Seed Fund Climate and Biodiversity Research and Education

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Currently open for proposals

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Looking for transdisciplinary climate and biodiversity projects! 

GreenHeartThe Climate and Biodiversity program of Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Universities is launching a new Seed Fund (maximum of €15,000 per project) for projects starting in 2026The submission deadline is 15 December 2025. The goal of the Seed Fund is to catalyze practice-oriented research and education addressing challenges on the nexus of climate change and biodiversity loss — fostering cross-university (and beyond) collaboration towards a more livable planet.

Read more about the 4 projects that have been awarded by the previous Seed Fund in May 2025.

If you have any questions or would like support in building a transdisciplinary consortium, please reach out to our Program Coordinator; Suzanne van den Bosch s.j.m.van.den.bosch@cml.leidenuniv.nl

General information

  • Focus on practice-oriented and interdisciplinary projects on the themes of climate and biodiversity;
  • Maximum of €15,000 per project;
  • Submission deadline is 15 December 2025, with projects starting in February 2026;
  • To submit a proposal, the Seed Fund Project Proposal Form 2026 should be filled in and submitted as a PDF here;
  • Required to involve colleagues from at least two Leiden-Delft-Erasmus universities, and preferably a third and/or external partners and early-career researchers;
  • The funding should be used as catalytic funding for research and education activities that have the potential to develop further, beyond the lifetime of the grant, and ideally leverage external funding;
  • The activities should resonate with the General LDE Climate and Biodiversity Program Guidelines;
  • Proposals can focus on building networks, organizing workshops, conducting a pilot study, setting-up joint research, or education activities, expanding existing projects towards climate or biodiversity, or preparation for larger research grant applications;
  • A committee will review and rank the proposals;
  • To stimulate open science and inspire fellow researchers, applicants are encouraged to share their submitted abstract public on our website;
  • If selected, you are asked to present your work during an activity of the LDE Climate and Biodiversity Program;

Refer to the detailed Seed Fund Guidelines, General Program Guidelines and the Project Proposal Form on the bottom of this page.

To file a submission, use this form.

 

For further information on the call or questions, please do not hesitate to contact LDE Climate and Biodiversity Program coordinator Suzanne van den Bosch at s.j.m.van.den.bosch@cml.leidenuniv.nl