The Murros-call is open from 11.8.–29.8.2025. The submission of idea papers for the call is currently open.
The Nessling Foundation speeds up the sustainability transformation that protects natural systems by funding research and science-based action. In 2025, we will grant an additional million euros through the Murros-call to projects that generate deeper understanding, new perspectives, and science-based solutions for breaking away from structural overconsumption.
We are depleting natural resources beyond the Earth’s carrying capacity, and the current trajectory is accelerating this overuse [1]. Particularly in wealthy countries like Finland, the consumption of natural resources is far from sustainable. For example, per capita material consumption in Finland exceeds the global sustainable limit by nearly sevenfold [2].
In order for our consumption to fit within the planetary boundaries, the change must reach deep into the underlying structures.
Research and public discussion often focus on the role of individual overconsumption. Less attention has been given, on one hand, to the role of societal and economic structures behind overconsumption, and on the other, to the structural overconsumption tied to the maintenance of infrastructure essential for societies.
The term “structural overconsumption” used in the Murros-call carries a dual meaning: it refers both to the state of overconsumption maintained by the structures of modern Western society and economy, and to the environmental footprint generated by large-scale infrastructure and construction projects.
In this call, we want to focus on how to break away from structural overconsumption. Interesting questions include: What are the structures across society that drive overconsumption, and how must they change? What economic, political, technological, and societal lock-ins are steering us towards overconsumption and acting as barriers to sufficiency? What kind of political guidance is needed for state operations or for other major societal actors?
The Murros-call will fund two two-year projects. We are looking for multidisciplinary projects that will provide deeper understanding, new perspectives and science-based solutions for breaking away from structural overconsumption. The allocated million euros will be distributed between the two funded projects. The impact of the projects must be directed towards Finnish society, and the projects must be carried out by a Finnish research organisation.
The Murros-call will take place from 11.8.–29.8.2025 in parallel with the general funding call of the Nessling Foundation.
Project assignment
In this call, we are looking for multidisciplinary projects that will provide deeper understanding, new perspectives and science-based solutions for breaking away from structural overconsumption. We expect the projects to build on the best available knowledge, which will be further developed over the course of the project. Using this knowledge base, the projects will produce practical solutions that will also be implemented during the project.
There are two themes to choose from, which may also be combined if wished. Funding is given to two best-evaluated projects, regardless of their theme. The themes are:
- the structures of Western society and economy behind overconsumption
- overconsumption tied to large-scale infrastructure and construction projects
The project must involve researchers or experts from at least three different disciplines. Experts from different fields can come from within the same organisation.
Additionally, the project must include so-called knowledge users. Knowledge users are typically stakeholders who are not funded within the project, but the application must include a letter of intent and a description of cooperation with them.
The duration of the project is two years.
Two projects will be funded through the call, and their collaboration will be facilitated and supported by the Nessling Foundation during the course of the projects. The collaboration may involve sharing knowledge and resources, or joint communication and impact efforts. The projects commit to this collaboration already at the application stage.
Timeline for the Murros-call
The Murros-call is open at the same time with the general funding call of the Nessling Foundation from 11.8.–29.8.2025. Applications for funding are submitted through the Nesslink grant system. The application form will be available in the system on 11 August.
Applicants may submit an idea paper for the call between 5.2.–27.4.2025. Applicants who submit an idea paper will receive feedback that can be used to improve their actual application. The feedback will be provided by the Nessling Foundation’s experts over the phone. Feedback sessions can be scheduled between 8.5.–16.6.2025.
The idea paper is submitted via the Nesslink system, and only those received by the deadline will be considered. After submitting the idea paper, you will receive an email with a link to book a feedback session.
Please note: The idea paper is a voluntary part of the application process and will not be evaluated. It is not a formal requirement for applying for or receiving funding. The purpose of the idea paper and the feedback provided is to help applicants create the best possible applications.
The funded projects will be announced in November 2025.
Who can apply for the funding?
Funding can be applied for by Finnish research organisations. Additionally, project may involve multiple co-implementers. The application must be submitted by the project leader who represents the main research organisation implementing the project.
The project leader must hold a doctoral degree and either have the title of docent or equivalent experience as a researcher. If the project leader is a professor, funding will not be granted for their salary costs. However, if the project leader holds the title of docent or has equivalent research experience, funding for their salary costs may be granted. In such cases, the salary level should be defined in the application according to the Universities’ salary system.
The project leader may participate only in one application submitted for the call, namely the one in which they act as the project leader.
The Nessling Foundation pays the entire funding to the main implementing organisation, which is responsible for distributing the funds to the co-implementers. The main implementer is accountable for the implementation of the project, financial accounting, and reporting to the Nessling Foundation, as well as to the other parties involved in the project and any other relevant parties as required.
Co-implementers may include organisations such as universities, research institutes, associations, cooperatives, municipalities, foundations, companies, or freelancers. Co-implementers may also include non-Finnish actors.
A letter of intent from the project implementers must be attached to the project application. If the project receives funding, the main implementer is responsible for drafting a written cooperation agreement with the co-implementers.
Funding can be applied for if the applicant has an ongoing project funded by the Nessling Foundation that is nearing completion. However, the current Nessling-funded project must be completed by the time the applicant begins receiving funding from the Murros-call.
The Murros-call is open at the same time with the general funding call of the Nessling Foundation. The same entity/person can apply for funding in both the Murros-call and the general funding call for a science-based action project, but they can act as the project leader or main implementer in only one of these applications. Those applying for doctoral thesis or postdoc project funding in the general call cannot be involved in applying for funding from the Murros-call.
Project budget and duration
In the Murros-call, a total of one million euros will be granted to fund two projects, each with a duration of two years. The Nessling Foundation’s contribution to the budget of an individual project can be up to 500,000 euros. Projects may also receive additional funding from other sources. Applicants must outline the project’s overall funding plan in their application and clearly specify which part of the project will be implemented using Nessling Foundation funding.
The overhead costs applied for and paid to the main implementing research organisation can account for a maximum of 15 per cent of the project’s total costs. The total amount applied for, including overhead costs, cannot exceed 500,000 euros.
The duration of the project must be two years, and shorter implementation periods cannot be applied for. The project must commence during the calendar year following the grant decision (by 1 December 2026 at the latest).
Project evaluation
Applications submitted to the Murros-call are evaluated by an independent panel of four experts. The names of the evaluators are not made public. All evaluators review every application, assess, and score them. Following this, the evaluators convene for an evaluation meeting to develop a joint proposal for the projects to be funded. The research committee, consisting of members of the Nessling Foundation Board, reviews the proposals and makes a recommendation to the full Board, which makes the final funding decisions.
The key evaluation criteria for Murros-projects are:
- The project’s connection to structural overconsumption
- Implementation of multidisciplinarity in the project
- Scientific quality, originality, and novelty value of the project
- Research implementation plan, data, and methods
- Implementation plan and methods for communication and engagement
- The role of knowledge users in the project
- Societal relevance and scalability of the results
- Quality and realism of the risk assessment
How to apply for funding
The Murros-call is open at the same time with the general funding call of the Nessling Foundation from 11.8.–29.8.2025. Funding is applied for through the Nesslink grant system. The application form will be available in the system on 11 August.
Both the idea paper and the actual application must be completed and submitted through the Nesslink grant system. We only accept idea papers and applications submitted via Nesslink by the specified deadlines.
The application must be completed and submitted by the project leader. Instructions for completing the full application will be published in June.
Further information
We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions about the Murros-call on our FAQ page. Please check there first to see if your question has already been answered.
For questions related to the Murros-call, please contact us via email at . We aim to respond within two working days.
We will host information sessions about the Nessling Foundation’s autumn funding calls on 16 and 17 June. Details about the sessions will be shared on our website and other channels during the spring.
Watch the launch event of the Murros-call below. The video is available with English subtitles. The live chat replay is visible when you open the video on YouTube.
[1] UNEP. (2024). Global Resources Outlook 2024.
[2] WWF. (2024). Fair Finnish Footprint – Finland’s pathway to consumption aligned with global sustainability boundaries (pdf).