Open data

Open data refers to digital, public information that anyone can access and use for any purpose. Forte’s open data includes information about our calls for proposals, applications and funded activities.

We share data via API

We share open data through an API (Application Programming Interface). An API is a technical interface that enables different systems to exchange information automatically. Through an API, data can be retrieved, shared and used in other applications, for example to create visualisations or perform analyses. Forte’s open data may be used freely without fees or licences (CC0).

An inter-agency data standard for research and innovation funding

The data shared through Forte’s API is based on a data standard developed through a collaboration between Swedish research and innovation funders, known as the Joint Data Project (GDP). The project aims to enable the sharing of open and comparable data in a harmonised format. GDP is the result of a government assignment and is jointly run by the Swedish Energy Agency, Formas, Forte, the Swedish Research Council and Vinnova. To determine the content of the standard, the agencies collaborate with external data consumers such as higher education institutions, government agencies, industry organisations, foundations and companies.

Information about the common information model for GDP, as well as technical specifications for the API, is available on GitHub External link..

How do I access data via the API?

To retrieve data through the API, you need to create an account and request an API key. More information becomes available after logging in to the API portal.

What data is shared?

The API has three endpoints that provide data on three core components shared by the five agencies’ funding processes:

• Calls for proposals
• Applications
• Funded activities

Data not shared as open data

Certain data is not shared as open data. For this information, the value “Ej öppna data” is returned to the data consumer instead. For Forte, this applies to the following fields associated with rejected applications and applications for which no decision has yet been made:

• Ansökan: Beskrivning och BeskrivningEng.
• Person: Namn och ORCID för personer med rollen ”SökandeMedverkandePerson”.
• Organisation: Namn, NamnEng och Organisationsnummer för alla organisationer med rollen ”MedsökandeOrganisation” samt för organisationer med rollen ”SökandeKoordinator” som är av typen ”Företag”, ”Ideella föreningar, stiftelser, fysiska personer mm” eller ”Ospecificerad”. Undantaget är RISE-institut, där namn och organisationsnummer delas öppet trots att de är av typen ”Företag”.
• Arbetsgivare: Namn, NamnEng och Organisationsnummer.

Limitations and missing data in Forte’s API

Forte shares data for most parts of the GDP information model, but with certain limitations.

The data includes calls for proposals registered from 2016 onwards, as well as the applications and funded activities linked to these calls. This limitation is due to insufficient data quality prior to this year.

The following types of applications and funded activities are not included in Forte’s data sharing:

• Applications withdrawn by the applicant.
• Applications where the applicant has declined funding.
• Funded activities terminated early, including the applications linked to them.

However, applications rejected on formal grounds are included in Forte’s API with the status "Rejected".

In Forte’s implementation of DecidedFunding, the data includes the grants that the agency has decided to disburse to the funded activity. This covers any later decisions to increase or decrease the awarded amount but does not include repayments of funds already disbursed.

Forte’s API does not contain data on Programme, including calls, applications or funded activities linked to them.

Classifications and research fields

Research fields in Forte’s API are mainly provided according to the 2025 version of the Swedish Standard Classification of Research Subjects (SSIF2025) External link.. Applications previously classified under the 2011 version have been translated to the 2025 version where possible. Research subject codes removed in the 2025 version remain according to the 2011 standard.

The generic classification CategorisationFundingBody in the standard contains, for Forte’s part, the 29 sub-areas used in Forte’s application process.