RELINK² grants 2025

The COST Action 'Regaining linkage? Digital technologies improving civic engagement, political organizations and democracy (RELINK²)' aims to intensify existing networking efforts of scholars from different disciplinary backgrounds and countries in the EU and beyond, to address two problems: (1) How can democracies regain legitimacy and rebuild the link between representative institutions and citizens using the benefits of digital technologies? (2) How can political organizations connect with digitally marginalized but politically active groups (the elderly) and with digitally active but politically marginalized ones (young citizens)?

The following calls are open for application.

1. ITC Conference Grants
The ITC Conference Grant supports researchers from Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITC) / Near Neighbour Countries (NNC) to present their work at third-party high-level conferences (not organized or co-organized by COST Action).
Important:
- First submission deadline: April 14, 2025
- Additional submission deadline, if funds are still available: May 31, 2025
- Outcome notification: Within 4 weeks after submission.
- ITC conference period: must occur within Grant Period 1, i.e. up to September 30, 2025.
- Final report deadline: October 15, 2025.
- Funding amount: up to 1,200 EUR per grant.
- Eligible expenses: travel, accommodation, meal allowances, and conference fees.
- Priority is given to: young researchers & innovators (under 40 years old); first-time participants; those contributing to COST Action RELINK² objectives.

2. Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSMs)
STSMs enable researchers to visit a host organization in another country for collaborative work. Grants cover travel expenses, accommodation, and meal allowances (up to 2,000 EUR per grant).
Important:
- Deadline for submission: continuous submission, until Grant Period funds are no longer available.
- Outcome notification: up to 4 weeks after submission.
- STSM period: must occur within Grant Period 1, i.e. up to September 30, 2025.
- Final report deadline: October 15, 2025.
- Minimum duration: 5 days.
- Maximum duration: 3 months.
- Applicants must create an e-COST profile and are encouraged to join relevant RELINK² Working Groups (WG1–WG4).
- Expected outcome: submission of a scientific paper in an international peer-reviewed journal or as a working paper.

3. Dissemination Conference Grant
The Dissemination Conference Grant supports oral presentations by Action Participants at high-level third-party conferences (i.e. those not organized or co-organized by COST Action). The goal is to increase visibility of the Action, attract stakeholders, and disseminate results at relevant conferences.
- Deadline for submission: continuous submission until Grant Period funds are no longer available.
- Outcome notification: applications are evaluated once per month, and applicants are notified within 4 weeks after submission.
- Dissemination conference period: must occur within Grant Period 1, i.e. up to September 30, 2025.
- Final report deadline: October 15, 2025.
- Funding amount: up to 1,000 EUR per grant.
- Eligible expenses: travel, accommodation, meal allowances, and conference fees.
- Expected outcome: increased Action visibility and potential future collaborations.

Read more about these grants on politologia.uwr.edu.pl/en/regaining-linkage and if you have any questions, please contact the Action's grant awarding coordinator Prof. Petia Gueorguieva, petiagueorguieva@gmail.com