Sources of funding for research

Organisations are listed alphabetically

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Tables showing organisations and the type of research and grants available.

Economic & Social Research Council
Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 1UJ, UK.
Tel: +44 1793 413038
Fax: +44 1793 413001
Email: rtdenquiries@esrc.ac.uk
Web: www.esrc.ac.uk
Scope: Part of the ESRC mission is to promote and support, by any means, high quality basic, strategic and applied research and related postgraduate training in the social sciences. The wide variety of funding schemes enable individuals and groups to pursue world-class research in academic institutions and independent research centres throughout the UK. Some, but not all, of our funding opportunities are tied to the Thematic Priorities. We also fund ideas for research that are not linked to Themes but are proposed by researchers themselves, through our Research Grants and Research Fellowships Schemes.
Types of awards available: The best way to seek funding is through the Research Grants Scheme. We make awards ranging from £15,000 to £1.5million to eligible institutions allowing individuals or research teams to undertake anything from a small project to a large-scale survey. The choice of research topic is yours provided it falls within the ESRC's remit. Standard Grants range from £100,000 - £1.5million and Small Grants range from £15,000 - £99,999.
Method of Research Fund Allocation: Standard Grant applications are assessed by the Research, Training & Development Directorate for eligibility, then assessed by five referees and finally graded by the Research Grants Board members who allocate the level of funding. Small Grant applications are assesed by a member of the Research Grants Board and one member of the Council's Virtual Research College. The Board Chair or Vice Chair makes the funding recommendation with the help of these assessments.
Submission of Applications: Application forms are submitted via the Joint Electronic Submission system. More details of this system can be found at www.pparc.ac.uk/jes/jes1/jes1system.asp. Applications may be submitted at any time.
Last updated: 10/01/2007

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 1ET, UK.
Tel: +44 1793 444334
Fax: +44 1793 444187
Email: kedar.pandya@epsrc.ac.uk
Web: www.epsrc.ac.uk
Contact: Dr Kedar Pandya
Scope: Part of the EPSRC mission is to promote and support, by any means, high quality basic, strategic and applied research and related postgraduate training in engineering and the physical sciences.
Types of awards available: Responsive Mode Funding can be used to support a wide variety of proposals, including feasibility studies, instrument development, equipment to support a number of research projects, overseas travel grants and visiting researchers, and long-term proposals to develop or maintain critical mass. First Grant Scheme - This scheme is for researchers who don’t yet have enough experience to give them the credentials needed to compete for responsive mode research funding against experienced applicants from UK universities. Overseas Travel Grants - These are small proposals requesting funds for travel and subsistence only, in order to visit recognised centres abroad to study new techniques or to develop collaborations.
Restrictions: Research Grants are open to UK Universities and similar institutions; certain elements of the scheme are also open to other research organisations and to industry. To be eligible for a First Grant the applicant must have been appointed to their first academic lecturing appointment in a UK university within the previous 36 months, or still be within the probation period associated with the new appointment, hold a university position that includes lecturing and administrative responsibilities alongside research, and be applying to EPSRC as a principal investigator for the first time.
Method of research fund allocation: By peer review.
Submission of applications: Responsive Mode and First Grant Scheme applications may be made at any time, and should be submitted using the Research Councils' Joint Electronic submission (Je-S) System. Overseas Travel Grants should be made 12 weeks before the proposed visit, and should be submitted using the Research Councils' Joint Electronic submission (Je-S) System.
Example of current research activities: The development of an auditory navigation beacon for building emergency egress; Glare disability and its practical consequences in patients with glaucoma; Auditory location finder (ALF) with emergency call facility for blind, elderly and visually impaired people; Improving document production for blind people; MULTIVIS: a MULTImodal VISualisation system for blind students using virtual reality.
Last updated: 17/01/2007

European Commission
CORDIS Help Desk, B.P. 2373, L-1023 Luxembourg
Tel: +352 26 64 801
Fax: +352 26 64 93 80
Email: http://ec.europa.eu/research/index.cfm?lg=en&pg=enquiries
Web: www.cordis.lu/en/home.html
The Framework Programme is the EU's main instrument for research funding in Europe. CORDIS is the Community Research and Development Information Service. This is an important source on EU R&D programmes and relevant matters and can help participation in EU funded research programmes.
Scope: The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) is the European Union’s funding of research and innovation in science, engineering and technology, with a budget of €50,521 million. The funding is structured around key targets with the aim of implementing the EU’s vision of a European Research Area (ERA). It is open to EU public and private entities of all sizes, and incorporates provision for the participation of non-EU countries. The research projects undertaken will also forge links between individual countries, and between industry and academia.
Types of awards available: Themes identified for this programme correspond to major fields in the progress of knowledge and technology, where research must be supported and strengthened to address European social, economic, environmental and industrial challenges. The overarching aim is to contribute to sustainable development. The ten high level themes proposed for EU action are the following: Health; Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Biotechnology; Information & communication technologies (ICT); Nanosciences, nanotechnologies, materials & new production technologies; Energy; Environment (including climate change) ; Transport (including aeronautics); Socio-economic sciences and the humanities; Space; and Security.
Restrictions: The EU will only fund projects which involve several partners from different countries.
Method of research fund allocation: Quality and technological relevance of project submitted for funding are assessed by external, independent experts. Each proposal is evaluated, on average by five experts.
Submission of applications: Applications are requested by calls for proposals, which under FP7 will be set out in annual work programmes which will provide details about topics, timing and implementation. The proposal process is triggered by the call. Calls are published official invitations for researchers to submit project proposals for a specific area of the Framework Programme by a specific date, usually about three months after the call. Calls specify very clearly what is required. Proposals that do not meet the specifications in the call will be disqualified.
Example of current research activities: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm
Last updated: 17/01/2007