RFBR        Ðîññèéñêèé ôîíä ôóíäàìåíòàëüíûõ èññëåäîâàíèé - ñàìîóïðàâëÿåìàÿ ãîñóäàðñòâåííàÿ îðãàíèçàöèÿ, îñíîâíîé öåëüþ êîòîðîé ÿâëÿåòñÿ ïîääåðæêà íàó÷íî-èññëåäîâàòåëüñêèõ ðàáîò ïî âñåì íàïðàâëåíèÿì ôóíäàìåíòàëüíîé íàóêè íà êîíêóðñíîé îñíîâå, áåç êàêèõ-ëèáî âåäîìñòâåííûõ îãðàíè÷åíèé
 
Main Page Contacts Site map
Grant-Express system
Russian version
 

COMPETITION FOR 2006


The Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) holds competitions for 2006 for Russian scientists to apply for financial support (grants) to conduct basic scientific research in the following areas of knowledge:
(01) mathematics, information science and mechanics;
(02) physics and astronomy;
(03) chemistry;
(04) biology and medical science;
(05) Earth sciences;
(06) humanities and social sciences;
(07) information technologies and computer systems.
Competitions for 2006. The foundation hereby announces competitions of the following types:
“à” - initiative-based scientific projects carried out by small (up to 10 persons) scientific collectives (research teams) or individual scientists;
“g”- organization and holding of Russian and international scientific events within the territory of Russia;
“d” - publishing projects;
“z” - participation of Russian scientists in international scientific events abroad;
“k” - organization of expeditions (and field research);
“r” - regional projects;
“ano” - projects to write analytical reviews.
In addition, applications are accepted on a permanent basis under competitions for joint Russian-German projects (RFBR-DFG competitive selection processes); main requirements as regards the manner of submission of applications under RFBR-DFG competitions are set out in the Poisk newspaper No. 16 (830), dated April 22, 2005, and also on the RFBR website (address: http://www.rfbr.ru or http://www.rffi.ru).
Also accepted on a permanent basis are applications to participate in competitions for joint Russian-French projects (RFBR-CNRS competitive selection processes); main requirements as regards the manner of submission of applications under RFBR-CNRS competitions are set out in the Poisk newspaper No. 8 (822), dated February 25, 2005, and also on the RFBR web-server.
We advise applicants that our paragraph “v” competition (creation and development of information, computation and telecommunication resources) will not be held in 2006, and therefore applications (funding proposals) under knowledge area 07 “Information Technologies and Computer Systems” should be submitted only under the above-enumerated competitions. Projects receiving support under the paragraph “v” competition in 2004-2005 will continue to be funded until their scheduled completion.
Important! Under all competitions for 2006, except the RFBR-CNRS competitions, accepted and reviewed will be only those applications that are prepared using the interactive (via the Internet) Grant-Express system (see RFBR’s website http://www.rfbr.ru or http://www.rffi.ru in the section Grant-Express System). The application preparation cycle consists of the following stages: personal applicant registration, application preparation, application registration. Upon receipt of a registration number, the project manager of a respective project will be required to print out and submit to RFBR 3 (three) printed copies of the application (w/o a diskette/floppy disk), and for publishing projects, will submit also a manuscript of a book to be published or a draft translation of a foreign language book.
Detailed rules for using the system are available to view on our server, http://grant.rfbr.ru or http://grant.rffi.ru. If necessary, queries related to the operation of our system for remote application registration may be sent to the following e-mail address: grant@intra.ru.
Applications submitted by fax, via e-mail or on diskettes/floppy disks/other removable media will not be registered or reviewed.
Applications under the RFBR-CNRS competitions will be submitted on diskettes/floppy disks.
Deadlines to submit applications under the 2006 competitions:
- under the paragraph “a” and “d” competitions: preparation of applications via the Grant-Express system - from July 01 to September 19, 2005. (after the receipt of a registration number via Grant-Express, each project leader or manager should submit to RFBR 3 (three) printed copies of their respective applications which will have to be received by RFBR by October 03, 2005);
- under the paragraph “g” competition: preparation of applications via the Grant-Express systems, printed copies of applications will be submitted to the Foundation 4 months prior to the event;
- under the paragraph “z” competition: preparation of applications via the Grant-Express systems not later than 45 days before the event; printed copies of applications will be submitted to the Foundation at least 30 days prior to the event;
- under the paragraph “k” competition: preparation of applications via the Grant-Express system - from December 15, 2005 to January 15, 2006 (after the receipt of a registration number, a project leader or manager should submit to RFBR 3 printed copies of a respective application which will have to be received by the Foundation until January 22, 2006);
- under the “ano” competition: preparation of applications via the Grant-Express system; applications are accepted throughout the entire year;
- under the paragraph “r” competitions: preparation of applications via the Grant-Express system – until July 27, 2005, inclusively (after the receipt of a registration number, a project leader or manager should submit to RFBR 3 printed copies of a respective application by July 29, 2005);
Address of the Foundation. Printed copies of applications (without diskettes/floppy disks) should be sent to the following postal address: Russian Foundation for Basic Research, Leninsky prospekt, 32a, Moscow V-334, GSP-1, 119991.
In addition, applications may be personally delivered and deposited into the Foundation’s special mail boxes installed in the building at the above address, daily from 10:00 to 17:00, except for Saturdays and Sundays.
Information. Contact telephone: (095) 938-5532.

CONDITIONS OF RFBR COMPETITIONS

General Provisions. Support of all types is provided by the Foundation to basic research on a competitive basis by organizing and holding competitions regardless of the age, academic status, academic degree or position held by each participating scientist or researcher and also regardless the ministerial status of the research institution with which such scientist or researcher has labor relations.
Every scientist or researcher may simultaneously participate in competitions of different types.
In doing so, a scientist acting in the capacity of project leader has the right to submit only one application under a competition (except the paragraph “g” competition) and accordingly may become the leader or manager of only one project supported by RFBR after the announcement of the results of the competition. Under the paragraph “a” and “p” competitions, a scientist or researcher who is a project manager may participate as a scientist or researcher only in one other project. It is not allowed to participate as a scientist or researcher in a project led by a subordinate officer.
The Foundation provides funding on the condition that participating scientists will undertake to make public the results of their research by publishing such results, specifically the publication of results in Russian publications is mandatory. In the event of publication of any scientific paper prepared as a result of research conducted under a project funded by the Foundation, the authors will be required to include a reference to the grant that they received from the Foundation, specifying its number. It is also mandatory for the authors of scientific research to allow the Foundation to publish their progress reports (in print and electronic media).
Project participants are required to spend funds provided by the Foundation only in accordance with their application. The Foundation shall refrain from the making of any changes in, or additions to, any statements in the scientific part of research projects submitted for its competitions.
The Foundation will publish lists of supported projects in the RFBR Bulletin and make them available on the RFBR website.
The following projects will not be admitted to participate in the competitions:
- projects not prepared in accordance with applicable rules;
- publishing projects submitted without respective manuscripts or trial translations;
- projects submitted by fax, via e-mail or on removable media;
- projects received by the Foundation upon expiration of applicable deadlines.

Materials submitted to participate in our competitions will not be returned (except for manuscripts under publishing projects which will be returned after the approval of competition results by the Board of RFBR). It is prohibited to replace pages and to make changes in the text of a submitted project.
The Foundation will notify the manager of a submitted project (by postcard):
1) of receipt of printed copies of the project and its acceptance for merit review;
2) of the results of the respective competition.

Merit review (expert examination). All applications accepted to participate in the competition will undergo an independent multistage merit review. Information on the contents of each project and the merit review process is strictly confidential. In accordance with the rules and regulations of the Foundation, its experts and employees are not allowed to disclose such information. The Foundation does not provide information to applicants on the reasons for the rejection of their projects, neither orally nor in the form of written reviews.
Conditions of implementation of supported projects. A project will be funded through an organization specified by the project leader. Amounts and conditions of funding will be communicated to project leaders or managers and organizations (in a set of documents accompanying an agreement made between RFBR and a respective organization).
The rights in the results of scientific and technical activity obtained by an organization using funds from the federal budget provided in the form of subsidies and subventions to fund grants and provide material support will be determined by the laws of the Russian Federation.
Should there arise any circumstances preventing a research project manager from the performance of his or her duties, the Foundation will review the expediency and conditions of continuing to provide funding under the project. A decision concerning the replacement of a project manager will be adopted by the Bureau of the Foundation Board based on an opinion of a respective expert panel.
A project manager or leader will be required to notify immediately the Foundation of any changes in the conditions of the project’s implementation, including notification of any untimely provision or incorrect use of funding allocated by the Foundation.
It will be possible to replace an organization, through which project funding is provided, at the request of the respective project manager in instances when: - the management of the organization does not comply with the conditions of the Foundation, the project manager (or the scientific team) has moved to take another job.
The relations of the parties will be governed by a respective agreement made between the Foundation and the organization which shall be a legal document establishing mutual responsibilities of the parties for the entire duration of the project.
In accordance with the agreement a RESEARCH PROJECT MANAGER SHALL:
  1. in time periods specified by the Foundation, prepare a budget to implement the project within the limits of a planned amount of funding and submit such budget to the Foundation for approval.
  2. ensure that basic research is conducted in accordance with a science program and in time periods specified in the project.
  3. ensure that funds allocated under a project are used in accordance with its stated objectives and in strict compliance with rules and regulations of the Foundation and according to an approved budget within the limits of an annual amount of project implementation funding.
  4. In established time periods, submit to the Foundation a science and a financial reports on the progress of the entire project or of its separate stages.
  5. In the event of publication of any scientific paper prepared as a result of research conducted under a project funded by the Foundation, include a reference to a grant received, specifying its number.
  6. In the event of impossibility to obtain the desired results and/or in the event it is inexpedient (impossible) to continue research work, immediately notify the Foundation thereof and submit to it final science and financial reports
  7. Immediately notify the Foundation in instances where a project manager (or project leader) is unable for any reason (a long - in excess of three months - business trip, a serious illness, etc.) to discharge his or her duties under the project.
A PROJECT MANAGER SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO:
  1. Use the funds of a grant in accordance with a budget approved by the Foundation and in accordance with RFBR guideline documents.
  2. Adjust a research program and the budget within the framework of the stated tasks and research objectives of the project.
  3. Adjust a list of participating organizations.
  4. Change the team of researchers under the project, notifying the Foundation thereof.
  5. On a priority basis, use any equipment purchased using the grant to perform the project implementation program for the duration of the project.
  6. Keep the grant received in the event of transfer to another employment situation, provided:
    1. work will be continued on the project funded by the grant;
    2. the Foundation will be notified of his or her transfer to another employment situation by an appropriate document submitted within a month;
    3. applicable rules and regulations will be complied with.
The project manager will also undertake to inform the Foundation, supplying appropriate documents, of any results of work under the project having the indicia of patent worthiness, commercial use suitability or defense (or dual) use within two months from the appearance of such indicia. When a project is submitted for a competition, its project manager will determine its duration until completion (1, 2 or 3 years) which may not be subsequently extended. A decision to continue funding work under a project for another year (within the limit of its specified duration) will be made by the Foundation based on an expert review of annual scientific and financial reports. The timely submission by the project leader of a project of annual and final reports (including reports due to be submitted in the event of early completion of the project) will be a mandatory condition established by the Foundation. In the event of a negative expert opinion on any project report, the funding of the project may be terminated by decision of the Board of the Foundation to be adopted on recommendation of the expert panel providing such opinion.
Project managers will be responsible for using all funds provided by the Foundation strictly in accordance with objectives specified in respective applications, according to respective budgets and in compliance with the rules of bookkeeping and accounting.
Project managers not providing reports as required and also project managers leading those projects whose funding was stopped early due to the unsatisfactory quality of the research conducted will be deprived of the right to participate in RFBR competitions.
Preparation of applications. After the preparation and registration of an application using the interactive Grant-Express system (via the Internet), the application author will submit to the Foundation 3 (three) printed copies of the application. Diskettes/floppy disks (removable media) will not be used.
Preparation rules and application forms are provided in Appendix 1. Printed copies of applications must be submitted to RFBR in envelopes with the following information: “RFBR Competition”; application number received during registration via the Grant-Express system; project code under the classifier (see Appendix 2) and type of the competition. For example, “RFBR Competition” – (No. 06-05-18531) – (05-130)-a or (No. 06-04-96800) - (04-380)-r_yug_a. On the envelope should be specified only one code (that shown first in paragraph 1.3, form 1). The project code under the classifier will be specified in accordance with Appendix No. 1 and will determine which expert panel will review the project:
Each envelope should contain the following:
- a printed version of an application in 3 copies prepared in accordance with provided forms (see Appendix No. 1); each copy of the application should be fastened together to ensure the safety of the materials provided;
- 2 postcards (without stamps) addressed to the project manager of the project, on the reverse side of which should be printed only the full name of the project manager and the application number received upon registration of the application via the Grant-Express system; it is required to specify postal/mailing index (zip code) and address. Postal index (zip code) should be appropriately written in the required field on the postcard.
Important! If the text of an application contains formulas, pictures, diagrams, tables which cannot be submitted in text format, the applicant should provide an additional file in .RTF or .PDF format containing the following information: name of the project (in accordance with clauses 1.1.1 and 1.1.2); name of the project manager; an abstract in the Russian language (in accordance with clause 1.5); an indication of the initiative-based project (in accordance with paragraphs 4.2; 4.4 - 4.6).

Specifics of various RFBR competitions
Types of competitions:

“a” – Initiative-based research projects.

The Foundation supports only projects for basic research under knowledge areas (01) – (07) which are carried out by small (up to 10 persons) scientific collectives (research teams) or individual scientists.
Information: the amount of an average grant under this competition is as follows: in 2003 - 200,000 Rubles; in 2004 - 212,000 Rubles; in 2005 - 220,000 thousand Rubles. The duration of an initiative-based research project is 1, 2 or 3 years.
“g” - Organization of Russian and international scientific events within the territory of Russia.
The Foundation accepts for review applications (or proposals) to hold scientific events whose programs provide for a wider treatment of the fundamentals of science in knowledge areas (01) - (07). RFBR recommends using Russian as one of the working languages at international events held within the territory of Russia. RFBR does not support general-education programs and events whose programs are exclusively of an applied character.
Funds provided by the Foundation to organize and hold scientific events will be used only to compensate the following expenses: payment for the services of epidiascope operators and translators/interpreters; charges on labor compensation; travel expenses related to the organization of events of employees of the organization through which funding is provided; secretarial expenses and acquisition of consumables; rental payment for auto transportation to accommodate the needs of the organizing committee during the preparation of a scientific event and on the days of arrival/departure of participants; communication expenses; lease of premises; publishing expenses - the publishing of the theses of reports, programs and information letters, rental of audio- and video equipment and equipment for simultaneous translation; travel expenses for Russian participants.
Funding shall not be used to compensate the organizational and technical expenses of organizers to support projects.
“d” - Publishing projects.
The Foundation will support publications summing up and generalizing the results of fundamental research under sections (01) – (07) and will publish 400 copies of its publication.
The Foundation does not support the publication of scientific journals, periodicals and also of proceedings in foreign languages or translations from the Russian language into foreign languages.
The duration of projects to publish books by Russian authors is 1 year. In the event of publication of a multivolume (serial) publication, only volumes ready for printing will be accepted for participation in ongoing competitions, and RFBR reserves the right to refuse to provide funds for publication of the subsequent volumes. The duration of projects to translate books by foreign authors into the Russian language and to publish them subsequently:
- 1 year, if a book has already been translated;
- 2 years, if a book has not been translated yet. During the first year, funds will be provided to translate a book into the Russian language. A decision to continue funding under the project for the next year will be made after an expert review of a report on the first year of the project and of a submitted full translation of the book.

The number of pages in the manuscript should be specified, taking into account illustrations. Manuscripts will be returned after completion of the competition. A project manager or his or her representative will be required to claim their manuscripts at RFBR not later than March 31, 2006. Manuscripts not claimed by authors as specified above will be destroyed.
In the event of submission of proposals to publish in Russian translation the best books by foreign scientists, reviewed will be only books originally published abroad within the past three years (that is, books originally published in 2003 and subsequent years). This condition is not applicable to works by science classics.
The number of pages in the manuscript should be specified, taking into account illustrations. Manuscripts will be returned after completion of the competition. A project manager or his or her representative will be required to claim their manuscripts at RFBR not later than March 31, 2006. Manuscripts not claimed by authors as specified above will be destroyed.
In the event of submission of proposals to publish in Russian translation the best books by foreign scientists, reviewed will be only books originally published abroad within the past three years (that is, books originally published in 2003 and subsequent years). This condition is not applicable to works by science classics.
“z” - Participation of Russian scientists in international scientific events abroad.
Accepted are individual applications (grant proposals) for Russian scientists to participate in foreign events whose programs devote much time to basic research.
A scientist’s individual application to receive funding to participate in foreign scientific events consists of a title page (Form T) and three sections prepared in accordance with forms 2, 3 and 6. The applicant specifies his or her details in form T (in paragraphs where project leader data are to be specified) and in form 2. Form 3 is to be filled out for an organization through which funding will be provided.
The name of an application begins with the words “Participation in…”. After the preparation of an application and its registration in the Grant-Express system, 2 (two) printed copies of the application are to be provided to the foundation, and they should be received by the Foundation at least 30 days before the event.
An application must be accompanied by:
- notice sent by an international organizing committee specifying that a report submitted by the applicant is included in the event’s program (specifying the authors, name and type of the report);
- a copy of the report’s theses accepted by the organizing committee;
- a science program of the event or information circulars;
- information on the members of the organizing committee;
- available information on the possibility that the organizing committee or other sponsors may support the applicant’s stay
If an application is accompanied with messages from an international organizing committee received via e-mail, such messages should be verified by the stamp and signature of the academic secretary of the respective research institution in which the applicant works.
Without such information, applications will not be accepted for merit review.
The results of such merit review and information on an amount of funding provided by the Foundation will be posted on the personal page of each applicant in the Grant-Express system, in the
If an applicant was notified of support provided by the Foundation but for any reason was unable to participate in the scientific event, he or she will be required to submit to the Foundation in writing his or her waiver of the grant.
The Foundation will support a scientist’s participation in scientific events only once a year.
If a report is submitted by several scientists, RFBR will support the participation in the respective scientific event of only one of the co-authors.
Applications to participate in international expeditions, fairs and activities conducted jointly with foreign scientists will not be accepted.
A grant provided by RFBR under the paragraph “z” competition may be used to pay partially for travel expenses related to participation in a foreign scientific event within an amount provided by the Foundation under the project. Funding shall not be used to compensate the organizational and technical expenses of organizers to support projects.
RFBR will pay for participation in a scientific event provided such participation is not paid for by other foundations, sponsors, conference organizing committees, etc. Payment procedure. RFBR will pay for a scientist’s participation in the work of a scientific event abroad only upon receipt of a report and provided the applicant is sent abroad by an organization (scientific institution).
The duration of travel abroad should not exceed two months. Reports should be submitted within a month upon return from foreign travel
“k” - Organization of expeditions.
The Foundation will accept for review applications to organize within the territory of the Russian Federation expeditions and field research only if they are held in the knowledge areas for initiative-based projects receiving grants under the paragraph “a” competitions of RFBR. Applications under the paragraph “r” competition will not be accepted. Applications to organize expeditions within the territories of other countries will not be accepted.
An application to organize an expedition should be submitted if expenses associated with the expedition exceed 100,000 Rubles; if such expenses do not exceed 100,000 Rubles, they will be covered from the funds under a respective grant received under the paragraph "a" competition.
An application under the paragraph “k” competition may be submitted by the project manager of an ongoing initiative-based project or by the project manager under a new application reviewed under the paragraph “a” competition for 2006. In the latter case, to the paragraph “k” competition will be admitted only those applications whose managers have received support under the competition for initiative-based projects.
Funding shall not be used to compensate the organizational and technical expenses of organizers to support projects.
If a joint or combined expedition is organized to carry out work under several RFBR grants (for knowledge area 05 “Earth Sciences”, such form of organization is the preferred option), the grant recipients will themselves appoint one of the managers to lead the expedition, and a single application will be submitted in the name of such leader of the expedition.
“r” - Regional projects.
The Foundation, together with the administrations and governments of the constitutive entities of the Russian Federation (regions), supports basic research conducted in the interests of Russia’s regions in knowledge areas (01) - (08). The classifier under knowledge area 08 “Fundamentals of Engineering Sciences” was published in the Poisk newspaper No. 22 (836), dated June 3, 2005.
Applications are to be submitted to regional expert panels. It is not permitted to submit the same project to participate in a general competition of RFBR and in a regional competition.
Announcements on new regional competitions for 2006 were published in the Poisk newspaper No. 23 (837) dated June 10, 2005, on the RFBR website and in local press.
“ano” - Analytical reviews.
The Foundation holds a competition among projects to write analytical reviews on the results of basic research, including research carried out under RFBR projects. Both individual scientists and research teams may participate in the competition. Applications to participate in the competition are accepted all year round.
Reviews are prepared in basic research areas enumerated in the RFBR classifier. A review must contain a clear account of: the conditions and trends of development of international science in the area under review; the specifics of development of research in the area under review in Russia; the most important results obtained during implementation of RFBR projects and the degree of their impact on the development of the issue area under review; the availability in the area under review of scientists and equipment.
Reviews will be designated for publication in RFBR publications but may also be published in other scientific publications. Reviews should contain references to the works of Russian and foreign authors and also to publications by participants of RFBR projects in the Russian and foreign press, specifying the number of each project mentioned in the review. In accordance with the rules and regulations applicable to RFBR competitions, the results of research under RFBR projects may be published only with a reference to the fact that such research was supported by the Foundation, however, the Foundation does not undertake to provide to competition participants materials on reports under the projects.

Appendix 1. Forms to submit applications under different types of competitions for 2006.
Appendix 2. RFBR classifier for the 2006 competition.
Appendix 3. Region codes.
Appendix 4. A list of abbreviations.

A full text of of this announcement and application forms in electronic format is available to view at RFBR’s web-server www.rfbr.ru

   
Copyright © 2002 ÐÔÔÈ Design and programming: Intra-Center