1. Who can submit grant proposal?

• Currently, any citizen of Russian Federation irrespective of holding the scientific degree, place of work etc. Importantly, the responsibility for keeping the state and/or commercial secrets lies completely on grant-applicants.

2. I work in the commercial firm. Can I apply for grant?

• The Foundation is a purely charitable institution and does not aim at direct support of businesses in Russia. But if the matter of the project is irrelevant to commercial activity of the firm, you can apply without doubts.

3. What is the intensity of competition?

• From 8 to 12 application on one grant.

4. How proposals are referred?

• The process is three-staged.
• At the first stage, the Head expert in the field selects 18-25 best (in her/his view) proposals. The list of these is published on the web-site of the Foundation.
• At the second stage, each of these proposals is passed over to two independent experts responding with substantial reference reports and recommendations to support or reject the project.
• At the third stage, the Head expert works out the rating of the projects supplemented with comments and passes it over to the Board of Trustees, which adopts the final decision about financing the projects.

5. Are the experts aware about applicants?

• No. Experts have access only to proposals without personal data about applicants. (An exception is competition of young scientists). In some cases the Head expert can receive this information for decision making.

6. Who are the experts?

• High-qualified specialists in the field from Moscow and regions of Russia. In particular, all experts in IT program are doctors of technical or physic-mathematical sciences.

7. Can experts apply for grants?

• No. They cannot apply as project-heads or project-members. This is a requirement of the contract assigned with experts. Moreover, the head expert in the field is supposed to distribute proposals among experts avoiding any possible conflicts of interests.

8. Do applicants have access to reference reports?

• No. Because of the tough competition, the Foundation has no opportunity to send back reference reports and explain motives of rejection. The list of proposals selected at the second stage is published on the web-site of the Foundation.

9. Has the Foundation any rights on intellectual property, obtained within project fulfillment?

• No. The Foundation is purely a charitable organization. As written in item 2.4 of the Grant agreement: "The grant-recipient keeps all exclusive rights on the results of the scientific research ". However reference on the Foundation's support in publications is desirable.

10. Can the approved amounts of financing be reduced?

• Yes. Final reports submitted at the termination of the contract are referred by two independent experts. Final decision about financing is based on their reports. In some cases, when the drawbacks are essential in the expert's opinion, the Foundation can stop financing of the project. In other cases, when the drawbacks are inessential, the head of the project receives reference reports for correction of the final report. After its delivery, the Foundation adopts decision about final financing.

11. I need the grant only for purchasing of expensive equipment. Can I receive all amount of money at the first stage?

• This is possible, but it is the subject of special consideration by the Board of Trustees. Anyway, this request must appear initially in the application.

12. I need the grant only to cover expenses for publication of the monograph. Can I apply for this?

• Yes. But in this case you have to submit the manuscript of the monograph to the Foundation besides usual package of documents. In the case of approval, funds will be provided in the presence of agreement with the publishing house.

13. Does the Foundation control spending of received funds, for instance their distribution between budget items or project members?

• No, this is a prerogative of the head of the project. But expenses must correspond to the project goals and budget items declared in the initial application.
• After termination of the contract, the grant-recipient submits a financial report with detailed comments concerning each expenditure item, in particular:
• " Expenditures on project-related publications";
• " Expenditures on participation in scientific conferences, seminars etc. on the project subject";
• " Purchasing of equipment necessary for the project fulfillment";
• "Rewarding project-members and other expenses".
• In the case if other needs emerge in the course of work, this must be agreed with the Foundation.
• Copies of financial documents, confirming purchasing of equipment are enclosed with the financial report.
• Misuse of funds may lead to corresponding reduction of final financing.

14. Is it possible to receive grants two years in series?

• This is not forbidden. But proposals of applicants, pretending to receive second and third grants on end, are subject to more careful expertise with higher level of requirements as compared to other candidates.

15. I work at the edge of information science and physics. Which program is preferable for application?

• It depends on your opinion about which field is closer to the matter of the project. In exceptional cases the Board of Trustee can decide to appoint expertise from two programs. It is desirable, that the applicant points at necessity of such double expertise in the application.