Deadline: 10-Feb-2026
The call for proposals titled “Working Together Towards an Inclusive Society: Implementing a Social Model of Disability” invites experts by experience, societal stakeholders, and knowledge institutions to collaborate on research projects that build a more inclusive society for people with disabilities.
The initiative emphasizes an interdisciplinary, knowledge chain-wide approach, bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise to address the structural and societal barriers faced by individuals with disabilities. The focus is on fostering collaboration across different disability areas, ensuring that inclusion is approached holistically and systemically.
At the heart of this program is the aim to reframe disability from a social perspective—shifting attention from individual impairments to the way society is designed and organized. The call emphasizes linking experiential knowledge, practical expertise, and scientific research to uncover the root causes of exclusion, assign responsibilities to various stakeholders, and develop and test viable solutions. This approach ensures that the lived experiences of people with disabilities are central to the research, driving meaningful change and shaping policy and practice that truly reflect their needs and aspirations.
Funding for this initiative will be delivered in two phases. In Phase I, up to €520,000 will be available per benchmark project to develop and test inclusive practices, while Phase II will provide €785,000 for an overarching project that connects and integrates the lessons and outcomes from the individual benchmark projects. The combined duration for both phases will be five years, with Phase I projects lasting up to four years and Phase II projects lasting up to three years. The overlapping two-year period between the phases is designed to promote active exchange and integration of findings and strategies.
Applications must be submitted by a consortium consisting of at least one main applicant, a co-applicant, and a collaboration partner. All participants are expected to play an active role in formulating research questions and designing and implementing the project. The involvement of experts by experience is mandatory and must continue throughout the entire project to ensure that their voices shape the research and its outcomes at every stage. This call represents an important step toward creating inclusive structures that empower people with disabilities to participate fully and meaningfully in society.
For more information, visit NWO.
