The National Land Agency is accepting applications for grants from the Land Research Fund. The purpose of the fund is to promote regional research and provide grants for research and development projects that can contribute to positive regional development and improve the knowledge base for policymaking, planning, and action in the field of regional affairs.
The application deadline is noon., March 4, 2026 (until 12:00 PM). The Built Environment Research Fund has up to 17.5 million krónur to award. Grants will be awarded for one year.
Applications must include a detailed description of the research, objectives, benefits, novelty, and how the research supports the purpose of the fund. The application must detail the research's connection to community development and, where applicable, how the research aligns with the priorities of the 2022-2036 Community Plan.
The following factors are considered when evaluating applications:
- How the project supports the fund's purpose and is related to community development.
- Scientific and practical value of the project.
- Novelty of the project.
- Quality of the application (clear objectives, a well-designed research plan, and concise text).
Applicants can be individuals, companies, research, development, and academic institutions, or other legal entities. See more:
- Online application form (Application portal of the Icelandic Housing Finance Authority)
- Rules of the Building Research Fund
- Bylaws of the Board of the Settlement Research Fund
- Development Plan 2022-2036
For more information, contact Hanna Dóra Björnsdóttir
hannadora@byggdastofnun.is / phone 455 5454
Further information about the Built Environment Research Fund can be found on the website of the Development Agency. Grants from the Regional Studies Fund have been awarded since 2015. In total, 48 projects have received a grant between 2015 and 2025, with a total funding of 123.8 million krónur. In 2025, the following five projects received a grant:
- Coastal fishing and community quotas: Will the increased activity in coastal fishing and community quotas be reflected in increased employment or tax revenues for the respective municipalities? The grant recipient is the Research Center for Urban and Local Government Affairs at the University of Bifröst, Vífill Karlsson.
- A double-edged sword, the leakage of non-residential jobs to the capital region. The grant recipient is the Research Center of the University of Akureyri, Hjalti Jóhannesson.
- Organization of sustainable agricultural production in Iceland. Grantee: Salvör Jónsdóttir, University of Iceland.
- Cooperation and coordination between destination management organizations and municipalities on sustainable tourism development. Grantees: Anna Karlsdóttir and Íris Hrund Halldórsdóttir, both at the University of Iceland.
- Foreign investments in land in Iceland. A view on the effects of settlement development and population cohesion. Grantees: Anna Karlsdóttir and Magnfríður Júlíusdóttir, both at the University of Iceland.
The Regional Research Fund aims to provide grants for research and development projects that can contribute to positive regional development and improve the knowledge base used for policymaking, planning, and actions in the field of regional affairs.