Collaborative Grant Writing: A Successful Case of Coordination in a Funding Application

Grant application is highly competitive, which can inadvertently discourage collaboration despite its benefits. In this commentary, we examine an alternative model in which coordination replaces competition. In 2025, members of the Netherlands Metascience Coalition collaboratively developed two successfully funded proposals for the NWO Open Science call by jointly identifying key research priorities, forming sub‑teams, and providing structured mutual feedback. This commentary outlines the origins of this initiative, describes the collaborative process, and reflects on the advantages and challenges of coordination in this effort.