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Development Call - 2027

KWF Dutch Cancer Society

Development is outlined as the process needed to translate research findings into practical implementation. Therefore, project proposals should include a development plan describing all steps, stakeholders involved, feasibility assessments, and potential risks.

The Development Call is intended for project proposals with the application types:

Research Project
Unique High-Risk
Consortia

These proposals should fall within the Creation of Modality, Preclinical, Clinical or Implementation research phases.

Out of Scope

Please be aware that projects that fall within the scope of specific thematic calls will be excluded from consideration under this open call. For this call, this applies to projects aligning with the following initiatives:

Call for Validation of Biomarker Candidates. Supports multidisciplinary research to clinically validate promising biomarker candidates and advance them towards implementation in routine cancer care (TRL5/6).
Call for Implementation of Biomarkers. Supports research to implement clinically validated biomarkers into routine cancer care and enable their sustainable adotion at national scale (TRL7-9).
Call PIPELINE. Supports translational research to advance promising cancer therapies towards clinical application and patient benefit.
Call INTER-LOCAL. Supports international collaborative clinical research to improve local treatment strategies for patients with rare and hard-to-treat cancers.
Risk-Based Screening of pancreatic cancer in individuals at high risk. Supports research to develop, validate and implement risk-based cancer screening strategies that enable more personalized early detection.

If your project aligns with the scope of any of the above thematic calls or programmes, it is not eligible for submission under the current open call. For details on these scopes, please consult the relevant call text or contact us. Please specify which of the above calls it concerns.
For more information about the rationale behind this policy, see our Funding Alignment Policy.

Appropriate Care Cycle (CvGG)

If your project proposal focuses on:

safely reducing, shortening, or omitting surgical or other non-systemic tumor treatments (‘de-esclation studies´), aimed at providing appropriate and less burdensome care or,
the evaluation of the effectiveness and implementation of personalized lifestyle programs within cancer care

it may be eligible for the KWF pilot applying the Appropriate Care Cycle (Cirkel van Gepast Gebruik - CvGG) methodology.

In that case, please contact us to discuss which funding opportunities would be the best fit for your proposal:

Key area minimally invasive techniques
Key area prevention

This pilot KWF-CvGG explores targeted funding alongside KWF’s regular development calls, aiming to enhance the likelihood of successful implementation by involving relevant stakeholders as co-owners of the research question from the outset. In this pilot we collaborate with the Foundation for Healthcare Evaluation (ZE&GG) and build on the Appropriate Care Cycle (CvGG) methodology. It is specifically intended for care evaluation (zorgevaluaties) of existing care practices. Proposals should therefore not focus on the development of new or innovative interventions, but on the evaluation of programs that are already being delivered in routine care practice.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Direct relevance to cancer research (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

This is the most important success factor.

Competitive proposals should address important questions in:

Cancer biology
Cancer genetics
Tumor immunology
Precision oncology
Early detection
Cancer prevention
Translational oncology
Clinical oncology
Survivorship
Palliative care
Cancer epidemiology
Health services research
Implementation science

Projects without a clear focus on cancer are generally not competitive.

2. Strong potential to improve outcomes for people with cancer (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

KWF's mission is to reduce the burden of cancer through research that benefits patients.

Competitive proposals should demonstrate potential to:

Improve survival
Improve quality of life
Enhance early diagnosis
Improve treatment
Reduce recurrence
Improve supportive care
Strengthen survivorship
Improve healthcare delivery

Applications should clearly explain how the research could ultimately benefit patients and society.

3. Scientific excellence and significance (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Competitive proposals demonstrate:

Important research questions
High scientific quality
Strong biological or clinical rationale
Original hypotheses
Potential to advance cancer knowledge

Scientific excellence is a core evaluation criterion across KWF funding programs.

4. Innovation and originality (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Competitive projects often investigate:

Novel therapeutic targets
Immunotherapy
AI in oncology
Precision medicine
Biomarker discovery
Early detection technologies
Digital health
Advanced imaging
Innovative implementation strategies

Research that goes beyond incremental advances is strongly encouraged.

5. Strong translational or implementation potential (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

KWF places substantial emphasis on moving research into practice.

Competitive proposals often include:

Translational research
Clinical trials
Biomarker validation
Implementation science
Health services research
Real-world evidence
Precision oncology

Projects should describe a credible pathway from discovery to patient benefit.

6. Rigorous methodology and feasibility (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Competitive proposals include:

Clearly defined objectives
Appropriate study design
Robust statistical analysis
Realistic milestones
Risk management
Appropriate timeline

Reviewers expect technically sound and achievable research plans.

7. Multidisciplinary collaboration and consortium strength (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

KWF strongly encourages collaboration among:

Cancer biologists
Clinicians
Epidemiologists
Data scientists
Engineers
Behavioral scientists
Health economists
Patient organizations

Large collaborative projects that integrate complementary expertise are particularly competitive.

8. Patient involvement and societal relevance (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

A distinctive feature of KWF is its emphasis on involving patients and society.

Competitive proposals may include:

Patient representatives
Patient advisory panels
Co-design of research
Public engagement
Patient-centered outcomes
Stakeholder participation

Meaningful patient involvement strengthens both relevance and impact.

9. Strong investigator and research environment (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

Reviewers assess:

Applicant expertise
Publication record
Leadership potential
Institutional infrastructure
Mentorship (for early-career awards)
Access to research facilities

The research environment should clearly support successful project completion.

10. Open science, FAIR data, and knowledge dissemination (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

KWF supports:

Open access publishing
FAIR data principles
Data sharing
Responsible research
Dissemination to scientific and public audiences

Applications should include a clear plan for sharing results and maximizing research impact.

Specialties

Cancer

Oncology

Eligibility Requirements

Please refer to the KWF Guidelines (see downloads) for further details on the process, characteristics, and eligibility terms applicable to this Development call
The KWF Funding Conditions 2025 and the KWF Accountants Protocol 2025 apply. These documents are available only in Dutch and are named KWF Financieringsvoorwaarden 2025 and KWF Accountantsprotocol 2025 respectively (see downloads).
- Projects that do not fit within the scope of the Development call due to selecting the incorrect research phase will not be considered. It is the project leader's responsibility to ensure submission to the correct call.

Eligible Countries:

Netherlands

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: KWF Dutch Cancer Society

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: Delflandlaan 17, 1062 EA Amsterdam

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