Workshop: Winning the Grant: Demystifying the research funding landscape

Optional session to discuss research plans: 14:00-15:30 (BST)

Those beginning their academic career face the challenge of identifying and applying for funding to support their research, scholarship and career progression in a number of ways, including post-doctoral fellowships, a first major grant application to a research council or charity, pump priming funds to undertake scoping research, or working on a funding bid as part of an inter-disciplinary team.

Yet the landscape of research funding and the process of writing a high quality grant application can be mystifying and challenging. From the identification of appropriate funding sources, to writing cases for support and impact statements, all the way through to costing a project, this workshop aims to provide a supportive and informative environment to help early career researchers in this important process.

Specifically, the workshop will aim to explore the following main areas:

• The UK and UK-international funding landscape;
• Key funding initiatives for planning, environment and energy research;
• What are grant reviewers and assessors looking for?

We’ll also run a series of break out rooms for participants to choose from that will aim to include the following topics (we’ll aim to record them):

• Developing project ideas: the intellectual ‘spark’;
• Developing project ideas: working collaboratively with other researchers;
• Inter-disciplinary working;
• Working with external partners;
• Developing pathways to impact;
• Developing and managing budgets.

We’ll also run optional post-lunch intensive session for participants to outline their research plans in breakout rooms and receive dedicated peer support and advice from successful grant holders.

There will also be an opportunity to discuss developing some post-workshop online ‘coffee and chat’ sessions to continue conversations about bidding for funding.

Outline programme

The workshop will be run online via Zoom and will feature expert guest speakers on a range of themes, break-out interactive sessions, Q&A and the opportunity to discuss your grant writing ideas and challenges in a supportive environment.

The workshop will address these themes in several ways, including:

• Input from those with a strong track record of grant writing success;
• Contributions from those working in research support within universities;
• Insights from research council peer review college members;
• Optional discussion of participants’ research ideas in small group, intensive      discussion groups;
• Career planning and grant writing.

We expect expert participants will include:

Ray Perrins, Research Development Manager, University of Exeter

Extensive of experience of supporting academics to write, cost and submit funding applications.

Dr Rebecca Windemer, Cardiff University

ECR with experience of applying for funding to support academic research.

Professor Gareth Shaw, University of Exeter

Extensive experience of grant writing and project leadership.

Registration

Registration is free and open to all.

Please register in advance of the event and by 9am on Friday 3rdSeptember.

We will send details of the finalised agenda and a Zoom link to everyone who has registered on Friday 3rd September.

To register, use this MS Form link: https://forms.office.com/r/Q9QLSW1Q4b