Birkbeck / Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund (ISSF).

Proposal Form for mid-career researchers

This initiative aims to give staff members who were appointed with good research records a chance to revitalise their research by developing pump-priming proposals that are designed to lead to major grant applications. Support can include the salary of a technician or postdoc in science, or teaching and administration cover in the humanities. Mentoring will be provided by a leading research academic in the field to maximise the chance of success at converting this pump-priming funding into a major grant.

Applications are particularly encouraged from female candidates and from those with caring responsibilities.

Funding: Applications are invited for awards for up to £10,000. This should be costed to include time for a postdoc or technician to carry out the work, or teaching and administration cover to free up the academics time as well as consumables, travel and equipment.You may wish to contact the Research Grants and Contracts Office for help with costing salaries.

Application deadline:

  • Deadline 31st August 2016, for consideration at the ISSF panel meeting in mid-September 2016.

This form should be filled in electronically and sent as an email attachment to , together with a copy of your CV. Please type your answers where indicated. There are no predefined boxes to limit the length of your answers, but please keep to the specified word limits. Ensure that you complete all sections of the form, that you provide all the information we need, and that all information is accurate.Your application will be judged solely on the information provided in this form.

  1. Applicant:
  1. Department:
  1. Title of proposed project:
  1. Start date:End date:
  1. Please provide details of your research proposal(max.4,000 words).

Describe the aims and objectives, project methodology and programme of work.Explain why the proposed project is of sufficient timeliness and novelty to warrant consideration for funding. Use this section also to provide any other information in support of the application.

  1. How does this project fit with the Wellcome Trust’s remit?
  1. Explain how this pump-priming project will enable an application for further external research grantfunding, and identify which funding bodies might be approached. (max. 250 words).

  1. Budget:

a)Please provide details of the budget requested from the Birkbeck/Wellcome ISSF. Note that the maximum amount available is £10,000.

Item description / Cost
TOTAL requested

b)Provide a justification for resources you are requesting. This should be a reasoning of why you require the resources for your project rather than an expanded description of the above items.

  1. Note that endorsementsare required from two academic colleagues, at least one of whom must be from your own department.These endorsements can be sent by you at the same time as you submit this application form, or submitted directly by the endorsers to the deadline. Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that endorsements are submitted in time, applications that are missing endorsements will not be considered for funding.

Name of first endorser:

Name of second endorser:

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