In this call for proposals, you can apply for three- or four-year project grants for individual research projects. The call aims to enhance understanding of how governance, legislation, coordination, and policy development can be shaped and implemented to support improved conditions for public health, preventive and health-promoting efforts. A total of SEK 50 million is allocated for the years 2024–2027.

Background and purpose

In 2020, the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (Forte), was commissioned by the Swedish government to initiate a long-term investment in research on prevention and public health. The initiative aligns with the public health policy framework adopted by parliament, which comprises an overarching national goal and eight target areas where interventions are particularly important for achieving the overarching goal. The overarching goal is to establish societal conditions for good and equal health across the entire population, and to close avoidable health gaps within a generation.

One central objective of Fortes initiative on prevention and public health is to fund research aimed at enhancing knowledge and understanding of how to design and implement effective preventive and health-promoting interventions within the target areas of the public health policy. More information about the initiative can be found in the strategic research agenda (only available in Swedish).

With this background, the purpose of the call is to enhance understanding of how governance, legislation, coordination, and policy development can be shaped and implemented to support improved conditions for public health, preventive and health-promoting efforts.

Focus of the call

The call primarily focuses on target area four of the public health policy, which addresses income and livelihoods (please note that the link above directs you to a Swedish website). The target area includes interventions and measures that enhance people’s ability to influence their economic situation and generate economic resources, as well as interventions and measures that support people when their economic resources are insufficient. The projects may choose to focus on either one of the type of measures, or both.

Forte encourages research that results in new interventions and measures, as well as research that evaluates existing ones. Research that contributes to knowledge particularly regarding groups in vulnerable situations with limited economic resources, is particularly relevant.

Since people’s income and livelihoods are closely linked to their knowledge, education, and working life, projects related to both target area 2 (knowledge, skills, and education/training) and target area 3 (work, working conditions, and work environment) may also be relevant for this call (please note that the links above directs you to a Swedish website). However, these projects need to clearly connect to target area 4 to be relevant.

How different tax, social insurance, and transfer systems (such as parental leave, child benefits, sickness benefits, unemployment benefits, and pensions) affect health in various groups is complex. Therefore, Forte welcomes projects that examine the interaction between these systems and different factors at both individual and group levels. It is also important to study how different household types and sociodemographic groups are affected by such measures.

Grant typ

Project grant

Project duration

Funding may be sought for three or four years.

Funding amounts

You can apply for a maximum of five million SEK for three-year projects and a maximum of seven million for four-year projects. Please note that the maximum amount includes so-called indirect costs (OH). Applications exceeding the specified limit will be rejected.

Eligibility requirements

To apply for a grant under this call for proposals, you must have obtained a doctoral degree no later than the closing date of the call for proposals. The main applicant must have submitted the final report for any previously approved grants from Forte within the reporting deadline. This only applies to grants where the deadline for final reporting has passed. Any previously granted extensions of project duration, and consequently of reporting deadlines, will be taken into account.

Review panel

The following individuals are appointed by the Director of Forte as reviewers in the review panel for the call.

Chair person

  • Ola Sjöberg,  Swedish Institute for Social Research (SOFI), Stockholm university, Sverige

Scientific reviewers

  • Heather Brown, Data Science Institute, Lancaster University, UK
  • Finn Diderichsen,  Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Ira Malmberg Heimonen, Department of Social Work, Child Welfare and Social Policy, Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway
  • Aaron Reeves, Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, UK
  • Peter Skogman Thoursie, Department of Economics, Stockholm University, Sweden
  • Margaret Whitehead, Institute of population health, University of Liverpool

Community representatives

  • Jon Dutrieux, Försäkringskassan
  • Nina Lindqvist, Public Health Agency of Sweden

Schedule

  • Call opens: 17 April 2024, 10.00 CEST
  • Call closes: 12 June 2024, 14.00 CEST
  • Decisions taken on funding: 22 October 2024
  • Decisions published: 23 October 2024
  • Project start: 1 December 2024