Title	International Awards for research in Leukaemia
Funder	Lady Tata Memorial Trust
Deadline	15th March 2014
Value	£25,000-35,000
Aim	Awards are restricted to studies of leukaemogenic agents, and the epidemiology, pathogenesis, immunology and genetic basis of leukaemia and related diseases for the Academic Year beginning 1 October.
Length	Awards are tenable for one year. On an exceptional basis, an award for a second year can be made; however, clear achievements in the previous year must be demonstrated in the request for an additional award.
Eligibility	Awards are open to suitably qualified investigators of any nationality. Priority will be given to those intending to move to other centres with a view to establishing scientific collaboration between laboratories.
Details	http://www.ladytatatrust.org/StaticPage/Awards/0

Title	Travelling Fellowship
Funder	Stapledon Memorial Trust
Deadline	31st October 2014
Value	Not stated
Aim	Fellowships fund research into all aspects of grassland use, including production, amenity, social, economic and environmental implications. Fellowships may last for one to six months and will cover the cost of travel to and from the UK and some internal travel. Payments for subsistence may also be considered.
Length	1-6 months
Eligibility	Applicants should normally be from the post-doctoral level through to mid-career and must be either (a) individuals from any country in the world applying to undertake a study period in the UK or (b) individuals resident in or employed in the UK applying to undertake a study period in any other country.
Details	http://www.stapledontrust.org.uk/Fellowship.asp

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UK National Agency for Erasmus+ announced 

Universities Minister David Willetts has recently announced that the British Council, in partnership with Ecorys UK, has won the contract to deliver the European Union’s new programme for education, training, youth and sport called Erasmus+.

Both organisations were appointed separate National Agencies for the EU’s Lifelong Learning Programmes and Youth in Action in the past, and since 2007 have distributed funds of over Euros 568 million through the Erasmus, Comenius, Leonardo, Grundtvig, Transversal and Youth in Action initiatives. read more

European culture, cinema, television, games, music, literature, performing arts, heritage and related areas will benefit from increased support under the European Commission’s new Creative Europe programme, which was approved by the European Parliament today.

With a budget of €1.46 billion over the next seven years – 9% more than current levels – the programme will provide a boost for the cultural and creative sectors, which are a major source of jobs and growth. Creative Europe will provide funding for at least 250,000 artists and cultural professionals, 2,000 cinemas, 800 films and 4,500 book translations. It will also launch a new financial guarantee facility enabling small cultural and creative businesses to access up to €750 million in bank loans. read more

Jennifer Roddis from Bournemouth University recently posted a really concise list of key principles for increasing your chances of getting research funding – this resonates very closely with our experiences. We are therefore re-producing them for your information and as a useful resource.

How can you increase your chances of being successful when applying for research funding? Here are a few ideas from an AHRC panel member (with thanks to AHRC and the panel member):

1. Ensure the scheme and applicant are a good match. Funders won’t give millions of pounds to new researchers.
2. Does the team include an appropriate mix of people? Someone should be able to cover all of the disciplines represented in the proposal, and individuals at a range of career stages should be included.
3. Remember that the assessors will be both subject specialists (the reviewers) and generalists (panel members). The panel can be targeted through the lay summary.
4. Use the subject area to define the research expertise of your reviewers. Stating that your research is in the field of philosophy when this is peripheral to the study may mean your reviewers are unfamiliar with your subject.
5. Imagine your nightmare critic and pre-empt their criticisms; respond to these without being defensive, but without glossing over any problems.
6. Make the link to the funder’s remit clear. If the panel need to discuss whether or not the project is within the funder’s remit, the project is unlikely to be funded.
7. Allow time to prepare and write the application. Two months to prepare, and a full week to write the application is to be expected, and then costing, gaining internal approvals, etc. still need to follow. Successful applications may be useful as a model, but slavishly following them may not succeed as the funder’s objectives may have changed.
8. The application should cohere as a whole, but not be too repetitive. Stick to the first or third person, ensure it is clear who is meant when you say ‘I’ and make sure your spelling and grammar are correct. If the funder offers guidance on headings for specific sections, use them.
9. If the funder requires an impact statement, be modest and realistic, set specific goals and milestones and don’t over-inflate your claims.
10. If your research involves human participants, there will be ethical considerations. If the project involves a collaboration, make it clear who will take the lead for ethical approvals and ongoing ethical considerations.
11. It’s all in the detail: name which conferences you hope to present your work at and the journals in which you plan to publish. Explain how the publications differ, and detail which team members will work on each.
12. When working out the costs, don’t skimp on hours. If you have fractional research assistants, explain why. If you are planning to publish a manuscript, allow time for revision. Don’t make the project cheap just for the sake of it, but make sure it is well considered and achievable within the resources. The reach and significance of the project are more important than the overall budget.
13. Detail monitoring arrangements for the project: who will monitor progress, within what institutional structures, will there be management or advisory boards and what is the reporting structure? For early career researchers, what monitoring, career development and mentoring will be in place?
14. Use internal peer review services and talk to panellists or peer reviewers for your funder.
15. Use your right to reply where funders allow. A critical review is not the end of your funding hopes, and a PI response can be used to elaborate on thoughts you didn’t have space for in the original application. Don’t be aggressive or defensive; it may be worth asking a colleague to read through your response to remove any emotional involvement. Also don’t repeat the positive comments; the panel will see these when they consider the application, and you can better use the space responding to misunderstandings or requests for further detail.

Source and author: Jennifer Roddis, Bournemouth University read more

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

UK Funders

AHRC – Translating Cultures Innovation Grants. Closing Date: 6th March 2014. AHRC – Science in Culture Innovation Awards. Closing Date: 27th February 2014=&0=& BBSRC – Welfare of managed animals (responsive mode targeted call). Closing Date: 9th January 2014 EPSRC – Fellowships for growth: building UK leadership in engineering. Closing Date: 25th November 2013 (registration), 11th December 2013 (EoIs) MRC – New Investigator Research Grants – Infections and Immunity. Closing Date: 15th January 2014 MRC – Research Grants. Closing Date: Various=&0=& NERC – Biodiversity & Ecosystem Service Sustainability: Knowledge Exchange Grants. Closing Date: 14th January 2014 Department of Health –

Improving the Health of the Poorest Fastest: Vulnerable Populations in Local Communities read more

Title	Translating Cultures Innovation Grants
Funder	AHRC
Deadline	6th March 2014
Value	£150,000-200,000
Aim	Projects will be expected to play a central role in the development of the Translating Cultures theme by making incisive and innovative contributions to the following six strategic questions: How can research into languages and cultures anywhere in the world and at any time:  1) Encourage engagement with the ways in which translation may be seen to be constitutive of cultures in their formation, projection and transformation? 2) Extend analysis of the ways in which translation serves as a form of transmission and circulation of ideas, ideologies and forms of knowledge between geographical locations, historical moments and cultural contexts? 3) Contribute to understanding the role of translation both in processes of artistic and literary creation, and as an active contributor in the development of new knowledge and understanding? 4) Enhance awareness of the importance of the spaces, contexts, practices, materials, actors and technologies of translation? 5) Develop understanding of the ethics of translation, in the light of a range of phenomena including globalization and digital communication? 6) Permit a closer interrogation of the politics and understanding of translation in a variety of public, private and voluntary bodies and their wider contexts? ‘Innovation’ in this context should be interpreted broadly and could apply, for example, to developing new insights in established areas, or new research methods or approaches, or developing new areas of enquiry, new types of outputs, new partnerships, and / or approaches to dissemination, etc. Although it is recognised that proposals may address topics of relevance to multiple questions, applicants are required to identify the one strategic question to which they are responding most directly.
Length	18-24 months
Eligibility	Standard AHRC eligibility criteria apply
Details	http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/Funding-Opportunities/Pages/Translating-Cultures-Innovation-Grants.aspx

Title	Science in Culture Innovation Awards
Funder	AHRC
Deadline	27th February 2014
Value	Up to £80,000
Aim	Successful proposals under the Innovation Awards call are expected to expand and explore the Science in Culture theme in new and innovative ways.  Proposals may address any aspect of the theme as outlined in the call document. In the context of this call, innovation can take a number of forms: Exploring new inter-disciplinary concepts, methodologies and approaches drawing on both the arts and humanities and the sciences Developing reciprocal collaborations of a new nature or in new or emerging fields of collaborative enquiry between the arts and humanities and the sciences Addressing innovative and inter-disciplinary research questions co-produced through dialogue between the arts and humanities and the sciences
Length	12 months
Eligibility	Standard AHRC eligibility criteria apply
Details	http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/Funding-Opportunities/Research-funding/Themes/Science-in-Culture/Pages/Current-funding-opportunities.aspx

Title	Postdoctoral Support Grant
Funder	British Pharmacological Society
Deadline	31st March 2014
Value	Up to £26,000
Aim	To enable a recently qualified post-doctoral scientist ordinarily resident overseas to work in a UK laboratory for up to one year while other sources of longer term support are being obtained. The application will be assessed on the candidate’s qualifications and suitability, and the supervisor’s potential to secure long term grant support.
Length	Up to 12 months
Eligibility	The supervisor must be a BPS member
Details	http://bit.ly/18PrSc9