The aim of the FoKo is to facilitate research. It supports research projects, third-party funding applications (start-up funding, with or without bridge funding), the completion of postdoctoral theses (SpeedUp), conferences, publications, foreign-language editing, mediation projects, and exchanges and networking between researchers.
(see: FoKo guideline sheet, § 4.)

The FoKo supports projects or parts of projects with max. CHF 30,000. There are different limits for different types of support.
(see: FoKo guideline sheet, § 4.)

Yes, there is a minimal sum of CHF 1,000 support by the FoKo.
(see: FoKo guideline sheet, § 4.1)

Academic staff at the university, from post-doc. Doctoral students are not eligible to apply.
(see: FoKo regulations, § 4.)

There are two regular submission deadlines per year, one in spring, the other in autumn.
(See: FoKo applications.)

Yes. Applications for amounts up to CHF 12,000 can be submitted at any time if their urgency can be clearly justified. The FoKo deals with such applications via a circulation procedure.
(see: FoKo guideline sheet, § 3.b)

No. The FoKo does not handle retrospective applications.
(see: FoKo guideline sheet, § 3)

No. The proof of efforts refering third-party funding are not necessary anymore. The priniciple of subsidiarity was removed by the end of 2020.

For each FoKo application, the corresponding application form must be filled out and the required attachments enclosed. The application is to be submitted on the research information system (FIS) of the University of Lucerne by myFoKo.
(see: more information)

The most important criteria used to assess FoKo applications are the researcher's academic qualifications and the academic quality of the research project that has been applied for. With regard to funding priorities, research projects and start-up funding take precedence, followed by conferences and publications. The criteria and priorities are listed in the FoKo regulations.
(see: FoKo regulations, § 7.)

The applicants usually receive written notification from the FoKo within a week of the FoKo meeting taking place. The circulation procedure needs around two weeks within semester times. During holidays periodes the decision procedure needs more time.

The funding recipients must submit a final report to the president of the FoKo containing a final financial statement that has been audited by the finance and accounting departments. This must be submitted at the latest three months after completion of the research project using the final report form on myFoKo.
(see: FoKo guideline sheet, § 7.)

The contact person for questions concerning content and format is the director of the Research Promotion Unit, Dr. Bruno Z'Graggen. In addition, Prof. Dr. Alexander Trechsel, vice rector for research and president of the FoKo, and Mrs Lucette Oggier, of the FoKo secretariat, may be contacted for information.
Contact: fokoremove-this.@remove-this.unilu.ch