Notes for applicants
1. Eligibility
The John Fell OUP Research Fund is open to both academic and service units. All subject areas are encouraged to apply, and interdisciplinary and/or interdivisional projects are especially welcome. The applicant should normally be a current employee of the collegiate university holding an academic post, or a research fellowship awarded competitively and intended to enable the holder to establish an independent research career (e.g. Royal Society University Research Fellows, Junior Research Fellows). Retired and Emeritus Fellows are ineligible for funding.
2. Assessment criteria
Awards made to the John Fell Fund will be assessed against the following criteria;
- Excellence and intrinsic merit of research
- Potential for long term sustainability and academic impact of the project
- Relevance to department and divisional research strategy
- Necessity for John Fell Fund versus other sources of funding
- Value for money, noting in particular the potential for shared use of equipment and other facilities
3. Types of application
Applications may be made for small, main or divisional awards, as follows:
- Small Award Scheme - Requests to this scheme must not exceed £7,500. Applicants will need to demonstrate how the award would lead to further funding or research opportunities. For deadlines, see section IV.
- Main Award Scheme - Applications under this scheme must be for over £7,500. There is no upper limit on the value of awards, but the higher the sum requested, the more exceptional the case will need to be. For deadlines, see under section IV.
- Divisional awards - Special schemes are available in the following divisions to which applicants may apply: Humanities, Social Sciences.
4. Types of award
The John Fell OUP Research Fund will be used in a variety of ways to stimulate and sustain research.
The Fund will make available outright grants, underwriting, or loans. The division, department or faculty concerned will normally be expected to provide a contribution to the cost of the project and/or complementary expertise. Projects that will generate income are welcome.
Awards will not normally be made for projects that are eligible for support from external sources.
Applications will be made for any of the following purposes:
| Award type | Description |
|---|---|
| (a) Pump-priming | For innovative projects and proof-of-concept work, especially of an interdisciplinary nature, that are currently at too early a stage to put to an external sponsor, the Fell Fund award being intended to bring the project to a stage at which a strong application for external funds can be made towards the end of the period of the award. |
| (b) Early Career Researcher | Start-up funds for applicants who are in the early stages of their research careers and are within their first five years in post as independent researchers, to accelerate establishment of their research and scholarship. |
| (c) Other academic activities | e.g. seminar series, international interactions - likely to lead to new research initiatives. |
| (d) Research facilitators | i.e. administrators who are well-informed about sources of research funding, and encourage and/or assist with the preparation of bids to external sponsors, e.g. by mentoring academics, and/or fostering collaboration (see further information on research facilitators). |
| (e) Support related to bids for external funding | Normally matching funds, usually in the form of a contribution towards a proposal that is about to be submitted to an external sponsor in order to enhance the chances of success: in such cases any award will be contingent on the success of the external bid. It is expected that the Fell Fund would not contribute more than 25% towards the total cost of the project, unless a higher contribution is explicitly required by an external sponsor. |
| (f) Strategic investment | For projects of a major strategic nature where a contribution of over £100k is sought towards the cost of equipment (and, where necessary, associated refurbishment). For such projects, a contribution of up to 50% of the direct costs of the project (excluding any anticipated external contribution) may be available from the Capital Fund; the department or division is expected to contribute to the direct costs, and may seek an element from the John Fell Fund. Applications under this head should be submitted to the John Fell Committee whether or not an element of Fell Funding is sought, and should include a business case (see under ‘Accompanying statement checklist’ below). Individuals considering applying under category (f) should at an early stage (well in advance of the closing date) consult their divisional contact about the strategic and business case for their application. |
5. Eligible costs and divisional/departmental contributions
Awards will normally be made only for the directly incurred costs of research. Applications should make clear both the full economic costs of the project, and the directly incurred costs that they request from the John Fell Fund. For full details of all costing requirements please refer to eligible costs.
In all cases, departments/divisions are expected to cover the indirect costs of projects. In respect of categories (a)-(e), they are encouraged where possible to contribute to direct costs. For category (f), a contribution to direct costs is required.
6. FAQs
Further information on eligibility, purposes of awards, costs, and the application process is given in the FAQs section