Seed Funding

WARWICK UKRAINE-BELARUS (WUB) HUB

CALL FOR GRANT APPLICATIONS

Theme: Ukraine, Belarus and the Complex Geopolitics of Europe

Application Deadline: Monday, 3 March 2025 (23:59 Greenwich Mean Time)

The University of Warwick’s Ukraine-Belarus Hub (WUB Hub) is pleased to announce that it is offering four small grants of £500 to support research relating to the theme of ‘Ukraine, Belarus and the Complex Geopolitics of Europe.’ These grants are intended to cover associated research expenses.

Proposals can relate to a new or existing research project but should be used to facilitate a specific research activity with an eye on the future development of the project beyond the funded activity. The proposed research can address any aspect of the theme, including but not limited to political, economic, societal and military aspects of geopolitics (broadly understood).

Successful applicants will be expected to produce a Policy Brief of up to 1,000 words written with policymakers as the target audience. The Policy Brief should be delivered by 31 May 2025. Applicants will also be expected to present their research at a conference in London on 26 June 2025 which carries the title ‘Ukraine, Belarus and the Complex Geopolitics of Europe’ and will bring together policy makers, academics and other experts on eastern Europe.

The grant comprises:

£500 to undertake a specific piece of research as described in the application
Travel expenses and overnight accommodation in London for the conference in June
Other ad hoc opportunities to engage with the Warwick Ukraine-Belarus Hub (optional)
The grant does not cover any additional expenses incurred to carry out research

Grant holders are expected to:

Submit a research proposal, including a breakdown of how the £500 grant will be spent. Additionally, grant holders should provide their travel details, including the airport of departure and an estimated cost for travel expenses to London for the conference.
Write a policy brief of up to 1,000 words, based on the research project, aimed at a policy audience.
Present their research at a conference on 26 June 2025.

Eligibility

This competition is open to anyone actively conducting research relevant to the theme of the call. We will be pleased to consider applications from independent scholars as well as those with an affiliation to a recognised research institute or university.

How to apply

Applicants should send a single-page research proposal to Paul.Hansbury@warwick.ac.uk with “WUB Hub Seed Fund Application” in the subject line. Research proposals should be sent as an attachment saved in PDF format.

The research proposal should indicate: (i) the aims of the proposed project/research activity; (ii) specify how the grant will be used; (iii) indicate methods used (if appropriate and not covered under (ii)); and (iv) a timeline for completion. If the proposal relates to an existing project, it is especially important to be clear about what the grant will be used for.

As this is a seed fund, the research proposal should also indicate: (v) the applicant’s ambitions for the research beyond the research activity covered by the grant. Please also indicate: (vi) estimated travel costs and departure point to attend the conference in London in June.

Applicants should also send a curriculum vitae detailing relevant experience and professional background. A covering letter is not required and will be disregarded if included.

The deadline for applications is 3 March 2025. Successful applicants will be notified no later than 12 March 2025.

The following criteria will be used to assess applications:

Feasibility of the proposed research

Potential to develop the proposed research into a larger project in the future

Relevance of the proposed research activity to the competition theme

Suitability of the applicant to carry out the proposed research.

The judging panel comprises:

Professor Elena Korosteleva, University of Warwick

Dr Paul Hansbury, University of Warwick

Dr Tatsiana Chulitskaya, Vilnius University