Call for funding applications for research and development projects from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for the ERDF funding guideline SMS 2021-2027 in the health, care and social sectors

The ERDF funding program of the Saxon State Ministry for Social Affairs and Social Cohesion (SMS) offers a grant for investments in research and development of innovative solutions for the health, care and social economy to strengthen innovation and competitiveness.

Projects are selected that respond to the challenges of demographic change with a significantly increasing proportion of older people in the population, an increasing shortage of skilled workers in the School of Medicine, nursing and social care and the rising costs of this care by networking services and developing and applying new technologies in particular.

Object of funding

Funding is provided for

Research and development projects in the health, care and social sectors that improve the care of the population and cooperation between the various stakeholders, in particular by networking citizens, patients, health, care and social service providers. The projects serve the research and development of new products, processes and services. The core area of outpatient and inpatient healthcare and nursing care is excluded from funding.

The following areas are funded:

a) E-health and digital health applications,

b) age-appropriate assistance systems for a self-determined life in old age,

c) intelligent, cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary health and care networks, including digital networking of facilities in the health and care sector,

d) social innovations,

e) innovative pilot projects.

a) E-health and digital health applications
The "e-health and digital health applications" funding item is intended to encourage companies to develop solutions and products for the health and care industry in order to not only support medical and nursing care, but also to be regionally and internationally competitive with such products in the medium term. The aim is to be able to provide the same level of medical and nursing care in regions with an acute shortage of skilled workers, particularly in rural areas. In addition to the development of new products, the use of existing technologies can also be adapted and appropriately integrated.

Synergy effects or the use of new, digital and e-health solutions will provide the necessary relief for medical and/or nursing staff, who will then be available for other tasks. At the same time, the health and care industry/life science sector holds enormous economic potential for companies, both in the area of statutory health insurance and in products for private households (e-care and home care). The measure is also intended to strengthen the innovative power of companies in rural regions in order to develop and offer "local" solutions. In order to maximize market potential, service providers and cost bearers in the statutory health insurance sector should be involved in the development of products and solutions. In addition, the health and care industry in particular has a need to catch up in terms of development cooperation with universities or public research institutions. Cooperation in this area is therefore eligible for funding.

The application of the products, processes and services in healthcare is a key component of the funding requirement. [to the overview]

b) Age-appropriate assistance systems
Technical assistance systems contribute in particular to promoting the independence and social participation of older people. The focus of the use of technology is on the areas of communication, mobility and living that are relevant to everyday life (ambient assisted living - AAL). Funding is also provided for technologies that promote the use of assistance systems. The innovative assistance systems for a self-determined life in old age, which originate from the various fields of technology, make it possible to mutually network different service areas (medical services, care services, housing, management, mobility) and to develop interdisciplinary, innovative solutions for the outpatient care of older people. The resulting technology-based solutions will help to balance the future need for care in the Free State of Saxony and reduce the financial burden. [to the overview]

This funding object is intended to support companies in tapping the market potential of AAL solutions and thus reducing the demand for expensive inpatient care services. As a result, reliable AAL solutions are intended to relieve the burden on skilled workers in outpatient care and the relatives of those in need of care. The aim must be to enable elderly people or those in need of assistance to remain in their own homes for longer and to maintain their independence. This also goes hand in hand with the (longer) use of living space in rural regions. Overall, the promotion of AAL measures results in a wide range of benefits for citizens, companies and public authorities. The innovative products, services and models improve healthcare provision.

The use of the products, processes and services in the provision of care is a key component of the funding requirement. [to the overview]

c) Health and care networks including digital networking
The strong sectorization (outpatient, inpatient and care sector) in the German healthcare system is a legally regulated structural peculiarity. This sectorization leads to considerable material and personnel inefficiencies at the interfaces between the three areas (e.g. duplicate documentation or multiple medications) as well as loss of information to the detriment of the population and the stakeholders involved in care. Smart technologies open up new possibilities, so that not only a cross-sector solution, but also interdisciplinary networks are established. Such networks should be in line with the funding objectives and objects and thus contribute to a patient-oriented and significant improvement in the healthcare system and open up market potential for companies.

For sustainable and efficient healthcare, it is particularly important to digitize data exchange in the health and care sector as far as possible. Digitizing data exchange will make a significant contribution to simplifying work processes, reducing personnel and financial expenditure and improving the quality of care in the health and care sector. It must be possible to exchange data easily and inexpensively so as not to place an additional burden on specialists and increase the associated costs.

The digital networking of health and care facilities is a prerequisite for improving cross-sector, integrated care. The expansion of digital network structures helps to avoid efficiency and information losses at the interfaces between the sectors by expanding network structures between participants in care, companies and research institutions. The measure is also intended to generate and exploit synergy effects, such as cost savings. Particularly in rural areas, new care structures and processes can be developed and established through the networking and implementation of innovative, cross-sector solutions. [to the overview]

d) Social innovations
The promotion of (primarily digitally supported) research and development of social innovations can make a key contribution to tackling pressing future issues for the development of society and strengthening social cohesion. To this end, the promotion of innovative research and development projects in the field of social innovation should be directly linked to the search for solutions to social problems and challenges. These solutions often involve new forms of communication and cooperation. [to the overview]

e) Innovative model projects
An innovative model project exists when products, processes or services are implemented, their acceptance, economic efficiency, optimization and market potential are tested and, if necessary, further necessary adjustments are derived from this. In addition, it demonstrates a particular level of innovation, at least in a national comparison. The focus here is on measures for telematic, interdisciplinary networking. These include innovative forms of organization, cooperation models and technical solutions that focus on interoperability and a high degree of networking. A networking measure is considered interdisciplinary if healthcare providers from different departments or different areas of care, for example outpatient care, inpatient care, rehabilitation, pharmaceutical care, are involved and not only companies belong to the network, but are related as affiliated companies or partner companies. [to the overview]

Eligibility requirements

1) Novelty of the product, process or service; level of innovation

Projects are eligible for funding if a product, process or service is new. This is the case if it is not yet commercially exploited in this form in the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany or is innovative.
A technologically new product is a product whose technological features or intended use differ significantly from those of previous products.
The level of innovation is the distance between an innovation and previous solutions; this can relate to the scope of the product functions (especially the functions of use), the type of technical realization (product technologies used), the degree of functional fulfillment, appearance (design), etc.

2) Core area of outpatient and inpatient healthcare

The delimitation of the proposed project to the applicant's legally prescribed tasks and mandatory tasks, to the core area of outpatient and inpatient healthcare, to existing national funding opportunities and to funding opportunities from social insurance institutions must be set out in the funding application.

3) Regulations, norms and standards for digital products and services

Projects for the research and development of digital products or services must take into account the requirements of nationally and Europe-wide recommended norms and standards for digitalization, particularly in the health and care sector.

4) Benefits for health and care provision

The project concept must take into account the use and benefits of the researched or developed product, process or service for health and care provision beyond the duration of the project as well as its transferability to other regions in the Free State of Saxony or Saxony-wide applicability.

The results of the project must be presented to the public.

The project must not yet have begun. Any measure by which the applicant demonstrates its determination to carry out the project is deemed to be the start of the project. This includes the conclusion of a contract or the receipt and payment of an invoice.

Recipients of grants

Eligible expenditure

Expenditure on fixtures, fittings and equipment
External services
Travel expenses to specialist events
Expenses for the registration of copyright laws and the acquisition of copyright laws from third parties
Other material expenses, insofar as these are attributable to the project
Personnel expenses for researchers, technicians and other supporting persons, insofar as these are attributable to the project. Personnel expenses for the ongoing business operations of the beneficiary, in particular for ongoing, regular services in the context of medical care and care for the elderly, are excluded from funding.
Flat-rate overhead allowance of 25% of direct expenditure excluding third-party services

Notes on the eligible expenditure

Personnel expenses are awarded as costs per unit in the project. For personnel remunerated in accordance with the collective agreement for the public service of the federal states (TV-L) or the collective agreement for the public service (TVöD), settlement is based on a monthly rate in accordance with the allocation to the pay group and level, the project-related job share and the actual hours worked. Any financial shortfalls resulting from the flat-rate funding must be borne by the Chairs themselves at the latest upon completion of the project.
Personnel expenses in accordance with TV-Ä are only eligible for funding on the basis of TV-L, as they are not provided for in the simplified cost option (VKO). Personnel expenses in accordance with TV-Ä are therefore to be avoided. Financial shortfalls resulting from the flat-rate funding must be borne by the Chairs themselves at the latest upon completion of the project.
Only the additional eligible project expenses/costs that are not already covered by basic funding from the university or research institution are eligible for funding. The own contribution of 20% must therefore be paid in cash.

The eligible costs of all research institutions in a consortium are limited to the sum of the eligible costs of the companies participating in the consortium.

Type of financing and amount of the grant

The Free State of Saxony awards the grant as part of project funding as partial funding in the form of a subsidy. The amount of the grant for non-commercially active research institutions is up to 80 percent of the eligible expenditure and costs.

The own contribution of 20% must be paid in cash. As personnel expenses are funded as a lump sum and this is generally lower than the actual costs incurred, additional own funds are required to cover shortfalls in personnel expenses in addition to the own contribution. A forecast for these costs is made during the application process.

For this call, the State Ministry for Social Affairs and Social Cohesion is calculating a funding budget of EUR 11.3 million for more developed regions and EUR 47.7 million for the transition region.

Runtime

Assisted area

Application procedure

This is a two-stage application procedure. The EPC (SG 5.2) accompanies the projects of TU Dresden in accordance with the communication of the Vice-Rector Research 2/2023 and must be involved in the application process at an early stage. The EPC advises on the application, has powers of attorney for the legally binding signature vis-à-vis the SAB and has central access to the SAB funding portal for the submission of project proposals.

Submission of the following documents by 24.01.2025 at the latest by e-mail to

Project description incl. attachments (please submit attachments individually as PDF) according to the outline specifications with signature of coordinating Chair (scan or digital signature)
Calculation template EPC projects
Details of the project proposal (in Excel format)
Declaration of own funds for funding
Notification of third-party funding

Further procedure

Evaluation criteria SAB/SMWK

Need for funding/incentive effect: The need for funding must be conclusively justified. The realistically achievable success of an innovation (the project idea) as well as the risks associated with its implementation must be clearly recognizable.
Level of innovation: Creativity, boldness and pioneering character of the approach, the difference to previous solutions and the novelty value on a national and international level are essential for this.
Benefit for the Free State of Saxony, supply and economy: The project concept must demonstrate the use and benefit of the researched or developed product, process or service beyond the duration of the project and its transferability to other regions in the Free State.
- a. Economic sector: The potential of the project to generate economic turnover and added value and to create or secure jobs in Saxony (market potential, cooperation between industry and research)
- b. Healthcare sector: Contribution to improving patient care, especially care for the elderly and rural areas; amount of cost reduction for the health, care and social sectors; innovation or modernization impulses for third parties ("social impact")
Qualifications and motivation of those involved in the project: Among other things, the professional and/or educational background, key qualifications, motivation and persuasiveness of those involved in the project are assessed here.
Work plan with milestones A project should have a clear goal orientation as well as a logical and short project plan structure.
Results, documentation and public relations: The results of the project must be documented and presented to the public.