Spark grants

The call for applications for the Fall 2025 cohort is now open. The application deadline is Monday, 8 September, 2025.

Please note that a waiting list is in place and that we may not be able to confirm your participation immediately.

Spark grants aim to stimulate unusual collaborations to address societal challenges. The granting scheme offers initial financial support to start building a committed project team and explore the potential of an idea and/or test whether it can be taken further and developed into a project application, for an Unusual Collaborations grant or another funding scheme.

Spark grants are thus a low-threshold stimulus to support connection with others outside one’s own disciplinary background, to initiate collaboration around a research idea, to share knowledge and best practices, and to develop something together.

The Spark programme consists of two phases: a series of four half-day workshops (phase one) followed by a period of time in which a research topic can be explored with a team (phase two).

Download application form

Spark phase one: Developing interdisciplinary research competences and finding research team members 

The first step in the learning journey – Spark phase one – comprises four half-day workshops that serve the dual purpose of interdisciplinary research competence development and of connecting researchers with one another as potential Spark collaborators. Participants enter Spark phase one with a couple of ‘unusual’ research interests that excite them and – while they may perhaps already have some team members in mind – they are open and keen to meet others within the Spark training cohort and explore developing a research idea together. The idea emerges within and through the interdisciplinary collaboration, rather than being the starting point.

Participation in these workshops is a mandatory step in the Spark granting process for at least two members of an eventual Spark team; the rest of the team is not required to take the workshops. The workshops for the fall 2025 cohort will take place at CUCo’s Nest at the Utrecht Science Park from 13:00 – 17:00h CET on:

  • Monday, 22 September 2025
  • Monday, 29 September 2025
  • Monday, 6 October 2025
  • Monday, 13 October 2025

Registration
Registering for Spark phase one can be done via completing the form above. CUCo strives for participation that offers diversity in terms of disciplinary, epistemological and institutional backgrounds, gender and career stage.

Eligibility criteria
The Spark grants are intended for mid-career academics (researchers, lecturers, assistant/associate professors) who have research hours at their disposal to participate in the initial workshops (phase one) and a research team (phase two).

Please note that PhD salaries cannot be paid through the UCo granting scheme; it is therefore not possible for PhD students to join Spark.

Diversity and inclusion
CUCo strives to achieve and contribute to an inclusive academic culture in which there is no place for conscious or unconscious barriers due to cultural, ethnic or religious background, gender, sexual orientation, health or age. CUCo encourages and trusts applicants to take additional efforts to increase the diversity within research teams. CUCo can offer support in this process.

Spark phase 2: Assembling a team and developing a research topic

After completing Spark phase one, participants may enter phase two, in which they form teams across disciplines and identify and develop a research topic for their project.

The deadline for Spark phase two proposals for the March 2025 cohort will be announced shortly.

Teams must include researchers from at least three of the EWUU alliance institutes (Eindhoven University of Technology, Wageningen University & Research, Utrecht University, and University Medical Centre Utrecht) and its members should form a truly interdisciplinary combination together. CUCo encourages interaction between the humanities, social and natural sciences, and everything in between. The main applicant of a Spark phase two proposal should be past the postdoc stage.

Proposals are reviewed based on the Spark criteria outlined below. Teams whose proposal is approved will be supported with a € 9,000 lump-sum grant. This grant can be used to finance meetings and events, project assistants, facilitators, field trips, et cetera.

Prospect of the team

  • Unusual team composition
  • Complementarity of disciplines represented in the team
  • Fit of expertise with the proposed idea

Process for developing the idea

  • New, unique, unusual in terms of approach and methods 
  • Promising and adequate process for for getting to know one another and building trust amongst team members 
  • The envisioned outcomes of the process are clear and convincing

Interdisciplinary learning approach

  • The competences for interdisciplinary learning are reflected in the ambitions outlined in the proposal
  • Adequate self-assessment of the availability, and approach for strengthening, of the required competences 
  • Convincing strategy to embed reflection and learning throughout the process of Spark phase two

Throughout Spark phase two, teams, individually and collectively supported by process coaches, will to be able to:

  • Together explore, ‘test’ and reflect on individual competences;
  • Set individual intentions with the project;
  • Co-create a common working language, with support from an external facilitator that can be covered by the Spark grant funds;
  • Work towards a joint proposal for an Unusual Collaboration (UCo) grant and/or deliver an unusual project output that brings together topic- and/or process-specific insights acquired throughout the collaboration process.

Additional members may be added to the team throughout Spark phase two in line with the team’s needs.

A Spark grant is a prerequisite for applying for the larger Unusual Collaborations grant: Spark teams may apply to an Unusual Collaborations call for proposals as soon as the Spark project has finalised by submitting an end report (which may be in written, video and/or visual formats, in a podcast, a training, a theater performance, or otherwise). Spark teams, however, are also encouraged to seek other funding sources if they should be available. Through the EWUU alliance support is available for exploring other funding sources, please contact CUCo if needed.

Follow-up
Spark teams meet with the CUCo team and board for progress meetings at the start, halfway through, and at the end of the granting period. Spark teams participate in co-learning events with other Spark (and UCo) teams twice a year. Spark teams are also asked to provide content for the CUCo website.

At the final stage of the project, process learnings and, if available, research results will be presented in a self-chosen format (e.g. blog, video, infographic, report), to be made available on the CUCo website.

The CUCo team and board will keep in touch with the team and help them move forward with the collaboration and will organize support, training, et cetera. Teams are encouraged to approach CUCo about roadblocks, complications, and other issues hindering the process.

Discontinuing projects that end up not being feasible is okay, as this will free up budget for others to start new projects.