DEUTSCHE FORSCHUNGSGEMEINSCHAFT EV

Their core work

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) is Germany's central self-governing research funding organization, responsible for funding academic research across all disciplines. Within H2020, DFG acts as a national funding agency partner in ERA-NET Cofund actions — programs that align and pool national research budgets with EU priorities to launch joint transnational research calls. Their role is not to perform research but to co-design funding programs, manage national call contributions, and ensure German researchers can participate in coordinated European research initiatives spanning biodiversity, rare diseases, quantum technologies, and social sciences.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In 2014-2018, DFG's H2020 engagement centered on biodiversity/ecosystem services (BiodivERsA3, BiodivScen), rare disease research (E-Rare-3), and social inequality (DIAL), reflecting traditional academic research funding priorities. From 2019 onward, the focus shifted toward governance and socio-ecological systems thinking, while adding entirely new domains like quantum technologies (QuantERA II). This evolution mirrors Germany's broader strategic pivot toward deep-tech sovereignty and interdisciplinary environmental governance.

DFG is expanding from traditional environmental and social science funding coordination into strategic deep-tech domains like quantum, suggesting future ERA-NET involvement in emerging technology areas.

How they like to work

DFG exclusively participates as a partner — never as coordinator — which reflects its institutional role as a national funding body contributing to multilateral programs rather than leading individual research projects. With 235 unique partners across 44 countries, DFG operates as a super-connector: every ERA-NET it joins brings together dozens of national funding agencies, creating a vast web of institutional relationships. Working with DFG means access to German national research funding streams and a gateway to the broader German academic research ecosystem.

With 235 unique consortium partners spanning 44 countries, DFG has one of the broadest networks among H2020 participants — a natural consequence of ERA-NET participation, which bundles many national funders per project. Their reach extends well beyond Europe into associated countries and international partners.

What sets them apart

DFG is not a university or research institute — it is Germany's most important research funder, distributing over €3 billion annually to German researchers. As an H2020 partner, it brings something no research group can: the ability to open national funding streams for transnational calls. For consortium builders, having DFG means having Germany's research funding infrastructure at the table, which dramatically increases the credibility and financial firepower of any ERA-NET proposal.

Highlights from their portfolio

• BiodivERsA3
  Largest single EC contribution (EUR 1.42M) and the anchor of DFG's decade-long biodiversity ERA-NET chain spanning four successive projects.
• QuantERA II
  Marks DFG's strategic expansion into quantum technologies — a significant departure from their traditional environment and social science portfolio.
• EJP RD
  The only COFUND-EJP in DFG's portfolio, representing a deeper integration model for rare disease research with FAIR data, patient empowerment, and public-private partnerships.