Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on R&D Funding Schemes in Germany - First Results of a Comparative Analysis of Empirical Data

Abstract

In 2020 and 2021, practically all areas of work and life were under the influence of the Corona pandemic. In the course of 2020, it was already apparent that the consequences of the Corona crisis would also have a considerable impact on grant recipients and their projects and thus on the implementation and goal achievement of the funding programmes, and that this would be reflected in the results of evaluations. From the perspective of an evaluation of innovation funding programmes, the Corona pandemic represents an external influencing factor that could negatively affect the intended impact of a funding programme with regard to the successful implementation of innovation projects and behavioural change of actors towards innovation orientation. This article provides initial answers to the questions of what effects the Corona pandemic has on innovation promotion, what adaptation strategies can be observed and how these can be provisionally evaluated. For this purpose, the authors of this paper draw on current, as yet unpublished data from evaluation surveys in 2020 and 2021.