When the funding is not coming through

My main struggle at the moment is to get funding for my research.

From my position in Ecuador, I have an ongoing staff exchanges project until 2027, and a seed fund until mid 2026. From my position in Delft, I have nothing for 2026. For the first time since 2009, I find myself scratching my head, wondering how I am going to fund my research.

Certainly, I have applied. I have written proposals and worked my backside off, but nothing has come through yet. And, just thinking about this situation already makes my eye twitch.

Some projects should have been approved but are stuck on obtaining permissions and signatures. Some proposals for competitive calls were not selected. Some ideas never crystallized because I could not get the consortium compiled to tick all the boxes.

Part of it may be bad luck, part of it may be the reduction in available funding, part of it may be my research topic not being very attractive.

Anyway – all of this to say: I am working hard on writing proposals, but so far, I have not been successful, and it worries me.

What do you do when you are faced with a funding abyss?