The Official Gazette of the Province of Barcelona (BOPB) has published today the call for subsidies for young and emerging research projects for 2024 announced by the Barcelona City Council through the Department of Science and Universities. With a total allocation of 1.9 million euros, the grants aim to consolidate the scientific and emerging research ecosystem of the city and strengthen the transfer of knowledge. The application period will be open from 24th of April to Monday 27th of May (inclusive). To address any doubts, the City Council has organized an informative session on Tuesday, May 7th at 12 p.m., which can be attended online through this link without the need for prior registration.

The call is aimed at legal entities with registered offices or fiscal domicile in the municipality of Barcelona or its metropolitan area. Specifically, it targets emerging scientific personnel, so it is required that they have defended and passed their first doctoral thesis after January 1, 2017. In this way, it aims to consolidate scientific careers in the city of Barcelona in response to the explicit desire to consolidate the scientific fabric.

Research projects eligible for the subsidy must have a maximum duration of 2 years; be original; and aim to provide scientific evidence to address the urban challenges of the city of Barcelona. Regarding the thematic areas, projects must address one of the scientific challenges included in one of these three thematic areas: health and well-being in the city; climate action; city and society. Up to 80% of the project cost will be subsidized, up to a maximum of 80,000 euros per project.

Furthermore, with the aim of contributing to an equitable scientific career, the call includes a series of measures for care and parenting, in order to promote progressive equity in the field of research and knowledge. It seeks to ensure that caring for first-degree relatives or having enjoyed maternity or paternity leave does not result in the loss of opportunities for anyone to access the call.

The 2024 edition is the third edition of this call for subsidies. So far, these grants have allowed funding a total of 36 projects, 18 of which have already been completed and 18 will end this year. Information on subsidized projects from past editions can be found on the Barcelona Science and Universities website.

Information Session

The Department of Science and Universities will hold a virtual public information session for the call on Tuesday, May 7th, at 12:00 p.m. This information session does not require prior registration and will be held through a Webex Room, which can be accessed through this link.

More research funding: Crea Feina programme

In addition to the grants for young and emerging research projects, yesterday the City Council initially published in the BOPB the terms and conditions of the Crea Feina Barcelona 2024 Programme. It aims to promote the creation of quality and inclusive employment, with grants for companies and organisations that expand their workforces with the incorporation of unemployed people under the age of 30 or to encourage the hiring of research staff with doctoral degrees. Specifically, it contemplates two lines of aid, Crea Feina Joves and Crea Feina Investiga, the second of which is aimed at the strategic hiring of scientific and research personnel. Applications will be accepted from 23 May until 31 October 2024, the day after the final approval of the terms and conditions.