Brigstow Ideas Exchange Application Guidelines
The Ideas Exchange Fund is an ongoing opportunity dependent upon the funding available. We are pausing the Ideas Exchange Funding from 8th April until 1st August 2024. You can still apply for an Ideas exchange, but only for projects that require funding from 1st August 2024 onwards.
- Do you have an idea for new research but need some time from partners and some money to take it forward?
- Do you need support to develop a network, either in the UK or globally?
- Have you met some people at a Brigstow event and want to carry on the conversation?
- Do you need to develop and discuss ideas before you apply for research funding (from Brigstow’s seedcorn fund, for example!)?
It takes time to develop research ideas. This is particularly true when research involves interdisciplinary and/or co-produced methods. Brigstow’s Ideas Exchange funding enables the right people to get together to learn from each other, identify shared research interests and plan the next steps. The funding is designed to support emerging, interdisciplinary networks and partnerships that are co-designed and co-run with external partners. Up to £1000 is available per Ideas Exchange, although applications up to £2000 will be considered if the proposal is for more extensive activity or, for example, to extend the collaboration beyond the UK.
We welcome applications for Ideas Exchanges on any topic related to what it means to be human in the 21st century. Given this focus on human experience/living well, we expect to see arts/humanities researchers and/or social scientists having a key role in interdisciplinary research teams but welcome applications from researchers from the sciences who want to expand their connections into the social sciences, arts and humanities disciplines. The Ideas Exchange is perfect if discussions are at an early stage and you are still confirming partners and need resource to adequately co-create a research agenda and research questions.
Eligibility
Each Ideas Exchange proposal will need one University of Bristol researcher (who needs to be a member of academic staff) to be the main applicant and budget holder for the project. We particularly welcome applications from colleagues who have not yet been a PI on a research grant.
What funding is available and what can the funds be used for?
Funding can be used to buy in expertise (for example, you may need to pay an artist or community partner; if so please factor in any VAT when working out the cost), pay for researchers (both within and external to the university and including research associates and students), hardware costs, consumables (such as the costs for your project team meetings) or travel needed to work together.
What is the application process?
The main University of Bristol applicant/budget holder will need to submit a full financial costing on Worktribe (the university’s finance system for projects) prior to submitting the application to be approved internally. The university partner’s costing specialist will be able to help, but please follow the Brigstow-specific guidance to create a project in worktribe. Please allow sufficient time before submission for the relevant finance and Head of School approvals for your Worktribe costing.
The following gives you an idea of the timescale that the budget holder must follow – these are internal deadlines for the university but while there could be some flexibility, these are the usual timescales you should follow.
- Three weeks before submission to Brigstow: the budget holder needs to contact their Costing Specialist within the university to start the process of getting the budget completed and approved.
- Two weeks before submission to Brigstow: the budget will need to be finalized so that the relevant approvals within the university can be completed.
- One week before submission to Brigstow: the approvals should have been completed to allow you to finalise your Ideas Exchange application and submit it via the Brigstow online application form.
To apply, please complete the online application form at Brigstow Application. We hope to notify people of the outcomes within 10 working days of receiving your application.
If you would like to meet and discuss potential projects with Brigstow colleagues please contact us at hello-brigstow@bristol.ac.uk and we’ll arrange a 30 minute appointment with either Gail Lambourne (Brigstow Institute Manager) or Debbie Watson (Brigstow Institute Director).
Application Form Questions
There are specific questions on the online application form asking for the following:
1) Title of proposed project
2) Applicant details
- Names and details of the project team members
- Who is the budget holder
3) Budget
- Worktribe Project ID
- What is the total amount of funding are you asking for? (Please use the ‘Cost to Funder’ amount from Worktribe)
- Give a breakdown of costs and justification of individual items. Max. 300 words. Please include VAT if applicable.
4) Which funding competition are you applying for?
- Choose Ideas Exchange
4) Case for support
This main body of the application form is free for you to frame but we’d advise you to include the following.Max. 1000 words (Any applications exceeding this limit will have the additional text removed prior to being assessed).
Case for support questions
- What is the aim or idea?
- What is the activity you need support for?
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Who is involved? How does this support ongoing partnership development? Who are you also aiming to involve?
- How does it address the central Brigstow theme of what it means to be human in the 21st century?
- What do you expect to happen at the end/what might the outcomes be? For example, an event drawing together a range of people to discuss, or use making to explore, a particular topic; solidifying a research question and approach for a research funding bid; a critical analysis of what additional knowledge and skills might be required for a research project; or a literature review involving a number of disciplines to identify a gap in the research.
You might want to explore some of our toolkits to aid your discussions when developing your Ideas Exchange. These resources could be useful as you develop your ideas and frame your project.
Apply for Brigstow Funding
If you are ready to apply you can access the Brigstow Institute funding application form at Apply for Brigstow Funding
Terms of Engagement
Find out about Brigstow's principles and expectations for our funded research projects.