Meet PharmaNL: ZonMw as an Indispensable Collaboration Partner in Innovation and Funding

News March 31, 2025

Following the first Meet PharmaNL series, in which we introduced the PharmaNL board, we now turn our focus to our collaboration partners. These partners play a crucial role in achieving PharmaNL’s objectives.

In this edition, ZonMw takes center stage. With its expertise in grant procedures and knowledge dissemination, ZonMw contributes to the selection and funding of the most promising projects within the PharmaNL program. In this article, Claudia Leusink (program manager at ZonMw) and Carrie Veenkant-Wegh (senior program manager and team leader at ZonMw), both actively involved in the PharmaNL program, share insights into their approach and collaboration with PharmaNL, particularly in the careful allocation of PharmaNL’s funding resources.

“ZonMw is responsible for the careful allocation of the funding that PharmaNL has received from the National Growth Fund, but that is not the only area we focus on,” explain Claudia Leusink and Carrie Veenkant-Wegh, program managers of the PharmaNL grant program. In addition to programming and funding research, ZonMw is also involved in other activities. “For many, it is not always clear what ZonMw does exactly, and we would like to shed more light on that.”

ZonMw’s Core Activities

ZonMw advances health for all through knowledge. It does so based on three core activities: programming and funding, connecting and facilitating implementation, and identifying and setting agendas. “We are best known for programming and funding projects,” says Carrie. “Together with our clients and partners, we assess which knowledge and activities are needed, develop a program, and publish grant calls based on which applicants can submit project proposals.”

Claudia adds, “Thanks to our many years of experience, we have structured our procedures in such a way that only the most promising projects receive funding.” The selection of these projects is based on the relevance and quality criteria outlined in the grant call. “Independent experts assess grant applications against these criteria and advise ZonMw in selecting the most promising projects,” says Carrie.

The grant process is also designed to improve the quality of applications throughout the procedure. Claudia explains, “The project idea is a key step in enhancing application quality. The review committee provides feedback on each project idea to help applicants refine their full proposal.” Carrie agrees, adding, “The more developed the project idea, the more specific the committee’s feedback. Applicants can greatly benefit from this guidance.”

In addition to programming and funding, ZonMw also facilitates networking and implementation. “ZonMw has a vast network thanks to collaborations with policymakers, committee members, reviewers, and project leaders,” says Carrie. “This network helps ensure that research findings and innovations reach the right places in practice more quickly and are effectively utilized.” Finally, ZonMw plays a crucial role in identifying knowledge gaps and innovation opportunities. In collaboration with our partners, we develop research explorations, policy briefs, and knowledge agendas. We then bring these to the attention of clients and relevant stakeholders.

Joining Forces

“For the implementation of the PharmaNL program, we work closely with the PharmaNL consortium,” says Claudia. Before each grant call, PharmaNL develops an investment agenda based on input from stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sector. This agenda outlines the necessary investments. Carrie adds, “The investment agenda is extremely valuable because it helps us identify which areas still have knowledge gaps.” ZonMw then translates the investment agenda into a grant call. “This way, we can combine our strengths. PharmaNL has in-depth knowledge of the field, while ZonMw has the expertise to select the most promising and high-quality projects,” says Claudia.

In this way, ZonMw contributes to PharmaNL’s goal of stimulating the development and production of medicines in the Netherlands. Carrie adds, “This program perfectly aligns with ZonMw’s ambition to help address societal challenges, such as the availability of medicines.”

Questions? Get in Touch

“Carrie and I don’t work on this program alone—we are part of a dedicated team of colleagues,” says Claudia. “Navigating the grant application process can sometimes feel complex, which is why we are always available to provide support.”

For any questions, please contact ZonMw at PharmaNL@zonmw.nl.

Photo: Claudia (left) is a program manager, and Carrie (right) is a senior program manager and team leader at ZonMw, both working on the PharmaNL program. The program team consists of a senior program manager, two program managers, and three program officers. Additionally, the team includes the head of Translational Research and Therapy Development, two colleagues from the communications team, and a program support officer.