Small Grant Scheme 2024-25

Small Grant Scheme 2024/25

The Behaviour Spotlight is pleased to invite applications for our new small grant scheme, dedicated to supporting Warwick's interdisciplinary research community.

Launch of our dedicated funding call for hosting events is coming soon. This particular scheme is intended to support the organisation and publicity of events that stimulate cross-discipline/faculty collaboration across Warwick.

The award in brief

The Behaviour Spotlight small grant scheme is intended to support a) small research projects that must involve multi-disciplinary teams and b) training of Early Career Researchers (ECRs).

Awards normally up to a maximum of £xxxxx

Applications requesting more than £xxx may be considered by our review panel. Please liaise with before submitting an application if you wish to request more.

Research Projects Training

We are looking to support PhD students, post-doctoral fellows, and ECRs who have the opportunity to complete new training and to gain new skills in areas that a) link with the Behaviour Spotlight and our research themes and b) have interdisciplinary approaches.
The small grant could support the applicant in travel and/or fees for attending summer schools, national and international conferences visits, and labs in other institutions. An example includes attendance of an interdisciplinary knowledge exchange/training workshop.

Read examples from previously funded applicants here

Key Dates

Call issued:

Deadline:

Find the application form here.Link opens in a new window

Decision announced to applicants:

Project start date (from):

Funds must be spent by:

Please refer to the guidance below whilst completing your application, and please ensure you have read the terms and conditions for this call before applying. Please contact idresearch@warwick.ac.uk with any queries or to discuss the details of your application.

Guidance

Eligibility

The Behaviour Spotlight interpret interdisciplinarity broadly to include interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary research.

According to UKRI, interdisciplinary research involves collaboration between two or more fields to achieve outcomes beyond the reach of one discipline. Multidisciplinary research involves less integration between fields, while transdisciplinary research co-creates knowledge with non-academic stakeholders, such as policymakers or businesses.

Applicants

PhD students, post-doctoral fellows, and ECRs are welcome to apply. We support an inclusive and broad definition of ECR as a research career stage.

For the purposes of this small grant scheme, R1 (Fist Stage Researcher) and R2 (Recognised Researcher) as defined by the European Commission will be used and can be viewed here.
Undergraduate students are not eligible. Please see the Undergraduate Research Support Scheme and IATL's project support and funding.
Applications from or involving underrepresented groups are especially welcome.

Duration

All costs must be incurred before 31 July 2025.
Project/activity end-date must not exceed the applicant’s contract end-date, if applicable.

Eligible Costs

Consumables, travel and accommodation for relevant travel
Research assistance
Experiment costs, participant fees

Ineligible Costs

We do not fund salary costs, or 'buyout' of time of PIs/Co-Is.
We do not fund undergraduate student activities, or activities that form part of any assessed work at any level. Please see the Undergraduate Research Support Scheme and IATL's project support and funding.
Equipment costs

Please get in touch with our , if you want to discuss applying for Spotlight funding in conjunction with other internal sources of funding or if you would like advice on external funding.

How to apply Application Review Process Terms & Conditions

Finance

I confirm that this activity’s end-date does not exceed the end-date of my employment contract (if applicable).

I understand that this funding must be defrayed by the 31st of July 2025. A member of the Spotlights team will be in touch closer to the time to review the use of any remaining budget. If there is any risk of delay to my planned spend activity I will inform idresearch@warwick.ac.uk.

I will use the code and/or reference provided by RIS for making any purchases/orders.

Governance

I confirm that I have completed the full version of the Epigeum research integrity trainingLink opens in a new window, and that I have checked and obtained any relevant ethical approval.Link opens in a new window

I have checked whether this activity requires a risk assessmentLink opens in a new window and obtained this if necessary.

I confirm that I have completed any other due diligenceLink opens in a new window checks if my activity involves collaborators.

I have checked whether this activity requires any contract(s) or agreement(s) and obtained these where necessary. Examples of possible contracts or agreements include for collaboration with external institutions (including other Universities), activities involving a transfer of funds/other resources, sharing of data, or creation of intellectual property (especially if involving external partners) Further information can be found hereLink opens in a new window and here.Link opens in a new window

Reporting

I agree to provide updates during and after the activity for future reporting purposes, using the report template provided. This report should detail the use of the funds; achievement of outputs and outcomes from the award; how the activities have contributed to the strategy; future plans to build on the work done and further funding applications made or planned.

If you are successful with your application, we will seek your permission to promote your project on the Behaviour Spotlight website.

Completing my application

Which of our Spotlight's themes does this project/activity align with? Select all that apply:

Please refer to the information about our themes here and explain which of these your activity aligns with.

Details of the team, including any internal or external collaborators, detailing their track record

Please list all collaborators (including any external partners) with details of their department and faculty, outlining the nature of their involvement and their capability/track record to deliver this activity.

Project/activity description (including how this activity aligns with this Spotlight’s strategy, as well as with the guidance for this particular call)

Please include:

Project/activity description (avoiding or defining any technical terms/concept) -
E.g. We plan to invite researchers from across the University with an interest/experience in AI themes to share best practise and explore opportunities for interdisciplinary approaches to AI, with a view to developing a core team of experts and build capacity to be in a state of readiness for the next funding call.

Plan/project breakdown with dates -

E.g. step 1 - scoping of existing networks, mapping expertise across the Uni (April - May 2025); 2 - produce comms, liaising with relevant comms teams (April 2025), 3 - hire venue, 4 - send invites (June 2025), 5 - finalise agenda for the day, 6 - host event, 7 - follow-up activities and comms)

Methodology, including an explanation of the interdisciplinary component of the activity. For the purposes of this call we use the UKRI definition of interdisciplinarity, meaning a 'collaboration between two or more fields to achieve outcomes beyond the reach of one discipline'

Size and location/platforms -

E.g. We are expecting/targeting approximately 120 delegates, and plan to host the event at The Slate. We will use MS Forms to manage registration.

Intended outcomes, including future funding -

E.g. This activity will establish a critical mass of related researchers, building Warwick's reputation for excellence in this area, and increasing our preparedness for the next funding call, TBA Q4 2025.

Alignment with Spotlight strategy and specific call guidance -

Please refer to the Spotlight webpages for info about strategy, and other sections on this page for specific call guidance, e.g., here.

Which of this Spotlight's theme(s) does this activity align with? -

Please see our research themes. Feel free to attach this information in a separate document if easier.

Financial plan e.g. full amount requested (GBP), breakdown of costs, details of any other funding received. Please also include the contact details for your department’s finance contact

Please include:

Full amount requested in GBP -

E.g. £2000

Breakdown of costs -
E.g. RA hire for preliminary mapping exercise £600; travel and expenses for external speakers £2500; venue hire £400.

Details of any other funding received to support this activity, including from other Spotlights -
I have also obtained funding from my department who have committed £1000, and the Warwick AI Society have pledged to provide £500.

Supporting documents

E.g. CV(s), Gantt chart, costing tool

Application form