The PRIN program (Projects of Relevant National Interest Research) is aimed at funding public research projects with the goal of strengthening the national scientific foundation, also in view of more effective participation in European Framework Programmes of the European Union.

To this end, PRIN aims to fund projects that, due to their complexity and nature, may require the collaboration of multiple professors/researchers, whose funding needs exceed the normal availability of individual institutions.

The formation of the research group is flexible: depending on the nature of the project, the research group can be composed of multiple research units from multiple universities/institutions; particularly in some research fields (such as humanities and mathematics, where research is often conducted individually), only the presence of the Principal Investigator (PI) may be required.

The guiding principles of PRIN are:

1. The high quality of the scientific profile of the PI and unit leaders, as well as the originality, methodological adequacy, impact, and feasibility of the research project.
2. The fundability of projects related to any field of research.
3. Adequate financial support guaranteed by the Ministry of Education, University and Research (MUR).

The Special Supplementary Fund for Research (FISR) finances "specific interventions of particular strategic relevance, indicated in the National Research Program (PNR) and its updates, for the achievement of general objectives."

The FISR contribution granted to projects approved for funding amounts to 70% of the total project cost. The remaining 30% is borne by the proposing entity and represents the cost related to the structured personnel engaged in the project.

A call to support the development of fundamental research activities.

There are two lines of activity:

1. Fundamental research projects conducted by emerging researchers (Starting Grant): a capital contribution of up to a maximum of 1 million euros. The coordinating principal investigator must be at the beginning of their career, holding a doctoral degree obtained no less than 2 years and no more than 10 years ago, demonstrating scientific independence potential, which must be evidenced in the proposals.
2. Fundamental research projects conducted by established researchers (Advanced Grant): a capital contribution of up to a maximum of 1.5 million euros. The coordinating principal investigator must be scientifically independent, actively engaged in research for over 10 years, and have a profile that identifies them as a leader in the research field addressed by the proposed project.

With FISA, the aim is to support project proposals submitted by individual researchers (Principal Investigators), belonging to the public or private sector of national research, in any field of science that exhibit strong characteristics of originality and innovativeness and are capable of promoting socio-economic and industrial impacts.

Projects can cover any scientific theme but must have a duration of at least 2 and up to 5 years and an overall cost ranging from a minimum of 1 to a maximum of 5 million euros.

Project proposals that pass the scientific evaluation stage will proceed to the negotiation phase for the definition of the operational aspects of the intervention, also based on any improvement elements that may emerge during the evaluation.

Proposals must be submitted using the forms available on the dedicated portal.

The Ministry of Education, University and Research (MUR) through the FARE project aims to finance initiatives aimed at attracting ERC grant winners. In particular, universities and public research institutions will provide additional funding to support researchers who have won ERC grants of the Starting Grant, Consolidator Grant, or Advanced Grant types and have chosen an Italian institution as the main location for their research or have opted for an Italian institution using the portability mechanism.

The Rita Levi Montalcini Programme represents one of the main initiatives of the Ministry to enable young researchers working abroad to come to Italy and be recruited by a state university to carry out their research activities.

Annually, specific resources from the FFO (on average 5 million euros) are allocated for a national selection call, allowing approximately 24 young researchers to submit a research project and indicate a list of universities where they would like to develop such a project.

Eligibility Requirements: The eligibility criteria for participating in the selection are annually defined by the call itself and generally require holding a doctoral degree obtained no more than 6 years and no less than 3 years ago, and being engaged in activities abroad at a university or research center for at least 3 years.

Selection of Beneficiaries: A ministerial committee then proceeds to evaluate the applications. Based on the evaluation results, the winners are selected, and the University indicated by the winner is directly funded by the Ministry to activate a three-year researcher contract pursuant to Article 24, paragraph 3, letter b) of Law 240 of 2010. The ministerial funding also includes an additional amount to cover the costs of the research project.