Research grants on productivity 2026: who can apply and how

Key data

The Ministry of Economy has approved the regulatory bases that articulate future annual calls for grants for research projects linked to the Productivity Council of Spain, created in 2024. The Order ECM/747/2026, published on 23 July 2026 and in force from the following day, establishes the legal framework on which periodic calls will be structured in a competitive procedure regime.

The stated objective is to provide public authorities with specialized analysis to improve decision-making in economic policy. For researchers and research groups in economics, productivity and competitiveness, this represents a new avenue for public funding with selection criteria based on technical quality and relevance.

What does this regulation establish?

Order ECM/747/2026 does not directly call for grants: it approves the regulatory bases that will serve as a framework for annual calls. That is, it sets the rules of the game before each round of applications opens. The key aspects it regulates are:

Each annual call will specify the available amounts, application deadlines and required deliverables (if monographs, articles or other research products are required in addition to the final report). The bases approved now are the regulatory umbrella that guarantees the continuity and predictability of the program.

Economic and operational impact

The regulatory bases do not set a specific grant amount: that information will be published in each annual call. However, the approved framework has relevant operational implications for those wishing to apply:

• Annual planning: as periodic calls, research groups can anticipate and prepare proposals with sufficient time.
• Electronic relationship obligation: all procedures with the Administration must be carried out electronically, without exception. This implies having a digital certificate or equivalent identification system.
• Reimbursement risk: if the project does not meet the commitments made (delivery of the final report, deadlines, call conditions), the reimbursement procedure for the amounts received is activated, in addition to the sanctioning regime provided for in the general grants regulation.
• Competition for funds: the competitive procedure regime implies that not all submitted projects will receive funding. Technical quality and topic relevance will be the determining factors.

Who does it affect?

• Individual researchers in economics, productivity and competitiveness with Spanish or other EU Member State nationality and legal residence in Spain.
• Research groups led by a principal investigator (PI) who meets the same nationality and residence requirements.
• Research centers, universities and think tanks that host or promote economic analysis projects linked to the Productivity Council of Spain agenda.
• Advisors and R&D project managers who support researchers in preparing and justifying public grant applications.

Private companies and public bodies as entities are not contemplated as direct beneficiaries, unless they act as support for a researcher or group that meets the established personal requirements.

Practical example

A research group from a Spanish university, led by a professor with Spanish nationality and residence in Madrid, wants to analyze the impact of digitalization on the productivity of industrial SMEs. The group submits an original proposal that includes a final report and, optionally, two articles in specialized journals (if the annual call contemplates it as an additional deliverable).

To be able to apply, the PI must prove their nationality and legal residence in Spain. The proposal competes with others in a competitive procedure: the evaluation committee scores it according to the criteria of technical quality and relevance defined in that specific call. If selected, the group is obliged to interact electronically with the Administration for all procedures and to deliver the final report within the set deadline. If it fails to comply, the reimbursement procedure for the amounts received is activated.

What should researchers do now?

1. Verify eligibility requirements: check that the PI of the group has Spanish or EU nationality and legal residence in Spain before investing time in preparing a proposal.
2. Stay alert for the first annual call: the bases are already approved; the specific call (with amounts, deadlines and specific deliverables) will be published soon in the BOE. Activate alerts on the BOE to not miss the deadline.
3. Prepare electronic infrastructure: ensure you have a digital certificate or Cl@ve to comply with the electronic relationship obligation with the Administration.
4. Design an original project with a clear final report: originality is an explicit requirement. The project must culminate in a final report; monographs or articles are additional deliverables that will depend on each call.
5. Review technical quality and relevance criteria: each call will define them in advance. Adapting the proposal to these criteria is key to being competitive in the procedure.
6. Know the reimbursement and sanctions regime: before applying, understand the consequences of non-compliance to properly manage project risks.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-16084