A Node report on regional priorities and channels to use

Sustainability of ELIXIR as a research infrastructure is a crucial objective. Besides the traditional research funding sources such as FP7 or H2020 projects on the EU level, new opportunities arise in the Structural funds. Task 10.5 “Supporting ELIXIR Nodes in Understanding Smart Specialisation Strategies and accessing EU Structural and Investment Funds” tries to establish a network of expert across ELIXIR nodes in selected countries and build on this expertise to successfully understand the priorities of local and
regional (in some cases even national) opportunities for sustainable funding of national ELIXIR nodes in those countries.

As all regional priorities are different, and as the application process for funding is done in the local language and following local rules, target Nodes worked with their regional partners to understand the priorities. This task supports Nodes in understanding their local Smart Specialisation Strategy and the regional priorities relating to research and life sciences. Supporting Nodes in actually developing the Business Cases and applications for Structural funds to support the construction and/or operation of the Node. The timing of
this work depends on when the calls will be opened for each region.