Grants for Thematic Conferences and Junior Network Workshops

The ECSR invites proposals for funding to support international research events that promote high-quality sociological research, intellectual exchange, and collaboration among ECSR member institutions.

Under this call, applicants may apply for support for one of two event formats:

Applicants should clearly indicate which format they are applying for and ensure that the proposal aligns with the corresponding objectives, eligibility criteria, and funding principles outlined below. For both formats, the maximum grant amount is 4,000 Euros.

Applications will be reviewed by the ECSR board with attention the scientific quality; the format and participants; the calibration of the budget and co-financing. Decisions on the applications will be made by the ECSR board and will normally be communicated to the applicants within six weeks of the closing date. A maximum of three events will be funded yearly.

Applications must be submitted by July 31, 2026, for conferences taking place in 2027.

All submissions should be sent to the following email address: Thematic Conferences: ecsr-thematicconferencegrant@wzb.eu; Junior Network Workshops: ecsr-networkgrant@wzb.eu  

If you are interested in submitting a proposal or have further questions, please contact Are Skeie Hermansen for Thematic Conferences and Bogdan Voicu for Junior Network Workshops (see respective emails above).

A list of current ECSR member institutions can be found at www.ecsrnet.eu/member-institutions.

Thematic Conferences

The ECSR’s budget for thematic conferences is max. 4,000 Euros per conference. One or more conferences may be funded with this call.

Eligibility and grant regulations

  • Thematic conferences are international events of at least one full day that focus on a specific theme.
  • Participants should be approximately 20–50 researchers from ECSR member institutions from sociology but also other related fields (e.g., demography, economics, psychology, political science, epidemiology); participants from non-member institutions are allowed.
  • Main applicant is a junior (anyone without a tenured position, i.e. PhD students, postdocs, non-tenured researchers, and non-tenured assistant professors) or senior researcher affiliated to a member institution of ECSR.
  • Applications from or including member institutions from Central and Eastern European ECSR member institutions are particularly welcome, though this is not required.
  • Maximum grant amount is max. 4,000 Euros and may cover costs for travel, accommodation, and catering for conference participants, but not overheads, administrative, staff and insurance costs. Catering is limited to a maximum of 50 Euros per participant per full day. Specific regulations apply to travel and accommodation costs (see here).
  • Co-funding and joint organization of thematic conferences with other professional networks or organizations is necessary. Co-financing should be at least 40% of the total cost of the conference (including in-kind contributions).
  • Grant approval requires the compliance with the Terms and Conditions of the ECSR Thematic Conferences. A pre-payment of up to 50% of the grant amount can be requested. The reimbursement is limited to eligible expenditures and requires the submission of an expenditure statement including financial documentation as well as a short report on the achievements of the conference.
  • It is requested that the call for papers of the ECSR Thematic Conference is circulated to ECSR members via its newsletter. The ECSR logo should be present on all communication materials for this conference. Information about the ECSR Thematic Conference will be published on the ECSR website.

Application criteria

Applications should include:

  • A letter of request for funding outlining the aims and anticipated outcome of the conference and motivating the particular ECSR-related benefits. A statement clarifying how the proposal meets the eligibility criteria (maximum 1,000 words).
  • A short presentation of organisers (maximum 250 words per person) alongside their institutional affiliations.
  • A description of the conference: format, type of audience, expected number of persons (including expected number of ECSR members), number of sessions, process of paper selection, name of keynotes speakers, type of circulation of the call for papers, and possible further developments.
  • A first version of the call for papers, which should give priority to participants from ECSR member institutions.
  • A detailed budget plan that gives details of lump sums and expected spending at the personal level. All revenues should be detailed (including the financial contribution of other institutes). The budget must be in conformity with the above regulations.

Funded ECSR Thematic Conferences

Thematic Conferences of the past unregistered ECSR network

Junior Network Workshops

The ECSR’s budget for junior network workshops is max. 4,000 Euros per workshop. One or more workshops may be funded with this call.

Eligibility and grant regulations

  • Junior Network Workshop grants provide funding to organise small workshops of at least one full day to advance projects involving collaboration between junior researchers affiliated with ECSR member institutions. The grants are intended to foster intellectual exchange and the development of projects for junior researchers.
  • Participants should be junior researchers from at least 3 member institutions (including the applicant/s); junior participants from non-member institutions allowed; seniors as discussants allowed.
  • Main applicant(s) are junior researchers (anyone without a tenured position, i.e. PhD students, postdocs, non-tenured researchers, and non-tenured assistant professors) affiliated to a member institution of ECSR.
  • Applications from or including member institutions from Central and Eastern European ECSR member institutions are particularly welcome, though this is not required.
  • Maximum grant amount is max. 4,000 Euros and may cover costs for travel, accommodation, and catering for workshop participants, but not overheads, administrative, staff and insurance costs. Catering is limited to a maximum of 50 Euros per participant per full day. Specific regulations apply to travel and accommodation costs (see here).
  • Co-funding of workshops with other professional networks or organizations is optional.
  • Grant approval requires the compliance with the Terms and Conditions of the ECSR Network Workshops. A pre-payment of up to 50% of the grant amount can be requested. The reimbursement is limited to eligible expenditures and requires the submission of an expenditure statement including financial documentation as well as a short report on the achievements of the workshop.
  • The ECSR logo should be present on all communication materials for this workshop. Information about the ECSR Junior Network Workshop will be published on the ECSR website.

Application criteria

The application should include:

  • A letter of request for funding outlining the aims and anticipated outcome of the workshop, which should identify the specific research agenda that the workshop aims to address and clearly set out how the planned activity and participants contribute to advancing it. The latter should include a statement clarifying how the proposal meets the eligibility criteria (maximum 1,000 words).
  • A short brief biographical statements (maximum 50–100 words each) on the proposed participants alongside their institutional affiliations.
  • A detailed budget plan that gives details of lump sums and expected spending at the personal level. All revenues should be detailed (including the financial contribution of other institutes). The budget must be in conformity with the above regulations.

Funded ECSR Network Workshops

  • 2026, 2–3 March, University of Cologne, Germany, Understanding Kin Relations

Network Workshops of the past unregistered ECSR network