Transformative practices and processes for climate transitions
This grant invites employees of societal organisations and knowledge institutions to develop, test or scale up transformative practices and processes for just climate transitions. Individuals or consortia can apply for up to €50,000 for projects that will advance systemic change by facilitating transformative, transdisciplinary collaborations.
This call for proposals supports projects that validate, further develop or make methods and processes more widely accessible in order to accelerate systemic and just climate transitions. The focus is on practices that promote transdisciplinary collaboration between science and practice, support transformative change, integrate sustainability principles and pursue climate justice. It is important that the practice forms the starting point and that methods are scalable and transferable. Initiatives that address less -explored aspects of transitions – such as transition pain, grief, chaos or imagination – are also very welcome. The call is part of KIN's Science in Transition programme and offers space, time and resources to strengthen and embed experimental forms of collaboration in practice. KIN aims to stimulate a new scientific practice in which knowledge production contributes to just system change and societal impact. Projects contribute to strengthening a transition mindset and ensure that valuable methods become more widely applicable for a climate-neutral and resilient society.
Who is this call for proposals for?
- Societal organisations, researchers and the creative sector that (wish to) use facilitating working methods, processes and in-between spaces that contribute to system change and a transition mindset.
- Pioneers who are already working on (sustainable) alternatives of collaborations for transformative societal impact.
- Anyone who wants to connect science and practice for just climate transitions.
Who can apply?
Employees of knowledge institutions and societal organisations in the Kingdom of the Netherlands who want to contribute to transdisciplinary collaboration between practice and science.
More details can be found in chapter 3.1 of the call for proposals for proposals.
Budget: Maximum € 50,000 per project
What can be applied for:
- Salaries of project partners
- Materials and resources
- Temporary hiring of experts
- Other project activities
- Student assistants
Not possible: Recruitment of new academic staff and basic facilities
Creative approach welcome: We encourage non-traditional activities. Feel free to involve professionals from the creative sector.
Desired duration: max. 12 months
Start: within 3 months of allocation
More details can be found in chapter 3.2 of the call for proposals.
- Proposals can be submitted until 27 January 2026 14:00:00 CET.
Please note! Start submitting your proposal in time in our submission system Isaac and ensure that project partners who are not in the Isaac database register at least 15 working days before the deadline via relatiebeheer@nwo.nl. For the assessment of additional knowledge institutions, the assessment documents should be sent by e-mail to programmas@hetkin.nl no later than 15 working days before the submission deadline (i.e. no later than 6 January 2026 before 14:00:00 CEST).
More information on preparation, mandatory annexes and submission requirements can be found in sections 3.3 and 3.4 of the call for proposals.
Criteria
Proposals are assessed on two aspects:
- Relation to the call and quality
- easibility of the activity plan
Please note, for this call for proposals, the main applicants are also the assessors. For the full assessment aspects, please read chapter 4.2 of the call for proposals.
Procedure
This call for proposals for proposals encourages the acceleration of climate transitions through open knowledge sharing and peer review. Main applicants assess each other's proposals in two groups, with consideration for conflict of interests and diversity. The assessment is based solely on the proposal, which must be widely accessible and clearly written. The chosen methodology utilises the expertise of applicants and promotes diverse feedback. Each assessor ranks the proposals they have received for assessment based on the assessment aspects (see section 4.2). The KIN bureau draws up a final ranking based on the priorities set by each group. The steering group reviews the procedure and decides on the allocation of grants. There is no possibility of appeal. If the number of proposals is too low or if conflicts of interest impede peer review, the assessment will be carried out by an independent committee.
On 25 November and 9 December, KIN organised online information sessions about this call and the call 'Fund for more sustainable research', which also falls under the 'Science in Transition' programme line. Would you like to view the presentation from the information session? Or do you have another question about this call for proposals? Please contact programmas@hetkin.nl.
Applications must be submitted through the ISAAC application and reporting system. If you do not have an ISAAC account yet, then please create one at least one workday in advance ISAAC and ensure that project partners who are not in the Isaac database register at least 15 working days before the deadline via relatiebeheer@nwo.nl. More information about writing a proposal and which forms you need to use can be found in ISAAC. Please download and use the forms in Isaac. Below you will find examples of the required forms.
The grant “Transformative practices and processes for climate transitions” focuses on validating, further developing and expanding the accessibility of experimental collaboration methods, facilitating practices, processes, in-between spaces and tools that:
- promote transdisciplinary collaboration between practice and science,
- contribute to system change,
- and strengthen the transition mindset among researchers and practitioners by empowering them and providing them with tools.
Clearly describe what you will do, why, and how the results will be shared.
- Demonstrate transformative ambition: KIN is looking for methods and processes that truly change things, not just improve them.
- Co-creation & knowledge development: Show how different types of knowledge come together in the methods and processes.
- Be creative and concrete: Design-oriented, activist or creative practices with clear impact are welcome.
- Write accessibly: The main applicants are also the assessors and come from academia and practice with different areas of expertise.
For this call, next to filling in the application form, we also ask you to enclose:
Mandatory attachment(s):
- budget.
Optional attachment(s):
- If applicable: de minimis declarations for societal organisations or additional knowledge institutions without assessment.
- If applicable: declaration of additional knowledge institution without assessment.
You can find more information about the programme ‘Science in transition’ here.
- Do you already have an account in Isaac?
- Have you completed the application form?
- Have you completed the budget form?
- Have project partners from societal organisations and/or additional knowledge institutions without assessment submitted a de-minimis declaration?
You can read all the details about the application for funding in the call for proposals. If you have any questions, please contact the contact person.