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Project submission

The Swiss Foundation for Alcohol Research promotes scientific research in all alcohol-related areas an its relevance to health in Switzerland. When awarding funding, priority is given to smaller, innovative projects that address significant issues relating to alcohol policy, social prevention and human biology that have both scientific value and practical relevance for Swiss public health. The SFAR is particularly interested in supporting talented young researchers.

The Foundation awards:

1. Grants to researchers to conduct scientific studies, not exceeding a total of CHF 70,000. Exceptions must be expressly justified.
   When assessing submissions, priority is given to the originality of the work, the potential benefits of the findings and the appropriateness of the methodology.
   The following documents must be submitted:
   • Detailed research program (see forms below)
   • Curriculum vitae and list of publications of the applicant(s)
   • Budget
   Funding applied for and already awarded by other funding sources must be clearly listed.
   
   Applications must be made using the SFAR forms (Proposal form for Research Project and Specifications on research on humans). Please also note the following instructions:
   • The application must be written in English.
   • The application must contain an abstract of maximum one page, which will appear on the Foundation’s website if the scientific study is awarded funding.
   • The scientific part should be no longer than 2,500 words.
   • For applications that use animal experiments, the relation to human biology must be explicitly demonstrated. Basic research using only animal experiments will not be considered for funding.
     
     
2. Grants to university graduates to promote young researchers (grants in accordance with the SNSF-standards for 1 year)
   Grants are awarded to university graduates provided their post-graduate study involves generating knowledge that can conceivably be used in future alcohol research. Funding is usually only awarded to researchers not older than 35 years.
   The following documents are required:
   • Description of the planned education project (see form below)
   • Curriculum vitae of the candidate applying for funding (including copies of degrees, certificates and list of publications)
   • Written recommendations from two mentors who should come from different disciplines or different institutions
   • Confirmation from the director of the institution where the candidate plans to work
   
   Applications must be made using the SFAR form (Proposal form for Educational Project). Please also note the following instructions:
   • The application must be written in English.
   • The application must contain an abstract of maximum one page, which will appear on the Foundation’s website if the scientific study is awarded funding.
   • The description of the educational project should be no longer than 2,500 wordsThe application must be written in English.
     
     
3. Funding for scientific conferences, particularly coordination meetings (maximum 5,000 - 10'000 CHF)
   Funding can be awarded to conferences provided alcohol research is a central theme of the conference and it has a link to Switzerland. The application must state the specific purpose of the SFAR funding at the conference. The Foundation does not provide deficiency guarantees for conferences.
   The following documents are required:
   • Conference objective
   • Detailed program
   • Budget

Documents should be submitted by email to the Foundation’s Administrative Office. The above mentioned guidelines must be strictly observed. A decision can be expected by mid-September.

E-mail: info@alcoholresearch.ch

A decision can be expected by mid-September. On average, 25% of the projects submitted have been founded in the last 3 years.

For further information about the Foundation’s objectives and activities, please contact Florian Labhart, Secretary of the Swiss Foundation for Alcohol Research, Administrative Office, c/o Addiction Switzerland, Av. Louis-Ruchonnet 14, CH-1003 Lausanne, Tel. +41 (0)21 321 29 51, Fax +41 (0)21 321 29 40, E-mail: flabhart@addictionsuisse.ch.

Submission deadline: April 1, 2025

Evaluation of applications

All applications submitted in due time, run through the same, accurately defined procedure:

1. The Executive Committee of the Foundation Council examines the fulfillment of the formal criteria for a potential grant.
2. The Executive Committee of the Foundation Council examines the quality in content. If the members of the Committee agree unanimously, that a submitted application features substantial deficiencies or a quality considerably inferior to other applications, the lead applicant may withdraw the application.
3. The remaining applications will be sent to generally two independent external experts for evaluation.
4. The decision of the grant is taken at the Foundation Council’s general assembly. The external evaluations are considered as a decision criterion.
5. Prior to the discussion of the applications, all members of the Foundation Council are requested to declare potential conflicts of interest. If a member is applicant*, or otherwise involved in the application or there is a conflict of interest, the member will be excluded from the discussion and the decision making of the grant.

* All the Foundation Council members are active in the field of alcohol research. A participation in the Foundations Council is not a criterion for exclusion for an application. Foundation Council members are allowed to submit own applications, however not as a lead applicant.