UCL European Institute
UCL European Institute
Small Grants Scheme for UCL staff, 2015-16
Please return the completed form by the beginning of every month during term to c.sternberg@ucl.ac.uk.
Call for applications
The UCL European Institute invites applications from UCL staff to its Small Grants Scheme, for projects
that lead to or support collaborative research-based projects on Europe broadly conceived. Proposed
projects may be formulated in response to current affairs or long-standing research questions;
collaboration between staff based in different UCL departments is particularly encouraged.
We invite proposals that aim to either (or both):
1. achieve research impact (through scholarly output, public engagement, influence on policy
and practice, knowledge transfer or similar)
2. prepare the ground for extended research projects (including grant applications).
Typical projects eligible for funding include:
 costs associated with research activity (e.g. travel, interviews), including research assistant time
(UCL HEFCE staff costs/salaries are not eligible), leading to an event, feeding into a discussion
group or resulting in a co-authored publication.
 costs associated with a pilot study or the preparation of a research grant application
 organising a research conference, seminar series, workshop(s), or a public panel discussion;
 convening a reading or discussion group;
 public engagement activities and collaborations with external non-academic institutions
Details and procedures
 Funding of up to £2000 plus some administrative assistance is available per project.
 Use of the UCL EI Seminar Room (G01, 23 Gordon Square, capacity 15) may be applied for.
 The lead applicants need to be UCL members of staff at any level. Priority is given to collaboration
between staff from different departments and those involving early-career researchers.
 The deadline for the submission of proposals is the first day of any month during term time; we
aim to inform applicants of the results of their application within three weeks.
 The project needs to take place in the Academic Year 2015-16. Its allocated funds need to be
spent before 15 July 2016 and a final project budget sheet will need to be submitted by 20 July
2016. Any spend beyond that date will need to be communicated to us in good time.
 Further requirements:
o A brief project description for the UCL EI website, to be submitted within 1 month of the
project being selected for funding.
o
o
o
o
Communicate details of all significant project developments – dates of conferences,
publications, new collaborations – to the UCL EI over the course of the project.
Any project publication must mention the support received from the UCL EI and
display its logo, if online with a hyperlink to www.ucl.ac.uk/european-institute
Submission of a progress report by the close of the project, including a summary
budget (for budget reporting please see Section 4, “Claiming Funds”).
A commentary text (ca. 1000 words) for the EI’s Commentary Series.
Small Grants Scheme:
Application Form
2015-16
3. Selection Criteria
Selection will be made on the basis of the following:
 Excellent quality;
 The contribution to innovative research and debate on Europe and/or the EU;
 Capacity to involve junior researchers from several departments;
 The development of an original, research-based project that would not otherwise take place
 Evidence of the capacity to address publics beyond academia, create lasting outputs or foster
longer-term research collaboration;
 A disciplinary spread over all selected proposals;
 A coherent plan and a viable budget, ideally with additional sources of funding indicated.
4. Claiming funds

If your project is selected, you will receive a confirmation email with the exact amount you
have been awarded, as well as instructions about transfer, expense claims and receipts.

Please note that payment will be made as a transfer to your department; please allow at least
one month for payment to be processed. To avoid delays in processing your transfer, you will
need to provide contact information for your departmental finance administrator.

A final project budget sheet will need to be submitted by 20 July 2016 at the very latest. If
your actual costs are lower than your estimated costs, the funds awarded will be reduced
accordingly.
Contact:

Please contact c.sternberg@ucl.ac.uk if you have any further questions regarding the content
of potential applications under the call.

Please contact susie.griffin@ucl.ac.uk with any questions regarding the procedures and
formal processes of the call.
Small Grants Scheme:
Application Form
2015-16
1. Applicant Details
Name
Current Post/ UCL Dept
Tel
Email
Name
Current Post/UCL Dept
Tel
Email
Names and institutional affiliation of further co-conveners, where applicable
2. Title of the project
3. Summary outline
(Summarize the objectives of your proposed project, give a brief account of how it may contribute to research on
Europe and the European Union, and outline why you think it should be supported by the European Institute [as
opposed to departmental funds])
5.
Start date of project
6.
End date of project
Small Grants Scheme:
Application Form
2015-16
7. Proposed activities
(Please provide details of your proposed activities. If you propose an event, please include key speakers you expect
to invite, proposed venue and target audience. Please use max. 1 page)
8. Outcomes
(Please describe the likely outputs and impacts of the projects)
9. Amount requested
10. Breakdown of funds
(Provide details of your projected expenditure as well as of any additional funding sought / income to be raised)
Small Grants Scheme:
Application Form
2015-16