Prisms & Problems Program

The global amount of funding under this call is set at 3 million euros.

Projects submitted under this call will have a maximum execution term of 24 months from the signing of the acceptance statement setting out the terms and conditions of the funding. The project must be completed by the end of this period.

Projects should be submitted by a single principal investigator, who will meet the following conditions:

• Spanish national or resident in Spain in the terms envisaged in these call conditions.
• In possession of a PhD at the time of submitting the application.
• Maintain a public service or contractual employment relationship with a university institution or public or private non-profit research organization, in every case headquartered in Spain. This relationship must persist through the period envisaged for the implementation of the project. Any transfer of the approved project to a different center due to a move by the principal investigator will require the express permission of the BBVA Foundation.

Remaining team members may belong to public or private research institutions or centers in any country. In the event that the issue to be studied is within the remit of public agencies, the team should incorporate a member of the agency in question or, at least, include its analytical perspective in the project’s methodological approach to the project.

Evaluation will take into account the suitability of the team’s composition for the goals being pursued.

Individuals participating in this call may only do so through a single project.

Principal investigators may not be simultaneously in receipt of other funding (for individuals or groups) granted by the BBVA Foundation. 

Projects must be original, unpublished, and pursue the generation of new knowledge on the object of research. The project narrative should expressly state what it hopes to deliver in regard to the problem addressed, along with its applicability.

If other grants have been sought or obtained for the same project, this should be expressly stated, along with the amount and nature of the funding.

Applications should be submitted in Spanish or English by the principal investigator, with the prior permission of the organization or agency to which they are attached, using the online form available on the BBVA Foundation website: www.fbbva.es.

Besides the general details of the project, applicants must provide the following documentation via the online form:

• Copy of principal investigator’s ID document or passport.
• If the principal investigator is a national of a non-European Union country, they should give proof of long-term residence in Spain by furnishing a copy of a current foreign national’s identity card.
• If the principal investigator is a national of another European Union member state, they should give proof of having been resident in Spain for at least three years on the date of submitting the application, furnishing their registration certificate of Union citizen and a municipal certificate of residence attesting to their residence in Spain over the last three years.
• Project narrative, with format at the applicant’s discretion but including all of the following headings:
  1. Background and objectives.
  2. Research methodology.
  3. Experience and suitability of the research group.
  4. Expected results and applicability.
  5. Work plan and calendar.
  6. Results dissemination and utilization plan.

• Total gross budget, duly itemized and including all applicable taxes and withholdings.
• The distribution of funding heads will be analyzed with reference to the nature of the project.

No remuneration is contemplated for team members, unless they have been specifically hired to work on the project.

• A short curriculum vitae of all research group members (5 pages max. per CV).

On submitting their completed form, applicants will receive a confirmation message from the BBVA Foundation with a reference number that they should quote in any subsequent correspondence.

The submission period will run from December 30, 2025 to March 31, 2026 at 13:00 (Spanish standard time).

The completed application must have been received in full no later than the above date and time.

If the application contains rectifiable errors, the BBVA Foundation will inform the applicant to this effect, giving a non-extendible period of 10 calendar days as of this notification in which to correct them, so the application may enter the evaluation and selection process.

The evaluation process will take into account the originality, analytical significance and applicability of the project, as well as the suitability of the CV profiles of the principal investigator and remaining team members.

The selection of awardee projects will be in the charge of experts on the issues set out in section 1 of these call conditions, who will arrive at their decisions impartially, after joint deliberation, relying on the best metrics of the specialist field and with measures in place to prevent conflicts of interest.

All deliberations will be kept confidential.

The resolution of the call will be publicly announced no later than September 30, 2026. The call may be declared wholly or partially void and the award decision will not be open to appeal.

The resolution will be posted on the BBVA Foundation website, www.fbbva.es, with details of the awardee projects.

There will be no further correspondence or communication with applicants whose projects were not among those selected.

No itemized or individual information will be provided on the submissions received or the subsequent deliberations.

The organization to which the principal investigator of the selected project is attached will sign an acceptance statement with the BBVA Foundation setting out the conditions of the funding, which will cover at least the following points:

• Amount of funding and form of payment.
• Presentation of progress reports on the project’s milestones and its final outcomes.
• Utilization, dissemination and publication rights in respect of project results.
• Arrangements for cases of non-compliance.

The signing of this statement will be a nonnegotiable pre-condition for release of the funding.

Selected projects must have their starting dates no later than October 31, 2026.

The principal investigator must provide the BBVA Foundation with an interim report on the project’s implementation and budgetary execution using the template facilitated for this purpose.

At the project’s conclusion, the principal investigator will submit a final report using the template provided by the BBVA Foundation. The report should cover the activities carried out, the results obtained and a justification of total expenditures, signed off by the organization to which the principal investigator is attached

The interim and final reports on the project will be assessed by a committee of experts appointed by the BBVA Foundation. This committee may request written clarifications and, where appropriate, call the principal investigator and/or other team members to meetings to further the performance of its review.

Any significant change to the approved project must be notified to and expressly authorized by the BBVA Foundation.

The funding awarded will be paid to the account of the organization to which the principal investigator is attached in various installments, according to the milestones of the research project. Ten percent of the total funding will be released after the delivery and favorable assessment of the project’s final report.

Results of the projects will be in the public domain and will be assured the widest possible dissemination to society through diverse channels (publications, lectures and meetings).

The BBVA Foundation reserves the right to publish and/or disseminate the results of the selected projects in the form of working papers, electronic documents or books, under its own publishing imprint or in collaboration with academic publishers, provided that this does not affect publication in scientific journals of the researchers’ own choice, where the support received should figure as follows: “Title of project – 2025 Prisms & Problems Program, BBVA Foundation.”

The BBVA Foundation may request the collaboration of researchers in activities to disseminate the project’s results. Schedules in such cases will be arranged by mutual consent.

The act of participating in this call signifies the acceptance of its conditions and resolution, which will not be open to appeal, and the renunciation of any claim in its respect.

Exceptionally, the BBVA Foundation reserves the right to make changes in the wording of these conditions, for duly justified reasons, for the sole purpose of clarifying their content, without such changes in any case implying a substantial or arbitrary alteration of the same. The text of the conditions will be available for the duration of this call on the BBVA Foundation website: www.fbbva.es.

To begin a submission under this call, you must first enter a valid email address. You will be sent a message to this account with a form access password, which you will need to complete the form in various sessions, saving partially each time.

This registration email, which is linked to the person filling in the form, can be changed at any point in the process and does not have to coincide with the email address of the principal investigator.

Before moving on to select the focus area your application refers to, you must accept the call conditions and the Personal Data Processing terms.

Select the focus issue your application refers to:

• The water cycle: restoration and protection of rivers, wetlands, aquifers and marine areas
• Forestland: current status, conservation and management
• Sustainable cities and mobility
• Development and/or evaluation of AI models
• Nervous system disorders
• Socioeconomic analysis of the healthcare system
• Migration processes: social, economic, political, and cultural effects. Immigration policies and regulatory models

Select one of several of the following sub-areas:

• Agricultural Sciences
• Anthropology
• Architecture
• Architecture and Computer Technology
• Biology
• Biomedicine and Health
• Business Administration
• Chemistry
• Communications
• Computer Languages and Systems
• Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence
• Data Science
• Demography
• Earth Sciences
• Economics
• Education Sciences
• Engineering
• Environmental Sciences
• Finance
• Human Geography
• Information and Communication Technologies
• Law
• Linguistics
• Mathematics
• Philosophy
• Physics
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Social Work
• Sociology
• Statistics
• Urban Planning
• Veterinary Science
• Others

Add a short reference to the specific specialist field of the project being submitted.

The following data are required:

1. Principal investigator details: Provide the personal details of each principal investigator, including name, surname, national identity document, date of birth, professional category, academic qualifications, employment status, organization, phone number and email address.
2. Proof of residence or nationality (project coordinator only):
   • European Union citizens
     1. Spanish:
        • Copy of DNI (both sides) or current passport
     2. Nationals of other European Union countries, member states of the European Economic Area or Switzerland, or family members of the same:
        • Copy of current passport
        • Registration certificate of Union citizen or EU citizen family member residence card (both sides)
        • Current municipal certificate of residence or official employment history attesting to residence in Spain over the past three years
     3. Nationals of non-European Union countries
        • Copy of current passport
        • Valid foreign national’s identity card (both sides) proving long-term residence
          Documents should be attached in .pdf, .jpg or .png format and be no larger than 2MB.
3. Curriculum vitae, to be presented without exceeding 5 pages.
4. Personal Data Processing terms accepted, dated and signed by the principal investigator. The corresponding form can be downloaded at this link and should be no larger than 2MB.

Please provide information and documentation on the project submitted in this call:

1. Title of the project, acronym and key words.
2. Project summary. This should be brief and to the point, setting out only the key aspects of the project and the goals sought in clear, concise language. Maximum of 2,000 characters.
3. Project duration, to be stated in months. The maximum term for project execution is set at 24 months.
4. Project narrative. To be presented in the format of applicants’ choice and covering all the following sections.
   1. Background and objectives. Specify the objectives of the project and the concrete area or issue it sets out to address. Describe specifically:
      • The current status of the project’s focus area. Previous research and its relationship to the bibliography consulted.
      • Project objectives.
   2. Research methodology. Explain clearly the approach needed to achieve the project’s goals and expected results.
   3. Experience and suitability of the research group. State how the make-up of the research team fits with the goals of the project submitted, describing how it meets the criterion of multidisciplinarity and giving a reasoned explanation of the projected contribution of each discipline.
   4. Expected results and applicability. Provide information on the advances and degree of innovation that the project will bring to the challenge addressed, along with its applicability. Give details of the technical, economic and social importance of the project, as well as its added value and expected contributions. Where pertinent, describe the products and results the project is expected to obtain.
   5. Work plan and calendar. The work plan should be broken down into activities or tasks, specifying milestones for each and how researchers will individually aid in their attainment. Please provide a detailed timeline for all activities.
   6. Results dissemination and utilization plan. Provide a precise description of the results deliverable, the uses and applications to which they may be put, and the potential beneficiaries. State the media and methods to be used to communicate and disseminate the results obtained and to share them with the scientific community and with society at large.

The file should be attached in .pdf format and be no larger than 2MB.

1. Budget. The items to be included in the budget should be identified in as much detail as possible, and must in all cases be subject to and derive directly from the needs of the project.
   There is no maximum amount of funding per application.
   No remuneration is contemplated for team members, unless they have been specifically hired to work on the project
   All items detailed in the budget should include the corresponding taxes and withholdings.
   There is no percentage limit on the amount that may be included in respect of centers’ indirect costs or applicable taxes.
   Each budget line must be identified independently using the “add item” command. The form will automatically sum individual items.
   The budget considered will be that included in the relevant section of the online form. Budgetary information included in other application materials (project narrative, CV, etc.) will not be taken into account.
2. Budget justification. Applicants should justify the reasonableness of budgeted amounts by reference to the work plan set out in the project narrative, as well as specifying the nature and amount of other funding sought or obtained for the project. This text should be no longer than 1,100 characters.
3. Other funding sources. If other grants have been sought or obtained for the execution of the project proposed in this call, this should be expressly stated, specifying the amount of funds sought or obtained from each source.

Provide information on all members of the team to form part of the project, including:

1. Researcher details: Personal details of each researcher including name, surname, national identity document, date of birth, professional category, academic qualifications, employment situation and organization.
2. Curriculum vitae of each researcher, which should not exceed 5 pages.
3. Personal Data Processing terms accepted, dated and signed by each member of the team. The corresponding form can be downloaded from this link and should be no larger than 2MB.

1. Provide basic details of the organization to which the principal investigator is attached, including its tax identification number and the contact data (name, position, email, phone no., etc.) of its legal representative, who will be the Rector or Vice-Rector in the case of universities and Director, Vice-President or President in the case of public research organizations.
2. Personal Data Processing terms accepted, signed, dated and stamped by the organization’s legal representative. The corresponding form can be downloaded from this link and should be no larger than 2MB.

Before completing the process by sending your submission, you should check that the data entered in the various sections are correct by directly accessing the steps of the form through the corresponding tabs.

You can submit the completed entry by clicking on the “Send” button on the bottom right of the form. Before doing so, you will be asked to confirm that the information provided in the form is true and correct.

The person completing the form and the principal investigator will then receive an automated email with the summary and key details of the application.

In what language should I present my application?

• Applications can be submitted in Spanish or English.
• How can I convey the authorization of the organization to which the principal investigator is attached?
• The legal representative of the organization to which the principal investigator is attached should approve the application by affixing their signature along with the organization’s official stamp (point 6 of the call conditions).
• Remember that the signature should appear in this document (click here).

What is the right format for the curriculum vitae?

• CVs can be presented in any format, but should not exceed a maximum of 5 pages.

Where can I find the personal data processing forms?

• These are included in the online form itself, but you can also download them at the links below:
  • Personal data processing – researchers: here
  • Personal data processing – organization: here

Does the project narrative have to be completed using a particular template or format?

• The purpose of this call is to provide funding for the development of applied, interdisciplinary projects.
• There is no template or set format for presenting your description of the project. However, it must include the following headings and content:
  1. Background and objectives. Specify the objectives of the project and the concrete area or issue it sets out to address. Describe specifically:
     • The current status of the project’s focus area. Previous research and its relationship to the bibliography consulted.
     • Project objectives.
  2. Research methodology. Explain clearly the approach needed to achieve the project’s goals and expected results.
  3. Experience and suitability of the research group. State how the make-up of the research team fits with the goals of the project submitted, describing how it meets the criterion of multidisciplinarity and giving a reasoned explanation of the projected contribution of each discipline.
  4. Expected results and applicability. Provide information on the advances and degree of innovation that the project will bring to the challenge addressed, along with its applicability. Give details of the technical, economic and social importance of the project, as well as its added value and expected contributions. Where pertinent, describe the products and results the project is expected to obtain.
  5. Work plan and calendar. The work plan should be broken down into activities or tasks, specifying milestones for each and how researchers will individually aid in their attainment. Please provide a detailed timeline for all activities.
  6. Results dissemination and utilization plan. Provide a precise description of the results deliverable, the uses and applications to which they may be put, and the potential beneficiaries. State the media and methods to be used to communicate and disseminate the results obtained and to share them with the scientific community and with society at large.

What is the maximum amount of funding per application?

• There is no maximum amount as such, but the funding sought should be suitable for the project submitted and all items should be stated and justified as explicitly as possible in the online form. Budgetary information included in other application materials (project narrative, CV, etc.) will not be taken into account.
• Note that applicants should justify the reasonableness of the funding sought, as this will weigh significantly in the evaluation process.

What kind of spending item can I include in the budget?

• The call is not restrictive as regards admissible expenses, provided they are subject to and derive directly from the needs of the project and are duly justified in the budget section of the form.
• No remuneration is contemplated for team members, unless they have been specifically hired to work on the project.
• The budget presented should include the taxes and withholdings applicable in each case (e.g., VAT, indirect costs of the center, etc.).

What indirect costs should I include and how do I account for them?

• The budget presented will consist of the total gross amount and should detail all applicable taxes and withholdings.
• Indirect costs associated to the execution of the project may also be charged to the budget, according to each organization’s cost allocation policy.
• If your project is selected, when the time comes to provide a statement of expenditures, you should also present a certificate or report from your center stating that the percentage applied as indirect costs complies with its allocation policy.

How should I itemize VAT expense?

• The budget presented will consist of the total gross amount and should detail all applicable taxes and withholdings.
• This budget should itemize the VAT deriving from all items subject to this tax.
• Payments will be made on receipt of an invoice issued by the signatory organization, which should state VAT in accordance with the tax rules currently in force. The exact treatment may be defined in greater detail in the corresponding acceptance statement.

Once the application deadline has passed, will time be allowed for the rectification of errors?

• Yes. If the application contains errors that can be corrected, the BBVA Foundation will inform the applicant to this effect, giving a non-extendible period of 10 calendar days as of this notification in which to rectify the information so the application may be accepted for consideration.

Who owns the intellectual property rights arising from projects funded under this call?

• Any intellectual and/or industrial property rights arising from project execution belong to the authors, who should nonetheless make themselves available at the BBVA Foundation’s request for activities providing outreach to the larger community.

How do I start filling in my application?

• If you want to complete an application from the beginning, click on the button on the website that says “new application.”
• If you wish to continue completing a previously saved application, you may use the direct link you were sent on saving the form, or else click on the blue “resume application” button on the website. In both cases, the system will request a password sent previously to the email address indicated on the form. Also, each time you return to the form, you will receive an email with a reactivation password (OTP code).

What technical aspects should I bear in mind when completing an application?

• The system is compatible with versions of Chrome above 109, Firefox above 100, Safari above 15.4.
• At each step, the online form will specify a series of fields for you to complete. Check that you have correctly filled in all the required fields before going on to the next page.
• Applications may be completed over various sessions, with users saving and retrieving the partially completed form until the process has finalized.
• The form will be saved automatically as you advance through the steps, but you can also save it manually using the “Save and Exit” button at the top right of the screen. Each time you save a partially completed form, the system will email you a link and a password that you can use until the submission is complete. Also, each time you return to the form, you will be sent an email with a reactivation password (OTP code).
• On accessing the saved form, it will open at the last step completed. To move to the next screen, use the designated buttons at the bottom of the page. Do not use the arrows on your browser.
• Once the submission is complete, you will not be able to access it or make changes.
• In general, you are advised not to copy and paste text into the form. It is better to type in the content using the Latin alphabet or to convert it first to a .txt file.
• Once the submission is complete, the applicant will receive a reference number which they should quote in all subsequent correspondence with the BBVA Foundation. This reference number is different from the save code and will be the sole confirmation of your participation in the call and that your application has been received.
• We recommend that only the applicant complete the form, and that they do not keep it open in multiple sessions simultaneously.
• To avoid incidents in the application process, the links provided and the file names of attached documents should not be excessively long or contain accents, commas or other symbols. We suggest you keep them short.
• The system performs an automatic security scan of all attached documents, which may take some time depending on the size of the files.
• You are asked not to fill in the form using capital letters, unless their use is required by the rules of grammar or spelling (like, for example, the initial letters of proper names or the titles of projects and/or publications. Check also that you have not left blank spaces at the end of completed fields (especially email addresses).
• If you do not receive an email confirming a partially saved form, check that it has not gone to your spam tray or that you are not using some filter that could block emails from the account ayudas-investigacion@fbbva.es.

When is an application considered complete?

• When an applicant has completed each of the 6 steps in the form, they will come to a final step with a summary of the information provided, which they should check before they send the application. Once the “submit” button is clicked, the system will confirm receipt of the application and provide you with the application reference number. The information relating to the summary of your application will also be sent electronically to the email address provided on the form.
• The reference number is different from the save code and will be your sole confirmation that the application has been received.