We are by your side throughout the entire funding application process, advising and supporting you from the initial project idea to the submission of your funding proposal. We will not only help you choose the best funding source for your project but also write your funding proposal (or selected parts of it) for you, including the financing plan and work program. We know the formal requirements for funding proposals and supporting documents of the various third-party funding bodies and can help you avoid common stumbling blocks. In all this, we are always in close contact with our colleagues in the Finance and Human Resources Divisions of the University.
We will take on a coordinating capacity for your funding application and will, for instance, liaise with University bodies such as the University Executive to obtain further supporting documents – for example endorsements, letters of support or draft resolutions.
We work together closely with two particularly important sections of the University when it comes to funding applications:
Information events on developing an application take place at least once a year, currently with a focus on DFG and/or federal ministries.
We are continuously expanding our services and are happy to take your suggestions!
Please turn to the German page for a list of upcoming events. Currently there are no information events scheduled for the 2023 summer semester.
You can find more events on the pages of the Graduate Centre and our team “Future: Careers and Competencies”.
Below you will find an overview of FAQs, internal guidelines and administrative procedures for third-party funding, which will be supplemented on an ongoing basis.
If an application is submitted in the name of the University of Passau or if you require a legally valid signature of the president for the application, please consult Section III/2 in good time before the submission deadline – in accordance with the University of Passau's procedure for third-party funding applications and research projects. A short e-mail or telephone call with preliminary information on the planned application is usually sufficient for us.
This is especially true for applications to federal ministries in stage 2, as this always requires a legally binding signature by the president, which must be prepared internally, including checking the financial data and the legal aspects of your research project.
All applications for which you as a researcher are eligible to apply yourself must be briefly notified to the University Executive at the latest when the application is submitted. This applies above all to applications to the DFG, the Bavarian state ministries, all foundations and, in stage 1, to the German federal ministries.
We recommend that you generally consult us early in the application process. This will ensure the best possible conditions for the implementation of your project in advance. Experience has shown that formal discrepancies in the documents, which can sometimes delay or even impair third-party funding, can often be avoided if we have a preliminary version of your application and can give you feedback on it.
Only the University Executive can conclude contracts or sign declarations of support, confidentiality agreements and cooperation agreements.
For the conclusion of contracts, the project lead must sign a so-called "FEV-Erklärung" (an official statement on the research/development project) – in accordance with the University's internal procedure for third-party-funded projects.
Postdoctoral early career researchers who wish to act as the project lead for a third-party-funded project require a letter of confirmation from the dean of the faculty. The formal act is based on Art. 72(2) sentence 5 of the Bavarian higher education innovation act (BayHIG). A statement from the University Executive confirming to the third-party funder that the University supports your project is often also required. We will be happy to provide you with corresponding sample letters.
For information and advice on drafting and negotiating contracts, please contact our Legal Matters Relating to Research and Knowledge Transfer Section.
If you require an expression of interest, a letter of intent or a letter of support from the University Executive for your application, contact us (Section III/2). We will gladly provide you with text templates and suggested wording.
For the funding approval to be binding, it must be accepted by the University Executive.
To this end, it is important that the project lead signs the Declaration on the research and/or development project (German: FEV-Erklärung) and submits it to Section III/2. Until this is done, the University cannot set up a cost centre for the accounting of your project funds.
Internally, it is recommended that project participants (student assistants, graduate research assistants etc.) also sign a declaration of commitment (project participants).
As soon as the University Executive has validly accepted the approval, the Finance Division can set up the cost centre for your project, and then work contracts can be concluded, funds can be retrieved and so on and so forth.
Updated regulations on the use (distribution) of the programme allowance for non-profit peer-reviewed projects (EU, BMBF. bidt etc.):
The following regulations on the use of the project lump sum apply to projects that have acquired funding as of May 2019.
"60% of the overheads are allocated to central use, 40% of the overheads remain in the respective faculty.
Of this, 25% is to remain with the acquiring chair and/or professorship and 15% with the respective faculty."
( Extended University Executive resolution of 8 May 2019)
Please note that the regulations for DFG projects have changed as a result of the new guideline on the use of the programme flat rate, which has been in effect since 01.01.2023. Information on this will follow soon.
The BMBF's statements on the project flat rate (= 20% in addition to the funding amount) can be found in the BMBF's form portal, in the "Guidelines for Grant Applications on an Expenditure Basis (AZA/AZAP/AZV) – for applications beginning from 19.04.2018" (form number 0027a) under no. F0865/page 8.
Note: Some funders use the terms overhead, infrastructure costs (flat rate) instead of project or programme allowance.
As a rule, interim or final reports required by the third-party funding body are prepared without our involvement. If you need support with questions about the forms, please feel free to contact us.
If the report needs to have a legally binding signature, please approach Section III/2 in good time. The documents must be checked before they are submitted to the University Executive. In order to meet the deadline, please plan sufficient lead time into your schedule for this.
The relevant section in the Finance Division is responsible for the preparation of the quantifiable proof of use and, if necessary, the verification of the figures.
On the website publication funds we offer you an overview of possible funding options for your publications. Both internal grants from the University of Passau and external publication funding are listed.
