News article
SEK 105 million for research on the future of social services
To strengthen the work of social services and contribute to a more preventive, accessible, and evidence-based welfare system, Forte is awarding more than SEK 105 million to research within the field of social services.
Both project grants and collaboration grants within the call Applied welfare research – Sustainable social services 2026 are included, marking the first funding decision within Forte’s new ten-year programme for sustainable social services.
The new programme continues the work initiated through the investment in applied welfare research, which has been ongoing since 2017. By linking previous knowledge-building efforts with new research initiatives, the programme creates continuity and long-term development for social service operations.
– This funding decision marks the launch of our new ten-year programme, while also building on the knowledge and structures developed within the applied welfare research programme. This creates strong conditions for long-term, practice-oriented knowledge development within social services, says Isabelle Monell, research secretary at Forte and responsible for this call.
The new Social Services Act, which entered into force in the summer of 2025, places greater demands on services to be based on scientific knowledge and proven experience.
– The funded projects can contribute important knowledge on how social services can be developed to become more preventive and sustainable. It is particularly encouraging that many of the projects are carried out in close collaboration between research and practice, increasing the likelihood that the results will lead to concrete benefits, says Isabelle Monell.
Strengthened collaboration between research and practice
The call includes two types of grants: project grants and collaboration grants. While the project grants enable in-depth studies of key issues, the collaboration grants are intended to strengthen cooperation between researchers and social service organisations.
Close collaboration between academia, practitioners, and other stakeholders is a key component in the development of evidence-based social services. Through collaboration, research can better address the needs of practice and contribute to solutions that are relevant in real-world settings.
This funding decision marks the launch of our new ten-year programme, while also building on the knowledge and structures developed within the applied welfare research programme.
Isabelle Monell
Senior Research Officer at Forte
– To address the complex challenges facing social services, both new knowledge and effective structures for putting that knowledge into practice are needed. Collaboration grants play an important role in this, says Isabelle Monell.
The projects now receiving funding span several areas within social services and address issues including preventive work, organisational development, equal access to support and services, and collaboration between different actors.
Read more about the call, and see the project titles and awarded amounts on the call’s webpage.
Applied welfare research - sustainable social services 2026 - Project grants
Applied welfare research - sustainable social services 2026 - collaboration grants
