Nuffield Foundation £15million fund for ambitious research projects
Strategic Fund Projects: Call opens 1 October 2019 for submission of outline applications
Seed Corn Funding: Call opens 20 August 2019
Nuffield Foundation have earmarked £15million to fund a small number of projects between 2020 and 2022 that will address key issues affecting UK society and shaping the public policy agenda.
Strategic Fund projects are expected to be of a scale and scope not normally funded through Nuffield’s standard process. In particular, they are encouraging projects which bring a broad, multi-disciplinary approach to addressing the questions and issues they examine. Successful applications will take account, in some regard, of the cross-cutting themes, set out in their Strategy.
- How do digital technologies and digital communications alleviate, exacerbate and shift vulnerability, and affect concepts of trust, evidence, and authority?
- In what ways do factors such as socio-economic status, gender, ethnicity, community, and geography affect the vulnerability of people to different types of risk, and how can this be mitigated?
- What interventions might promote opportunity and reduce adversity through different life stages, and promote social inclusion between and across generations?
- What are the social and economic implications of physical and mental disability and chronic illness?
- How can social policy institutions make better use of research, evidence, and data in order to understand better the needs of those they serve, and improve services and outcomes?
Nuffield expect to fund a small number of projects of varying size – we envisage in the range of £1m to £3m. They will consider collaborative applications from more than one institution and will also consider co-funded projects.
Applications for the Strategic Fund should:
- Demonstrate a rigorous approach to research whilst at the same time articulating the distinctive and significant questions for society that will connect with a range of potential audiences.
- Open up possibilities for fresh interdisciplinary approaches and encourage the use of innovative methods.
- Give opportunities to a new generation of the best research talent as well as encouraging the best ideas.
- Show how the proposed work would involve not only academics but those in policy, practice, the voluntary sector, and wider civic society.
- Set out the intended impact of the project and how that might be achieved.
- Set out an ambitious communications and dissemination strategy and be prepared to work closely with the Nuffield Foundation in developing and implementing it.
While projects must directly concern UK issues and society, projects involving international comparisons are encouraged.
Application Process
Full details of the application process will be available in the Strategic Fund Guide for Applicants, which will be available in September 2019. In summary, the application process will be:
- Submission of an outline application that provides a clear and compelling account of the proposal, how it meets the criteria for our Strategic Fund, and the impact it is expected to achieve.
- Invitation to submit a full application (where an outline application has been shortlisted).
- Review of full applications, after which applicants will be invited to respond to reviewers’ comments.
- Final funding decisions made by Nuffield Foundation Trustees, informed by a recommendation from Foundation staff.
Seed corn funding
To enable applicants to explore original thinking around ideas and methods before submitting outline proposals, Nuffield are giving applicants the opportunity to apply for seed corn grants to support the development of ideas for Strategic Fund applications. However, they do not expect every Strategic Fund outline application to require seed corn funding.
The seed corn application process will be straightforward – a short form setting out the nature of the proposed work and how it relates to your initial thinking around a Strategic Fund bid. The sums available will vary depending on the nature of each request, but we anticipate awarding grants of around £5,000. The application process for seed corn funding is separate from applying to the Strategic Fund.
Seed corn funding will be available on an ongoing basis from September 2019. Nuffield will make a decision on seed corn applications quickly: all funding decisions will be made within 20 working days of submission, but they will aim to respond to the majority of applicants within 10 working days. The process will be:
- Applicants submit seed corn applications via the online portal (from 20 August).
- From 2 September, Nuffield Foundation staff assess applications and make decisions on funding (contacting applicants for queries or clarification where needed).
- Applicants are informed of the outcome (there will be no further feedback).
- Successful applicants receive funding (normally within two weeks of the decision).
- After the completion of the work, seed corn grant holders submit a short report to the Nuffield Foundation.
Full guidance will be published in September. In the meantime, further information can be found in the ‘call for applicants’ document and by registering for updates and reminders.