With this call for proposals, KIN invites you to explore, through co-creation and a learning-by-doing approach, what ‘planetary health’ might look like in daily practice. Researchers and practitioners can jointly submit an application for up to €50,000 per project by September 22, 2026 (2:00 p.m. CET).
Background
The effects of climate change are becoming increasingly evident in our health and that of our environment, with the most vulnerable being hit the hardest. The Knowledge-in-Action program ‘Transition towards Planetary Health’ is developed based on the vision that the health of people, ecosystems and all other life on the planet should be organized in such a way that it not only remains within planetary boundaries but also strengthens ecological systems.
What is needed to establish planetary health as an integral part of health (care), the environment and other relevant domains?
What are we looking for?
We are looking for research projects that help make ‘thinking in a planetary health way’ second nature to a wider audience. We are also interested in interventions that help anchor planetary health in economic or legal frameworks, with research questions that focus on the relationship between human health, nature and ecological systems.
Making ‘thinking in a planetary health way’ mainstream is necessary, because economic, institutional and professional practices are still largely geared toward growth, externalization and specialization. Fragmentation, power, fear and other forms of resistance are some of the barriers that interventions currently face. We are seeking a set of interventions that, when implemented in concert, can strengthen and accelerate the transition toward planetary health.
System Change and Knowledge in Action
The call for proposals focuses on system change toward planetary health awareness and action; not on optimization within existing frameworks.
Through our Knowledge-in-Action grant, we foster collaboration among researchers, practitioners, policymakers, creative professionals, civil society organizations and companies working on transitions. This allows knowledge to flow in all directions between practice, policy and academia—and can truly make a difference.
There is room for both radical and innovative proposals as well as gradual steps toward transition, provided they are well-substantiated. A variety of approaches are welcome: from disciplinary, visual, design-based, entrepreneurial, process-oriented and reflective to activist.
Detailed information about this grant can be found in the information document ‘KIN Knowledge in Action: Transition towards Planetary Health’, which can be downloaded from the NWO website via this link.
Who can apply?
A key component of the Knowledge-in-Action grant is that we aim to foster collaboration between academia and the field. The call for proposals therefore challenges civil society organizations and researchers to develop concrete interventions through co-creation and a learning process.
Applications may be submitted by:
- Organizations in the field that are experimenting with the desired transition
- Researchers who want to apply knowledge to achieve transformative, societal impact
- Pioneers who are already working on (sustainable) alternatives
- Anyone who wants to connect science and practice for climate transition
Applications must be submitted jointly by at least one research institution and one civil society organization
How do you apply?
The KIN is part of NWO and uses NWO’s application system. Would you like to submit a proposal? Read here how to do so in 3 steps:
- Download the application form from the ISAAC online application system or from the NWO website (on the page for the relevant funding instrument)
- Fill out the application form; save the form as a PDF and submit it along with the required attachments in ISAAC
- Enter the information requested online in ISAAC
Need more information or have questions?
Do you have a question about this call for proposals? Or about the thematic focus?
Join one of the online information sessions. There is also a pop-up matchmaking event you can attend. Both the online sessions and the event will take place in June:
- June 25 (3:00–4:00 p.m.) via this link
- June 30 online pop-up matchmaking (9:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m.) tbc
- June 30 (11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.) via this link
You don’t need to register; you can join via the link at the time of the event. This is your chance to ask your specific question, listen to questions from others that you may not have thought of yet, or simply get some additional general information.
You can also email your question to programmas@hetkin.nl.
Looking for collaboration or do you have a call for proposals?
Are you planning to submit a proposal? We encourage you to check out the LinkedIn group created around this theme. Here, you can also express your interest or post calls for proposals. This way, others can see who wants to submit a proposal on which topic, and new collaborations may emerge.
About the Knowledge-in-Action Grant
The Knowledge-in-Action grant mobilizes science and practice to support just climate transitions through learning by doing and doing while learning. Research institutions and civil society organizations can jointly apply for up to €50,000 for transformative, experimental intervention projects to collaboratively explore what the value of transition might look like: which solution pathways, research questions and transition learning objectives can accelerate the desired transition?
Applications currently not possible; call will open soon