Research Grants & Contracts Office

Applying for research funding

Liz Francis

l.francis@bbk.ac.uk

Head of Research Grants & Contracts

Finance Department

First Floor, Egmont House

Research Grants and Contracts Office(RGCO), Finance Department

The Research Grants and Contracts Office provides administrative, financial and support services related to externally funded research projects for academic and research staff.

The main roles of the office are to: provide funding information assist in the preparation of applications, esp. financial details -

salaries, overheads advise on contracts and terms and conditions of awards undertake project accounting and financial reporting provide management information for research

Summary

University research funding

Major research funders and their schemes

A successful application?

Sources of information

Who funds university research?

UK Government through HEFCE: quality-related (QR) funding through the ‘block grant’

BIS Research Councils

Charities – UK and overseas

UK Government departments, eg. DoH, DfE

Commercial sponsors

European and others

Types of funding

Fellowships

Project / programme grants

Small grants

Travel & Subsistence / conference

Other, e.g. large scale equipment grants

Social Sciences

Economic and Social Research Council

British Academy

Leverhulme Trust

Wellcome Trust – Biomedical Ethics

Others…

Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)2009/10 Research budget: £211m

Thematic Priorities 2011-2015: Economic Performance & Sustainable Growth – enable the

development of robust government and private sector strategies to ensure the sustainable growth of the UK economy

Influencing Behaviour and Informing Interventions - Create a better understanding of how and why people and organisations make decisions, and how these can be managed or influences

A Vibrant and Fair Society – Develop ways to enhance the role and contributions of citizens, voluntary sector organisations and social enterprises to create a vibrant national and global society.

Future Research Leaders scheme (Early career researchers)

This scheme replaces the Postdoctoral Fellowship and First Grants schemes. Awards are for a maximum of 3 years with an overall limit of £215,000 (at 100 per cent full Economic Cost).

The scheme aims to: enable outstanding early career social scientists – in partnership with their host institution – to develop the skills to become future world leaders in their field

The first year of the scheme, 2011, had an open call with proposals involving secondary data analysis and the application of innovative research methodology are particularly encouraged. The ESRC fund a maximum of 60 per cent of the applicant’s time and the institution must support the remainder of the applicant’s normal salary. Early career researchers with less than four years postdoctoral experience are eligible.

A minimum of 70 awards funded

British Academy

The British Academy is the UK’s national academy for the humanities and social sciences (inc. psychology).2011/12 programmes budget: £25m

Strategic priorities 2008-2013

Ideas, individuals and intellectual resources

International engagement

Communication and advocacy

Fellowship

British Academy Postdoctoral fellowships

3 years salary support for outstanding recent (within 3 years ofaward of doctorate) postdoctoral scholars Aims:

experience of independent research introduction to teaching career development output and dissemination Intended to improve prospects of permanent posts at the end

of the fellowship Two stage application process:

Outline application October, notification January Second stage closing date Feb, notification May 45 awards annually, usually 5% success rate

Leverhulme TrustScholarship for the purposes of research and education

Annual budget £60m

Suitability of research applications to Leverhulme:

the originality of the proposed work

courageous research (avoidance of the incremental; and the applicant’s ability to take informed risk/blue skies research)

a mixture of disciplines (blurring boundaries/lateral impact)

individual exploration (hesitation with data banks/cataloguing)

the impact of the research outcome on other fields of study and within the immediate field of research

research design transcends traditional boundaries

a departure from the established working patterns either of the individual or of the discipline

Leverhulme Trust

Early Career Fellowship researchers at a relatively early stage of their academic

careers but with a proven record of research 3 year award – all fields are eligible 80 Fellowships available in 2012 Trust pays up to 50% of the employment cost plus research

expenses up to £6,000 pa Closing date – online submission 8th March 2012 www.leverhulme.ac.uk

Project grants, programme grants, etc. – Post doc Research Assistant

Wellcome TrustIndependent charity funding research in biomedical science, medical history and humanities, ethics and society. Spend £600m p.a. on activities. Research Fellowships

Post doctoral, not in established academic post Salary and research expenses 2 stage process

Prelim applications June or December Full applications August or February

University Awards attract important research staff to academic positions Gradual change from fellow to permanent staff member, must

be agreed by host institution at time of application 5 year award (3 years full, 50% in 4th yr, 25% in 5th Year) Two stage application process as above

Other current social science funders at Birkbeck

Arts and Humanities Research Council (check subject eligibility with funder before applying) http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/FundingOpportunities/Pages/Subjectstatement.aspx

Nuffield Foundation European Union Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation Bridging Trust Socio-legal Studies Association Esmee Fairbairn Foundation

A successful application:What the funder looks for

High-quality research: an original contribution to knowledge in the field

Outputs: what will be the impact of the research?

Academic record: evidence of research potential

A strong proposal (1)

Addresses the funder’s research priorities and the aims of the scheme

Clear language without jargon Establishes the context for the research Well-defined aims and objectives Detailed methodology – why these methods? Has the right people on board, i.e. mentor /

co-applicant(s), host institution

A strong proposal (2)

Anticipates potential problems – how will you deal with them?

Has realistic ambitions Identifies and addresses training needs Specified outputs and dissemination plans

Practical points (1)

Allow plenty of time, months not weeks! Read all guidelines, terms and conditions Check your eligibility Consider ethical aspects / approval Check application form requirements, e.g.

referee reports, signatures, length of proposal Electronic submission – may need to set up

an account prior to deadline

Practical points (2)

Research previously funded applications to same funder / scheme

Choose referees carefully – check they have time.

Get the finances right – check with Research Grants Office and justify costs requested

Get as much feedback on your draft proposal as possible – INTERNAL PEER REVIEW

Consult with the funder if you have any questions

Proposal writing guides

ESRC – Advice on writing proposals. http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/ResearchFunding/HowToApply/WritingProposals.htm

EPSRC: ‘How to Apply’ http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/ResearchFunding/HowToApply/default.htm

Funding Information

Funders’ websites Supervisor Research grants website http://www.bbk.ac.uk/rgco/

for funding information and list of forthcoming deadlines for major funders

www.ResearchProfessional.com