The Division has reopened the following research engagement funding opportunities on a rolling basis and is offering as much flexibility as possible to researchers who may be interested in these schemes.
Adapting engagement to lockdown restrictions
The Research, Impact and Engagement (RIE) Team are keen to continue supporting researchers with engagement activity over the coming months, but recognise that, in the current circumstances, this requires flexibility and creative thinking. We acknowledge that normal in-person knowledge exchange and public engagement activities aren’t necessarily feasible due to current restrictions, so we welcome ideas for alternative approaches including online activity.
So, if you have an idea but it doesn’t seem to quite match our schemes, please get in touch and we will advise on the best route for funding.
Reopened schemes:
Social Sciences Engagement Fellowships
This scheme would normally fund outward or inward secondment type projects with external non-academic partners. We recognise this isn’t necessarily possible at the moment, so the selection criteria has been relaxed to enable researchers to spend time developing and carrying out engagement activities with partners virtually, or trying out new forms of exchange.
If you have ideas for a project, please get in touch and we can advise if it would fit within the parameters of the scheme or not. The funding is time limited and so we are seeking proposals for activity that can take place before 31st July 2021.
Maximum budget: £25k, can include staff costs for the Engagement Fellow.
Deadline: rolling deadline for projects that can be completed by 31 July 2021.
Further information about the Social Sciences Engagement Fellowships
Social Sciences Business Engagement Seed Fund
This scheme is a really flexible fund for those starting to think about collaborating with businesses. It could fund some crucial preparatory work, facilitate discussions and meetings, support development of collaborative projects, or pilot a new idea. Funding covers direct costs and can typically include RA time, travel and subsistence, costs for online activity, external consultancy (e.g. for IT, comms, design, etc.).
Maximum budget: £2.5k (but if you need more please get in touch)
Deadline: rolling deadline for activity that can take place before 31st July 2021.
Further information about the Social Sciences Business Engagement Seed Fund (scroll down for the info on this scheme)
ASPECT Social Science Innovation Fellowships
We are looking to invest funding in 2-3 creative and enthusiastic individuals to be advocates for innovation (collaboration, engagement, commercialisation and entrepreneurship (including social ventures)). Proposals are therefore sought from researchers to lead, support, and facilitate culture change within their departments and across the division; with the aspiration that innovation becomes an increasingly valued and recognised activity for social sciences researchers to undertake.
Budget: Innovation Fellows will receive an award of £5k to use for their fellowship activity.
Deadline: rolling deadline for activity that can take place before 30th June 2021.
Further information about the ASPECT Social Science Innovation Fellowships
ESRC Impact Acceleration Account
ESRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) provides flexible funding options for a wide range of Knowledge Exchange (KE) activities with the intention of enhancing the impact of excellent social science research.
Next deadlines:
Stage 1: KE Dialogues – 19 April, 19 July and 18 October 2021 or rolling deadline for applications under £1k.
Stages 2-4: Kickstarting Impact, Impact Acceleration and Top-up Awards – 24 May 2021
Further information about the ESRC Impact Acceleration Account
