This funding guideline of the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) aims to strengthen the effective use of existing, high-quality, multicenter health data in Germany by supporting innovative pilot research projects in the field of eHealth. The programme seeks to unlock the potential of data resources already established within the national health research data infrastructures (GFDI) — such as the Medical Informatics Initiative (MII/FDPG), the Network University Medicine (NUM), the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI), and the German National Cohort (NAKO) — for improved prediction, stratification, diagnosis, and therapy across medical disciplines.

The call supports single-institution pilot projects (not consortia) that combine data science, medical informatics, and clinical or epidemiological research. Eligible applicants are universities, university hospitals, and publicly funded non-university research institutions in Germany that conduct non-commercial research. Private companies or economic divisions of institutions are not eligible. Each project must address a clearly defined, patient-relevant research question and demonstrate that the necessary datasets are already accessible and of sufficient quality. The proposal must include proof of consultation with the respective data-providing infrastructure and documentation of data readiness, such as case numbers, variable scope, and data quality.

Projects must make exclusive use of existing datasets; new data collection is not permitted. Each project should start with a local pilot dataset and demonstrate interoperability with multicenter data sources. The projects are expected to improve practical use of GFDI resources and contribute to the further development of secure data environments and standardized access mechanisms. Applicants must also ensure transparent dissemination of their results, for example by registering their project in the German Research Data Portal for Health (FDPG). Results must be exploitable within Germany, the European Economic Area (EEA), or Switzerland.

The application process follows a two-stage procedure consisting of a project sketch and a full proposal. Project sketches must be submitted via the easy-Online portal by 27 February 2026. Late submissions may not be considered. Funding may cover up to 100 % of eligible non-commercial costs, and universities or university hospitals can receive an additional 20 % project lump sum. Typical project duration is up to two years. The directive was published in the Federal Gazette (BAnz AT 03.11.2025 B2) and remains valid until 31 December 2032.