Hoogewerff-Hendrix Fund for Italy Studies

The following persons and institutions are particularly, but not exclusively, eligible for grants from the Hoogewerff-Hendrix Fund for Italy Studies:

• Students, PhD students, researchers and staff members connected to Dutch research institutions, in particular Utrecht University;
• the Dutch-Flemish association Werkgroep Italië Studies;
• the Royal Dutch Institute of Rome;
• the Dutch Interuniversity Institute of Art History in Florence;
• Dutch museums managing substantial collections of art objects originating from Italian culture or closely related to it.

Research Projects

1. Travel, accommodation and material costs for study visits (individuals or teams) in connection with a newly initiated research project; these concern costs that cannot be funded through the grant programmes of the KNIR and/or the NIKI.
2. Travel, accommodation and material costs for study visits in connection with an ongoing research project (either individually or as part of a team); these concern costs that cannot be funded through the grant programmes of the KNIR and/or the NIKI or by other means.
3. Travel, accommodation and material costs for an individual study visit aimed at completing a specific, advanced publication; these concern costs that cannot be funded through the grant programmes of the KNIR and/or the NIKI or by other means.
4. Travel, accommodation and material costs for research in support of exhibitions, including publication in the accompanying catalogue/book publication, insofar as these costs cannot be covered by the responsible museum.
5. Organisational costs for closed workshops or other types of meetings with fellow researchers (Dutch or international), aimed at initiating new research, with or without financial support from the KNIR, the NIKI, the WIS, or museum institutions.

Study Visits for Inspiration

1. Travel and accommodation costs for an individual study visit of an exploratory nature (without the aim of working towards a publication); these concern costs that cannot be funded through the grant programmes of the KNIR and/or the NIKI.

Research Presentations

1. Costs associated with publications (image copyright fees; publisher subsidies; translation and/or editorial costs; NB: excluding Open Access fees).
2. Costs associated with public presentations (book launches, online presentations, presentations at fairs, etc.).
3. Costs associated with conference presentations that cannot be reimbursed by the applicant’s own institution or otherwise (travel and accommodation costs, registration fees).
4. Material costs associated with the organisation of publicly accessible study days or conferences, always as a supplement to funding provided by the organising institution (KNIR, NIKI, WIS, museum, or otherwise).

• Applications can be submitted up to a maximum of €5,000 per application.
• Individuals or institutions may submit no more than one application per year.
• Funds awarded constitute a one-time grant.
• Applications can be submitted by Dutch students, PhD candidates, or researchers (whether or not affiliated with an institution such as a university or museum). Individuals affiliated with Utrecht University are specifically supported.
• Applications can be submitted by the following institutions: the NIKI, the KNIR, the WIS, and Dutch museums with significant collections of items related to Italian culture. These institutions must contribute a substantial portion of the estimated costs themselves (at least 40%).
• Applications must relate to research on Italian culture from the Late Middle Ages to the present; research on the Italian Renaissance and/or interactions between Italy and the Low Countries are particularly supported.
• Applications for stays or activities that cannot be facilitated in Florence or Rome, at the NIKI or the KNIR, or through these institutions, are particularly supported.
• Salary and/or overhead costs are not subsidised; this also includes costs for exempting individuals employed by institutions or companies.
• Costs for Open Access publications are not subsidised.
• When preparing projects and budgets, sustainable travel must be a key principle.
• For grants awarded for publicly accessible presentations (options 8 and 10), it is expected that access is free of charge; if this is deviated from, a further justification is required.
• It is expected that projects are simple and cost-effective.
• For grant approvals, the Fund's Spending Advisory Committee may make adjustments to the submitted budget.
• For all activities realised (partly) with the support of the Fund for Italy Studies, this must be mentioned in presentations (including publications).
• Applicants are expected to share their experiences during recruitment activities of the Fund for Italy Studies.

In the case of individuals (students, PhD candidates, researchers):

• Indication of the type of support requested (1 to 10).
• A brief description of the project (400 to 500 words).
• A brief explanation of why this project cannot be funded otherwise (wholly or partially) (max. 200 words).
• Description of the expected results (if applicable).
• A concise CV of the applicant (max. 2 pages).
• Description of the expected role of the proposed project in the applicant’s research career (<100 words).
• Budget, including mention of funding acquired or to be acquired elsewhere.

In the case of institutions:

• Indication of the type of support requested (1 to 10).
• A brief description of the project (400 to 500 words).
• A brief explanation of why this project cannot be fully funded otherwise (max. 200 words).
• Description of the expected results (if applicable).
• Description of the expected role of the proposed project within the institution’s research agenda (<100 words).
• Budget, with a clear breakdown of the portion the institution finances itself and mention of funding acquired or to be acquired elsewhere.

• Projects must be completed within 18 months of the grant award.
• Upon completion of the project, the applicant must submit a brief accountability report to the Utrecht University Fund.
• This accountability report includes a short summary of the project results.
• Additionally, a financial report must be submitted, consisting of the approved budget along with the actual expenditure. Supporting documents for the major cost items must also be included.

You can submit one application per year for this fund:

• Round 4: June 1 to July 3, 2026

Applicants will receive notification of the grant decision by July 27, 2026, at the latest. The accountability report is due by February 1, 2028, at the latest.

• Prof. Dr Philiep Bossier (Chair), Chair of the Dutch-Flemish Association Working Group for Italian Studies
• Prof. Dr Harald Hendrix (Vice-Chair), Emeritus Professor of Italian Language and Culture and founder of the named fund
• Marc de Beyer MA, Director of Teylers Museum
• Prof. Dr Michael Kwakkelstein, Director of the Dutch Interuniversity Institute for Art History (NIKI) in Florence
• Prof. Dr Tesse Stek, Academic Director of the Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome (KNIR)