At its 6 November session, the Government of the Czech Republic approved a new type of funding prepared by the Czech Science Foundation (GACR). Restart Grants will allow female and male scientists to restart their careers after a break for parental leave or caring for a dependent person. The tender will be announced along with the other GACR tenders early next year.
“In the Czech environment, returning to an active career after parental leave is, in many respects, more challenging than in several other countries. Therefore, we decided to develop grants that will facilitate this return for outstanding scientists, female and male,” stated GACR President Professor Petr Baldrian. “This unique form of funding is offered by GACR as the only grant agency in Europe.”
Restart Grants present another option for GACR to promote work-life balance in science, advance gender equality, and harness the potential of Czech female and male scientists. GACR intends to announce the tender in February next year, with annual funding anticipated for approximately 25 new projects. For subsequent years, GACR budget earmarks approx. CZK 50 million annually for Restart Grants.
Restart Grants are designed to address female and male scientists affiliated with Czech institutions who have completed their doctoral studies within the past ten years (this period is extended by the duration of career breaks). Project proposals will be accepted within two years following the end of a career break related to the care of a child or another dependent person, lasting from one to five years. The duration of funding will depend on the selected workload, and can range from two to four years. Principal investigators may also include students and technical staff in their projects.