Submission Guideline
Everything you need to know about preparing and submitting your proposal.
Submission Deadline: All proposals must be submitted by Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 23:59 CEST (UTC+2).
General Information
Language
All documents must be submitted in English.
File Format
All documents must be submitted as PDF files.
File Size
Maximum 10 MB per document.
Page Limits
Each document has specified page limits (see details below). Pages must be DIN A4 with max. 600 words per page.
Required Documents (Project Proposals)
Proposed projects can be new, stand-alone basic/translational and clinical research projects that do not receive funding from other sources. Funding can also be applied for in the form of deficit funding, where additional funds are requested for projects already partially financed by other private or public institutions.
Your proposal submission must include the following PDF documents:
CV and Publications
Max 2 DIN A4 pages (600 words per page)
CVs of all applicants (Principal Investigator(s) and Research Group Head(s)), including a list of their relevant publications.
Proposal Outline
Max 1 DIN A4 page (600 words)
A concise overview of your proposal prepared as a separate one-page document, including:
- Title
- Background
- Research questions & objectives
- Methods
- Expected outcomes
- Timeline
- Funding request summary
Project Description, Work Programme, and Funding Request
Project Description
Max 3 DIN A4 pages (600 words per page)
Detailed description of your research proposal, including:
- Title and Background (including literature review)
- Research questions & objectives
- Review of applicant's own work relevant to proposal
- Adherence to consensus-based diagnostic criteria (Canadian Consensus Criteria (CCC) or Institute of Medicine (IOM) 2015)
- Use of validated questionnaires and measurement instruments (if applicable, e.g. in clinical studies)
- Patient orientation
- Open science approach
- Stratification approach to sex/gender, age, disease duration, trigger/onset, severity etc. (if applicable)
- Methods and facilities/preconditions (e.g. access to infrastructure, databases, biobanks, patient/control cohorts, provision of relevant qualifications)
- Expected outcomes
Work Programme
Max 2 DIN A4 pages (600 words per page)
Work programme and timeline showing milestones, work packages, and deliverables.
Funding Request
Max 1 DIN A4 page (600 words)
Detailed funding request/cost breakdown, including:
- Personnel costs
- Hardware/equipment
- Software
- Travel expenses
- Consumables
- Statement on deficit funding (if project partly funded from other sources)
- Other costs
Approvals
No page limit
Ethics approvals, regulatory approvals, or a statement regarding pending approvals (e.g. in case of requesting deficit funding for clinical trials partly funded from other sources), data protection confirmations.
Statement on AI
Max 1 DIN A4 page (600 words)
Statement on use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in creation of proposal and application documents. Substantial use of AI (e.g. for hypothesis generation, literature review) must be declared. Human responsibility must be guaranteed for all content and at all stages. For guidance on use of substantial AI please refer to the European Commission Guideline.
Project Members and Signatures
No page limit
List of names, affiliations, project roles/responsibilities, and signatures of all applicants and project partners.
Required Documents (Open Access Fees)
Funding is available to cover open access fees that cannot be paid for from other sources for a small number of publications.
Proposal
Max 2 DIN A4 pages (600 words per page)
- Title of publication
- List of authors (including host institutions, locations)
- Abstract of publication
- Name of journal(s) (confirmed or planned)
- Date of article submission (deadline, if yet to be submitted)
- Open access fee requested (amount in €)
- Proof of funding requirement
Article
No page limit
Articles eligible for support must be aligned with the research areas and types defined under the Programme and reflect the current state of scientific evidence around the aetiology and pathobiology of ME/CFS. Decisions on the allocation of funds to cover open access fees will be made by the Foundation's Science Team.
Submission Process
Create an Account
Register on our platform with your email address. You will receive a verification email to confirm your account.
Start a New Proposal
After logging in, navigate to your dashboard and click "New Proposal" to begin your submission.
Enter Basic Information
Provide your project title, select the research area, and specify the research type.
Upload Documents
Upload all required PDF documents. You can save your progress and return later to complete the upload.
Review and Submit
Review all entered information and uploaded documents. Once submitted, no further changes are possible by the applicant.
Important: Once you submit your proposal, you will not be able to make any changes. Please review all information carefully before submitting. In case of urgent enquiries please contact: funding@mecfs-research.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Submit Your Proposal?
Join us in advancing ME/CFS research. Review the programme details and submission guideline and submit your proposal today.