# ISF-DFG Standing Open Procedure on a Lead Agency Basis

**Funder:** DFG
**Duration:** Up to 36 months
**Consortium:** Required — Israeli-German research team (at least one PI in Germany, at least one PI in Israel)
**Application:** Single stage: German PI submits joint proposal to DFG via elan at any time; Israeli PI submits administrative application to ISF within 7 days of DFG submission.
**Frequency:** Continuous
**Eligible countries:** DE, IL
**Official call:** https://www.dfg.de/en/research-funding/funding-opportunities/countries-regions/il-isf
**Last verified:** 1 July 2026

## Eligibility & scope

Joint basic research projects in all fields of sciences and humanities for Israeli-German teams. German applicants must meet DFG Research Grants Programme ('Sachbeihilfe') eligibility; Israeli applicants must meet ISF Personal Research Grant eligibility. Proposals must be written in English. Commercial companies excluded. No renewal proposals allowed. Each funding organisation supports its own national researchers.

## Summary

The ISF-DFG Standing Open Procedure funds joint basic research projects across all fields for Israeli-German research teams, with funding up to 36 months. Each country funds its own researchers: the DFG awards according to its Research Grants Programme rules, and the ISF according to its Personal Research Grant rules. This rolling call is open year-round to teams with at least one PI in Germany and one in Israel; Israeli PIs must pre-register annually by end of October.

## Who should apply

- Research teams with at least one PI based in Germany and one in Israel
- All disciplines: sciences and humanities eligible
- Researchers pursuing basic research (not commercial development)
- Teams planning joint projects, not separate national applications

## Key dates

- Rolling deadline year-round; Israeli PI must pre-register at ISF by end of October each year
- Two-stage: Israeli pre-registration, then German PI submits joint proposal to DFG via elan, then Israeli PI submits administrative form to ISF within 7 days
- Up to 36-month project duration
- ISF online system unavailable early-August to mid-September each year

## Tips for applicants

- Time the German submission (elan) to allow the Israeli PI to complete the ISF administrative submission within 7 days; this tight window is gating for success.
- Write proposals in English and follow both DFG Sachbeihilfe and ISF Personal Research Grant rules in parallel, dual compliance is mandatory, not optional.
- Ensure each PI addresses their own funder's criteria in the joint document; DFG and ISF assess their national investigators separately.

## Frequently asked questions

### Who can apply to the ISF-DFG Standing Open Procedure?

Research teams with at least one Principal Investigator in Germany and at least one in Israel, working on basic research projects in any field of science or humanities.

### How long can an ISF-DFG project run?

Up to 36 months.

### Is there a deadline for the ISF-DFG Standing Open Procedure?

The call is rolling and open year-round, but Israeli PIs must pre-register at ISF by 31 October each year; the ISF online system is inactive from early-August to mid-September.

### How is funding allocated in an ISF-DFG project?

Each country funds its own researchers: the DFG awards to German PIs under Research Grants Programme rules, and the ISF awards to Israeli PIs under Personal Research Grant rules.

### Can commercial partners join an ISF-DFG proposal?

No, commercial companies are excluded as partners in this scheme.

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Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/dfg-isf-dfg-standing-open-procedure-on-a-lead-agency-b-2026) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying.