The National Lottery is donating €1 million to science
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19 Mar 2026 •
Reading time: 2 minutes
With a budget of €1 million, a new call for proposals from the National Lottery aims to support Belgium’s federal scientific institutions. The aim is to strengthen their societal impact, improve their accessibility and promote Belgium’s scientific heritage both at home and abroad.
A strategic initiative
The Belgian National Lottery has announced a new call for projects with a budget of €1 million, aimed at the ten federal scientific institutions. The aim is to strengthen their societal impact, improve their accessibility and increase their visibility, both in Belgium and internationally. The announcement was made during an event held at the Lottery Shop in Brussels, attended by Minister Jan Jambon and representatives from Minister Vanessa Matz’s office.
The selected projects must meet several specific criteria: they must strengthen the institutions’ societal impact, be accessible to as many people as possible and contribute to their influence. In other words, the aim is not merely to fund research or conservation, but to rethink the way in which science is shared, explained and experienced by the public. Each project must also receive private co-funding.
As Jannie Haek pointed out:
“With this call for proposals, we want to help federal scientific institutions develop ambitious, accessible and high-profile initiatives capable of reaching a wide audience.”
Promoting Belgium’s scientific heritage
At the heart of this call for projects lies a strong ambition: to highlight Belgium’s scientific heritage. For science is not just a matter for laboratories. It is also a component of culture, just like art or history. By supporting projects that bring science closer to the public, the National Lottery hopes to help restore confidence and encourage curiosity.
In 2026, the National Lottery is also supporting movable heritage through its Heritage Tombola and solidarity initiatives, with three calls for projects to support initiatives linked to sustainable development, para-sport and the fight against poverty. By focusing on accessibility, visibility and societal impact, Belgium is sending a strong signal.