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Mission and principles

The Foundation for Polish Science (FNP), formed in 1991, is an independent, self-financing, non-profit, non-governmental organization, with a mission of supporting science in Poland. It is the largest source of science funding in Poland outside the state budget.

The main objectives of FNP are:
  • to support excellent scientists and research teams,
  • to facilitate technology transfer,
  • to support various investment initiatives serving science in Poland.
The Foundation realizes these objectives by:
  • awarding individual prizes and scholarships to scientists,
  • awarding grants for the modernization of scientific facilities and the protection of scientific collections,
  • grants for the transfer of scientific achievements to industry,
  • otherwise supporting important undertakings in the service of science (e.g. through conferences and publishing programmes).
The Foundationalso plays an increasingly active role in supporting international scientific cooperation, taking actions to facilitate the exchange of scientific ideas, and increasing the scientific independence of the younger generation of scientists.

The Foundation’s principles for awarding support are as follows:
  • fundamental motto: “Supporting the best, so that they can become even better”.
  • competitive procedure – all grants, prizes and scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis.
  • peer-review method – the achievements of those taking part in competitions are assessed by academics.
  • scientific excellence – the most important criterion for the awarding of support.
  • the “hard money” principle – high selectivity in awarding support under all programmes, strict procedures for settling accounts for the amounts awarded.
The Foundation also takes special care to ensure the transparency and openness of its actions, seeing this as a basis for building public trust in both the Foundation itself and the whole NGO sector. The Foundation’s financial statements are audited annually by renowned auditing firms. It publishes an extensive account of its activities every year in its Annual Report, available from the FNP office and on its website. The FNP’s financial statements are sent to the National Court Register and to the appropriate ministries. The

Foundation does not award grants for:
  • the realization of statutory objectives or supplementation of the budgets of scientific units,
  • additional fundingfor undergraduate studies, doctoral or other post-graduate studies,
  • organization of seminars, conferences, summer schools or student scientific expeditions,
  • participation in courses and training trips,
  • publication of results of research and conference materials or additional financing for journals (except in the case of Open Access publication, which can be financed under some programmes),
  • expansion of library and museum resources,
  • popularizing activities or activities relating to popular science,
  • purchase of equipment typically used for teaching.
FNP`s CODE OF ETHICS - competition winners and beneficiaries (PDF)