Call for Open and Sustainable Research Software 2026 (OSS 2026)
Joint initiative with and funded by Open Science NL (OSNL). Learn more about OSNL’s Research Software Sustainability Programme and our joint initiative here.
Summary of this call
- Open to applicants from all disciplines, from academia or applied research institutes
- Receive in-kind support from eScience Center research software engineers (RSEs) to increase the sustainability of your research software
- Maximum investment worth €250.000
- Two rounds: lightweight project propositions and full proposal
- Timeline
- 9 April 2026: Online information event
- 14 May 2026, 14:00 CET: Deadline project proposals
- 6 July & 17 August 2026: Proposal development workshop
- 3 September 2026, 14:00 CET: Deadline full proposals
- December 2026: Applicants informed of final decision
Purpose of this call
This call provides research teams with dedicated Research Software Engineer (RSE) support from the Netherlands eScience Center to improve the sustainability of existing research software. We invite proposals that pursue one or more of the following objectives:
- Broadening applicability: enabling successful research software to be used in disciplines or research problems beyond those from which it first emerged
- Enhancing quality and maturity: raising the research software maturity level of existing research software
- Building communities: supporting the formation and growth of communities of researchers and developers around research software
Detailed information on budget, scope, and eligible activities is available in section 2.2 of the full call text.
What can be applied for?
This call will fund 8 projects in total (2 per research area; see below). Each project receives up to €250.000,- over a maximum of 2 years, consisting of:
- €225.000,- in-kind contribution of Research Software Engineering time (~2000 hours)
- Up to €25.000,- in material budget for workshops, trainings, and community-building activities.
Projects should strive to increase the sustainability of existing research software. Among the many factors that contribute to the sustainability of software, this call focuses on two principal ones: software quality and software adoption. Depending on the type of software and its maturity, this may involve various approaches, such as incorporating FAIR research software practices, organizing workshops, creating training materials, setting up governance models, enhancing user interfaces, et cetera.
Who can apply?
This call is open to researchers and support staff from all disciplines and seniority levels, including those at hogescholen (universities of applied sciences) — a new addition to the list of eligible institutions this round. The lead applicant must hold a contract at an eligible Dutch research organisation for at least the duration of the project, and have demonstrable experience with digital research methods.
Projects must be team efforts: the research team needs to include at least one member from a different Dutch research organisation than the lead applicant, and at least one representative of the broader community around the software. Private sector partners may be involved, though this is not required.
The call specifically funds projects that strengthen the sustainability of existing research software — proposals focused on developing new software are not eligible. The software must already be publicly available in a version-controlled repository and have a track record of use in research, evidenced by at least five publications or other public research outputs.
For details, see the full call text.
Proposal development workshop
Before submitting their full proposal, selected applicants will be invited to participate in a proposal development workshop where they will work with eScience Center experts to identify the most suitable activities, ensuring a strong alignment with the call’s objectives and our areas of expertise. These sessions will combine plenary and interactive elements, such as:
- guided discussions, feedback sessions, or mini-hackathons with Research Software Engineers (RSEs) to discuss the current state of the software and potential improvements;
- presentations on topics such as community building, governance and training material development;
- introductions to relevant partners in the Dutch research landscape (e.g. infrastructure providers, data repositories, community representatives, workshop organisers) to explore potential synergies.
Dates for the proposal development workshops (applicants may select one of these dates):
- 6 July 2026 (confirmed date)
- 17 August 2026 (tentative date)
Online information event 9 April
During this information event we will provide general information about the eScience Center, the objective of this call, and the procedure. There will also be room for questions and answers. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to attend to familiarize themselves with this new call type.
Submitting the application
The closing date for the submission of project propositions is 14 May 2026, 14:00 CET.
The closing date for the submission of full proposals is 3 September 2026, 14:00 CET.
They can be submitted only via ConfTool https://www.conftool.org/escience/ .
Downloads and Links
For more information about this call for proposals, download the full call below.
OSS 2026 – Full call details: Call for Open and Sustainable Software 2026
OSS 2026 – Template Project Proposition
OSS 2026 – Template Full Proposal
OSS 2026 – Template Software Management Plan
Bijzondere voorwaarden NLeSC subsidies 2026
Policy concerning the use of Generative AI at the Netherlands eScience Center
Intellectual Property Rules for Netherlands eScience Center Projects
Contact details
For questions about this call for proposals and the assessment procedure or ConfTool, please contact:
Programme Management Netherlands eScience Center
Tel.: +31 (0)20 460 4770
The eScience Center adheres to NWO’s Code for Dealing with Personal Interests
Other opportunities
We are always open to opportunities for collaboration! Want to work with us? Visit www.esciencecenter.nl/collaborate-with-us.