To improve the quality and success rate of KWF proposals, a comprehensive internal assessment procedure is in place. Projects that have not undergone this assessment are not eligible for submission to the Dutch Cancer Society (KWF).    

Before you continue: The mandatory internal KWF assessment procedure applies only to proposals submitted under the Development, Exploration, and Young Investigator Grant calls.

Outline of the internal KWF assessment procedure

  • Submit a pre-proposal approximately six weeks before the KWF deadline. The pre-proposal will be reviewed by a committee member and one of the reviewers suggested by the applicant.

  • Receive internal advice. Based on the reviewers’ comments, the committee will provide either a positive recommendation, potentially with suggestions for improvement, or a negative recommendation on whether to submit the pre-proposal to KWF.

  • Submit a full proposal. KWF will invite applicants whose pre-proposals receive a positive evaluation by KWF to submit a full proposal.

  • Second internal review. Before the full proposal can be submitted to KWF, it will undergo a second internal review to identify opportunities for further improvement. Applicants will receive separate information about this stage.

  • Alternative procedures. Some thematic calls and long-term programmes follow alternative assessment procedures.

Upcoming deadlines

Mandatory CCA support procedure and deadlines:

  1. Send your completed pre-proposal (see format DEV call, EXPL call and YIG call EXPL or DEV) to cca@amsterdamumc.nl before: 
    • Monday 10 August 2026 23:59 (DEV)
    • Tuesday 1 September 2026 23:59 (YIG)

    • Sunday 20 September 2026 23:59 (EXPL)

  2. All pre-proposals will be reviewed and discussed by the CCA internal committee. You will receive the reviews, feedback, and submission decision on:

    • DEV call: 15 september 2026

    • YIG call: 16 september 2026
    • EXPL call: 20 October 2026
  3. If you receive a positive advice, you can improve your pre-proposal based on the feedback. The KWF pre-proposal deadline is Tuesday 6 October at 12:00 (noon) for DEV and YIG projects, and Tuesday 3 November at 12:00 (noon) for EXPL projects.

Internal support is available for both pre-proposals and full proposals (by KWF invitation only) via our grant advisor, Marlize van Breugel (m.e.vanbreugel@amsterdamumc.nl). If you are unsure whether your project fits the scope of the call, please contact Marlize for advice.

Update Exploration Call 2027-1
This will be KWF's final project-based call for proposals for basic research. From 2028 onwards, KWF will transition from primarily project-based funding within the Exploration Call to Research Group Funding for selected research groups. For more information, see the KWF announcement [NL].

Support documents

CCA provides practical guidance and resources to help researchers prepare their KWF applications. On our KWF SharePoint page you will find templates, tips and tricks, checklists, and other practical resources to support you throughout the application process.

KWF review committees

KWF pre-clinical research committee (exploration calls)
Prof. dr. M.F. (Maarten) Bijlsma, chair 
Prof. dr. V.W. (Victor) van Beusechem 
 Dr. A.M. (Marijn) Kramer
Prof. dr. J. (Jacqueline) Cloos
Dr. J. (Jeroen) Guikema 
Dr. M. (Myron) Best 
Dr. S.J. (Sandra) van Vliet
Dr. R. (Rienk) Nieuwland 
Dr. M. (Marcel) Spaargaren 
Dr. M. (Maria) Themeli 
Dr. R. (Rieneke) van de Ven 
Dr. R.M.F. (Rob) Wolthuis 
M.A.J. (Marieke) Koelink, secretary
Dr. M.E. (Marlize) van Breugel, grant advisor

KWF clinical research committee (development calls)
Prof. dr. L.J.A. (Lukas) Stalpers, chair
Dr. I.H. (Imke) Bartelink 
Prof. dr. M.G.H. (Marc) Besselink
Dr. A.M.J. (Annemarie) Braamse
Prof. dr. N.C.T. (Nicole) van Grieken
Dr. C.J.A. (Niels) Haasbeek
Prof. dr. M. (Martin) Klein
Prof. dr. A.J. (Aart) Nederveen
Dr. C.E. (Caroline) Rutten
Prof. dr. M.C. (Martijn) Schut
Dr. R. (Rutger-Jan) Swijnenburg 
Dr. R.P. (Rogier) Voermans 
Dr. J. (Jens) Voortman
Prof. dr. J.W. (Hanneke) Wilmink
Prof. dr. J. (Josée) Zijlstra 
M.A.J. (Marieke) Koelink, secretary
Dr. M.E. (Marlize) van Breugel, grant advisor

FAQ about KWF

What are the FTE requirements for KWF funding?

At least 0.5 FTE per year must be allocated to scientific research. For a Young Investigator Grant (YIG), the project leader must personally dedicate at least 0.5 FTE per year to the project throughout the grant period.

Can I apply for a YIG during medical specialty training?

Yes, provided you can meet the 0.5 FTE requirement. Otherwise, consider applying after completing your specialization or explore other KWF grants, where the project leader need not personally meet this requirement. YIG applicants must demonstrate an independent research line and intellectual ownership. 

How do I request an extension of the PhD-eligible date for the YIG (e.g., due to MD training)?

A request for extension of the PhD-eligible date must be submitted to KWF at least 6 weeks before the deadline. The request is submitted by contacting KWF via their contact page.

Should I involve patient representatives in my application?

Yes, this is mandatory (except for the Exploration calls, although recommended). Involve patient representatives during study design and describe their contributions. Consult the Amsterdam UMC Patients in Research (PIR) SharePoint for resources.

What are the most common reasons KWF applications are rejected?

Common pitfalls include:

  • Insufficient methodological or statistical rigor.
  • Weak scientific rationale or unclear clinical relevance.
  • Overambitious scope or unrealistic recruitment.
  • Poorly defined study populations or endpoints.
  • Poorly integrated work packages or inadequate contingency plans.
  • Insufficient evidence of independence for YIG applicants.
  • Missing support letters or inconsistent budgets.

Note: even high-scoring applications may be rejected due to limited funding and competition.

What methodological and statistical details should my pre-proposal include?

Include relevant preliminary data, justified sample sizes, power calculations where applicable, predefined primary endpoints, and an appropriate statistical analysis plan. Avoid vague recruitment, eligibility, or analysis methods. Research Support’s Statistics team can advise.

How should I structure work packages and milestones?

KWF recommends 1–3 connected work packages, each with a rationale, activities, expected outcomes, milestones, start and end dates, and a contingency plan. Show these in a Gantt chart.

  • Exploration (EXPL): 2–3 milestones
  • Development (DEV): 3–6 milestones in total

For clinical trials, KWF recommends separate work packages for trial execution, data management and analysis, and follow-up (see KWF guidelines Appendix 5).

Is internal review mandatory before applying?

Yes, for Exploration, Development, and Young Investigator Grants through the CCA internal review process. For other calls, support is optional and arranged case by case. Contact Marlize van Breugel (CCA grant advisor) for details.

What support is available when preparing my application?
What is a KWF PIN, and where can I find it?

A KWF PIN links each Principal Investigator (PI) to your proposal in the Grant Management System (GMS). Each PI needs a GMS account. Find your PIN under Profile → Contact details in the KWF portal.

Do I need to enter all scientific and supporting staff in GMS at the pre-proposal stage?

No. At this stage, link only the Principal Investigators under Parties of the project. Add scientific and supporting personnel when preparing the full application.