Ekhaga foundation - Ekhaga Grants

Ekhaga research grants

You will receive funding for a research project in the fields of organic food, nutrition or natural medicine. There is no set maximum amount per project. The amount of funding depends on your project’s budget and timetable; in practice, most grants range from around 1 to 2 million Swedish kronor (approximately EUR 90,000 to EUR 180,000). The Ekhaga Foundation is Sweden’s largest funding body in these areas. It awards around 25 to 30 million SEK annually (approximately 2.3 to 2.7 million euros), distributed across around 15 to 25 projects. It supports three areas: healthier food from organic farming, as well as improved food quality, storage and preparation; the role of diet and lifestyle in the prevention and treatment of diseases; and complementary or natural medicine, which harnesses the body’s own healing powers.

Who can apply

• Who you are: Researchers, research teams, universities and research institutes. Individual researchers may also apply, but only for one research project.
• Level: Funding is provided exclusively for research projects. The costs of a standard Bachelor’s degree programme or tuition fees are not covered.
• Field: Your project must fall into one of the following three areas: organic food and food quality, nutrition and lifestyle, or natural and complementary medicine. Projects in the field of medicine must focus on natural remedies, not on conventional drug-based therapies.
• Nationality and age: Anyone can apply, regardless of nationality or age. Non-European applicants no longer need a Swedish partner institution, although collaboration with one is recommended.
• Recommendation letter: If you are applying from an academic institution, you will need a letter from your head of department. This must confirm that the project meets the requirements and that any additional costs will be co-funded.
• Sustainability: Your project must not conflict with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Animal testing is only permitted if it is clearly essential.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted via the Foundation’s online system. The application period begins on 1 April and ends at midnight on 20 May each year. You may submit your application in Swedish or English, although most members of the selection panel speak Swedish. An academic advisory board assesses the applications, and the board of trustees makes its decision at its autumn meeting. The results are announced in October or November.

How realistic are your chances?

Competition is fierce. In the most recent rounds of calls for proposals, between approximately 130 and 260 applications were received for funding ranging from 14 to 26, meaning that roughly one in ten applications is successful. The most important factor is how closely your project aligns with the Foundation’s objectives – prevention, natural methods and food quality. A targeted application focusing precisely on these areas, backed up by a strong recommendation from the department, stands a much better chance than a general health or environmental project that is only tangentially related to these topics.