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Researcher-Led Initiative Fund

We would normally expect applications to be for less than £1,000, although more will be considered. If your application is successful, you will be asked to share the outcomes of your evaluation with the Doctoral School, and to make it available to researchers in other Schools that may want to run a similar activity.

Check out the winning initiatives from the May 2012 funding cycle

Application Guidance Notes

Download the following guidance notes as a Word document RLI fund Application Guidance Notes 2012-13 [DOCX 827.89KB] or PDF RLI fund Application Guidance Notes 2012-13 [PDF 781.20KB]

Scope of the RLI fund

The Researcher-Led Initiative (RLI) fund has been established to fund peer-led professional development activities for researchers. We are keen to sponsor initiatives that benefit a broad range of researchers (across disciplines and career stages). You may seek funding for activities that expand, complement or build on current provision for researchers; however, funding will not be given for travel, course or conference attendance, or staffing costs. Similarly, research projects are outside the scope of this funding stream.

Applications to the RLI fund are invited from researchers of all career stages: doctoral researchers, research staff, and members of faculty.

Applicants are requested to consider the following before making an application:

• How is the proposed activity (or programme of activities) intended to enhance professional development of researchers?
• How interdisciplinary is the proposed activity? Is it relevant to doctoral researchers or research staff in other Schools and if so, how might the activity be opened up to others?
• How the activity might be reused and repurposed by researchers in other Schools of study
• How the proposal addresses areas within the Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF).

Award amount

There is no limit to the funding you may apply for from the RLI fund. However, we would normally expect applications to be for less than £1,000, although more will be considered.

Deadline for application submission

For 2012-13, applications are considered by the RLI panel three times a year. Applications received after 12:00 noon on deadline days will be considered in the following funding cycle.

Spring cycle application deadline: 12:00 noon, Tue 30-April-2013.

Criteria

• At the time of application, you must be:
• Currently registered for a doctoral degree at the University of Sussex (i.e. not on a period of intermission); OR
• Hold a current contract of employment to conduct research at the University of Sussex; OR
• Hold a current contract of employment as a member of faculty at the University of Sussex;

• The funding sought must be used to boost the personal and/or professional development of researchers at the University of Sussex (though may include those beyond the institution);

• The proposed initiative must have broad appeal to multiple disciplines and schools of study, and where possible include researchers at various stages of their careers;

• You must fully complete the application form, and address clearly areas within the Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF) – see Appendix A;

• There must be aspects of the proposed activity that are innovative: i.e. not addressed by current Doctoral School provision for researcher development;

• You must be able to manage your normal study / research / work-load in addition to undertaking the additional activity for which you have applied;

Application process

• Complete all sections of the application form fully;
• Send completed application forms to the Doctoral School, Research and Enterprise Services, Falmer House, University of Sussex, Falmer, BN1 9QH. Alternatively, you may email your application to Julie Carr, Doctoral School Officer (Funding and Recruitment) at J.L.Carr@sussex.ac.uk
  

Selection process

The selection panel is composed of the Directors of the Doctoral School and the Assistant Director of the Doctoral School. The panel will evaluate the applications and judge them against the criteria listed in this document.  The panel reserves the right to consider the distribution of Researcher-Led Initiative Fund allocation across the University, and to favour proposals from first-time applicants. The panel reserve the right to offer partial funding for applications, and may seek expert advice on any aspect of the application.  Applicants may be asked for further information, or to amend their application. We aim to inform you of the decision within four weeks of the closing date of the RLI funding round in which your application falls. The decision of the panel is final and there is no appeals procedure. We encourage you to seek feedback on your application.

Successful applications

Awards are offered subject to the following terms and conditions:

1. That the organiser(s) of the RLI write at least one post for the Doctoral School Blog, once the initiative has taken place. The post/copy will outline your experiences of setting up and completing the activity, including discussion of any challenges encountered along the way.
2. That the organisers ensure the Doctoral School receives sufficient information to be able to help promote their successful initiative to researchers.
3. That promotional materials for the initiative carry the words and URL:
   "Supported by the Doctoral School¹s Researcher-Led Initiative (RLI) Fund www.sussex.ac.uk/doctoralschool/internal/rli" .
4. That the organiser(s) of the initiative share the evaluations of the event with the Doctoral School.
5. After the event/project has taken place, any and all unspent budget allocation reverts back to the Doctoral School and is reinvested in future Researcher-Led Initiatives.

Contact

The Doctoral School aims to assess all applications within four weeks of the closing date.

For further information and questions, please contact Julie Carr, Doctoral School Officer (Funding and Recruitment) on extension 8036, or email J.L.Carr@sussex.ac.uk