Incentive Fund Open Access - Journals in the Humanities

Within the field of Dutch humanities, there is both the opportunity and the need for high-quality open access journals. This grant instrument aims to support the founding of new, or the conversion of existing journals to, open access journals solely within the field of the humanities. In assessing the proposals, the governing body of the Humanities division of NWO will give the scientific quality of the journals to be founded absolute priority, but the digital sustainability of the new journals also plays an important role.

Who can apply

Proposals can only be submitted by senior researchers at Dutch institutes for scientific education and research, and senior researchers at institutes recognised by NWO. Applicants who are not employed at an institute recognised by NWO can submit a proposal in collaboration with university senior researchers. In such cases the main applicant must still meet the aforementioned requirement.

What can be applied for

Start-up grants can only be requested for:

• the founding of a new open access journal in one of the various disciplines of the humanities. The start-up grant is worth a maximum of € 45,000 for a period of maximum 3 years.
• The conversion of existing journals in the field of the humanities into open access journals. For this a budget of € 7500 per year up to a maximum of € 22,500 for 3 years, is available.

The start-up grant covers the financial costs of the new open access journal over the first 3 years. Only the costs directly associated with the founding and running of the journal are eligible for funding. The proposal should contain a business plan for the journal and an itemised budget for the spending of the start-up grant.

When can be applied

• Closing date for submitting applications was 1 October 2010, 12:00 hrs

Proposals submitted after 12:00 hours (midday) on that day will not be processed.

Criteria

1. Scientific quality of the journal to be founded;
2. Financial soundness, to be determined on the basis of the business plan submitted;
3. Technical soundness of the journal to be founded.

Procedure

NWO will assess first assess whether or not meet de requirements of this specific funding scheme. Only proposals that fall within the objective of the grant instrument and satisfy the formal requirements will be processed.

The Division for the Humanities will assess the applications supported by experts in the area of open access and publishers. As this funding scheme concerns small projects with a relatively modest budget, Art 2.10 of the NWO Subsidy Regulation is applicable, which stipulates that in certain cases external referees need not to be consulted. It is expected that the Division will reach a decision in December: should the Division see cause to pose questions about a proposal submitted, then it is expected that these questions will be submitted to the applicant in December. The applicant will be given the opportunity to provide a brief written response. The Division for the Humanities is expected to reach a final decision in the second half of February 2011 at the latest.

Budget

Ten start-up grants are available.

Financiers

NWO Division for the Humanities