In order for our consumption to fit within the planetary boundaries, the change must reach deep into the underlying structures. 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.
Submit your application using the Nesslink system
The grant application is prepared using the Nesslink system. The application form will be available in Nesslink from the start date of the application period on Monday 11 August 2025. The application must be submitted by the project leader who represents the main research organisation implementing the project. The applicant registers as an organisational applicant in the Nesslink system.
You may submit your application in either Finnish or English. All attachments may also be prepared in Finnish or English. The only exceptions are the Project title and Project summary fields on the application form – these are to be given in both Finnish and English as we use this information in our communications if funding is granted for the project.
The system allows you to save and edit an unfinished application. It will guide you forward and provide instructions. We only consider applications that are received through Nesslink by the deadline.
How to fill in the application form
Below, you find instructions for completing the application form fields in the order in which they appear in the form.
Project implementer
Funding can be applied for by Finnish research organisations. Research organisations include universities and state research institutes. Research organisations may also include, for example, registered associations, social enterprises, or think tanks, where research is defined as one of the organisation’s modes of operation in their statutes, or which have a long-standing and established record of conducting research.
Additionally, project may involve multiple co-implementers. 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.
The application must include a free-form letter of intent between the main and co-implementers. For more details, see the section Attachments
The applicant, that is, the person submitting the application, must always be 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. The project leader may participate in only one application submitted for the call, namely the one in which they act as the project leader.
The applicant registers as an organisational applicant in the Nesslink system.
On the application form, fill in the project leader’s first and last name, email address, phone number, title or academic degree, faculty or unit, and ORCID identifier.
Main implementing organisation
As the project implementation site, name the research organisation that serves as the main implementer of the project, i.e. the organisation to which the potential funding will be paid in full.
Description of project implementers
Name the main implementer and any co-implementers of the project. Describe the qualifications and merits of the responsible project leader and co-implementers in terms of scientific and/or societal impact. If a co-implementer does not participate in the research itself, demonstrated societal impact alone is sufficient. If not all members of the project team are known at the time of application, please describe the type of expertise or profile that will be added to complete the team. A letter of intent between the main and co-implementers mentioned here must be attached to the application under the Attachmentssection. Maximum length is 1500 characters.
Knowledge users involved in the project
Name the knowledge users involved in the project. A letter of intent is not required for knowledge users. Maximum length is 1000 characters.
Project details
On the application form, enter the project title in both Finnish and English, along with the estimated project timeline. The duration of the project is two years, and a shorter implementation period cannot be applied for. The project must start during the calendar year following the grant decision (by 1 December 2026 at the latest).
Please also select the theme of the project from the following options. There are two themes to choose from, which may also be combined if wished.:
- the structures of Western society and economy behind overconsumption
- overconsumption tied to large-scale infrastructure and construction projects
Project’s fields of research
The Murros-call fund multidisciplinary projects. The project must thus involve researchers or experts from at least three different disciplines. Experts from different fields can come from within the same organisation. Select the project’s main fields of research from the list below.
- Humanities
- Business and Administration/Economics
- Education
- Natural sciences
- Social sciences
- Law
- Technology
- Health sciences
- Sustainability science
- Other, please specify
Brief summary of the project
Provide a general overview of what the project entails, what are its main objectives, and how it aims to contribute to breaking away from structural overconsumption. This summary will be published on the Nessling Foundation’s website if funding is granted for the project. The summary is also requested in Finnish. Maximum length is 1500 characters.
Novelty, originality, and related risks
Describe how your research may challenge established perceptions, generate new knowledge, or lead to significant scientific or societal advances. What uncertainties or risks of failure are associated with this kind of research? Why is taking these risks justified, and what potential outcomes could be achieved? How are the risks identified and managed? Maximum length is 1500 characters.
Budget
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 (we encourage to apply for an amount as close to this as possible). Project 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 Nessling Foundation pays the full grant to the main implementing research organisation, which is responsible for distributing the funding to the co-implementers. The main implementer is accountable for the execution of the project, financial record-keeping, and reporting to the Nessling Foundation, the project partners, and any other relevant stakeholders, as necessary.
The duration of the project must be two years, and shorter implementation periods cannot be applied for. The project budget must be detailed in the Budget section of the application form in Nesslink. A more detailed breakdown of costs must be attached as a separate appendix to the application. In the Nesslink budget table, the amounts for each of the two years must be specified separately under the following categories:
- Personnel costs
- Research expenses
- Travel expenses
- Communication and interaction
- Other expenses (must be clearly specified in the detailed breakdown)
- Overheads
Salary costs of the project leader
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.
Personal grants cannot be applied for
This call does not provide personal grants. All funding paid to individuals must be recorded in the budget table as salary costs, to be administered by the main implementing organisation.
Indirect employee costs
Indirect employee costs are included in the budget according to legal requirements. Non-statutory, organisation-specific costs – such as holiday bonuses, leisure-time travel insurance, or occupational health care – may also be included. The total indirect employee costs applied for may not exceed 30 per cent. Personnel costs must be reported based on actual expenses.
Eligible costs
The project budget may not include permanent acquisitions such as equipment purchases or office/laboratory space rent within the implementing organisation. These types of costs are considered part of general overhead and are not eligible for separate funding.
Overheads
Overhead costs refer to administrative expenses arising from the implementation of the project, which cannot be directly itemised in the accounts. These may include, for example, costs related to human resources or a calculated share of office rental costs. The overhead portion may amount to a maximum of 15% of the project’s other expenses (for example, if the project costs applied for total €100,000, an additional maximum of €15,000 may be requested for overheads).
Applicants requesting an overhead portion are asked to provide a brief written description on the application form of the types of costs the overheads will comprise in the context of the project.
The overhead portion may be up to 15% of the total project costs. In the Murros Call, the total amount requested – including overheads – may not exceed €500,000.
The share of overhead costs 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.
Overheads for companies
As a non-profit foundation, we are not able to pay lump sum overhead costs to companies. This applies to both main and co-implementers of a project.
However, general project-related costs may be reimbursed to companies under the following conditions:
- Reimbursable costs must be allocated to the project based on reporting, and must be verifiable and demonstrable
- Reimbursable costs must not include permanent acquisitions for the company (e.g., equipment)
- Reimbursable costs must not be related to the company’s economic activities. Economic activity is defined as any activity involving the offering of goods or services on the market, regardless of whether any profit is pursued or achieved.
- The company’s economic activity is separated from the funded activity (i.e., the project). In other words, the company must maintain separate bookkeeping for its economic activities and project-related activities to ensure that none of the project funding is allocated to economic activities.
- Overhead costs can account for a maximum of 15 percent on top of the project costs (for example, if the company’s project expenses are €100,000, it may apply for a maximum of €15,000 in additional overhead costs).
Reporting of company overhead costs
- All overhead costs must be reported based on actual expenses. The company must demonstrate that its economic activities and the project, including the costs, funding and revenues, are clearly separated. Reporting should be provided at the level of detail of the general ledger.
- The Nessling Foundation reserves the right to request additional clarifications. The foundation may also determine that a reported cost is non-reimbursable if the implementer’s explanation is insufficient or if it cannot be demonstrated that the costs are project-related and separate from the company’s economic activities.
- General administrative costs may be allocated to the project, for example, based on person-year calculations. This can be done by calculating the total number of person-years in the company, determining the proportion of person-years allocated to the project, and multiplying the company’s general administrative costs by this proportion.
Guidelines for subcontracting
Procurements exceeding €30,000 within the project must be subject to a tendering process, and the process must be properly documented. The Nessling Foundation may request to review the tendering documents. The €30,000 threshold includes all purchases and services procured from the same provider during the entire project period. We also recommend competitive tendering for smaller procurements, although it is not mandatory.
Travel guidance
Please review the Nessling Foundation’s travel guidance carefully and follow them when preparing the project budget.
Attachments
The mandatory attachments of the application are:
- Research and interaction plan as specified in the guidelines. Maximum length 5 pages.
- Letter of intent between the main and co-implementers
- CVs and list of publications from the project leader and co-implementers
- Budget breakdown
Attachment 1: Research and interaction plan
We use the information in the research and interaction plan as the main basis for funding decisions. Follow the format and length requirements of the plan (line spacing 1, font size 11, font Calibri). The plan is divided into four sections. The maximum length of the plan is 5 pages.
- The core idea and intended societal impact of the project (approximately 1,5 pages)
This section outlines the core idea and purpose of the research. Provide clear answers to the following questions:
- Which key societal issue, structure, or system related to structural overconsumption does the project focus on, and why are science-based solutions needed to tackle it?
- What are the scientific and societal objectives of the research? How does the project implement interdisciplinarity, and how do the different disciplines complement each other in achieving the project’s goals?
- How does the project provide deeper understanding, new perspectives, and science-based solutions for breaking away from structural overconsumption? What scientific knowledge base related to the sustainability transformation does the project build upon?
- How does the project engage with stakeholders and bring research results into society? Who will be affected by the outcomes of the project?
- Research implementation (approximately 1,5 pages)
This section presents the implementation plan, including the following information:
- Theoretical background and relevant academic disciplines
- Methods and data, with justifications for their selection
- Work phases or work packages, timeline, and division of responsibilities among the project implementers
- Expected outcomes
- How does the project follow the principles of responsible research? These include reliability, ethics, reproducibility, and transparency.
- Communications and interaction (approximately 1 page)
This section describes the project’s communication and engagement plan and provides answers to the following questions:
- The objectives and methods of communications and interaction
- Key stakeholders: with whom, why, and how will collaboration be carried out?
- How will the project partners benefit from the project?
- Scientific merits, societal competence and reference list (approximately 1 page)
In this section, briefly describe:
- The scientific expertise of the project leader and their experience in interdisciplinary projects
- The specific expertise of co-implementers in relation to the project’s objectives
- The capacity of project implementers to conduct societally impactful research
- A list of key literature or references relevant to the project (max. 20 references)
Attachment 2: Letter of intent
A letter of intent is done between the main and co-implementing parties. The letter of intent is not subject to specific template, but it is a mandatory part of the application. The Nessling Foundation does not provide a template for the letter of intent; it is the applicant’s responsibility to prepare it.
If the project receives funding, the Nessling Foundation requires a new written cooperation agreement between the project partners that is formal in nature but not bound to a fixed format. The Foundation does not provide a template for this agreement either; it is the applicant’s responsibility to prepare it.
Attachment 3: CVs and list of publications from the project leader and co-implementers
CVs and list of publications are required from the project leader and from all co-implementers for whom funding is being requested from the Nessling Foundation. For academic applicants, the CV must follow the template provided by the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity (TENK). CVs and publication lists may be submitted in Finnish or English, and their combined maximum length is two pages per person.
Attachment 4: Budget breakdown
Attach a detailed cost breakdown of the project budget. If you are applying for funding for a project that is part of a larger whole and has multiple funders, the budget breakdown must also include a description of the project’s total funding. Please note that in such cases, the total funding must be presented clearly and in a separate table. See detailed instructions on how to prepare the budget in Budget section.
