Eligible costs

Awards will normally be made only for the directly incurred costs of research: funds may be provided for posts, equipment, consumables and other items required for the project.

Grants will not be made from the John Fell Fund for the following:

  • building costs;
  • the salary of the applicant or principal investigator;
  • other academic posts, i.e. new academic posts or academic posts held by individuals other than the applicant (provided that in exceptional circumstances funds might be made available towards an academic post for a limited period where this is tied to a specific bid to an external body under category 'Support related to current bids for external funding';
  • bridging support (see separate bridging support scheme at bss).
  • honoraria

In exceptional cases, grants may be made towards refurbishment costs, but only as part of a bid for equipment, where refurbishment is required in order to house the equipment.  (Bids for refurbishment only may be made to the Capital Steering Group: see www.admin.ox.ac.uk/pras/committees/workinggroups/capital/)

All bids to the main award scheme should be prepared on an FEC basis unless they are for a research facilitator post, or you are not asking for staff costs. For facilitator posts, please use gross costs, and allow for future salary awards. The full cost should be stated on the application form under 'Total FEC cost of the project'. The department or faculty is expected to cover the indirect and directly-allocated costs (except that the Fund may exceptionally cover directly-allocated costs other than academic staff time), and should also indicate whether it proposes to contribute to the directly incurred costs of the project; it should also comment on why the department/faculty cannot meet the entire costs of the project. The extent of the department/faculty's support should be made clear on the application form under 'contribution from department/faculty'.

The entry on the application form under 'amount requested from John Fell Fund', and the figures given in the breakdown of costs at the end of the form, should consist of directly incurred costs only. In all cases, applicants should summarise the funds requested in each university financial year on the table attached to the application form.

Please consult your administrator about the preparation of costings. In addition to the breakdown in the application form, the department/faculty should submit a Resolve3 costing (by email to both the relevant divisional officer and to johnfellfund@admin.ox.ac.uk), unless staff costs are not included and/or FEC does not apply. The department or faculty is responsible for confirming the accuracy of the costings.