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Citizen Science Zurich

Seed Grants

Do you have a Citizen Science project idea and need financial support? Apply for a Seed Grant!

Once a year we award Seed Grants for the development or  implementation of participatory Citizen Science projects. Teams of academic researchers from University of Zurich or ETH Zurich and citizens can apply for up to 40'000 CHF.

With the Seed Grants, we create incentives for participatory research and promote cooperation between science and society. Priority is given to project applications that, in addition to the prospect of excellent research, show a societal need as well as a high degree of participation in as many phases of the research process as possible.

Frequently asked questions are listed under FAQs

Seed Grant Call 2025

The current call has been open since 29 October, 2024 and you can submit your applications until 2 March, 2025, 23:59.

We will provide information about the Seed Grants and answer general questions at two online info events. Registration is not necessary. More specific project-related questions, we can answer bilaterally via email.

  • Info event in German: 3 December, 2024, 12:15 - 13:00 (Zoom link)
  • Info event in English: 14 January, 2025, 12:15 - 13:00 (Zoom link)
Timeline Seed Grants

Enlarge image (PNG, 445 KB)

[Timeline in text form]

The information in the timeline shown in the graphic above is summarized here in text form, for example for screen readers:

November

The call opens in November. We organize two online information events – one in German and one in English. We communicate the dates via our communication channels and on this website.

End February

The deadline for submission is end of February. All submissions are then carefully reviewed by the Selection Committee. It consists of researchers of UZH and ETH, citizens and a representant of Mercator Foundation Switzerland.

May

The Selection Committee comes together, discusses the submissions and decides which projects receive funding. We notify all projects and communicate the decision to the public.

September

The new cohort of Seed Grant projects meets at the kick-off event and receives additional information. The new Seed Grant projects start individually, somewhen between summer and end of the year.

Application material

Here are all the documents you need for the preparation and submission of your submission. The budget template serves as an example. You can also use a different budget plan.

Seed Grant Call 2025 (PDF, 107 KB)
Seed Grant Project Proposal 2025 (DOCX, 162 KB)
Budget Template Example (XLSX, 13 KB)
Information event (January 2024) (PDF, 1 MB)

Your application

We ask you to use the application form provided above and upload it in the application tool, together with

  • a budget plan (does not necessarily have to be the template above)
  • CVs of main applicants (researcher and citizen)

Please note that your application cannot be saved in the application tool and cannot be submitted more than once. Please have the above-mentioned documents and information at hand when starting your application. If you have questions, feel free to contact Olivia Höhener.

To the application tool 

Weiterführende Informationen

Contact & FAQs

For questions about the Seed Grants, please contact Olivia Höhener olivia.hoehener@uzh.ch.

And take a look at the frequently asked questions.

Research Process

How do the different phases of the research process look like? We have compiled the most important steps for you.

Flyer

The flyer for the Seed Grants call 2025 can be downloaded here. You are also welcome to share the flyer in your networks.

Previous Seed Grant projects

More about Previous Seed Grant projects

Curious to find out how the projects look like that we supported in previous years through our Seed Grants? You find all Seed Grant projects - and many more - on our project page.

Mercator Foundation Switzerland

More about Mercator Foundation Switzerland

The Seed Grants are made possible by the Mercator Foundation Switzerland.

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