The Bristol Poverty Institute (BPI) is pleased to relaunch our internal funding scheme for researcher-led engagement activities for the 2024-25 academic year. This fund is for activities hosted by University of Bristol (UoB) academics, either in Bristol or online. 

The purpose of the fund is to support activities such as seminars and workshops which help to grow and develop the University of Bristol poverty-research community and its visibility, as well as building networks for future collaboration. We welcome applications where co-funding will be obtained from other sources. 

Examples of activities which received funding in previous rounds of this scheme include: 

• A seminar on deconstructing discourses of development and gender. 

• A three-part seminar series exploring different aspects of youth experiences and inequalities. 

• A day of workshops on rural food poverty in the UK in collaboration with two NGOs. 

• A launch event for a new book volume on Debt edited and authored by several ECRs from UoB. 

• An interactive, networking lunch in collaboration with a local NGO bringing UoB staff and students together with community members to explore themes around inclusion and exclusion. 

The fund is open to University of Bristol academics at any career stage (post-PhD) and from any school or faculty; however, poverty must be a central theme and the activities should align with the focus and objectives of the Bristol Poverty Institute. 

Grants awarded under this scheme will normally be in the region of £200, although applications up to £300 will exceptionally be considered where sufficient value can be demonstrated. In most cases, this will be used to cover core event costs such as catering. Costs such as staff salaries, UoB staff travel, estates/indirects, IT equipment purchase, and conference fees are not eligible costs. If you are unsure whether your proposed activity is suitable, please feel free to contact the BPI team via bristol-poverty-institute@bristol.ac.uk. 

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until all funding has been allocated or the call closing date (31 May 2025), whichever is sooner. All activities and spend must be completed by the end of the current academic year (31 July 2025). We aim to communicate decisions within three weeks of applications being received, but we are a small part-time team so during busy periods and/or when we are short-staffed, it may take longer. 

If you are looking for larger-scale funding to support poverty research development activities, check out our internal BPI Seedcorn Fund instead.