Guide to SLU Partnership Alnarp project applications

Last changed: 04 April 2023

More information on how to apply for R&D projects with SLU Partnership Alnarp.

What to include with your application

Applicants should contact their Head of Department or SLU Partnership Alnarp subject group coordinator to ensure that the project will contribute to improving research at the department concerned and/or contribute to staff members’ acquisition of qualifications or the continuing professional development of teachers.

The project should be in line with one or more of the focus areas of SLU Partnership Alnarp. Applicants are recommended to contact the coordinator of their SLU Partnership Alnarp subject group, or director of operations Håkan Schroeder, to ensure that the project is likely to fulfil the requirements for these projects. All project applications must be submitted electronically using the web form on www.slu.se/partnerskapalnarp.

To open the form, click Forskningsprojekt – Projektansökan (Research project – Project application). Take care writing a good summary, it should give all relevant information about the research question, project objectives and how the project will be carried out.

The project description should be annexed to the application and include the following:

  • background
  • purpose/objective
  • method/hypothesis
  • project plan
  • plan for communication and dissimination of project results

Plan for communication and dissimination of project results: Describe how the results will be commercialised by the partner, disseminated and possibly used in teaching. Also, state whether scientific publication is an objective; this is desirable but not essential. State the target groups of the communication activities and where suitable channels for communiaction. A fact sheet is prefered but not mandatory.

The applicant must also state whether the project is part of a bigger application. Applicants are sometimes given the opportunity to present their application at a meeting with the subject groups. For LTV staff, longer journeys e.g. to international conferences may be funded through the VH Faculty’s scholarship fund. Projects principally made up of literature reviews will normally not be approved.

Signature by Head of Department

Sign the application with EduSign. The Head of Department approves the application by signing it with EduSign. The original of the signed application should be sent to SLU Partnerskap Alnarp, partnerskapalnarp@slu.se, together with any appendices. The signed application must reach the SLU Partnership Alnarp office no later than three working days after the closing date for applications.

Funding and budget

Applications for funds can cover a maximum of 50 per cent of the project budget. Any funding applied for from another funding body must be clearly stated.

Application for R&D funding requires co-funding from one or more partners corresponding to at least the amount applied for. Partners can fund projects by contributing funds, working hours or materials. For projects with strong aspects of product development, there are higher requirements for co-funding in cash from partners. The type of co-funding will be taken into account when applications are assessed. If you need support in the co-funding dialogue between applicant and partners, you are welcome to contact Director of operations Håkan Schroeder (LTV) or Henrik Böhlenius (S). The cost of working hours should be stated as the number of hours x the hourly cost including social fees and all overhead for each applicant. The hourly rate can be calculated using the template ”Beräkning av timkostnad” (Calculation of hourly rate, in Swedish only)

The maximum amount granted by SLU Partnership Alnarp is usually SEK 275,000 annually for up to three years.

Assessment criteria

Project applications are assessed using a set of criteria. These criteria are used to guide both university staff and partners during the application process and are used by the steering group to decide on which applications to approve. A project does not need to fulfil all the criteria to be approved.

The subject groups issue an advisory statement. This is then presented by the chair of the subject group at the steering group meeting before a decision is taken. The following criteria are used to rank project applications:

General

  • Does the application fulfil the basic criteria in “Guide to SLU Partnership Alnarp project applications”?
  • Are there previous projects with no final reporting available even though the deadline has expired?

Importance

  • Does the issue fall within one or more of the focus areas defined by the subject groups?
  • Does the project contribute to increasing the quality of courses and programmes at SLU Alnarp, or are students involved in the project in any way?
  • Does the project, in cooperation with research, contribute to developing the sector?
  • Does the project contribute to professional development and/or increased knowledge/competence among the partners?

Scientific approach

  • Is the methodology relevant for the issue?
  • Does the project group have the necessary competence?

Cost estimate

  • Have the costs included in the application been clearly specified?
  • Are the inputs and costs reasonable?
  • Is existing funding, or funding applied for with other funders, clearly specified?

Innovativity

  • Is the project innovative when it comes to issue, methodology or project objectives?
  • Does it have the potential to result in a new product, service or working method?

Applicability

  • Can the work packages described be implemented directly, or do they require additional work?

 

Communication plan/Valorisation plan

  • What does the plan for dissemination and valorisation of results look like?
  • How will knowledge transfer to partners and the surrounding community take place?
  • Is scientific publication a project objective?
  • How will knowledge be spread to students at SLU?

Exceptions from the co-funding requirement

For applications co-funded by the Swedish Farmers Foundation for Agricultural Research (SLF), the application cannot be for more than 35 per cent of the SLF funding. There is also an additional requirement that at least one more partner be active in the project. For example, if the SLF as sole funding body grants a project 500,000 no SLU Partnership Alnarp funds will be granted. However, if there is an additional project partner contributing e.g. 100,000, the SLU Partnership Alnarp can grant up to 275,000 (500,000 x 35%) + (100,000 x 100%).

An additional project partner is also a requirement when the funding body is the Swedish Board of Agriculture, the Skåne Region Environmental Fund or the Rural Development Programme.

The Erik E:son Wikland donation fund

According to its statutes, the donation fund should be used to promote fruit and berry cultivation in southern Sweden through applied research, trials and information. The applicant completes the application which is then submitted to SLU Partnership Alnarp for processing and decision. Grants from this donation fund cannot replace any other part of the funding (from SLU or a business partner) but can only be used as a third means of funding, thereby enabling higher project output. Any donation funding granted should be seen as an opportunity to facilitate fulfilling the requirements for scientific quality and practical applicability in priority projects.

SLU Partnership Alnarp steering group may also grant funds from the Erik E:son Wikland donation fund, without requiring co-funding from a business partner, for long-term applied research such as variety trials with berries and fruit that cover a period of 5–10 years. On the application form, enter Erik E:son Wikland donation fund, together with the amount applied for from this fund, under “Övriga finansiärer” (Other funding bodies).

Revised application

If the steering group grants an amount that is substantially different from the amount applied for, the applicant must submit a revised project budget and any necessary changes to the project plan. This is done in consultation with the SLU Partnership Alnarp office and should be done electronically using the application form on www.slu.se/partnerskapalnarp.

Extensions

If final reporting cannot be done according to the original plan, contact Håkan Schroeder by email requesting an extension, stating the reason for the delay. If an extension is granted, this will be registered in the database.

Payment of funding at the LTV Faculty

For projects at the LTV Faculty, the project account code at each department must be communicated to SLU Partnership Alnar office as soon as it has been created.

Once the project agreement has been submitted, the total amount granted will be paid to the account code provided by the department.

Managing approved projects

For all internal correspondence, the project number must be given.

Three-year projects: Interim report after two years, a new application for the third year

SLU Partnership Alnarp normally grants funding for no more than two years at a time. For three-year projects, applicants should submit an interim report for the first two years and a new application for the third year. The interim report should state the following:

  • short description of the implementation of the project and the results so far
  • any deviations from the project plan
  • financial report for the first two years

Reporting closed projects

The Partnership's template for the final report is mandatory to use when reporting research projects. The reporting routine applies from projects granted in autumn 2022.

The overall purpose of the template is to make the results of the projects available to partners and stakeholders. We want to actively meet society's need for new knowledge within our business and subject areas. The template ensures that the information about the projects is uniform and clear.

Final report and signed financial report (eduSign by economist) must be received by the latest specified final reporting date to partnerskapalnarp@slu.se.

Fact sheet

A fact sheet can contribute to ensure dissemination of the results in popular science channels. For projects at the LTV-faculty there is a template for the LTV Faculty’s fact sheet series and 2-page and 4-page options are available at the bottom of the page. The fact sheet must contain the text “Facts from SLU Partnership Alnarp”.

To publish the fact sheet, upload it to Epsilon, read more on Guide for registering your publications and making them openly available. After publication, email partnerskapalnarp@slu.se saying that the fact sheet has been uploaded, attach the link.

Facts:

Agreements with co-funders

The main applicant should finalise a signed agreement with the co-funders. There are templates for this (LTV and S respectively) on www.slu.se/partnerskapalnarp. The agreement states that all parties are prepared to make available the funding and resources listed in the application. The agreement must be signed with EduSign by the main applicant, head of department and chairman of the steering group for SLU Partnership Alnarp. External partner confirms approved agreement via e-mail to main applicant who encloses email confirmation. A signed and approved agreement is sent to SLU Partnership Alnarp no later than three months after the decision to grant funding.

For some co-funders such as other reserach funders like SLF, the Region Skåne Environmental Fund, the Swedish Board of Agriculture and Lantmännen's research foundation, a copy of the minutes documenting this decision is sufficient. The agreement is important as a basis for confirming commitments from the project parties where, for example, invoicing from institutions to partners can be included, and all amounts and times for invoicing must be clearly stated.

Main applicant is financially responsible for the project

The main applicant is financially responsible, that is responsible for making sure the project budget is not exceeded.

The main applicant should inform their financial officer of any projects approved for funding and submit a copy of the agreement. Using the agreement, the department can then set up a project account in the financial administration system for booking project costs.

Related pages:

Contact

Håkan Schroeder
Acting Director of Operations, SLU Partnership Alnarp
hakan.schroeder@slu.se, +46 (0)40 41 51 33, +46 (0)70 317 69 53