Tagged / funding opportunities

AHRC a success for BU Part 2: The Media Story:

Awarded & submitted bids, Funding opportunities, R & KE Operations

 

By Alex and Eva

Following yesterday’s Blog post on the Faculty of Science and Technology’s success, we would like to focus today on The Media’s success with AHRC. Over the last few years The Media School have a 44% success rate from 25 projects submitted with 11 funded.

So how can we replicate The Media School success?

Once again, Eva and I got on the bus to Talbot Campus and interviewed successful AHRC grant holder Dr. Bronwen Thomas to find out more…

What was your project about?

We have had two projects funded by the AHRC, the first was a research development award, and the current project supports a research network. Both look at the impact of digitisation on readers and reading.

How is it going?

It’s going well, the network is growing and our monthly blogs have helped to keep the discussion going between our scheduled meetings. We had a very successful public engagement event before Christmas, and we are currently planning a symposium to be held here at BU in June.

What do you want to achieve?

The main outcome for our project would be that the network remains active after the period of funding and that it helps support collaborative projects, including publications, involving our members.

What gave you the edge, do you think?

The fact that our research area is of key strategic importance to the funder, and that we were able to respond speedily and effectively to the call.

In hindsight, what would you do differently, what advice would you give to others?

The funding calls we applied for were limited in terms of the amounts available. The downside of this is that the PI ends up doing quite a lot of admin and planning work, leaving less time for scholarly research.  So anything that could be done to reduce this burden would be helpful.

 Also any other comments/tips from your experience that is worth noting.

We have been successful responding to specific calls under the highlight themes.  Under the current system, this may become more difficult, as typically there are only a couple of months between the announcement and the deadline, but there does appear to be ongoing funding for the highlighted themes, so they are well worth looking at.  It is important to demonstrate that your research is collaborative, cross-disciplinary and with genuine rather than tokenistic public engagement.   But it’s also about showing that you can manage projects, that you are likely to work well together as a team, and that the proposed research and outcomes are doable.

For other hints and tips you should check out Dr Anna Feigenbaum posts on International, Interdisciplinary, Innovative: the AHRC brings grant bidding advice to BU.

~Don’t miss tomorrow’s edition, when we find out more about studentship block grants.

AHRC – a success for BU

Funding opportunities, R & KE Operations

By Eva and Alex

 

 

 

Following yesterday’s Blog post on the AHRC – a success for BU, we would like to focus on the Faculty of Science and Technology’s success with AHRC. Over the last few years the Faculty of Science and Technology’s have a 45% success rate from 20 projects submitted with 9 funded.

So how did we achieve this success you ask?  Well we took to the offices of Christchurch House to interview successful AHRC grant holders Dr. Mark Matlby and Dr. Emma Jenkins to find out…

Mark Maltby

What was your project about?

Cultural and Scientific Perceptions of Human-Chicken Interactions : It’s part of the Science in Culture Call.  The project aims to unite scholars from different disciplines, members of the public, interest groups and schoolchildren through the study of human exploitation of chickens, an under-researched species that has the potential to provide new insights about the past, present and future of human society and their relationships with animals.

 How is it going?

It began on January 6th – so early days!

What do you want to achieve?

One of the main aims is to get researchers from different disciplines to work together constructively and exchange knowledge and expertise in pursuit of a common research goal.

What gave you the edge, do you think?

Being positive/enthusiastic in statements in the application and in response to reviewers’ comments.. Working with colleagues from other institutions who have successfully gained and carried out research grants. Their expertise in writing the Case for Support, Objectives etc was invaluable.

In hindsight, what would you do differently, what advice would you give to others?

Despite our best efforts, we were tight to the deadline for application. What took more time than I expected was getting the cost estimates sorted. Particularly if you are applying with partners, allow enough time for members of other institutions to react.

Any other comments from your experience that are worth noting.

We certainly benefitted from having an interview rehearsal. Learn to write very concisely as word limits are challengingly limited.

 

Emma Jenkins

What was your project about

The project is concerned with developing a method to help us understand more about how Neolithic sites in southwest Asia (c 11,700-7800 cal BP) were used. This is an important period in human history which saw the advent of sedentism, agriculture, and ultimately the rise of complex societies. It is also, however, one of the most poorly understood. This is partly due to the problems associated with site recognition and partly because of the lack of preservation of many forms of evidence, particularly biological. As a result, many Neolithic sites are comprised of a series of structures, the function of which is difficult, if not impossible, to interpret. Therefore, it is critical that we maximise the information that can be acquired from these sites.

 Our project uses recent advances in archaeological scientific techniques, namely phytolith (bodies of silica that form in and around plant cells)and geochemical analysis (traces of chemicals in soils resulting from human induced activities and waste, e.g. phosphorous, calcium and manganese) in a novel way. We will conduct a large scale combined analysis of phytoliths and geochemical elements from ethnographic sites to determine if certain activity areas, for example middens, hearths and floors, have particular phytolith and geochemical signatures that can help us recognise these same areas archaeologically.  

 How is it going

We have recruited two excellent new team members who will start with us in March and April and are busy making plans for our field season in April in Jordan. However, we have also hit problem number one but I am a firm believer in looking for solutions rather than focusing on the problem!

 What do you want to achieve?

On the academic front I want to have a successful field season in Jordan, leading to the collection of a good range of samples which will enable us to produce worthwhile and valid results. The aim is to publish these as peer reviewed journal papers. The ultimate aim is for us to apply for further funding to pursue related research areas.

We also plan to produce two 10 minute documentaries. The first will show  how scientific methods can be used in archaeology which I can use in my STEM Ambassador and general outreach work. The second is focused on documenting and presenting a sympathetic portrayal of traditional ways of life in Jordan and the relationship between people and a challenging but beautiful and ancient environment and landscape. The latter film is particularly pertinent because the traditional lifeways in Jordan are fast disappearing as a result of western influence.

 What gave you the edge, do you think?

I think there were a number of factors which led to this project being funded. Perhaps the most important was the team of people. All of us had a proven track record in our discipline and a history of working in Jordan. Even though this was awarded to me as an Early Career Grant, my collaborators hold senior positions within their institutions and have a strong publication record relating to the project research areas. We had done pilot studies involving phytoliths and geochemical analysis on ethnographic sites in Jordan which demonstrated that the method had potential. Another strength was the fact that I had run (or co-run) projects in Jordan previously so could demonstrate project management skills. Last, but definitely not least, I think Martin Pickard from Grantcraft helped a lot in the layout and design of the proposal which improved it enormously.

 In hindsight, what would you do differently, what advice would you give to others?

I over thought the impact part of the project (the documentaries) and originally made them too specific and complicated. We have since changed their focus and this makes them much more in line with the academic aims.

 As for my advice-don’t have two babies while trying to write a grant application in a timely fashion!

 No seriously,

  • Spend a lot of time thinking about the project and don’t under estimate how much time the project planning can take.
  • Cover yourself for every possible criticism. I wrote in a contingency plan in case there were any political problems in Jordan that made fieldwork unfeasible. The reviewers all seemed to like the fact that I had addressed this potential problem.
  • Make sure your project is good value for money and that you have a good team of people
  • Ask for help . I asked a lot of people within my discipline for advice and to read my application. One of my colleagues noticed a rather fundamental flaw in my proposal in its early stages and suggested alternative archaeological sites which made the project much more coherent.

 Also any other comments from your experience that are worth noting.

Designing the project was a really worthwhile experience and led to me finding fantastic team members whom I hope to work with in the future.

~Don’t miss tomorrow’s edition, when we hit the streets of Weymouth house for the Media School story on their fantastic success with the AHRC.

Latest major funding opportunities

Funding opportunities

The following opportunities have been announced. Please follow the links for more information:

The AHRC and BBC Radio 3 are looking for applications for the New Generation Thinkers of 2014. Up to sixty successful applicants will have a chance to develop their programme-making ideas with experienced BBC producers at a series of dedicated workshops and, of these up to ten will become Radio 3’s resident New Generation Thinkers. They will benefit from a unique opportunity to develop their own programmes for BBC Radio 3 and a chance to regularly appear on air. The closing date is 06/02/14.

The Alzheimer’s Society is offering PhD Studentships and Doctoral Training Centre grants, both with a closing date of 17/04/14. Planning ahead, the calls for Clincal Training Fellowships and Postdoctoral Fellowships will open in May/June 2014.

For those researching in the fields of biotechnology and biological sciences, the BBSRC is offering a number of grants. These are Strategic longer and larger grants (sLoLas), which closes on 09/04/14, Responsive-mode grants up to £2m, Industrial Partnership awards, Stand-alone LINK awards to encourage collaboration with industry, the New Investigator scheme to assist early years researchers and a joint call from BBSRC – Brazil (FAPESP) , promoting international collaboration. All but the first call have a deadline for submission of 29/04/14. 

The ESRC and Scottish Government  invite proposals for What Works Scotland (WWS). The aim of WWS is to deepen the impact of the emergent Scottish approach to public service delivery and reform, by evaluating evidence in delivery of that approach. The closing date for this £3.75m award is 06/03/14. The bidder workshop takes place on 14/01/14.

Do you or one of your Early Years Researchers deserve to be nominated for an award? Philip Leverhulme Prizes recognise the achievement of early career researchers whose work has already attracted international recognition and whose future career is exceptionally promising. The prize scheme makes up to thirty awards of £100,000 a year, across a range of academic disciplines. The 2014 round opens on 06/01/14 and closes to nominations on 14/05/14

Do you have an innovative approach that could return life to the UK high street? If so, the Technology Strategy Board is offering  up to £8m in an SBRI competition to encourage new ways of attracting people back to UK high streets, in their Re-imagining the high street call. If you wish to apply, you must register by 26/02/14 and the closing date is 05/03/14. 

The Technology Strategy Board is to invest up to £4.5m in collaborative research and development that addresses the technical challenges and business opportunities presented by the huge growth in data. Additional funding may be available from TSB partners. Applicants must register by 26/02/14 and the closing date is 05/03/14. 
 
Investment of up to £1m for research proposals identifying novel and innovative ideas to meet communication security challenges ranging from enabling home working to sending secure data to intelligence officers on the ground is available from the Technology Strategy Board. If interested in aplying to the scheme, Secure working in insecure environments, please register by 26/02/14. The closing date is 05/03/14. 

The Wellcome Trust is offering Translation Awards to develop innovative and ground breaking new technologies in the biomedical area. The closing date for Concept Note is  25/04/14 and the preliminary deadline 15/06/14, with final presentations in January 2015

Please note that some funders specify a time for submission as well as a date. Please confirm this with your RKE Support Officer.

You can set up your own personalised alerts on ResearchProfessional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s RKE Officer in RKE Operations or see the recent post on this topic.

Book Now! AHRC visiting BU – Monday 20th Jan and British Academy in Feb and Leverhulme Trust in March 2014

Funding opportunities

Attention!! Funder visits – many of you may have missed this Blog post sent by Corrina at the end of November 2013 however it is not too late to get yourself booked in….

Working on a variety of initiatives in R&KEO over the years, one element of development which we receive consistently excellent feedback, is the events we arrange where funders to come to BU and present their organisations funding priorities and advice on making an application. We have arranged for several funders to visit BU in 2014, and are re-advertising the first three in order for you to block out time in your diary now!

On Monday 20 January 2014, the AHRC will be visiting to discuss their research priorities, calls and their top tips for making a submission. On Wednesday 19 February 2014, The British Academy will be visiting to discuss proposals they fund and share their tips on making an application. On Wednesday 19 March 2014, The Leverhulme Trust which funds all academic disciplines will be visiting to discuss their grants and give advice on making an application.

Spaces on all these events are limited due to the rooms available so booking is essential! Grants Academy members can be guaranteed a space by emailing Dianne. The booking hyperlinks are:

AHRC funder visit

British Academy funder visit

Leverhulme Trust  funder visit

Latest major funding opportunities

Funding opportunities

The following opportunities have been announced. Please follow the links for more information:

 UK Funders:

  • The AHRC invites expressions of interest to attend a research development workshop addressing the challenges of Disconnection, Division and Exclusion, being held as a part of the cross-Council Connected Communities Programme on 18-20 March 2014 at the Novotel Sheffield Centre Hotel. This is part of the AHRC Connected Communities Programme. The deadline for applications to attend the workshop is 30/01/14.
  •  Action on Hearing Loss and BBSRC have issued a ‘highlight notice’ regarding Lifecourse of the Auditory System. Together they wish to encourage research that will increase our understanding of how the auditory system develops and ages and the processes that lead to age-related hearing loss. They also wish to encourage research that will apply this knowledge to prevent and treat hearing loss to ultimately improve quality of life. Applications are to be submitted by 31/01/14.
  • Network grants are available from the EPSRC to bring together researchers, industry and other groups to develop collaborations through workshops, visits and part-time coordinators. The grant award is not specified and there is no deadline given.
  • The EPSRC has a call for research that will support fundamental research in sensing and imaging targeted specifically at the diagnosis of Dementias and the quantitative measurement of disease progression. The total award is not specified. The closing date is 17/02/14
  • The EPSRC Engineering Theme wishes to develop collaborative projects between researchers from the UK and China in partnership with the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) in the area of ‘Sustainable Materials for Infrastructure’ under the following themes: Multi-functional materials; Energy efficient buildings; Novel concrete technologies and Materials 5R; Reduce, Recover, Reuse, Recycle and Retain. Registration closes 20/01/14 with proposals due by 19/02/14
  • Reflecting the aims of the National Cyber Security Programme, UK Government and its delivery partners are working to increase the UK’s academic capability in all fields of Cyber Security. Together BIS, the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI), EPSRC, GCHQ and the Office of Cyber Security and Information Assurance (OCSIA) have developed a joint approach and strategy for reaching this goal. As part of that strategy EPSRC and CPNI are inviting proposals from academic researchers who wish to be part of the Research Institute in Trustworthy Industrial Control Systems (ICS). Submissions to Phase Two must be received by 13/02/14 (it is not a pre-requisite to have submitted to Phase One).
  • End Use Energy Demand (EUED) Research Centres is an RCUK / EPSRC Energy Programme call to encourage researchers who are not in the centres to work with the centres. The proposed research should be on a topic relevant to one or more of the EUED Centres. Two types of proposal are invited: Smaller Standard Research proposals (limited to £300k) for individuals at an early stage of their career to work with the DEMAND centre at Lancaster University and standard Research Proposals (limited to £600k) to work with the other EUED Centres. Expressions of Interest must be submitted by 06/02/14 with full invited proposals to be with the funder by 16/04/14.
  • The Research Seminars Competition 2013-2014, supported by the ESRC, is now open. Funding is available for UK research organisations to hold Research Seminars for groups of academic researchers, postgraduate students and non-academic users from different organisations. Seminar groups meet regularly to exchange information and ideas with the aim of advancing research within their fields. There is a maximum of £30,000 available and proposal must be submitted by 28/01/14.
  • Do you want to have an impact on the future of the UK? The ESRC are inviting full proposals from eligible research organisations across the UK to conduct a study of the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum. The maximum amount available is £312,500. The deadline for submissions is 06/02/14.
  • ESRC and DFID are pleased to invite applications for Evidence Synthesis Research Awards (ESRA) under the ESRC-DFID Joint Fund for Poverty Alleviation Research. The five themes are: Research methods, Gender, Children and young people, Governance and Health. Awards are up to £30,000 and must be completed within six months of the start of the award. All awards will commence between 1 April and 1 June 2014. Applications are due on 28/01/14.
  • Biomedical Catalyst: Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme (DPFS) is a £180 million integrated translational funding programme jointly operated by the MRC and the Technology Strategy Board providing responsive and effective support for the best life science opportunities arising in the UK. There are various deadline dates in early 2014 depending on theme – please check website for details.
  • The Alexander Fleming dissemination scheme support the dissemination of MRC and Medical Research Foundation-funded research results beyond the scientific peer reviewed press, to patients, participants, practitioners and policy makers. Up to £30,000 is available and there is no given closing date.
  • The MRC are offering Programme Grants. These provide larger, longer term (five years) and renewable programme funding and aim to help the medical science community to ‘think bigger’ in the themes – Molecular and Cellular Medicine,Infections and Immunity, Population and Systems Medicine Board and Neurosciences and Mental Health. Applications are to be submitted in January 2014. Please check the website for details of each theme.
  • The MRC wishes to understand better the link between research and wider economic and societal impacts, and to use this understanding to improve strategies for the future support of research. As such, there is a call for studies which address all areas if impact, such as economic, societal, cultural, public policy or services, health, or quality of life. Applications must be submitted 27/03/14.
  • Do your research interests consider the impact of the harm caused by alcohol to drinking behaviours? MRC, ESRC and Alcohol Research UK wish to continue making key contributions to this field, in this case through providing authoritative evidence on the link between the specific harms caused directly by a distinct pattern, level and duration of alcohol drinking at key stages in the life-course. Work packages between £750,000 and £1.5m are expected. The closing date is 04/02/14.
  • The MRC and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) invite proposals to the UK-China Stem Cell Partnership Initiative from high quality research teams based in the UK and China. The initiative will provide funding for collaborative research projects, focussed on basic and preclinical research of relevance to the longer term development of stem cell based therapies for human disease and disorders. Up to £2m is available and the closing date is 07/05/14.
  • Natural Resources Wales with support from Welsh Government and the Technology Strategy Board (SBRI) are seeking innovative (Fenceless Fencing Solution) measures to control livestock access around watercourses and riparian zones to reduce the impact of agriculture. The small business research initiative (SBRI) process is being used to find innovative alternatives to traditional wood and wire fencing. Application submissions for Phase One are due on 06/01/14.
  • NERC’s Large Grants support adventurous, large-scale and complex research tackling big environmental science questions that cannot be addressed through other NERC funding opportunities. Grants are available between £1·2m and £3.7m, 100% (Full Economic Cost) with a duration of up to five years. Outline proposals are due by 20/03/14 and full proposals by 11/11/14.
  • Royal Society-DFID Africa Capacity Building Initiative is a programme is for scientists who want to develop collaborative research consortia between scientists in sub-Saharan Africa and a research institution in the UK. The overall aim of the scheme is to strengthen the research capacity of universities and research institution in sub-Saharan Africa by supporting the development of sustainable research networks. Up to £1.243m is on offer. Applications are to be submitted by 09/04/14.
  • Have you written a science book which makes your field more accessible to public adult audiences? Then consider the 2014 Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books. The deadline to enter a book is Friday 28 February 2014.
  • The Technology Strategy Board is supporting, with an investment of up to £1.5m, feasibility studies to stimulate innovation in networked intelligent sensor systems, and new applications of them. Proposals must be collaborative and business-led. Applicants must register by 22/01/14 and submit by 29/01/14.
  • The Technology Strategy Board, together with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and China’s Ministry of Science and Technology are offering UK-China partnerships in sustainable manufacturing. Through this scheme there is investment of up to £3m in collaborative R&D projects that make manufacturing processes more sustainable. Applicants must register by 19/03/14 with the proposal to be submitted by 26/03/14.
  • Are you a postdoctoral scientist who has recently decided to recommence a scientific research career after a continuous break of at least two years? Then The Wellcome Trust may be able to help you with a Career Re-entry Fellowship. It gives such scientists the opportunity to return to high-quality research, with the potential to undertake refresher or further training and is particularly suitable for applicants wishing to return to research after a break for family commitments. Applications must be submitted by 08/05/14.
  • Through The Wellcome Trust, the Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowships provide a unique opportunity for the most promising newly qualified postdoctoral researchers to make an early start in developing their independent research careers, working in the best laboratories in the UK and overseas. Up to £250,000 is on offer. The Preliminary application deadline is 08/05/14 with the invited full application deadline being 18/07/14.
  • The Wellcome Trust’s Research Career Development Fellowships in Basic Biomedical Science provides an opportunity for postdoctoral scientists from across the remits of the Trust’s funding streams to become independent research scientists and undertake high-quality research in an eligible Republic of Ireland institution. Closing date 16/04/14.
  • The Sir Henry Dale Fellowships, offered via The Wellcome Trust is for outstanding postdoctoral scientists wishing to build their own UK-based independent research career addressing an important biomedical question. The closing date for this call is 16/04/14.
  • The Wellcome Trust is offeringPrincipal Research Fellowships.  This is the most prestigious of our personal awards and provides long-term support for researchers of international standing. Successful candidates will have an established track record in research at the highest level. This award is particularly suitable for exceptional senior research scientists currently based overseas who wish to work in the UK or ROI. There is no closing date given.
  • Biomedical Vacation Scholarships are offered by The Wellcome Trust. These awards provide promising undergraduates with hands-on experience of research during the summer vacation, with the aim of encouraging them to consider a career in research. Scholarship holders in the past have included students of biological sciences (including biology, sports science and pharmacy) and medics, vets, dentists and optometrists. Up to £1,520 is available and the call closes on 14/02/14.
  • Are you working at the edge of your discipline? The Wellcome Trust – Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Postdoctoral Fellowships provide four years’ support for recently qualified postdoctoral researchers to gain experience of research at the interfaces between biology/medicine and mathematics, engineering, computer, physical or chemical sciences. Closing date 07/07/14.
  • The Welsh Government is supporting research to enable nurses to spend 10% more time with patients in direct value adding care. This is an exciting opportunity for businesses and innovative organisations to work with BCU HB over the next 2/3 years to improve patient care, enabling staff to spend more time with their patients and also to support business to develop innovative technology which will be marketable for the future. This is an open competition and will be run in 2 phases, with businesses able to bid for development contracts of up to £40k in phase 1 (proof of concept) and up to £400k in phase 2 (demonstrator projects). There will be a Briefing Event /Supplier Day on 17/01/4 and submissions are due on 31/01/14.

 

European Funded Research:

  • The Second ERA-CAPS joint call has been pre-announced. In the UK, BBSRC will be the participating agency. For more information please refer to the ERA-CAPS website. The call is expected to be announced on 14/01/14.
  • The ERA-Net `Network of European Funding for Neuroscience Research‘ (NEURON) has been established to coordinate the research efforts and funding programmes of European countries, Israel and Canada in the field of disease related neuroscience.The aim of the call is to facilitate multi-national, collaborative research projects that will address important questions relating to neuroinflammation. Closing date 19/03/14.
  • Under the ERA-NET MARTEC Consortium, there is a call for collaborative research projects in different areas of maritime technologies. Please refer to the call website for details of the MARTEC II Call priorities. The call will close on 20/04/14.
  • The principal objective of the ERA-NET BESTF call is to fund public-private projects that de-risk bioenergy technologies at demonstration scale and to encourage further private exploitation. Amongst other conditions, the project must be at an appropriate stage of development to deliver a pre-commercial demonstration during the timescale of the project. Closing date 10/02/14.

 Please note that some funders specify a time for submission as well as a date. Please confirm this with your RKE Support Officer.

You can set up your own personalised alerts on ResearchProfessional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s RKE Officer in RKE Operations or see the recent post on this topic.

The next post on this topic is expected week commencing 06/01/14.

It’s deadline day for Fusion Investment Fund applications

Funding opportunities, Fusion

If you would like to apply to any strands of the FIF please make sure you submit your application by the deadline which is 2pm today! No exceptions will be made to this deadline.

For all the updated strand policy documents, Fund FAQ’s and information about applying, please visit the FIF intranet pages.

 The Fusion Investment Fund is managed by Samantha Leahy-Harland. Please direct all initial enquiries to the Interim Fusion Administrator, Dianne Goodman, at Fusion Fund.

The 5 ‘Golden Rules’ for e-submission of bid applications

Funding opportunities, Guidance, R & KE Operations

For all standard RCUK bids (for example AHRC, ESRC, EPSRC, MRC, NERC, etc), the requirement is for the completed application to be submitted on J-es (J-es is the Research Councils’ web-based Joint Electronic Submission system for grant applications and award administration) by the Principal Investigator at least 5 working days before the application deadline.

The flowchart below illustrates the basic steps involved in the  ‘behind-the-scenes’ administration of  J-es bid applications before they are finally submitted to the councils.

As demonstrated in the flowchart, bid applications submitted through J-es are not exactly straightforward and quite often can be time-consuming and frustrating in some cases. Even when a bid application is ‘perfect’ in the eyes of the J-es checkers and institutional approvers, the process will still take up at least two working days, depending on the length of the application, and the availability of both J-es checkers and institutional approvers. Therefore, the 5-working-day turnaround will allow just enough time for potential changes and alterations to be made to the applications in order to maximise chances of success.  

When asked about the most common factors which delay the submission of a bid to J-es, institutional approvers and J-es checkers have collectively identified the following:

EligibilityThe eligibility of the PI is the first thing which you need to check, before embarking on the roller coaster ride of a bid application. The variety of funding bids from numerous research councils available out there means that each bid will come with a different guidance note. Even within the same research councils, guidance can sometimes differ between two separate funding opportunities.

Start date and duration of projectThe start date and the duration of the project should be planned in accordance with the funding guidance. For example, most of the times, funding councils require a minimum of 24 weeks between the bid submission date and the project start date but this can be different for each council. When there is a last minute change on J-es for the project start date or duration, this often involves a lengthy process as all previous costing figures provided for the project would have changed too.

AttachmentsAlthough providing a comprehensive CV or showing proof of all previous track records can be beneficial to your application, it is important to bear in mind that this is not always required. RKEO cannot stress enough times, the importance of reading the guidance and only attaching the required documents.  We have had applications returned to us due to attachments that were not specifically required and this will inevitably have an impact on the success of the application. 

Letter of supportThis is a major contributing factor to the delays in bid submission as quite often, letters of support come from external organisations or people and can take time to come back if there is missing or incorrect information that needs to be changed. And quite often, the most important and yet common missing information on a letter of support can be as simple as the date or signature.

 

FormatThe formatting on bid application documents is a constant bugbear for J-es checkers and institutional approvers. In the attempt to squeeze in as many words as possible onto the application document, the minimum margins, font size and page limit as stipulated by the council is quite often overlooked by PIs and this can cause unnecessary delays in the submission of the bid application.

These are just a few examples of cases which can cause unnecessary delay and angst in the process of submitting a bid application. Although they may seem obvious, knowing these factors may end up saving you time in the long run!

If you are interested in applying for a funding bid and would like to speak to one of us, do get in touch with us at the Research and Knowledge Exchange Office at 01202 961200.

Friday the 13th, unlucky for some, but not for FIF applicants! Last chance to apply!

Funding opportunities, Fusion

If you would like to apply to any strands of the FIF in this round please make sure you submit your application by the deadline which is 2pm on Friday 13 December. No exceptions will be made to this deadline.

For all the updated strand policy documents, Fund FAQ’s and information about applying, please visit the FIF intranet pages.

 The Fusion Investment Fund is managed by Samantha Leahy-Harland. Please direct all initial enquiries to the Interim Fusion Administrator, Dianne Goodman, at Fusion Fund.

Free money! Free money! 1 week left to apply-FIF!

Funding opportunities, Fusion

Okay so it’s not exactly free….you will have to do something for it but what if I told you that you will be hailed within BU, and who knows, maybe the world, as a researcher/support staff member extraordinaire! Your peers will bow down in the corridors in your honour, you will be met with applause when you enter the atrium.*

 I know what you’re thinking….’This sounds brilliant! Where can I find out more?’ Just point your mouse here, my friend, and all will be revealed.

*This may not actually happen.

 The Fusion Investment Fund is managed by Samantha Leahy-Harland. Please direct all initial enquiries to the Interim Fusion Administrator, Dianne Goodman, at Fusion Fund.

Latest major funding opportunities

Funding opportunities

The following opportunities have been announced. Please follow the links for more information:

 

 

Please note that some funders specify a time for submission as well as a date. Please confirm this with your RKE Support Officer.

You can set up your own personalised alerts on ResearchProfessional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s RKE Officer in RKE Operations or see the recent post on this topic.

Want some money?

Funding opportunities, Fusion

I thought that might get your attention! The latest call of the FIF (or the ‘Fusion Investment Fund’ for those of you who haven’t yet added this acronym to your vocabulary) is open for 2 more weeks so if you haven’t applied yet or haven’t seen my previous blog posts, let me give you the highlights:

 

 

So basically you could be given a pile of cash to enable you to do what you love! Pursue that dream of undertaking world-leading research or travel across the pond to work collaboratively with experts in your field. Become a hero and take your rightful place on that pedestal that your peers and students will put you on.*

 Sound good? Find out more.

 *BU cannot guarantee this.

 The Fusion Investment Fund is managed by Samantha Leahy-Harland. Please direct all initial enquiries to the Interim Fusion Administrator, Dianne Goodman, at Fusion Fund.

Latest major funding opportunities

Funding opportunities

The following opportunities have been announced. Please follow the links for more information:

Please note that some funders specify a time for submission as well as a date. Please confirm this with your RKE Support Officer.

You can set up your own personalised alerts on ResearchProfessional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s RKE Officer in RKE Operations or see the recent post on this topic.

ESRC knowledge exchange funding to change

Funding opportunities

ESRC is to change the way in which it allocates funding for knowledge exchange activities. The current knowledge exchange opportunities scheme provides funding for social scientists to undertake a range of activities with non-academic stakeholders and requires 50% contribution from a partner in the user community. It is open to any social scientist to undertake knowledge exchange based on their research, whether funded by ESRC or not. This scheme will close on 31 March 2014.
From summer 2014, a replacement scheme (Impact Acceleration Accounts) will fund knowledge exchange through a block grant allocated according to institutions’ recent ESRC funding. Those institutions allocated funding will then be required to submit a business plan in order to release the money.
BU has not been allocated funding through the Impact Acceleration Accounts, so if you are a social scientist and hope to undertake funded knowledge activities, start planning your application now for submission by March… Further information can be found at http://www.esrc.ac.uk/collaboration/knowledge-exchange/opportunities/index.aspx.

Latest Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunities

The following opportunities have been announced. Please follow the links for more information:

 

  • The Academy of Medical Science are providing funds to support travel between the UK and Middle East through the Daniel Turnberg UK/Middle East Travel Fellowship Scheme.  Funding of up to £3,500 is available closing on 15/01/14.
  • The AHRC Science in culture innovation awards are now open.  Funding of up to £80,000 (80% of FEC) over a period of 12 months will be awarded to successful grants.  The closing date for this opportunity is 27/02/13.
  • AHRC have opened a call for Research Innovation grants in Translating Cultures.  Funding of between £150,000 and £200,000 is available.  Closing date is 06/03/14.
  • Have a great idea for an engaging exhibition stand at next Novembers Great British Bioscience Exhibition?  The BBSRC have just announced £10,000 worth of funding to support these innovative and engaging ideas.  Closing date for applications is 15/01/14.
  • The British Academy are supporting visiting fellowships through the Association of South-East Asian Studies in the United Kingdom by providing awards of up to £5,000 to enable scholars to make research visits to research centres operated by the European Consortium for Asian Field Study.  Closing date is 20/12/14.
  • EPSRC provide funding to encourage international collaboration through their Bilateral research workshops.  Funds will cover the UK participants travel costs and for UK meetings, cover the core meeting expenses. There is no set closing date for this opportunity.
  • Taking place at The University of Nottingham the EPSRC are hosting a two day workshop in Exploring the science behind additive manufacturing and 3-D printing sandpit.  Funds are available to cover the cost of travel to Nottingham. Closing date is 10/12/13.
  • Research grants of up to £1m are available from the MRC to support a wide range of projects.  Topics include Infections and Immunity (closing 15/01/2014), Molecular and Cellular Medicine (closing 08/01/14), Population and Systems Medicine (closing 21/01/14), and Neurosciences and Mental Health (closing 04/02/14).
  • £150 million is being put forward as capital by the MRC to enhance the UK’s clinical research capabilities and technologies.  Individual awards of up to £20 million are available, closing for expressions of interest is 07/01/14 with funding decisions being made in July for spend in 2015/16.
  • Funding of up to £2000 is available from the NERC to cover travel and subsistence costs associated with undertaking a Work shadow placement.  There is no closing date for this award.
  • The NIHR invite applications invites applications for the researcher-led workstream under its efficacy and mechanism evaluation programme. The closing date for this year’s round of funding is 27/02/14.
  • RCUK provide support to disabled students on a RCUK studentship through a Disabled Students Allowance scheme providing assistance with the additional expenditure arising from their disability.
  • The TSB, in collaboration with the Welsh government and the EPSRC are investing a total of £3.8 million in business led projects to develop innovative Tools and services for synthetic biology.  Individual projects should be for between £100,000 and £350,000 however those outside the range will be considered.  Closing date for registration is 08/01/14 and the deadline is the 15/01/14.
  • Four awards of up to £25,000 are available from the TSB as part of their Digital innovation contest in advertising.  The closing date for this opportunity is 06/01/14.

 

Please note that some funders specify a time for submission as well as a date. Please confirm this with your RKE Support Officer.

 

You can set up your own personalised alerts on ResearchProfessional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s RKE Officer in RKE Operations or see the recent post on this topic.

Latest Major Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunities

 

The following opportunities have been announced. Please follow the links for more information:

 

  • The UnBox LABS 2014 is an exciting opportunity for creative practitioners, artists and researchers to take part in a 10-day lab experience bringing together the UK and India to explore the theme “Future Cities”.  The AHRC are providing support for travel and accommodation to India, along with a small prototype development budget.  Closing date is 06/12/13.
  • The British Academy’s annual Wiley prize in psychology is now open providing an award of £5,000 in recognition of excellence in research in psychology. The 2014 award will be focussing on promising early-career work by a UK based psychologist.  They are also offering the Wiley prize in economics which recognises outstanding contributions to the field from early career researchers.  The closing date for both nominations is the 31/01/14.

  • BBSRC’s FLexible Interchange Programme supports the movement of people from one environment to a different one to exchange knowledge, technology and skills in order to develop bioscience research and researchers.  This programme closes 28/01/14.
  • The BBSRC are opening calls for super follow-on funding on the 2nd December.  This programme is designed to support the translation of research into practical and commercial application.  The maximum award is £2 million.  The closing date is 05/02/14.
  • The MRC are offering New Investigator Research Grants aimed at researchers who are ready to take the next step towards becoming independent principal investigators.  The maximum award is unspecified and the closing date for this award is 21/01/14.
  • Interested in building a career in health economics?  The MRC are offering early career fellowships in economics of health, providing three years of paid salary, cover for training and other associated costs.  The closing date for this opportunity is 17/06/14.
  • The MRC are offering a Methodology Research Fellowship aimed at developing the next generation of research leaders in biomedical and health research problems.  This is an intermediate level fellowship for those with between 4-8 years of post-doctoral experience. The closing date for this award is 17/06/14.
  • Are you an outstanding postdoctoral researcher?  Take the next step to becoming an independent investigator with this Career Development Award from the MRC.  Closing date 30/04/14.
  • There is a call by the MRC for research proposals in prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes in low and middle income countries.  Up to £2m in available in funding for multiple proposals and the closing date is 11/02/14.
  • A Biomedical Informatics fellowship is available from the MRC to support individual with a clear ambition for research in biomedical and health research.  Closing date 17/06/14.
  • Designed to fund rapid response to unexpected and temporary environmental events NERC offer Urgency Grants of up to £52,000.  There is no specified closing date.
  • Five Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowships are available from the Royal Society to help early career researchers who may need to a flexible working pattern due to personal commitments such as child care or health issues.  Closing date is 13/01/14.
  • The TSB are looking to invest up to £3 million in collaborative R&D projects with a focus on Vessel Efficiency – better systems at sea.  Projects should be collaborative and business led and will typically range in size from £500K to £1.5 million.  Registration ends 26/02/14 and the closing deadline is 05/03/13.
  • The Wellcome Trust are offering Arts awards for small to medium sized projects that encourage collaboration between art and science.  The maximum aware is £30,000 and the closing date is the 28/02/14.
  • Small grants of up to £5,000 are available from the Wellcome trust for scoping exercises or meetings to discuss research in the medical humanities. There is no specified closing date for these awards.

Please note that some funders specify a time for submission as well as a date. Please confirm this with your RKE Support Officer.

You can set up your own personalised alerts on ResearchProfessional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s RKE Officer in RKE Operations or see the recent post on this topic

Hurry the FIF up! 4 weeks until the deadline!

Funding opportunities, Fusion

 

 

 

If you haven’t already sent in your application, don’t panic! There’s still time. With three funding strands available for staff there are a wealth of opportunities for both academic and professional support staff to take advantage of:                                                                                                                             

 In the July round:

  • the Staff Mobility and Networking (SMN) strand committee  funded 18 applications in July totalling £73K. 
  •  the Study Leave strand (SL) committee awarded £107K.
  •  the Co-Creation and Co-Production (CCCP) strand was the most popular of the three in round one with 47 applications. A total of £92K was awarded to successful applicants.

 For all the updated strand policy documents, Fund FAQ’s and information about applying, please visit the FIF intranet pages.

 

The Fusion Investment Fund is managed by Samantha Leahy-Harland. Please direct all initial enquiries to the Interim Fusion Administrator, Dianne Goodman, at Fusion Fund.

Professional services staff can apply too….FIF-tastic!

Funding opportunities, Fusion

Not only does the Fusion Investment Fund provide opportunities for academic staff at BU, there are also options for professional services staff:

Staff can apply to Erasmus which is most appropriate for enabling academic and professional staff based at higher education institutions (HEIs) to spend a period of training or teaching between 5 working days and 6 weeks in a European HEI or enterprise.  Under training mobility, the purpose is to allow the staff members to acquire knowledge or skills relevant for their current job and their professional development and to help create cooperation between organisations. There are also opportunities to invite staff from enterprises to Bournemouth University to give presentations and provide teaching. Professional staff can undertake training at a European educational institution.

Another option is to apply to the standard element of the Staff Mobility and Networking (SMN) strand. Non-academic staff must be able to demonstrate through their application how their travel will benefit the academic process within BU and particular focus should be placed on the creation of sustainable collaborative networks of academics or professionals linked to specific outputs or partnership developments. 

 For more information please read the relevant policy documents and information available on the FIF intranet pages.

The Fusion Investment Fund is managed by Samantha Leahy-Harland and the Interim Administrator is Dianne Goodman. Please direct all initial enquiries to Fusion Fund.