British Academy/Nuffield Foundation Seek Collaboration on Understanding Communities

Funding available for early and mid career researchers, policymakers and practitioners to participate in a workshop and develop research proposals on enhancing people’s lives in the context of their communities.

The British Academy and the Nuffield Foundation invite applications from early and mid-career researchers, policymakers and practitioners to participate in a research and policy innovation workshop and develop innovative and interdisciplinary research proposals that advance our organisations’ shared interest in enhancing people’s lives in the context of their communities.

At least £500,000 in funding is available to deliver the research proposals that result from the workshop and more funding may subsequently be made available to develop the programme of work if proposals and projects demonstrate sufficient promise.

To apply to attend the workshop applicants must be employed by, volunteering for, or affiliated with, an UK-based institution or organisation. Applicants must attend as an individual, being prepared to form new research groups with other workshop participants, unconstrained by existing obligations to any research group or institution.

To apply for funding after attending the workshop applicants must be employed by, volunteering for, or affiliated with, an UK-based institution or organisation. Principal Investigators are expected to be researchers rather than those working in policy and/or practice.

Funding decisions will not be made at the workshop.

The total amount of funding available is at least £500,000. Grant requests are expected to range in value from £20,000 up to £200,000 and to last up to 24 months.

It is expected that around 8 to 10 proposals might be generated and to award funding to around five.

A pre-deadline webinar will be held from on 20 May 2021 (3pm-4pm) to provide further information about the application process. This will be an opportunity to meet the team, and to ask questions about the aims of the collaboration and the practicalities of the application process, workshop and research funding that will be available. Researchers can sign up to the webinar here.

The deadline for applications is 4 June 2021 (5pm).
The deadline for submission of research proposals will be the end of November 2021.