The Nestlé Foundation offers different award and grant categories, some of them using a modular approach, i.e. the Pilot Grant Program represents the starting grant module for a later Full Grant Research application. The eligibility criteria as well as the Research objectives and topics have to be fulfilled independently from the award category (for further details see section “Specific information for applications”):
A. Research Grants
The Foundation offers different research grant categories, some of them using a modular approach, i.e. the Pilot Grant Program represents actually the starting module for a later Full Grant Research Application. The eligibility criteria as well as the Research objectives and topics have to be fulfilled independently from the grant category.
- Training Grant
- Pilot Grant
- Full Grant (small / large)
| Grant type | Description | Budget cadre(in USD) |
| Training Grant (TG) | The Training Grant (TG) Program supports a small research project such as a MSc or PhD thesis project or another training endeavor. | Up to 20’000 in total |
| Pilot Grant (PG) | The Pilot Grant PG) Program of the Foundation provides support for pilot research that has a high potential to lead to a subsequent full research project grant. Usually the Foundation does not support nutritional survey research. Often to be able to identify areas of problems for potential intervention one has to collect baseline data. A pilot study (pre-study or baseline study) will create the needed data for a larger research project. The PG program may assist this. The pilot-study and PG usually represent the starting point for a later full research grant application(i.e. a SRG or LRG) to the Foundation. | Up to 20’000 in total |
| Small Research Grant (SRG) | The Small Research Grant (SRG) provides support of a small research study. This mayeven represent a continuation of a TG or also a PG. | Up to 50’000 in total |
| Large Research Grant (LRG) | Full grant application of a complete research proposal according to the guidelines. | Up to 100’000 per year to a maximum of 300’000 for 3 years |
| Re-Entry Grants (REG) | To encourage the return and re-establishment of post-graduate students into their careers in their own countries, the Foundation will support a research program for eligible candidates. The host institution will need to guarantee a post for the returnee and ensure career development within the host institution. Contribution of support to the eligible candidate from the host institution is essential, while support and collaboration from the overseas institution where the candidate trained is helpful. | Up to 50,000 in total |
Training Grants and Pilot Grants run usually over one year to 2 years. Re-Entry grants may run up to 3 years. However none of these awards are renewable. Hence, it is recommended that eligible investigators apply for other categories of awards before the completion of their projects (but with available results from earlier support) for continuing support from a full research grant to avoid any interruption of their research activities.
A previous award does not necessarily imply that a subsequent submission will be automatically accepted. All applications will be reviewed as new applications. A new application must be substantially different from one previously reviewed and have a different title in order to be accepted for review Replacement of the Principal Investigator on any of these awards is not normally permitted.
Further details see Specific information for applicants.
B. Institutional Support
Institutional support involves the support of research or educational projects in specific institutions in low- or lower-middle income countries which contribute to a focused development of capacity and know-how and human resource development in the corresponding institution.
C. enLINK Research grant program
The enLINK research grant program represents research projects initiated by the Nestlé Foundation. External researchers or institutions are invited by the Foundation to submit a research proposal in a specific area. All applications, including those of the enLINK research grant program will undergo internal and external reviewing.
The Nestlé Foundation does not support individual fees for attendance and travel to scientific meetings or courses except when presenting the of results of a research grant already funded by the Nestlé Foundation. We do not consider queries for support to attend a meeting if you are not a grant holder of the Nestle Foundation. The Foundation does in general not support the organization of meetings or conferences and discourages any solicitation of funds for these purposes.
