Tagged / funding opportunities

TSB – Design for a future Climate – climate-resilient infrastructure

Funding opportunities

Defra Defra intends to invest in projects for development of proposed actions, innovations and associated feasibility studies that will increase the resilience of UK infrastructure to a future changing climate.

Defra’s Climate Ready Programme is working to enhance infrastructure resilience to climate change through the development of the National Adaptation Programme for 2013. Reports submitted under the Adaptation Reporting Power have demonstrated that key infrastructure organisations are already considering climate change adaptation and working to mitigate their specific climate change risks. Defra believes that there are significant market opportunities to develop the resilience of infrastructure to climate change and extreme weather, in resource efficient and innovative ways.Defra

Defra is inviting proposals to develop climate resilience innovations both for potential future infrastructure projects and to retro-fit existing infrastructure assets. Innovations which provide incremental adaptation options are also desirable. This competition is seeking innovations which can demonstrate a ‘route to market’ and can be put into practice as viable business and environmental propositions.

Registration close date: 29 August 2012

Close date: 06 September 2012

Website: www.innovateuk.org/sbri

Email: competitions@innovateuk.org

 The RKE Operations team can help you with your application.

ESRC – Workshop for Google Data Analytics Social Science Research

Funding opportunities

“Data is the new raw material of the 21st century, it allows citizens to hold governments to account, drives improvements in public services by informing choice, and provides a feedstock for innovation and growth.” As open-source data is set to grow, this is a key time to better understand how it maps onto and possibly significantly strengthens, the ability of academics to understand society. The ESRC and Google are therefore pleased to announce the Google Data Analytics Social Science Research Call.

The call for Google Data Analytics Social Science Research aims to provide funding for projects that demonstrate the potential of how publicly accessible online data, analytical and presentational tools, such as those provided by Google, can be used to address social and economic research topics, showcasing how academics can use online data analytical tools in creative, intellectual and creative ways. As part of this process, the projects should:

  • transmit best practice in use of such tools for social science
  • show how the tools can be used to test social-science theories
  • suggest possible improvements/innovations in the tools to help integrate analytics and open-source data tools in general into the teaching/learning community.

They have allocated £200,000 to fund a maximum of four research projects lasting up to one year. The call will open on 20 August 2012 and close on 2 October 2012.

To register for this call launch workshop please send a brief description of your area of interest to:knowledgeexchange@esrc.ac.uk by 2 August 2012. Please note, this information may be circulated to other attendees unless you state otherwise.

Further Information

 The RKE Operations team can help you with your application.

ESRC – Student Internship Scheme

Funding opportunities

The ESRC student internship scheme provides current ESRC-funded PhD students with the opportunity to spend up to six months in a non-academic organisation within the public, civil society (voluntary) or private sector where they can work as part of a team involved with policy and practice development.

The internship scheme provides both student and host organisations with a clear set of benefits and contributes to the skills and professional development of PhD students.

Students can benefit from:

  • networking within the policy arena
  • transferable skills and knowledge
  • time management skills
  • report writing skills.

Hosts can benefit from:

  • additional resources
  • production of briefing papers
  • adding to the organisation’s policy evidence base.

ESRC students

If you are an ESRC-funded student wishing to undertake an internship award during 2012, you will need to complete and return an application form for each of the host organisation(s) you wish to apply to by the closing date of 10 August 2012.

Application forms and project details for participating hosts are available using the host organisations links below.

Participating host organisations for the 2012 internships:

Internship holders receive a three month extension to their ESRC award (conditions apply), and will be able to claim for reasonable travel and accommodation costs (conditions apply).

End of Award Report

Students and host organisations must complete and submit an End of Award Report within three months of completing the internship.

Contacts

 The RKE Operations team can help you with your application.

Daiwa Foundation Small Grants

Funding opportunities

Grants of £3,000-£7,000 are available to individuals, societies, associations or other bodies in the UK or Japan to promote and support interaction between the two countries.

WHAT KIND OF PROJECT IS ELIGIBLE?

Daiwa Foundation Small Grants can cover all fields of activity, including educational and grassroots exchanges, research travel, the organisation of conferences, exhibitions, and other projects and events that fulfil this broad objective. New initiatives are especially encouraged.

WHAT KIND OF PROJECT IS NOT ELIGIBLE?

Daiwa Foundation Small Grants cannot be used for:
*general appeals
*capital expenditure (eg, building refurbishment, equipment acquisition, etc)
*consumables (eg, stationery, scientific supplies, etc)
*school, college or university fees
*research or study by an individual school/college/university student
*salary costs or professional fees
*commissions for works of art
*retrospective grants
*replacement of statutory funding
*commercial activities

HOW TO APPLY

UK-based applicants can apply online. Applications from Japan should be posted to the Tokyo Office.

There are two application deadlines each year, 31 March (for a decision by 31 May) and 30 September (for a decision by 30 November). However, the Foundation encourages applicants to submit their application as early as possible. The Foundation is also happy to provide advice about possible applications – please contact grants@dajf.org.uk.

Please read the application notes before starting your online  application:
Online Application Notes

Please click here for the online application form

DECISION

All applicants are notified by letter from the Foundation. The decision of the Trustees is final and the Foundation is unable to discuss unsuccessful applications.

 The RKE Operations team can help you with your application.

BBSRC/FSA joint call for Early Career Research Fellowships

Funding opportunities

Application deadline: 20 September 2012

Background

BBSRC, in partnership with the Food Standards Agency (FSA), encourages applications for early career research fellowships (analogous to the David Phillips fellowships scheme) in areas of science that are of strategic and scientific interest and importance to the funders. For more details see:Visit the Food Standards Agency website

They welcome proposals within the BBSRC/FSA remit. The FSA particularly encourages proposals which can demonstrate potential for significant leaps forward in providing the evidence needed to underpin its objective of safer food for the nation. These may be on current/new areas of interest where building research capability/capacity/new approaches would be helpful, for example:

  • on foodborne disease organisms such as Listeria
  • on emerging/new issues for which a compelling case can be made

Number of awards

They anticipate two 5-year fellowships will be awarded, in addition to the standard BBSRC David Phillips fellowships awarded annually, and subject to the usual excellent quality expected.

BBSRC and FSA have allocated up to £2M to fund these additional fellowships.

How to apply

Application to these fellowships is through the David Phillips fellowship scheme (see related links).

Applicants should submit a covering letter indicating that they wish to be considered for the BBSRC-FSA fellowships scheme.

Please note that only one application to both schemes is required.

Applications submitted which are considered out of remit will automatically be considered for a standard David Phillips fellowship, so long as they fall within the broader BBSRC remit.

Assessment

Applications to both schemes will be assessed in the same way through BBSRC’s Research Committee E (supplemented by appropriate expertise as required).

Application assessment will run concurrently with that of David Phillips fellowships.

Engagement with policy

As part of successful fellowships, each Fellow will be allocated a mentor from the FSA (in addition to the mentor assigned from BBSRC) to foster collaboration and interaction between the Fellow and the FSA.

Each Fellow will also be expected to spend approximately one to two days per month working with FSA staff to:

  • develop understanding of the science into policy environment
  • contribute to the strategic development of the Agency’s evidence base to underpin the formulation of FSA policies

Further information

Potential applicants are encouraged  to contact BBSRC/FSA to discuss their proposals’ fit to remit, see contacts below.

External contact

Alisdair Wotherspoon, FSA (scientific remit)
alisdair.wotherspoon@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Contact

Anuj Bhatt (scientific remit)
anuj.bhatt@bbsrc.ac.uk

Administrative enquiries
postdoc.fellowships@bbsrc.ac.uk

 The RKE Operations team can help you with your application.

JRF call in Poverty and Ethnicity: Social Networks

Funding opportunities

In Spring 2011, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation launched a major new 5 year programme across the UK which aims to increase understanding of the relationship between poverty and ethnicity. Details of the programme can be viewed here.

A considerable amount of research has been undertaken which has highlighted the positive impact that participation in social networks can have. However, their role in enabling people to escape poverty and the way in which they operate for people in different minority ethnic groups is not fully understood. As part of the first phase of this programme of work, we are inviting proposals for a research project which aims to address this important gap in our understanding.

This research aims to develop our understanding of how the experience of accessing social networks differ across a range of people in different ethnic groups and how this impacts on their ability to escape from poverty.

Further information

The submission must contain two attachments: 

For more information about the programme please refer to our poverty and ethnicity page. Proposals should be submitted by 23.59pm on 30 August 2012.

 
 The RKE Operations team can help you with your application.

HEA Workshop and Seminar Series Thematic seminars, 2012-13

Funding opportunities

The Higher Education Academy is inviting HEIs to host thematic workshops and seminars that disseminate findings from research or evaluation work, or share evidence-informed policy and/or practice. A grant of £750 is available from the HEA to support each workshop run by the HEI.   This is an excellent opportunity to disseminate outcomes from your Education Excellence projects.

The next call for proposals for workshops in 2012/13 opens 01 October 2012 and closes 29 October 2012.  Workshops or seminars should be held during the spring and summer (February – July 2013).

The three thematic areas for this call are:

•  Employability – includes integrating work experience; addressing employer perspectives.

•  Flexible learning – includes using technology to support flexibility in the pace or place of delivery; engagement with employers to promote flexibility of pace, place or mode of delivery.

•  Internationalisation – includes student mobility; internationalising the curriculum; integration of home and international students; promoting intercultural understanding. 

Further details, a proposal form and details of past workshops are here: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/seminar-series#themes

 The RKE Operations team can help you with your application.

Arthritis Research UK – Educational Project Grants

Funding opportunities

Arthritis Research UK seeks to fund a number of projects aimed at investigating innovative approaches to enhance the education of health care professionals and the public on musculoskeletal disorders. They are pleased to issue a call for expressions of interest in research in this area. This call will be in relation to particular questions and research topics – please make sure you read the document, Call for research proposals in the education of health professionals and the public 2012, before you apply.

The application process is in three stages, as follows:

Stage 1: Submission of an intent form via our on-line application system, deadline Wednesday 19 September 2012

Stage 2: Shortlisted applicants from Stage 1 may be invited to attend a review/mentoring workshop in January 2013. Those subsequently invited to submit a full application will be informed of this by 27 February 2013.

Stage 3: Submission of a full application form, for those invited to submit only, again via our online application system, deadline Wednesday 17 April 2013. Provisional notification of final awards will be made by 26 July 2013.

Those interested in submitting an intent form are advised to speak beforehand to Keir Windsor, Education Manager, on 01246 558033. Technical queries relating to the application process or timing should be directed to Rowan Roberts, Education Awards Administrator, on 01246 558033 or r.roberts@arthritisresearchuk.org

The RKE Operations team can help you with your application.

Centre for Nursing Studies – Patients First Studies

Funding opportunities

The Patients First Programme provides support and facilitation to clinically based nurse-led teams to help them to develop, implement and evaluate locally focused innovations that improve patient care in any healthcare setting across the UK.

Over a period of 12 months, the Patients First Programme provides:

  • Help to keep a central focus on the patient and/or service users and the issues that matter to them the most
  • Advice on developing effective project plans/proposals
  • Encouragement to identify and make links with people who may be able to offer support locally
  • Access to practice development tools and resources
  • A workshop programme of support and development that will bring together the nurse-led teams to explore and enable effective strategies for developing and changing practice and provide opportunities for networking and sharing
  • Facilitation in the workplace to enable the development of knowledge and skills in leading and facilitating sustainable changes in practice and improvements in care
  • Peer mentorship linking up team leaders with those who have completed similar initiatives
  • Support with publishing and active dissemination
  • Bursary of up to £5000

Who can apply?

Clinically based nurses and nurse-led teams who have identified with patients an aspect of care that needs to be improved and who can demonstrate a commitment to:

  • Using a variety of approaches to inform and evaluate the development of practice leading to sustainable improvements in care
  • Working in ways that enable the inclusion and participation of patients and other key stakeholders in all aspects of the project
  • Using a collaborative and systematic approach to development and improvement

Find out more

To date, 40 project teams have been recruited;  (7 in autumn 2009, 8 in February 2010, 15 in November 2010 and 10 in November 2011). You can find out more about the current Patients First Projects by clicking on the link. A number of project teams have now completed their final reports; to read the summaries of their work, view Volume 6 of the Dissemination Series by clicking on the link.

An evaluation of Year One of this programme that identifies outcomes for patients, participants and practice is available by clicking here.

Closing date 19 September 2012

The RKE Operations team can help you with your application.

Society for Reproductive and Infant Psychology – Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunities

The Society for Reproductive and Infant Psychology have announced a number of funding opportunities.  These include:

Developmental Grants (these must include some members of SRIP) – The Society will provide up to £1500 to cover travel and accommodation for participants and other small incidental costs. Costs will be reimbursed through a University or other appropriate organisation. The organisers of funded workshops will be required to supply accounts of the monies spent and a brief factual report of the workshop.  Applications can be made at any time .

Conference bursary for students – Since 1980 SRIP has organized an annual international scientific conference to exchange research findings, develop research interest and networks and to engage with clinical partners. The society awards bursaries to enable academic students to attend the conference and prizes to esteemed researchers (clinical and academic) in recognition of their work. The Society provides a total of 3 Bursaries for students to attend the conference each year. The bursary will cover Conference Fees and up to £150 towards travel and accommodation. Applications for a bursary will be considered on an individual basis by the committee. Preference will be given to students presenting a paper or poster and to those who have no, or limited, funds available to support conference attendance.  The closing date for receipt of applications is the end of July of the year in which the conference is due to take place.

Annual Student Prize – Each year the society awards an Annual Prize for a research thesis submitted as part of an undergraduate degree (B.A. / B.Sc.), masters by research (M.A. / M.Sc.), or equivalent level professional training (e.g., MBBS).* The subject of the thesis may be any aspect of reproduction, birth or infancy.  If you are working on a dissertation at this level, why not enter?  You could win £150, an expenses paid trip to the SRIP annual conference and a years membership (see terms and conditions). All entries must be received by 30th June.

Annual Graduate Student Prize – The Society has instituted an annual prize for a research thesis submitted as a full or partial requirement for a post graduate degree, including M.Phil., D.Clin.Psy. and Ph.D and other similar awards. The subject of the thesis may be any aspect of reproduction, birth or infancy. If you are working on a dissertation at this level, why not enter? The prize is £250, a year’s membership of SRIP and an expenses paid trip to the SRIP annual conference (see terms and conditions).  All entries must be received by 30th June.

Please visit their web site for specific details on how to apply.

 The RKE Operations team can help you with your application.

Nesta – Ageing Well Challenge

Funding opportunities

Image of an old lady in a wheelchair & close up of old man

Ageing Well Challenge Prize

 

Towards the later stages of life the quality of where we live takes on a greater significance, in particular social relationships and networks.  There is evidence that demonstrates the importance of supporting older people to live independently for as long as they can and that people too often lack the support networks and resources to make it possible. We know from research evidence that feeling connected and having supportive social relationships has a strong link to health and longevity.

Isolation is a major factor impacting on older people’s well-being and life expectancy.  Isolation and loneliness are not necessarily effects of the ageing process, but life events associated with older age such as leaving work, health decline and bereavement do put people at greater risk. At the same time, factors such as a good local environment and good social networks can help protect older people.

Being able to stay mobile is crucial to older people’s wellbeing, as loss of mobility means the loss of so many other things from their lives such as the ability to go shopping, meet friends and pursue hobbies and interests.

The pace of demographic change creates the need for radical new approaches to support older people to live well by mobilising community and civic resources more effectively. There are already some interesting innovations that seek to respond to this challenge, such as Care4Care and Good Gym, but the scale of the challenge demands more and there is good evidence that this is an area where social action has an important role to play. The involvement of older people in the design and development of ideas is also important in providing inclusive responses to older peoples’ needs.

Nesta are offering a prize for the innovation that can reduce the isolation and/or increase the mobility of vulnerable older people by providing new opportunities for communities to come together to give time, skills and resources.  Please visit their web site for more information.

 The RKE Operations team can help you with your application. 

HEA Doctoral Programme

Funding opportunities

The Doctoral Programme forms part of the Higher Education Academy’s strategy to undertake a significant and extensive study to develop pedagogical knowledge and evidence based practice in Higher Education.

The Doctoral Programme enables focused long run study to be carried out within a well-supported environment.

The creation of yearly cohorts of supervisors and students maximises the potential for synergies and maximum impact on policy and practice.

The 2012-13 call for applications to host studentships is now open.

The call will close at 5pm 31st August 2012.

Royal Society – University Research Fellowship

Funding opportunities

This scheme is for outstanding scientists in the UK who are in the early stages of their research career and have the potential to become leaders in their field.

 The scheme provides the opportunity to build an independent research career. Those appointed are expected to be strong candidates for permanent posts in universities at the end of their fellowships.  The scheme covers all areas of the life and physical sciences, including engineering, but excluding clinical medicine and any researcher addressing a direct biomedical research question.

Eligibility requirements
The applicant must:

  • have a PhD (note we will not consider applicants who have just submitted their PhD); be in the early stages of their research career (between 3 to 8 years of research experience since their PhD) by the closing date of the round
  • not hold a permanent post in a university or not-for-profit organization in the European Economic Area (EEA)
  • be a citizen of the EEA or a be a Swiss citizen (or have a relevant connection to the EEA or Switzerland)

The European Economic Area (EEA) consists of the European Union (including the UK) plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.

Applicants should ensure that they meet all the eligibility requirements, which are explained in the scheme notes .

Value and tenure
The scheme provides funding to cover the applicant’s salary costs, estates costs and indirect costs. Under the full economic costing model, 80% of these costs will be met by the Royal Society. Research expenses (up to £13,000 for the first year and up to £11,000 annually thereafter) will also be provided.
Initially funding is provided for five years with the opportunity to apply for an extension of three additional years. The University Research Fellowship provides researchers with maximum flexibility and can be held part-time, and allows sabbaticals, secondments or international experience.

The basic salary requested should be at a level commensurate with the applicant’s skills, responsibilities, expertise and experience, up to a maximum of £37,555 per annum.  An annual spine point increase of 3% may be applied to the salary.

No indexation should be applied to the salary, indirect and estates costs; the Society will apply an annual inflationary increase to these budget headings of successful awards.  The level of inflation applied will be determined by HM Treasury’s GDP deflator.  This will be reviewed on an annual basis and the value of awards amended in line with increases or decreases in the GDP deflator.

Application process
Applications are initially reviewed and then shortlisted by members of University Research Fellowship Selection Panels. Applicants are notified if they have reached the shortlisting stage by December.  The shortlisted proposals are reviewed by three independent referees suggested by the panel members and successful applicants are shortlisted for interview. Applicants are informed of the result of this stage in February/March and interviews take place in early to mid April.  The final decision is made at a meeting of the panel Chairs in April, and applicants are notified of the result in early May. 

Please note that interviews for the fellowships are held at the Royal Society. Applicants are asked to keep April free. Only applicants that pass the other stages of assessment will be invited.

 The RKE Operations team can help you with your application.

EPSRC Call for Ground and Structural Engineering

Funding opportunities

Closing date: 16:00 on 20 September 2012

Summary

Engineers have an important contribution to make by solving major challenges. The government has recognised key challenges pertaining to our nation’s long term construction and infrastructure needs and associated quality of life and economic competitiveness. This call focuses on one aspect of this where engineers and physical scientists have a leadership role to play.

The Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) invites proposals for research into Ground and Structural Engineering focussed on the challenges highlighted in the EPSRC Review of the area. EPSRC has a possible £8M to support up to five high quality consortia led proposals in the area of Ground and Structural Engineering.

Proposals will be assessed using a two stage process. First there will be an expert reviewers sift panel followed by an interview stage for invited applicants.

Applicants will be expected to demonstrate that the two networks funded by EPSRC in this research area in 2011 have facilitated the proposed research.

Furthermore applicants must complete the intent to submit web form found here by 24 August 2012 indicating their intention to submit. In the event of the likelihood of multiple submissions from the same institution or group ESPRC reserve the right to require bids to be consolidated prior to final submission.

Documents to download

 The RKE Operations team can help you with your application.

Chiropractic Council: consultation on a proposed scheme of revalidation for chiropractors

Funding opportunities

The General Chiropractic Council invites tenders for a consultation on a proposed scheme of revalidation for chiropractors.

The tenderer will gain the views of all stakeholders on the Council’s proposals and determine how the proposed scheme can be improved to provide continuing assurance of the fitness to practise of registrants.

This contract is suitable for smaller suppliers and voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations. Funding is worth between £20,000 and £25,000 over six months.

Reference number: CO2REV

Deadline date:27/07/2012

The RKE Operations team can help you with your application.

ESRC/NIHR Dementia Initiative

Funding opportunities

Dementia initiative

The Prime Minister has announced plans to tackle what he is calling a ‘national crisis’ posed by dementia, including a doubling of research funding into dementia to £66 million per annum by 2015. As part of the funding being made available, the ESRC and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) will be working together to support an initiative with up to £13 million funding available for social science research on dementia.

Scope

The initiative will fund large grants which will be national or international focal points for social science research in Dementia which make a significant contribution to scientific, economic and social impact. The call will address the following areas, see Research Agenda (PDF, 71Kb) for full details:

  • Prevention, including public awareness and early presentation
  • Public health of behaviour change, including the role of social interventions in slowing cognitive decline
  • Delivery of interventions in hospitals care homes and carers, including the interface between professionals, lay people and patients

Documentation

Timetable

  • Meeting for potential applicants – 3 July 2012
  • Launch/open call – w/c 9 July 2012
  • Closing date for outline call – w/c 11 September 2012
  • Announce decisions for outline call – mid December 2012
  • Closing date for full call – February 2013
  • Inviting short-listed applicants for interviews – June 2013
  • Interviews – June 2013
  • Announce final decisions – July 2013

Links

Contact

For further information please email: dementia@esrc.ac.uk

 The RKE Operations team can help you with your application.

Gamify your PhD

Funding opportunities, PG research

A new way to communicate cutting-edge research

The ‘Gamify Your PhD’ competition is an exciting new project that puts the researcher in the role of games designer.

The Wellcome Trust is looking for researchers in biomedical sciences or medical humanities to send them game ideas based on their PhD work. They’re also inviting game development teams to join them for a couple of days of game-hacking to transform the best ideas into playable video games.

The best game that comes out of the hack session will receive further backing to polish it for release.

For more information, visit the Wellcome Trust web site.

Creative Industries Convergence in a digital landscape – TSB Challenge

Funding opportunities, Research themes

The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) is investing up to £1.8m in feasibility projects that address the converged nature of the digital landscape. The programme will be delivered in three parts during 2012. Projects are sought which focus on convergence in hyper-local media models, content origination tools, and analytical feedback and metrics tools.

The TSB has identified convergence as a priority in its strategy for the creative industries (seewww.innovateuk.org under Publications). This competition is a first step in the TSB’s active commitment to explore the impact that convergence is having on emerging and innovative businesses. The feasibility studies supported under this three-part programme may also develop into submissions to a follow-on competition planned for 2013.

 

Challenge 2 focuses on projects that will lead to true cross-platform origination of content, the collaborative generation of ideas, and new business models for content based on cross-media formats and consumption.

Challenge 2 opens on 16 July 2012 and the deadline for applications is noon 22 August 2012. Successful challenge 2 projects must begin no later than 1 November 2012.

 

The competition is open to small and micro companies. Projects must be led by a business working either singly or collaboratively. Academics can apply but only as a partner in a consortium. Projects can attract up to 75% public funding. The total grant for each project will not exceed £56,250 and the total project size will not

exceed £75,000. Projects should last up to 12 months.

 

More information, click here

To apply for this competition you must first register. You can do this by going to the web page for this competition at www.innovateuk.org under Competitions. When you register you will get access to all the supporting

information you need to read before you apply, including the Guidance for Applicants and the application form.

Competitions helpline:

0300 321 4357

Email: support@innovateuk.org