funding applications old and new

Starting the ole "let's try to get funding" process again, for the second time. It's just struck me that a blog would be a great place to store a whole list of potential places to apply to, especially so that I can access it from home etc. So here we go. I have the 'Grants Register' bible and an internet browser in front of me and am ready to go...

Last year's applications

• Richard Stapley Trust: Charity offering 300-1000 pounds per year for mature postgrad students - they seem to take a genuine interest in the students they sponsor, judging from the correspondence I had from them last year when I successfully got a grant from them. Definitely going to apply again. DEADLINE: 31/03/09. Application form requested
  
• AHRC: Really not sure about how to apply to this, this year, it seems to have changed again but the university pages on this are out of date. Depending on whether Sussex is a 'BGP' partner of AHRC, I think I either get considered by the university for AHRC funding, or have to apply directly to AHRC. I really need to talk to someone in the know about this - wonder if my supervisor is up to date with the changes? Or Phil Husbands seems to know what's going on with funding usually. (In fact he'd probably be worth chatting to anyway) UPDATE: Sussex has got a BGP grant, but I'm not sure if I'm eligible to apply - frustratingly, perhaps I might be inbetween research council remits yet again. (With all this focus on interdisciplinary research, you'd think the research councils would be more interested in arts/science crossings?!?) I'm chasing this up. Deadline 20/03/09. Need to submit a 500 word max research proposal, three references and transcripts.
  
• Wingate Scholarship: I really like the ethos of this charity - encouraging interdisciplinary research. I got through to the final round last year. Must look at the application to see what I could improve on. UPDATE: Damn I missed the deadline. Very careless of me.
  
• Departmental Funding: Well, all I can really do with this is make sure the department know I'm applying and maybe go see Phil Husbands about how I can improve my chances. Depends on what money they've got available but after two failed chances I'm really not hopeful the department is willing to support my research; disappointing given that I particularly liked Sussex's approach to interdisciplinary research when I was deciding to come here and thought I'd have more of a chance. Well musn't grumble, that won't get me anywhere! Actually on further looking, there is a GTA application form - I'll fill that in and get that off ASAP. Note to self... I'll go through and double check the other links advertised on the departmental funding page when I'm done with the Grants Register - lets concentrate on the big book for now. No deadline it seems - I'll fill this in now and check with Richard Chambers as to exactly what to do
  
• Google Anita Borg Scholarship: deadline 26th January - work in progress!
  

New potential options:

• Open University: Now that I'm a tutor for the OU (or will be) I know they have some money for staff to develop their academic knowledge (the Development fund): "Associate lecturers can apply to the Development Fund that may provide financial support for attendance at events such as external conferences and to help support associate lecturers in PhD and masters studies." I'll contact Sue Truby about this for the best person to approach, and in the meantime will find my login information for the OU site, see if there's anything online that isn't on the main site. UPDATE - this has fallen through as the OU for SE england unfortunately didn't get enough applications to run the course I was supposed to be tutoring :(
  
• EPSRC and ESRC: I guess the benefits of such an interdisciplinary research is that I should try all the research councils that might be relevant... they can only say no. I think the EPSRC is through the department only but there is something in ESRC that might be worth pursuing (the open competition) (again the site is out of date currently though...) UPDATE: EPSRC - scholarships distributed through universities (as I thought). ESRC is the only research council I've looked at that is actively encouraging interdisciplinary work but as luck would have it, I'm really not sure whether I'm eligible for this, given that Informatics isn't mentioned on the ESRC page at Sussex. Internal deadlines appear to be in March
  
• SEMPRE: Arnold Bentley New Initiatives fund for interdisciplinary music psychology projects (max about £500) deadline 1st May, Conference awards for attending one of SEMPRE's supported conferences - it has to be said that the online list of conferences supported by Sempre is not the most extensive at present... :( and the Aubrey Hickman award for graduate students - which is biennal and linked to Sempre's own conference which happened last year, so I doubt this is available this year.
• British Federation of Women's Graduates - a lot of opportunities for final year postgrad research. Particularly Kathleen Hall fellowship (but I might be from the wrong country..) **BFWG Scholarships** (2,500-6000 pounds), DEADLINE 27/3/09 IFUW international fellowships (promotion of women in scientific and technological careers - I have to be a member of BFWG) Deadlines: late march/early april. UPDATE: This is biannual and doesn't open again till March 2010. Also FFWG Charitable Foundation (DEADLINE 31/3/09) and Emergency (deadline Feb 21st - missed it) grants. The IFUW website is well worth a look as well - there is a Crosby Hall Fellowship which I might have missed the deadline for (september deadline) CFUW/A Vibert Douglas fellowship (stretching the point on evolutionary aspects of my work somewhat!) and the Dorothy Leet grants and Ida Smedly MacLean fellowships - need to find more out about these (again might have missed the september deadline but to know about just in case for next year) UPDATE - looks like just the BFWG scholarship and the FfWG foundation grants here. Need to pay 20 pounds for the BFWG so checking eligibility, plus have requested a FfWG form.
  
• Carnegie Grants and Scholarships - as I have got a good degree from a Scottish university. UPDATE- should only apply for this if work is in a Scottish university or will benefit a Scottish university. Hmm... that might be stretching things for me!
  
• Gilchrist Educational Trusts - up to 1000 pounds. closing date feb 28th. Need to show that my need for money is unexpected - this would be due to the recent family circumstances so I could consider applying to this. Also they have group grants which may be interesting for the research group in general perhaps?
• Leverhulme Trust - can I apply as a person pursuing a research project? Prob not...
  
• Reid trust for the higher education of women - a grant to promote the education of women in the UK. Open to women educated in the UK with appropriate qualifications who wish to undertake further training or research. Up to 1000 pounds grant. Deadline 31/5/09 - 1 in 5 chance of success. Need to send a SAE for requesting an application form to: Mrs H M Harvey, Honorary treasurer, Reid Trust (f.t.h.e.o.w) 53 Thornton Hill, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4NR. Founded in connection with Bedford College for women. Administered by a small voluntary committee. No online presence except this PDF. Have requested application form.
  

So that's me half way through the Grants register. A few new leads when I've searched for general funding options, next time I'll look at the more subject specific leads. Also, when searching through the 'Any student, any subject' options, I could only face doing A-L - there are so many options here! So next time I'll also finish that off. Not a terrible way to spend an hour, especially if it leads to some funding (wish me luck). To be continued...