Funding opportunities for engagement and impact

Route B - Policy-Led (FCDO)

The FCDO has specialised research requirements, operating in a context where timely access to high-quality evidence-based analysis can mean the difference between success and failure. Exerting influence, negotiating and leveraging others’ power at precisely the right moment is at a premium. This can make it difficult for researchers operating outside the FCDO to have a significant impact. These Fellowships will provide an opportunity to change that by enabling close interaction with FCDO policymakers directly in the heart of this government department’s work.

The Academy and the FCDO invite applications for Fellowships in any of the following areas.

1. India
2. The politics of energy transition and climate change in Africa
3. The role of technology in shaping citizen-state relations in Africa

Application Deadline: 27 November 2024

Starting period of award: Awards are expected to commence no earlier than 1 January 2025 and no later than 31 March 2025. The start date of the fellowship award will depend on the successful completion of the security check and signature of the agreement. Applicants are expected to provide information requested by FCDO in a timely manner to enable the fellowship to begin promptly.

Duration of award: awards are for a period of 12 months.

Level of award: The Academy is able to offer awards of up to £120,000 for 12 months in duration (with Full Economic Costing at 80%).

Full information

ODA Global Innovation Fellowships

The objective of the ODA (Official Development Assistance) Global Innovation Fellowships is to provide opportunities to UK-based early- and mid-career researchers from across the humanities and social sciences to develop their skills, networks and careers in the creative and cultural, public, private and policy sectors to address challenges that require innovative approaches and solutions.

This opportunity will enable award holders to embed themselves and be based in a partner organisation. The partner organisation must be based in any of the following countries: Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Philippines, South Africa, Turkey, Thailand, Vietnam and any country from this list of Least Developed Countries. Applications are invited in any of the following areas:

• Environment, sustainability and nature
• Transformative technologies
• Health and wellbeing
• Cities and urbanisation
• Global order, geopolitics and international affairs

Successful candidates will be selected on the basis of the quality and interest of the activity or range of activities and outputs proposed in the application. Award-holders will be expected to play a role in promoting the approaches and methods that are the focus of their award and consider the potential for engagement between academic and non-academic environments.

Application Deadline: 6 November 2024.

Duration of award: awards are for a period of 12 months.

Level of award: The Academy is able to offer awards of up to £150,000 for 12 months in duration (with Full Economic Costing at 80%).

Webinar: 12 September 2024; 10:00 – 11:00 am, please contact: international@thebritishacademy.ac.uk

Full information

Global Innovation Fellowships: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

This opportunity will enable award holders to embed themselves and be based in the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (specifically in the USA, with possibilities to engage in other regions as appropriate). Awards from the first round can be seen here. The aim is to have a mutually beneficial partnership between the fellowship award holder and Carnegie with each able to take advantage of fresh perspectives and expand their networks and reach. It will enable the award holder to strengthen and create new links across policy and academia, enabling knowledge mobilisation and translation, and the opportunity to develop new approaches and solutions to policy challenges through providing a different perspective. 

Applications are invited in any of the following five areas:

• Sustainability, Climate and Geopolitics.
• Technology and International Affairs.
• Democracy, Conflict & Governance.
• Global Order and Institutions.
• Nuclear Policy.
• Political Economy and Trade.

The Academy is offering up to two one-year fellowships hosted in Carnegie’s offices in the USA (Washington DC or California). 

Application Deadline: 27 November 2024.

Starting period of award: Global Innovation Fellowships are expected to commence by September 2025. An earlier start date of March or April 2025 may be possible, in this case the applicant will need to explain how they will plan and manage their relocation on this faster timeline.

Duration of award: awards are for a period of 12 months.

Level of award: The Academy is able to offer awards of up to £150,000 for 12 months in duration (with Full Economic Costing at 80%).

Full information

ODA Global Innovation Fellowships - South African Institute of International Affairs

This opportunity will enable award holders to embed themselves with the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), in their South Africa office (Johannesburg or Cape Town). The aim is to have a mutually beneficial partnership between the fellowship award holder and Carnegie with each able to take advantage of fresh perspectives and expand their networks and reach. It will enable the award holder to strengthen and create new links across policy and academia, enabling knowledge mobilisation and translation, and the opportunity to develop new approaches and solutions to policy challenges through providing a different perspective. 

Applications are invited in any of the following five areas:

• Democracy and Governance in Africa
• Climate Finance
• Critical Minerals
• Re-imagining Democracy and Building Anticipatory Governance in Africa

Application Deadline: 6 November 2024.

Starting period of award: Global Innovation Fellowships are expected to commence by September 2025. An earlier start date of March or April 2025 may be possible, in this case the applicant will need to explain how they will plan and manage their relocation on this faster timeline.

Duration of award: awards are for a period of 12 months.

Level of award: The Academy is able to offer awards of up to £150,000 for 12 months in duration (with Full Economic Costing at 80%). The award is intended to be made on a full-time basis. The cost of relocation, visas and any associated costs for the applicant and their dependants are eligible under this programme.

Full information

Apply for funding to form a community-driven research network to enhance access to culture. Funded networks will create partnerships across communities, researchers, and policymakers, to promote urban cultural renewal.

You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funding.

The full economic cost (FEC) of your network can be up to £100,000 and AHRC will fund 80% of the FEC.

Networks must start by 1 April 2026, and will be funded for 12 months.

*This is a pre-announcement and the information may change. The funding opportunity will open on 16 September 2024.*

Full information

Supporting researchers and practitioners who are trying to expand understanding of the policy landscape, and who are developing best practices for the responsible use of evidence in policy.

• Maximum award for each project: £5,000 out of a total of £13,000
• Deadline: 6 December 2024
• Decision: 10 January 2025
• Projects must be completed within 12 weeks maximum and start no later than 2 months after receipt of the grant.

Projects can be exploratory or explanatory, but they are particularly interested in how policymakers assess academic research, and are keen to support work that identifies pathways for the research community to change public behaviour and opinion. The successful applicants will also get free access to Overton's data, as well as training and support to ensure best use of the platform.

While the funding call is open to everyone, they are especially keen to support researchers in the early stage of their career and professional staff who don't perform research full time. It would also be suitable for those looking to establish themselves better in the fields of scientometrics, bibliometrics and research evaluation.

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This scheme offers five early career researchers the opportunity to be ‘researchers in residence’ where they will work with programme makers at BBC Radio 4 and produce a piece of writing to be recorded for radio.

If selected, you’ll also take part in learning and development opportunities with AHRC around working with the media, engaging the public with research and how to work with policy makers.

You’ll be an up-and-coming early career researcher with a passion for sharing ideas with the largest possible audience.

• 28 January 2025 4:00pm UK time

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