Research Funding Organisations
Your Partner for
Research Funding Organisations
Research assessment solutions
Supporting Research Funding Organisations in their Evaluation Processes
We partner with Research Funding Organisations to evaluate a wide range of funding programmes. Partnering with ESF enables funding agencies to tap into a large international pool of expert reviewers and evaluators, helping them manage high activity peaks and increasing volumes of submitted applications.
Our Research Assessment Support
ESF delivers independent, tailored Research Assessment Solutions to strengthen your peer review processes.
With our Community of Experts and decades of experience, we provide transparent, robust, and unbiased assessments.
Our key strengths include:
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10,000+ expert reviewers across all scientific fields
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Strict conflict-of-interest management
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Customisable and tailored evaluation processes
Explore recent Competitive Calls supported:
Assessment type:
External Expert Assessment
Research areas
All research fields
FWO - Research Foundation Flanders (Belgium)
Over 4,700 Experts engaged to evaluate research proposals
As part of the long-term partnership in place since 2018 with the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), throughout 2023, ESF supported FWO with peer review of their competitive calls for projects.
ESF's evaluated over 2,800 applications across all research domains, with the contribution of more than 4,700 international expert reviewers.
The assessments include bilateral research programmes with Brazil and Vietnam as well as Fundamental Research Projects, Junior & Senior Postdoctoral Fellowships, and Strategic Basic Research projects.
"We are pleased with ESF’s work in appointing external reviewers of excellent standing whose high-quality reviews are much appreciated by FWO review panels.
Flexible and trustworthy partners like ESF are crucial for organisations like FWO that have to respond to the high expectations of the scientific community"
Dr. Hans Willems, Secretary-General
Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)
Assessment type:
Expert Assessments
& Review Panels
Research areas
IT, computer science
ICANN (USA) - Internet Corporation for Assigned Names
and Numbers
Supporting the evaluation of DNS-related projects
In 2024, ESF partnered with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names & Numbers (ICANN) to support the evaluation of applications received within the first cycle of the ICANN Grant Program.
The Program funds innovative projects aligned with ICANN’s mission to ensure a stable,
secure Internet.
ESF led a two-stage evaluation process, involving expert reviews and panels, resulting in the assessment of 130+ applications and nearly 400 evaluations.
Assessment type:
External Expert Assessment
Research areas
All research fields
Slovenian Research Agency
Evaluation of the “Gravity Programme”
In 2024, ESF provided independent external assessments to the Slovenian Research Innovation Agency (ARIS) in the framework of their “Gravity Programme”. The aim of this programme was to bring together top researchers in the fields of artificial intelligence, semiconductors, language and quantum technologies, to facilitate innovation, excellence and the international positioning of the Slovene research.
Assessment type:
External Expert Assessment
Research areas
All research fields
Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia
Evaluation of over 600 research projects
In 2023 ESF supported the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia in the assessment process for its largest funding scheme for basic and applied research projects (PRISMA) involving the peer review of more than 600 research project applications across all fields of sciences. ESF provided expert assessment reports and handled the peer consensus step of the evaluation process.
Assessment type:
External Expert Assessment
Research areas
All research fields
Austrian Science Fund (FWF)
Evaluation of the “Clusters of Excellence” Programme
In 2022, ESF supported the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) in the two-phase evaluation of the proposals submitted under the “Clusters of Excellence” programme, a pillar research initiative of FWF fostering and enabling interdisciplinarity collaboration and synergies amongst leading Austrian research institutions. Over 180 expert review reports by international reviewers outside Austria for both selection phases were provided to FWF. Click here to read the interview with FWF Unit Head of Programme Management and Coordination.
The cooperation with the ESF was very straightforward and goal-oriented, and flexible when it came to implementing our premises and specifications within the framework of the Clusters of Excellence review. FWF decided to externalise the review process to the ESF in order to ensure that transparency and the rules regarding conflicts of interest can be complied with without any problems
Tina Olteanu
Unit Head, Program Management Coordination
Austrian Science Fund (FWF)
Assessment type:
Review Panels
Research areas
Fundamental research
Applied research
Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia
Evaluation of over 500 research proposals by 19 Review Panels
ESF has been partnering with the Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia (SRNSFG) since 2019.
In 2023, ESF supported the evaluation process of the SRNSFG main funding programmes - “Research Grants for Young Scientists” and “Fundamental Research State Grants” .
ESF implemented the scientific assessment of more than 500 research proposals and set up 19 disciplinary review panels involving over 140 international experts.
"Since 2019, ESF has carried out peer review evaluations of our national grants, consistently mobilizing a large pool of highly qualified international reviewers and delivering timely, high-quality assessments.
We greatly value the ESF team’s professionalism, performance and effective communication.
Our partnership with ESF marks an important step toward aligning our evaluation processes with European standards"
Ketevan Gabitashvili, Head of Science Department
Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia (SRNSFG)
Discover other partners!
Public Authorities
We partner with Public Authorities to evaluate a wide range of funding programmes.
Philanthropies
We partner with Philanthropies to evaluate a wide range of funding programmes.
Universities
We partner with Universities to evaluate a wide range of funding applications
MSCA Cofunds
We partner with MSCA Cofunds to evaluate a wide range of funding programmes.
Success Stories
Fight Kids Cancer 2025-2026 Call for Proposals
FIGHT KIDS CANCER is thrilled to announce that its next call opening on September 1st, will be dedicated to clinical and translational research in paediatric sarcoma.
Advancing Paediatric Cancer Research in Europe
How ESF supports Fight Kids Cancer programme, an initiative created to address the urgent need for innovation in paediatric oncology.
FWF Cluster of Excellence funding programme
Interview with Tina Olteanu, Unit Head Program Management Coordination of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) on the role of FWF’s Cluster of Excellence funding programme.
Contact Us!
We are ready to answer any questions, discuss potential collaborations, and schedule a meeting. Feel free to drop us an email.
Julia Boman
Grant Evaluation Partnerships Manager
Eliana Legoux
Grant Evaluation Partnerships Administrator