You Submitted Your 2026 WBSO Application. Now What?

We are receiving a high number of requests from our clients about what happens after their WBSO has been submitted. Given the large number of applications (>20,000 in total) that need to be reviewed, the RVO intends to process the majority of applications within 3 months. Other than patience, here are some quick tips to help guide you in the interim.

1. Additional Questions

The RVO may have some outstanding questions or further clarifications on your application. This could be because the scope of the project does not entirely fit the requirements of the WBSO. If this is the case, a slight or complete redraft of the application may be required. The RVO will inform you via email in such an instance.

2. Compliance Preparation

Start keeping track of the R&D administration from the start of a project, even if you have not yet received an R&D Declaration. Prepare brief summaries at regular intervals. Make sure to record your R&D hours within 10 working days.

3. Phone Interview

The RVO will call WBSO prospects prior to a final decision, to ensure that applicants understand their project scope and future expected commitments.

4. Internal Organisation

Ensure that the FTEs responsible for the requested R&D/WBSO hours are up to date and understand the deliverables expected of them. Ensure that productivity can be tracked via internal tools or external software (GitLab, Jira, Bitbucket, etc.)

Missed the December Deadline?

As mentioned previously, the RVO has a large backlog of applications, looking to utilise the full benefit of the WBSO (12-month R&D year). If you missed the December 20th deadline, you can still apply for an 11-month R&D year before January 30th. (And subsequent month-ends).

Interested in learning more about how subsidAI can help streamline your WBSO application? You can contact us for more information. You can also use our matching tool to discover other funding opportunities for which you’re eligible.