Call Open: Young Researcher and Innovator Conference Grants (YRICG) 2026

The MedPlant4Vet COST Action is pleased to announce a new call for applications for Young Researcher and Innovator Conference Grants (YRICG).

These grants aim to support young researchers and innovators in disseminating their work and contributing to the objectives of the Action by presenting their research at international scientific conferences. The activity must be in line with the general COST Action CA22109 goals and objectives (https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA22109/) and must take place before 30th of September 2026.

Scope of the Call

Applicants are invited to apply for financial support to attend conferences where they will present oral or poster contributions related to the topics of MedPlants4Vet, including (but not limited to):

Ethnoveterinary medicine
Medicinal plants for animal health
Veterinary phytotherapy
Veterinary pharmacology and therapeutics

Participation in relevant conferences such as (but not limited to);

25th International Congress of the International Society for Ethnopharmacology (Foligno, Italy, 14–17 September 2026)
74th International Congress of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Products Research (GA) (Reims, France, 30 August – 2 September 2026), including the Animal Healthcare and Veterinary Phytotherapy Symposium
65th Society for Ethnobotany Annual Congress (Montpellier, France, 31 May – 4 June 2026)

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

Be affiliated with an institution in a COST Full or Cooperating Member, Near Neighbour Country, or approved International Partner Country
Be actively involved in the MedPlants4Vet COST Action (CA22109)
Qualify as a Young Researcher and Innovator (YRI), defined as:
- being under 40 years of age, or
- being within 8 years of obtaining a PhD,
  (with allowances for documented career breaks such as parental leave or long-term illness)
Have an accepted oral or poster presentation at an eligible international scientific conference
Present work that is clearly related to the objectives and activities of the COST Action

Application Procedure

All applications must be submitted via the e-COST system (https://e-services.cost.eu/) and include:

Completed YRICG Application Template (Annex1);
Abstract of the accepted presentation (oral or poster);
Acceptance or invitation letter from the conference organizers;
CV

Grant Amount

The maximum financial contribution for this grant call is up to €1,500, in accordance with the Action's Work and Budget Plan and subject to COST reimbursement rules and available budget.

A total of 8 Young Researcher and Innovator Conference Grants (YRICG) will be awarded under this call.
It covers travel, accommodation, registration fees, and subsistence expenses,
Payments are made after the activity, upon approval of the submitted report and documents.
The grant is a contribution and may not cover all expenses incurred; any additional costs must be covered by the applicant or their institution.

Note

Be aware of the brand guidelines for dissemination activities funded by COST. Please check Cost Action Visual Identity Guidelines: www.cost.eu/about/visual-identity/. In that case, the COST logo, Horizon Europe logo and acknowledgment are required in the final slide of presentation made by you. Your grant might be rejected if your material does not reach the COST standards.

Important Dates

Call opens: 27 March 2026
Deadline for applications: 27 April 2026
Notification of results: 2 May 2026
Eligible conference period: May – September 2026

Evaluation Criteria

Relevance to MedPlant4Vet Action objectives;
Scientific quality of the abstract;
Potential impact on the applicant's career development;
Other criteria include early career, gender balance and geographical inclusiveness;
The applicant engages to share results of the activities with the relevant working groups (also via presentations on working groups if requested by the working group leader).
The application of the 'Rules and Principles for COST activities' by the applicant.

All applications will be evaluated according to the defined criteria and approved or rejected by the Grant Awarding Coordinator on behalf of the Action's Management Committee.

After the Conference

Grantees must submit within 30 days after the conference:

Completed YRICG Report Template (Annex 2);
Certificate of attendance;
Conference program or book of abstracts;
Copy of the presented poster or slides.
A short report version of the grantees' of their experience to be published in the newsletter and to contribute with content (posts, pictures, short videos etc) for the Action social media and Website (Annex 3)

All requested documents must be uploaded in e-COST. Please note that failure to submit the scientific report and annexes on time will effectively cancel the grant.

Need Help?

For scientific alignment

Contact the Working Group Leader