A strong grant application stands out through clarity

In its 2027 grant call, the Instrumentarium Science Foundation will award a total of EUR 2 million to support research and research-based innovations. Applicants can apply for doctoral dissertation grants, postdoctoral grants, Instrufoundation Fellow grants and Silmu grants.

Markku Lämsä, who has served as the Attorney of the Foundation since 2018, has overseen numerous grant calls. Based on this experience, he particularly emphasises the importance of reading the instructions for the relevant grant category carefully and following them as closely as possible.

“Many applicants apply for funding from several organisations. However, each funder has its own criteria, priorities and objectives. It is therefore generally not advisable to submit the same application unchanged to several funders. Instead, the application should be tailored specifically to each call,” he says.

Does your research align with the objectives of the grant call?

The Instrumentarium Science Foundation funds research related to medical, technical and natural sciences instruments and methods. The Foundation may also support economic research in these fields.

The research projects funded must fall within the research areas defined by the Foundation. Particular emphasis is placed on innovative projects that develop medical instruments and methods and have the potential to advance healthcare and patient well-being.

Before completing the application, applicants should therefore make sure that their research topic, background and project stage meet the requirements of the relevant grant category.

“Checking the basic eligibility criteria at the outset saves the applicant time and ensures that the application can be considered for evaluation. The application should also explain as clearly as possible how the research supports the Foundation’s objectives,” Lämsä advises.

Pay particular attention to the title and abstract

The title and abstract play an important role in the evaluation process. They should quickly give the reader a clear understanding of what is being studied, how the research will be conducted and why it matters.

Applications are assigned to independent experts with the most relevant expertise in the subject area. A clear title and abstract help ensure that the application is placed in the appropriate evaluation category.

A title that is overly cryptic, vague or wordy can make the research topic difficult to grasp. The abstract, in turn, should clearly and concisely present the research objective, novelty, implementation and expected impact.

“The applicant knows their research topic thoroughly, but the evaluator encounters it through the application. It is therefore worth reviewing the text from the perspective of someone who is not yet familiar with the project,” Lämsä points out.

Make the significance of your research clear

The evaluation of the 2027 applications will focus on the scientific quality, novelty and feasibility of the research, as well as the applicant’s qualifications and the project’s potential impact.

A strong application defines the research question and objectives precisely. It should also explain why the research is needed, what new knowledge or solutions it will produce and what scientific or societal impact it may have.

The implementation plan and budget must also form a credible whole. Based on the application, the evaluator should be able to conclude that the research can be completed within the proposed schedule and with the available resources.

AI can help improve the clarity of the text

AI can be used when preparing an application, for example to organise ideas, condense text and explore alternative formulations. It can also help applicants assess whether the title and abstract communicate the research objective and significance clearly enough.

“However, AI is an assistant, not a substitute for the applicant’s own thinking and expertise. The applicant is always responsible for the content of the application and the accuracy of the information provided. Any AI-generated suggestions must therefore be carefully assessed before they are used,” Markku Lämsä notes.

Allow time for final revisions and check the attachments

The Instrumentarium Science Foundation’s 2027 grant call closes on 15 September 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Applications must be submitted through the online application system. Applicants must attach a CV and list of publications, as well as any letters of acceptance required for the relevant grant category. For example, applicants for a postdoctoral grant must provide a letter of acceptance from the host research group.

“I would not recommend waiting until the last minute to submit the application. Applicants should allow sufficient time both to complete the application form and to review the application as a whole,” he concludes.

Detailed eligibility requirements, evaluation criteria and application instructions for each grant category are available on the 2027 grant call webpage.