Project program
The TDCC NES has a funding program for projects that fit the challenges or bottlenecks as defined in the TDCC NES Road Map. Projects should preferable be supported by more than just one partner in the NES community, pro-actively engage with existing digital research infrastructures and be able to deliver a result which will be valuable for (part) of the community.
NWO funding
In 2023 the TDCC NES can provide funding for the bottleneck projects (in total the amount of project funding adds up to 950kE). In addition there will be a follow up call for projects addressing either bottlenecks or other defined challenges (in total the amount for this funding adds up to 800kE). For both funding schemes (which are handled administratively through the ISAAC NWO system) there is no need for matching funding from participating parties and in addition supporting staff or permanent staff can be funded under these schemes. Both these funding schemes were originally meant for 2022, but since the TDCC NES only recently started they were moved to 2023.
Following these two funding schemes, there will be a yearly funding for projects (amount 800kE per year), with increasing matching over the next nine years. The TDCC NES Governance will decide on priorities for these projects.
Project process
We are still working out the project process and project application. Since the funding program for the three TDCC's is different from 'normal' NWO funding, we need to discover what works best. And we like to do this together with the NES community. For now, the process of starting a project is as follows:
- Idea for a project comes to TDCC Network Manager through the community of researchers and researcher supporters in the NS domain (soon we will also send out an e-mail to invite to submit new initiatives)
- Network Manager checks the idea on the basis of a limited set of criteria (a.o.):
- is it NES domain?
- does it fit one of the bottleneck projects of the Road Map?
- does it mitigate the challenges defined in the Road Map?
- is the idea supported by more than just one organisation in the network?
- If the project meets a limited criteria set, Network Manager or Community Manager invite a broader group to participate in a project initiative meeting. Communication channels to be used are: LDCC mailing list, Mailing list IN DCC NL, Mailing list RDM, Data stewardship SIG, In time announcement will be made on website as well.
- TDCC Network manager will communicate the project Idea to RDA gremia and invite RDA workgroup or SIG on similar subject to provide information during project initiative meeting
- Project initiative meeting will deliver the value of the idea for the community and possible participants for a project definition meeting
- Project to be defined by the group committed and submitted to Network Manager
- Network Manager asks trekkers of NES (and in a later stage a selection of the governance board) to provide feedback on the proposal. The idea behind this is not to accept or reject the proposal, but to improve it
- Feedback is communicated to the project lead and team
- Project can be submitted to NWO, since there is no competition and since the project is community based the project will be financed
