibility for ensuring the research or research-supporting activity is carried out according to applicable Swedish legislation;
• ensure that the permits and approvals required have been obtained before the research is started. These may include permits from the Swedish Medical Products Agency or approval from the Swedish Ethical Review Authority or an ethical committee on animal experiments; and
• ensure that the scientific reporting is submitted according to the Swedish Research Council’s instructions.

3. About the funding

3.1. General

Funds for research or research-supporting activities at universities and higher education institutions or other approved administrating organisations shall include direct and indirect costs in the same proportions as calculated for the research or research-supporting activity as a whole. The funds awarded may only be used for the costs of conducting the research or the research-supporting activity covered by the application.

The funds awarded may not be used for scholarships, unless otherwise is stated in the decision.

3.2. Final financial reporting

The administrating organisation shall submit a final financial report no later than three months after the end of the availability period. The Swedish Research Council may decide that the financial report shall be submitted at another time.

If the research or research-supporting activity is terminated early, special provisions apply (see Section 4.2).

3.3. Repayment of surplus

Unused funds accounted for in the final financial report shall be repaid to the Swedish Research Council within 30 days after the final financial report has been submitted via the Swedish Research Council’s application system.

The costs of early termination of research or a research-supporting activity are regulated in Section 4.

4. Early termination

4.1. Research or research-supporting activity terminated early

4.1.1. Difficulties in conducting the research or research-supporting activity awarded funds – general

If the research or research-supporting activity cannot be conducted according to plan, and the divergence is not insignificant, the administrating organisation shall immediately inform the Swedish Research Council. The same applies if equipment, for which purchase funds have been awarded, cannot be acquired. In this case, the administrating organisation shall also report how the research or research-supporting activity is affected by the equipment being impossible to acquire. Following consultation with the applicant, the Swedish Research Council and the administrating organisation shall agree on how to manage the situation.

4.1.2. Difficulties in conducting the research or research-supporting activity due to changed circumstances for the applicant

If the applicant can no longer conduct the research or the research-supporting activity, the administration organisation shall immediately inform the Swedish Research Council. Following application from the administrating organisation, the Swedish Research Council may evaluate whether to change project leaders.

If the applicant is changing employers to another approved administrating organisation, the Swedish Research Council may, on application, evaluate the issue of changing administrating organisations and decide that the research or the research-supporting activity can continue to be conducted at the new administrating organisation with the same applicant.

An application to change administrating organisations shall be made in consultation with the administrating organisations. The decision on whether the research or the research-supporting activity shall receive continued funding according to the decision to award funds or be terminated is made by the Swedish Research Council following consultation with the administrating organisation and, where possible, with the applicant.

4.1.3. Equipment

In the event of early termination of the research or research-supporting activity, the Swedish Research Council may decide with the administrating organisation that equipment acquired with the support of funds awarded by the Swedish Research Council shall be transferred to the Swedish Research Council or to another administrating organisation.

4.1.4. Repayment of unused funds

If the research or the research-supporting activity is terminated early, the administrating organisation shall repay any unused funds to the Swedish Research Council.

4.2. Final financial reporting in the event of early termination of research or research-supporting activity

If the Swedish Research Council decides to terminate payment of a funds awarded, or if the research or the research-supporting activity is discontinued or terminated early for any other reason, the final financial report shall be submitted no later than 30 days after the day on which either of the parties unilaterally discontinued the research or the research-supporting activity, or the parties agreed that the research or the research-supporting activity should be terminated. The Swedish Research Council may decide that the financial report shall be submitted at another time.

5. Audit

An auditor or corresponding appointed by the Swedish Research Council is entitled to scrutinise the book-keeping and reporting relating to the research or research-supporting activity awarded funds by the Swedish Research Council. For this purpose, the administrating organisation shall give the person conducting the audit full insight into the research or research-supporting activity, for example by supplying copies of all verifications relating to expenses and income attributable to the research or research-supporting activity.

6. Measures in the event of breach of terms and conditions, etc.

6.1. Demand to comply with terms and conditions and action plan

If the applicant or the administrating organisation should breach the terms and conditions for the funds awarded, and the breach is of such a nature that it can easily be corrected, the Swedish Research Council may demand the administrating organisation or applicant to ensure the terms and conditions in question are complied with within a specified period. The Swedish Research Council may also demand that the administrating organisation or applicant submits an action plan describing when and how the terms and conditions will be complied with. The Swedish Research Council will evaluate whether the action plan can be approved, or whether the funds shall no longer be paid out.

6.2. Decision to terminate payment of funds

The Swedish Research Council may decide to terminate the payment of funds wholly or partly if the applicant or the administrating organisation caused the funds to be awarded incorrectly or in too high an amount through providing incorrect information or in any other way;

• the funds were awarded incorrectly or in too high an amount for some other reason, and the recipient should have realised this;
• the terms and conditions for the funds awarded have been disregarded, and the disregard cannot be easily corrected;
• the applicant has committed scientific misconduct or otherwise acted unethically in their research; or
• the applicant, in or in conjunction with the research, through actions or otherwise has proved themselves to be unsuitable for receiving public research funding.