FWW Network Collaborative Research Grant Scheme

Research Fund Guidance NotesOVERVIEWThe First World War Network for Early Career & Postgraduate Researchers (FWW Network) in conjunction with the Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) is offering this scheme to fund high-quality, innovative research activities and outputs co-designed and co-produced in collaboration between members of the FWW Network and their community, public or heritage partner(s). Activities supported by this fund should involve engagement in research that requires a significant input of time and/or other resources. 

As a broad guide, projects funded under this scheme should:

• Explore the history, heritage, culture or memory of the First World War. Therein, projects aggressing the following themes are particularly encouraged Diversity; Gender; Commemoration; Challenging Histories; Policy.

• Substantially develop the knowledge and skills of both ECR/PGR and their community, the public or heritage partner(s)

• Have a real and discernible impact on people, heritage and communities

While projects must be led by the ECR/PGR member of the FWW Network, it is essential that they address needs or opportunities identified and agreed with the community, public or heritage partner(s). The involvement and support of the partner(s) must be clearly evidenced in the application. 

Advice for academic researchers on public engagement activity can be found on the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement’s website. The articles on co-inquiry and engaging the public as researchers may be particularly helpful in developing applications. In addition, applications are encouraged to engage with relevant FWW Network training opportunities (such as the workshops: ‘Public Engagement & Working With Community Partners’ & ‘Appling for Funding ‘Sandpit’ Event’).

Funding, Eligibility & Criteria

Funding can only be awarded to an ECR or PGR member of the FWW Network. Any PGR or ECR working on the First World War can join the FWW Network for FREE and becomes immediately eligible for this scheme. Institutional affiliation is not required.

Postgraduates whose PhDs are currently funded by the AHRC may not be eligible and should seek further advice from the FWW Network prior to submitting their application. In any case, projects funded under this scheme must be substantially different from PhD-funded research. New projects with a community, public or heritage partner with whom a PGR/ECR has previously been engaged are eligible provided that a distinct project (or distinct strand within a current project) is proposed.

Partner organisations cannot apply independently in their own right for FWW Network Funding, or be paid directly for their activities within the project.

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Applicants may resubmit previously unsuccessful applications. Those resubmitting are encouraged to engage in relevant FWW Network training to develop their bid.The value of each award is limited to £1000.In usual circumstances this will be apportioned in the following way:

- Each successful award provides an automatic £500 honorarium intended to contribute to the research commitment of the ECR/PGR undertaking the project.

- Funds up to an additional £500 can be applied for to cover direct costs connected to the project. These can include, but are not limited to: travel costs, accommodation costs, costs for attending conference and workshop events, and consumables.

Applicants may choose to ‘opt out’ of the £500 honorarium payment and instead apply for up to £1000 direct project costs. In such cases the lead ECR/PGR is expected to supply all necessary research commitment for the delivery of the project on a voluntary basis.

All costs must be clearly identified and justified in the application.

CallsThere are two call deadlines in 2018:

15 June 201831 August 2018

Decision-makingQualifying applications will be assessed by a funding panel appointed by the FWW Network Committee, comprising: 

- one FWW Network Committee Member;- one Principal Investigator (or their nominee) of an AHRC First World War Public

Engagement Centre;- one ECR/PGR representative appointed by the AHRC First World War Public

Engagement Centres;- one representative from a community, public or heritage organisation.

Applications will be considered, and outcomes communicated, within 8 weeks of the deadline.

The panel’s decisions are final.

Conflicts of interestAny member of the funding panel must declare any interest in a submitted proposal and recuse themselves from the assessment process.Assessment CriteriaAll applications will be judged by the following criteria:

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- The project engages an ECR/PGR member of the FWW Network with a community, public or heritage partner(s), applying the research expertise, knowledge and skills of the former to the benefit of the latter.

- The project develops the skills and knowledge of both the ECR/PGR and the community, public or heritage partner(s).

- The project contains genuine co-design and co-production; with evidence that each project partner adds or gains something from the outlined project.

- The costs have been clearly outlined and justified (where funding is granted the panel reserves the right to amend costs it considers to be unreasonable or unrealistic).

- The project is realistic, can be completed within the stipulated timeframe, and has a strong likelihood of success.

- The topic is appropriate and relevant to the aims of the FWW Network and wider AHRC Public Engagement Centre programme.

- The project proposes public engagement outcomes/outputs of a high quality and likely impact, which will be of benefit to the career of the applicant ECR/PGR.

Reporting requirementsProjects must:

- incorporate appropriate evaluation procedures into their activities - continuously reflect upon what has worked well and what has worked less well- provide an end of project report to the FWW Network and may be required to

deliver a project report as part of a conference/workshop event.

As this is a new funding scheme, successful applications in 2018 will, in addition to their project report, be expected to provide feedback on the process and practice of the scheme to aid in its development.

DETAILED APPLICATION GUIDANCESection 1: Project OverviewProject title: The project title should be no more than 15 words. This is the title under which information relating to your project will be published on the FWW Network website and elsewhere.Project summary: Please provide a brief overview of your project suitable for publicity purposes (500 words maximum). Proposed start date, end date, and duration of project: Projects must be completed by 1 June 2019.Total amount of funding requested: The scheme allows requests for up to £1000 inclusive of an automatic £500 research commitment payment.

Section 2: Academic PartnersProvide full details of the ECR or PGR who will be directly involved in the project. The Lead Applicant must be a member of the FWW Network. Details should be provided of expertise and its relevance to the project.

Section 3: Community, Public or Heritage Partner (s)Full details should be recorded of each partner organisation collaborating on the project. If more than one partner is involved please copy, paste and complete section

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3 in relation to each partner involved. One individual may be nominated as a main contact at each organisation. The assessment panel may follow up on these contacts to verify the involvement and roles of the partner(s).Describe the organisation’s main aims, purpose and regular activities: Please give an overview of the main aims and functions of each non-academic partner. Examples of information provided could include:

• The purpose and aims of the organisation• The number of staff who are employed by the organisation (if applicable)• Membership or volunteer numbers• The organisation’s regular activities and how they are funded• Any other relevant information about audiences or members of your group

Details of funding: Provide a brief overview of how the organisation is funded. This should include:

• Details of the usual funding sources for the organisation• Information on any HLF grants, including the total amount of funding, length of

the HLF project, key aims and overview of the project activities and outcomes• Any other awards from funding bodies

Section 4: The Research ProjectPlease note that funding will only be considered for projects which demonstrate a clear plan for cooperation between academic (i.e. the ECR/PGR) and community, public or heritage partner(s) in the co-design and co-production of research. Therein, demonstrate how the project develops the skills and knowledge of both the ECR/PGR and the community, public or heritage partner(s). It should be clear how each project partner adds or gains something from the outlined project which could not be achieved in isolation.

Please ensure that you explain clearly how and why your organisations will be working together.

Aims and objectives of the project: Please outline the key aims and objectives.

Project plan: Provide details of how your project will be carried out, including a timetable of main events / targets.

Project Outcomes & Outputs: Please give details of the planned outputs and outcomes. These should include both academic and non-academic impacts and outputs as well as details of the legacy of this collaboration. Outcomes should be clearly measurable, and you should provide details of how they will be measured.

Strategy for partnership: Outline the roles and responsibilities of each project partner and demonstrate how you will ensure that all partners make a contribution to the project and benefit fully from its outcomes.

Similar activities in your area or project theme: Please explain the place of your project within the wider context of public engagement in your local area and/or project theme.

Section 5: Project costs

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Each award carries an automatic £500 allocation towards the research commitment of the ECR/PGR initiating, undertaking and delivering the project. Funding, not exceeding an additional £500, may also be applied for to cover other direct project costs.

The opt-out box: By checking the ‘opt-out’ box you agree to waive the automatic payment towards ECR/PGR research commitment, which you instead agree to give on a voluntary basis. By clicking the box you may apply for direct project costs up the value of £1000

BudgetPlease set out the budgeted costs under the following headings:Travel Costs – Outline any travel costs for the planning, development and completion of the project.Accomodation Costs – Outline any accommodation costs for the planning, development and completion of the projectConsumibles – Outline any costs for consumables (such as materials; catering; daily sustenance) directly linked to the planning, development and completion of the project.Other Costs – Outline here any other costs (such as equipment; event fees etc) necessary for the planning, development or completion of the project not covered in the above.You may add additional rows and budget headings to the costings table as appropriate to your projectJustification of CostsAll costs claimed in the costing table should be itemised and justified in relation to the project aims, programme and outcomes.

Section 6: Equal Opportunity and DiversityThis part of the form aims to collect the information we need to report on the range of organisations working with FWW Network members as part of the fund. We will not use this information to assess your application.

Section 7: DeclarationThe application form should be signed by the Lead Applicant who, in doing so, takes responsibility for the accuracy of the project proposal and agrees to manage the administration of the grant if awarded.A signature is also needed from a representative of each community partner as evidence of the organisation’s support for the application.

Contacts & SubmissionsAll submissions and enquiries should be sent electronically, FAO Dr Philippa Read, at fwwnetwork@gmail.com

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Research Fund Application form

SECTION 1: PROJECT OVERVIEW

Project Title (max. 15 words)

Project Summary (max. 500 words)

Proposed start date & end date of project

Proposed duration of project (in months)

Total amount of funding requested

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SECTION 2: ACADEMIC PARTNERS

Details of FWW Network member(s) leading the projectFull name Institution (if

applicable)Department (if applicable)

Email address

Lead

Applicant

Please give details of the relevant research specialisms of the FWW Network members listed above (500 words)

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Reference

It is the applicant's responsibility to approach one referee and to have them send a reference of approximately 300 words in length directly to Dr Philippa Read (fwwnetwork@gmail.com) either as an email or as an electronic attachment. All references must arrive by the stated closing date, otherwise applications will be deemed ineligible.

SECTION 3: COMMUNITY, PUBLIC OR HERITAGE PARTNER(S)

Name of organisation

Name and position of main contact

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Address

Telephone number

Email address

Website

Type of organisation

☐ Local Authority

☐ Other public sector organisation

☐ Organisation not in the public sector

If the organisation is any of the following, please provide the information shown:Company – give registration number

Registered Charity in England, Scotland or Wales – give registration numbers

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Charity recognised by HM Revenue and Customs in Northern Ireland – give reference number

Number of staff and / or volunteers

Membership numbers of the organisation (if applicable)

Describe the organisation’s main aims, purpose and regular activities (500 words)

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Details of funding previously awarded (including HLF funding if applicable) (350 words)

Any other relevant information about audiences or members of the organisation (350 words)

SECTION 4: THE RESEARCH PROJECT

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Aims and objectives of the project (350 words)

Roles and responsibilities of academic and community partners (350 words)

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Project plan (500 words)

Project Outcomes & Outputs (350 words)

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Strategy for partnership including co-design and co-production of the research (500 words)

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hDo you know of any similar activities in your area or on your project theme? If yes, then please explain how your project will complement, or provide a fresh approach or stance, to the activities already underway. (500 words)

SECTION 5: PROJECT COSTS

☐ Tick box if you wish to OPT-OUT of the £500 research commitment allocation

Opt-out allows you to apply for up to £1000 in direct project costs

Financial Details (Please add additional rows and budget headings as appropriate)

Budget Heading Detail Cost Total

Travel Costs

Accommodation Costs

Consumables

Other Costs

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TOTAL

Justification of Costs

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SECTION 6: EQUALITY MONITORING & DIVERSITY

If any of the organisations involved in this application represent the interests of a particular group, such as young people or disabled people, please tell us which by filling in the tables below.

Ethnic groupAsian Black Chinese Mixed White

Asian British Black British Chinese British

White and Black Caribbean

White British

Asian English Black English Chinese English

White and Black African

White English

Asian Irish Black Irish Chinese Irish White and Asian

White Irish

Asian Northern Irish

Black Northern Irish

Chinese Northern Irish

Other White Northern Irish

Asian

Scottish

Black

Scottish

Chinese

Scottish

White Scottish

Asian Welsh Black Welsh Chinese Welsh White Welsh

Bangladeshi Caribbean Other Other

Indian African

Pakistani Other

Other

Irish travellers (Northern Ireland only)

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AgeUnder 16 16 to 25 25 to 49 50 to 64 65 & over

DisabilityDisabled people (people with physical or mental problems which have significant and long-term negative effects on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

Marital or civil-partnership status

Single people (never married or in a civil partnership)

Married people (and living

with their husband or wife)

In a civil partnership

Married people (and separated from their husband or wife)

Separated but still legally in a civil

partnership

Divorced people

Formerly in a civil partnership which is now legally dissolved

Widowed people Surviving partner from a civil

partnership

People with dependentsPeople with dependants (for example, children or elderly relatives)

People in lower socio-economic groupsPeople living in households with incomes below the national average, or people living in the most deprived local authority wards in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

Community background (Northern Ireland only)Mainly Protestant (more than 60%)

Mainly Catholic Both Catholic Neither Catholic

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(more than 60%) and Protestant nor Protestant

Religious beliefProtestant Muslim Catholic Jewish Other

Christian

Sikh Buddhist Hindu Other No religious

belief

GenderMale Female Transgender

Sexual orientationGay and lesbian Heterosexual Bisexual

SECTION 7: DECLARATION

Lead ApplicantI confirm that the organisations named on this application have agreed to collaborate in the outlined project.I confirm that the activity outlined in the application falls within the purposes and legal powers of the organisations.I confirm that if the project is awarded the grant any collaborating institution(s) and non-academic partner(s) will keep to the standard terms of the grant and any further terms and conditions as set out in the grant notification letter or in any contract prepared specifically for the project.I confirm that the information in this application is, to the best of my knowledge, true and correct; and that any falsely stated information will lead to a forfeiting of any awarded grant

Lead Applicant

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Name __________________________________________________________

Organisation___________________________________________________________

Date__________________________________________________________________

Signature______________________________________________________________

Community Partners

I confirm that my organisation fully supports this application.

Community Partner 1

Main contact

Name____________________________________________________________

Organisation___________________________________________________________

Date_________________________________________________________________

Signature_____________________________________________________________

Community Partner 2

Main contact

Name____________________________________________________________

Organisation___________________________________________________________

Date__________________________________________________________________

Signature______________________________________________________________

Please add details and signatures of additional partners if appropriate.

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